Though this be madness, yet there is method in it

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Though this be madness, yet there is method in it'?

Methos in one’s madness suggests reason behind apparent folly or disorder.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Though this be madness, yet there is method in it'?

This line derives from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, 1602:

LORD POLONIUS [Aside]:
Though this be madness, yet there is method in ‘t. Will you walk out of the air, my lord?

The colloquial version is ‘there’s method in his madness’.

Related phrases and meanings

Browse more Phrases

About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Though this be madness, yet there is method in it

Phrases & Meanings

A-Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ