Final answer:
Hamlet seeks forgiveness from Laertes stating his actions were driven by madness caused by circumstance, not his true character, pointing to King Claudius' manipulation as the primary cause. correct option is c.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the fencing match, Hamlet asks Laertes to pardon him, explaining that his madness, which led to the actions that have hurt Laertes, is not truly a part of his character. Hamlet claims that his madness was shaped by circumstance, not by his will.
To support this, one can refer to Act 5, Scene 2, where Hamlet states, "Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? Never Hamlet:" suggesting that it was his madness, treated almost as a separate entity, that wronged Laertes rather than Hamlet himself. He further states, "If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, And when he's not himself does wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it."
Hamlet believes that Laertes should view the actions of his madness as separate from his true intentions. This notion is supported by the concept of feigned madness introduced earlier in the play, which Hamlet adopted as a tactic to uncover the truth about his father's death and to protect himself from King Claudius while he plotted his revenge. This ultimately leads to the correct option in final answer: (c) King Claudius' manipulation as the primary cause cited by Hamlet for his seeming madness before beginning the fencing match with Laertes.