Though this be madness, yet there is method in ‘t.
– William Shakespeare
Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Polonius observes that behind Hamlet’s show of madness there is some kind of cleverness or purpose. This suggests that Hamlet may be just acting crazy and it’s a deception, which indeed it is. The audience knows that Hamlet is pretending to be mad. But the irony is completely lost on Polonius, who is fooled by Hamlet’s show of craziness.