Choose any two soliloquies spoken by Hamlet in Hamlet.
Discuss how the two soliloquies give an insight to mental / emotional state of the character at two points in the play.
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Hamlet’s Humanity
Humanity will always struggle to find a balance, going from one extreme to the next. During the play “Hamlet”, written by William Shakespeare, the character Hamlet struggles to achieve a balance in the ‘action’ and ‘thinking’ categories. Hamlet has trouble with the fact that he cannot kill his uncle Claudius, who killed his father for the Kingship. There are numerous examples in the play “Hamlet”, where Hamlet thinks of taking action against King Claudius, but fails to, as well as there are examples of Hamlet taking certain action without thinking.
Hamlet plans all throughout the play to get the King to have a public omission of guilt. He would finally get the omission, after Claudius runs out of the ‘play’ room, going mad, after the King in the play (that Hamlet set up) gets murdered. This gives Hamlet the exact proof he was looking for and would give him the right to murder Claudius at will. When the King is ‘praying’, Hamlet finally has an opportunity to kill him: “Now might I do it pat, now’a is a-praying./ And now I'll do't./ Draws his sword” (3.3. 73-74) In the beginning of this soliloquy, it looks as if Hamlet will take action and finally kill Claudius, however his mind gets the best of him once again: “Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge./ ’A took my father grossly, full of bread,/ With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;/And how his audit stands who knows save heaven?” (3.3. 79-82) As Hamlet stands in the room with Claudius, he realizes that Claudius is praying and according to his beliefs, this means that Claudius will go to heaven right away. Hamlet comes to the conclusion that this is no kind of revenge. At this moment in the play, Hamlet is becoming increasingly frustrated with the fact that he has not killed Claudius yet.
No matter how hard humanity tries to become ideal, it will always fail. Throughout the entire play, Hamlet strives to be like his father, because Hamlet is not satisfied with himself. Hamlet plans to kill Claudius, and yet, he cannot. In this soliloquy, Hamlet sees how Fortinbras can kill innocent men and be willing to die for a useless piece of land. If Fortinbras can do such a deed, for such a pointless cause, Hamlet asks himself why he has such trouble killing the person that killed his own father and took away his mother: “How stand I then,/ That have a father kill’d, a mother slain’d,/ Excitements of my reason and my blood,/ And let all sleep, while to my shame I see/ The imminent death of twenty thousand men/ That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,/ Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot/ Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,/ Which is not tomb enough and continent/ To hide the slain? O, from this time forth/ My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.” (4.4. 56-66) In these lines, Hamlet uses his introspective, in an attempt to see why this much time has passed and he still has not killed Claudius. Hamlet is now extremely frustrated with himself. He promises that from this moment forward, he will be a changed man, being all action and no thinking, just like Fortinbras. The problem with this is that Hamlet goes from one extreme to the other, in that at first he was thinking too much, with not enough action, and now he will be all action and no thinking. It is the balance of the two that would truly make Hamlet become King.
During the two important soliloquies listed above, Hamlets frustration accumulates. His quest to become the ‘all-action’ human-being becomes more obvious. However what Hamlet fails to realize is that it is the balance of both, action and thinking, that would make his personality much more appropriate to fit that of a true King. It is this internal flaw, that makes the audience see Hamlet as a true human-being.
Hamlet, a controlled individual.
As Hamlet speaks throughout the play, the reader is able to grasp through a close observation of Hamlet, that he is a man of complete control. In Hamlet`s first and third soliloquies, his composure is much more evident because they both portray points in time where Hamlet is thinking through his problems and is at the same time, explaining to readers the reason for his despair.
In Hamlet`s first soliloquy, he has just encountered an embarrassing meeting with his uncle Claudius and mother in front of the entire court and the situation perfectly portrayed Hamlet`s clever mind and his control. Hamlet explains his problems, dipping into the fact his uncle is now his step father and took the crown from him comparing him to his father, ``...married with my uncle my father`s brother- but no more like my father then I to Hercules.`` (act 1, scene 2, 152-153) it is apparent that Hamlet is feeling a lot of anger towards Claudius, and the fact that he was able to keep his composure in front of the entire court as Claudius embarrassed him moments before, proves that Hamlet can control his anger. Another factor affecting Hamlet`s emotions is, quite obviously, his mother. Hamlet is still able to pretend to be nice to his mother in other particular moments of the play, ``I shall in all my best obey you, madam.`` (120) this is Hamlet`s reply to his mother and Claudius` orders to not go back to university in Wittenberg. A few lines later, in Hamlet`s soliloquy, Hamlet vents his anger about his mother, the deep hatred he feels, ``By what it fed on: and yet, within a month - Let me not think on't -Frailty, thy name is woman! -- A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she follow'd my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears: -- why she, even she -- O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn'd longer...``(145-151) it is legitimate that Hamlet is upset with his mother due to past events, Hamlet even says his mother wore the same shoes she wore to the funeral to her wedding, but the point is that he is able to keep poise.
In Hamlet`s third and most famous soliloquy, he debatably speaks about suicide, but due to the way in which Hamlet speaks in this speech, it is clear that Hamlet is not just talking about his own, certain situation but in general the pros and cons of existence, he speaks to himself about if it would ever be worth taking his own life. Hamlet says, ``That flesh is heir to: `tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.`` (act 3, scene 1, 62-63) using the word flesh is a general statement and refers to the many people who feel sadness. In modern times, many teenagers who go through far less then what Hamlet is going through turn to unnecessary actions such as violence or suicide. Hamlet shows, through all his anger that he is still under self control, that he is clever enough to make his community and close people around him that he is crazy but as soon as they leave the stage or his vicinity he is back to normal.
In only Hamlet`s soliloquies are readers able to know exactly what is running through Hamlet`s mind. He is alone, and is able to release his inner self – his inner self may be angry and hurt which it is rightfully able to feel, but on an external note, Hamlet portrays self- control. Despite his loss of respect for his own mother, the loss of trust in his friends, and his dreams of ever being king shattered, Hamlet is under enough control that he is able to devise a plan throughout the entire play. Hamlet is a composed individual.
How does Hamlets’ mind work?
Soliloquies give a character a chance during the play to express how they really feel without anyone but the audience knowing. Since a character cannot lie during a soliloquy the audience knows that what they are hearing is truthful. Throughout the play, Hamlet has a few soliloquies in key acts which help the reader/audience create a deeper bond with Hamlet the man.
The first soliloquy Hamlet says is in act one and focuses on the King, his uncle and now his father, and the Queen, his mother. Hamlet is infuriated that his mother would marry so soon after his father’s death, “She married – O most wicked speed! To post/ With such dexterity to incestuous sheets” (1.2. 156-157)! Part of the reason Hamlet is upset with his mother marrying, is because King Hamlet was the ultimate father figure. King Hamlet was a legend and Hamlet goes as far as to compare him to a God, “So excellent a king, that was to this/ Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother/ That he might not beteem the winds of heaven/ Visit her face too roughly” (1.2. 139-142). During this first soliloquy the reader will be able to see that Hamlet’s situation is unique and his outlook is more than acceptable.
The soliloquy in act three is more focused about life, living, and if life is worth living. Hamlet is now contemplating suicide and asks himself several times if it is better to suffer through this life, “To be, or not to be, that is the question:/ Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles” (3.1.56-59). Act three is an especially dark time for Hamlet, and it shows through this soliloquy. He is constantly debating whether life is worth living and how the only thing keeping him alive is the fact that he does not know what will happen once he is dead, “But that the dread of something after death, / The undiscover’d country, from whose bourn/ No traveller returns, puzzles the will, / And makes us rather bear those ills we have/ Than fly to others that we know not of” (3.1.78-83)? Hamlet goes on to say that the human conscious makes fools of everyone and how human courage will diminish. By the end of this soliloquy the audience can really see the state of melancholy Hamlet is in, and all the emotion he is living through.
Throughout the entire play soliloquies give the reader insight into different characters minds and what they are actually feeling. Hamlet has many soliloquies at different stages in the play that allow the reader to connect on another level with the main character.
In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Hamlet goes through a wide range of feelings, thoughts, and actions. Shakespeare lets the audience into these moments with soliloquies. Hamlet has a range of emotions, from absolute hopelessness, to seeing the end of the rabbit hole. These to emotional extremes can be seen in Hamlet’s act one and act three soliloquies The first deals with his sorrow, his inner struggles, and how he is just lazing around. Contrast that to the third act, where after catching the conscience of the King, we see an entirely new Hamlet, one full of action and desire.
In Hamlet’s first soliloquy, “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt” (1.2.129) the reason of the soliloquy is to reveal to the audience Hamlet's profound melancholy and the reasons for his despair. In an outpouring of disgust, anger, sorrow, and grief, Hamlet explains that everything in his world is either futile or contemptible. His speech is filled with suggestions of rot and corruption, as seen in the usage of the line “That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature: (1.2.136), and in the metaphor associating the world with "an unweeded garden" (1.2.137). A final important contrast in the soliloquy is seen in Hamlet's self-depreciating comment "but no more like my father/Than I to Hercules" (1.2.154-155). Although Hamlet's comparison of himself to the courageous Greek hero could be devoid of any deeper significance, it is more likely that the remark indicates Hamlet's developing lack of self worth, which is a total conversion of his later soliloquy in act three.
Hamlet's plan to get Claudius’ public admission of guilt has been a success, and Claudius has retired, distraught, to his chamber. Thrilled that his scheme worked, Hamlet experiences a sudden surge of confidence which prompts the first half of this short soliloquy. Hamlet is now sure that he could easily complete his revenge; sure that he could murder his uncle without hesitation. However, Claudius is out of reach for the moment, and so Hamlet turns his attention to his mother, revealing in the second half of the soliloquy his intentions to force Gertrude to make a full confession. Although Hamlet still loves his mother, he must be cruel to her in order to show the admission of her guilt. Hamlet says, "My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites" (3.3.389), because he knows that he must feign violent intentions towards his mother, and that his words must express those false intentions. This shows that Hamlet is showing action, and not just sitting around, and opposite of what happened before where he was unsure what to do. You can clearly see the growing character that is Hamlet.
These two soliloquies show the contrast of Hamlet’s emotions. In the first act, he is a mess, unable to do anything but morn for his father’s death. He cannot believe the turn of events inside Denmark, and sees no light at the end of the tunnel. Compare that to later in act three, where Hamlet is full of pure ambition, and hope. The hope stems from his plan to entrap the King, with his admission of guilt. With that in mind, Hamlet has the mind set that he can do carry out the task that was set before him by the ghost. These two soliloquies contrast the ranging mindset of Hamlet, from complete hopelessness, to there being a way out. It shows how a character can change so much, in such a small amount of time.
Who is Hamlet?
It is said that the only time one is unable to lie is when they are communicating with their own inner thoughts. This is statement is very true in the case of Hamlet. On most occasions, when Hamlet is conversing with other characters he seems incapable of sharing what he is truly feeling. The audience is only able to observe his actual thoughts through his soliloquies. These soliloquies reveal a great deal of his mental and emotional state at different moments throughout the play. Two soliloquies that are very effective in exposing Hamlets genuine feelings are the first and fourth.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy is rather vital in disclosing the amount of pain he is feeling at the beginning of the play. At this point, he is just beginning to deal with the grief of losing his father, his mother marrying his uncle, and having his rightful position as king taken. Hamlet’s true feelings are best described when he says, “O that this too too sullied flesh would melt, / thaw and resolve into a dew”(1.2.129-130). In saying this, Hamlet does not necessarily mean that he wishes to commit suicide, but that he is in a state in which he feels his life does not have any worth or meaning. Hamlet goes on to explain his emotions toward his mother’s new marriage, “and yet within a month – / Let me not think on’t – Frailty, thy name is woman”(1.2.145-146), revealing his incapability to accept the situation and forgive his mother for her actions. Through giving “frailty” the personification of a woman, he is showing his loss of trust in all women as a result of his mother’s betrayal. Finally, Hamlet ends his soliloquy stating that, although he knows it will kill him emotionally, he plans to refrain from expressing his feelings, “But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.”(1.2.159). This soliloquy marks the beginning of Hamlet’s melancholy and allows the audience to catch a glimpse into his inner feelings for the first time.
In Hamlet’s fourth soliloquy he finds himself unable to revenge his father’s death. He is trying to understand why Fortinbras can attack a useless piece of land that means nothing, but he cannot serve the one purpose he has sworn to. Hamlet reflects on his indecisiveness and views his missed opportunities as consequences for his inability to act, “How all occasions do inform against me, /And spur my dull revenge.”(4.4.32-33). Next, he tries to figure out what man’s purpose in life is, “What is a man / If his chief good and market of his time / Be but to sleep and feed?”(4.4.33-34), stating that a man is mentally and emotionally dead if his main purpose is to sleep and eat. Eventually Hamlet decides that from that point on, he will not think but will only act, “O, from this time forth / My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.”(4.4.65-66). At this point in the play, Hamlet is struggling to find a common ground between thinking and acting. In the beginning of the play, he thinks every situation through very thoroughly and fails to act on his thoughts, and at this point he decides that he will no longer think, and will only act. Through this soliloquy, the audience is able to witness the result of living a life that consists of two extremes, providing insight to the reason Hamlet acts the way he does.
Through his first and fourth soliloquies, Hamlet reveals a great deal of his emotional and mental state at two separate times in the play. No matter how hard he tries he is unable to lie to himself, or make himself believe something he knows is not the truth. Shakespeare uses soliloquies very strategically in his plays. He places them at times when the audience needs to know how the character is feeling, because the characters usually find themselves incapable of expressing their thoughts to others. Soliloquies are incredibly useful in providing insight into the characters overall state, and in the case of Hamlet – who spends much of his time pretending to be insane – they are essential in discovering exactly who the character is.
In Hamlet’s Mind
Most personal thoughts are kept to oneself, reserved in the comfort of their own mind. It is hard to explain to someone the emotional stress felt and the problems that are held above one’s head for the fear of being misunderstood. In the play, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, the main character, Hamlet, allows the audience to enter his mind and listen to his most inner thoughts. Through his soliloquies, the spectators are able to grasp Hamlet’s scrutiny of the other characters in the play and the dilemmas that he must cope with.
At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is introduced as a depressed, miserable, and perhaps suicidal, young man. His mother betrays him by marrying his uncle within a month of her husband’s death, and his new father has stolen the crown from him. In his first soliloquy, Hamlet appears to be livid at his mother and the King and finds no interest in his life. He is desperate to evaporate, “O that this too too sullied flesh would melt,/ Thaw and resolve itself into a dew,/ Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d/ His cannon ‘gainst self –slaughter,” (1.2.129-132) so that he will not have to deal with his predicament. Hamlet emerges as a recluse who is frightened to approach his problems. He wants to disappear from the world that has nothing to offer him, “O God! God!/ How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable/ Seem to me all the uses of this world!” (1.2.133-134) Hamlet cannot fathom a world with so much dishonesty and betrayal that it has become worthless to live in. His mother’s disloyalty and his uncle’s crown will remind him of what he has lost and Hamlet is unable to find a reason for living. Hamlet is cynical toward many of the individuals around him and he realizes that no good can come from his situation, “It is not, nor it cannot come to good./ But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” (1.2.1589-159) Hamlet’s internal thoughts explain the reasoning behind his pessimistic attitude. There is too much negativity surrounding him that he cannot find happiness. Although many people sense that Hamlet is suffering from grief, he cannot show his weakness and must keep his misery to himself. At this point in the play, Hamlet’s character is dark and depressing because of the emotions that have overwhelmed him. He has nobody to share his inner thoughts with, and this makes him truly alone.
Near the end of the play, the audience has witnessed Hamlet avoid any opportunity he has had to take revenge on Claudius. He is unable to understand why he cannot accomplish the feat that he was ordered to do, “I do not know/ Why yet I live to say this thing’s to do,/ Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means/ To do’t,” (4.4.43-46) even though he had the motive and the reason to carry out the task. From the beginning of his mission, Hamlet has had plenty of opportunities to murder Claudius, and yet he continuously delayed his action. He questions himself, “How stand I then,/ That have a father kill’d, a mother stain’d,/ Excitements of my reason and my blood,/ And let all sleep […],” (4.4.56-59) and becomes frustrated that he has let an innumerable amount of time pass without taking action. He compares himself to Fortinbras, “a delicate and tender prince,” (4.4.48) who is willing to risk the lives of thousands of people, as well as his own life, for an insignificant piece of land. Hamlet realizes that one of his greatest faults is that he contemplates a situation too much. Hamlet puts forth an attitude that demonstrates his new vigour, “O, from this time forth/ My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.” (4.4.65-66) In his last soliloquy before his inevitable death, the audience experiences Hamlet’s growth as a character toward a new view on his situation. While he may still be slightly depressed, yet profound, he has experienced anagnorsis, his moment of realization, and he understands that he must accomplish his task.
In the play, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet expresses his emotions in soliloquies throughout the play. In his first soliloquy, Hamlet uses dark and despondent words that prove that he is in a terrible emotional state due to the difficulties in his life. In his last soliloquy of the play, Hamlet’s character has changed. He decides to take action and finally complete his task. Like many human beings, Hamlet is unable to share his true feelings due to his extreme distress. It is for this reason that many individuals are able to relate to Hamlet’s character.
Inner Thoughts
Hamlet is a very complex character that experiences many ups and downs in the play Hamlet. William Shakespeare uses many soliloquies with the character Hamlet to help the reader understand more about what Hamlet is thinking. The two soliloquies that I have chosen are Act 1 Scene 2 line129, and Act 2 Scene 2 line 543.
In Hamlet’s first soliloquy Hamlet is very stressed and is under a lot of pressure. He has just found out that his uncle has killed his father to gain kingship and no one else has any knowledge of this. Hamlet is in a very troubled mental state and he contemplates suicide, “ His cannon ‘gainst self-slaughter”. (12) Hamlet wants to kill himself but he is a religious boy and he knows that it is against one of the 10 commandments to do so. Hamlet is in so much mental pain that he cannot compare his father to his uncle, the new king, “ So excellent a king, that was to this. Hyperion to a satyr”. (12) Hamlet is thinking to himself that his uncle is worthless as a king compared to his father, and that his uncle will accomplish nothing. Hamlet is on an emotional roller coaster at the starting of the play because his mom has married his uncle right after his dad passed away, “ Frailty, thy name is women. A little month or ere those shoes were old”. (12) Hamlet cannot take the emotional stress of having his mother marry his uncle so soon after his father’s death.
The second quote highlights Hamlet in a self-doubting state. Hamlet is emotionally tired and is mentally exhausted because he has still not been able to kill his uncle, “Am I a coward? Who calls me villain, breaks my pate across”. (55) Hamlet is frustrated with himself and is wondering why he has still not avenged his father’s death. Hamlet is so emotionally overwhelmed that he decides to stop procrastinating and just go for it, “I’ll tent him to the quick”. (55) Hamlet cannot understand why he is dragging the avenging of his father’s death on, and he tells himself that he is just going to do it without hesitation.
The two soliloquies I have chosen both capture Hamlet in a very emotional and mentally unstable mood. They both help the reader better understand the character and what he is thinking throughout the play. These soliloquies highlight the character of Hamlet as very complex with many ups and downs.
Hamlet…Mental or not Mental? That is the Question
Everyone wonders … what is hamlet doing? Is he mental or not?
Hamlet shows that he may be mental but while reading the play, he enters you into his thoughts and clearly shows that he’s sane. While he thinks in his soliloquies that is where it should be based on, whether or not he’s mental or not. Hamlet is not mental; he sometimes acts that way towards the king and others so they don’t take him seriously. As you read his soliloquies you understand the fact that hamlet is more or so one of the smartest characters in the play. He acts mental to outwit everyone.
In Hamlets first soliloquy he may seem to be mental with the way he talks and content of it. There’s a first impression of that, but there’s more meaning behind it. If anyone were to have gone through what hamlet did, then probably they would be saying about the same thing he was. He lost his father, his mother married the murderer, on top of that so sudden, and Hamlet wasn’t the king, which rightfully he should be. Everyone thinks that Hamlet is insane, but really, put yourselves in his position and try to in vision everything he had gone through. In the soliloquy hamlet says “o that this too too sullied flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew” (1.2.129-130), he’s talking about how he has no reason of going on with his life, and it seems that he lost everything important to him. Anyone would say things that show the same meaning. He feels his existence has no meaning, he was born to be the heir and that was taken from the palm of his hand. Hamlet also says “his canon ‘gainst self-slaughter. O God! God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world!” (1.2.32-34) this part of his soliloquy tells us that he finds the world so useless for him now. He uses words to describe the feeling; stale, flat, almost saying empty, blank, pointless. Let’s not forget what this man is experiencing. This was all too sudden for Hamlet.
His fourth soliloquy Hamlet compares himself to Fortinbras, how he hasn’t killed his uncle yet, and thinks about his contradictions, and how he always had the opportunity of killing his uncle, and never going through with it. “How all occasions do inform me, and spur my dull revenge” (4.4.32-33), here he is basically saying that he never has something going good for him. He attempts to do something but never comes thought is pretty much what he expresses in that line. When Hamlet says “what is a man if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed?” (4.4.33-35) he is saying what’s the point of being a man if all you do is sleep and eat. He’s saying you’re useless when it comes to that. Hamlet also mentions fortinbras “Examples gross as earth exhort me, witness this army of such mass and charge, led by a delicate and tender prince, whose spirit puff’d, makes mouths at the invisible event, exposing what is mortal and unsure to all that fortune, death, and danger dare, even for an eggshell” (4.4.46-53) Hamlet is saying that Fortinbras has so much courage that even when fighting and such actions aren’t needed he still engages, even for an “eggshell”, a plot of land that means nothing to him, Fortinbras still risks lives. Hamlet is comparing himself to Fortinbras, and wonders if he was a man like Fortinbras, took chances just like that, with no reason, what would he do if in Hamlets position.
Both soliloquies Hamlet is shown here, he shows sanity. He doesn’t show his other side to others where he purposely outs the act on of him being mental. Since these soliloquies are to himself, this is the real Hamlet being shown. You cannot lie in your thought, that’s all the truth coming out. The soliloquies send a better understanding about Hamlet, and that he is not mental, he is just in a fragile state, going through all that he did in the play, Hamlet by Shakespeare.
Hamlet, One Controlled by Emotions
In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet is controlled by his emotions about all the actions going on around him. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet was depressed from his father’s death and he was angry at his mother for marrying his uncle only two months later. Near the middle of the play, Hamlet had a chance for revenge, but his anger from his father suffering in purgatory stopped him. Hamlet underwent an emotional transformation from a depressed and angry teenager, because his father died and his mother married his uncle only two months later, to an angry man looking to requite his father’s suffering in purgatory and his death.
At the beginning of the play, Hamlet was depressed from his father’s death and he was angry at his mother for marrying his uncle only two months later. At this point in the play, Hamlet was controlled by his depression, “How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world!” (1.2.133-134). This quote shows Hamlet in a very depressed state of mind that nothing in this world is worth staying alive. Also, Hamlet is angry at his mother for marrying his uncle, “and yet within a month-Let me not think on’t-Frailty, thy name is woman-a little month, or ere those shoes were old with which she follow’d my poor father’s body,” (1.2.145-148). In this outburst of anger, Hamlet shows to the audience that he is full of anger towards his mother because she has abandoned his father’s memory in such a short time. At this point, Hamlet was controlled by depression and angry.
Near the middle of the play, Hamlet had a chance for revenge, but his anger from his father suffering in purgatory stopped him. While Claudius was pretending to pray, Hamlet crept behind him, Hamlet had second thoughts about killing Claudius, “Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge. ‘A took my father grossly, full of bread, with all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May,” (3.3.79-81). Hamlet’s anger now wants Claudius to suffer the same fate as his father, so he decides not to kill Claudius. This is proven when Hamlet continues debating whether or not to take his revenge, he decides that his revenge can only come if Claudius suffers through purgatory like his father, “And am I then reveng’d, to take him in the purging of his soul, when he is fit and season’d for his passage? No.” (3.3.84-87). This quote shows that Hamlet’s anger from his father’s suffering has overtaken his lust for revenge. At this stage of the play Hamlet is still controlled by his anger.
Throughout the play, Hamlet was shown to be an angry teenager. This never changed at any point in the play. Through his soliloquies we can see where the anger is directed, and to whom it is caused by. There is evidence throughout the play of Hamlet’s anger and it proves that he is easily angered and that he lets his anger control him. The control, and emotions that did the controlling, never changed in the slightest sense, the only thing that had changed in Hamlet was to whom and where the anger was directed.
The Shift of Hamlet’s Madness
There are many different people that are held accountable for Hamlet’s madness. Hamlet blames these individuals throughout the play as the plot unfolds and Hamlet insanity increases. The two main characters in Hamlet that are at fault to Hamlet’s insanity are his mother, Queen Gertrude, and his step-father/uncle, King Claudius. Queens Gertrude betrays Hamlet by remarrying his uncle, and King Claudius is responsible for killing Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet.
At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is hung up on the betrayal brought onto him by his own loving mother. During Hamlet’s first soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 2, he mourns his father but focuses mostly on his mother’s remarriage. Hamlet does not think that his mother honour his father the way she should have, which goes to show Hamlet’s family meant a lot to him. Hamlet gave off the impression that he does not respect his mother like he used to. He explains how much his mother meant to his father, Hamlet, and believes that she should have been more sad about his untimely death, “O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason/ would have mourned longer-marries with my uncle,/ my father’s brother…” (1.2.150-153) Hamlet appears to be very confused about why his mother would choose to marry Claudius because Claudius and King Hamlet are nothing alike, “My father’s brother-but no more like my father/ then I to Hercules.” (1.2.153-154) This soliloquy shows that Hamlet is feeling very betrayed but at the same time confused towards his mothers actions.
Toward the end of the play, Hamlet’s anger shifts from his mother to his step-father/uncle Claudius. In Act 4 Scene 4, Hamlet recites a soliloquy in which he continues to appear confused, but not about his mother anymore. Hamlet is confused on why he still has not killed Claudius. He explains that he has all the cause, will, strength, and means to do it, but still has not done it,
“Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means/ to do’t. Examples gross as earth exhort me, (4.4.45-46) Hamlet is surrounded by examples of courage and bravery and ambition to do something, but still has not done anything. Hamlet then explains that Fortinbras leads his army with so much ambition to fight for a worthless piece of land, and that what makes a great man is not someone who refuses to only fight for the right thing, but someone who fights for anything in honour of their name. Hamlet is talking about what a great man Fortinbras is because he is trying to honour his father by fighting for land, useless or not, “Rightly to be great/ is not to stir without great argument, / but greatly to find quarrel in a straw/ when honour’s at the stake.” (4.4.53-56) Realizing that who Hamlet wants to be like is Fortinbras, leads him to be ambitious about revenge over Claudius, as he closes off the soliloquy with, “O, from this time forth/ my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.” (4.4.65-66)
This shift in anger leads Hamlet to realize that something needs to be done about the causes of his madness. Hamlet sees that he cannot just sit around contemplating the pain that his family has put him though, but that he needs to act. This gives Hamlet that ambition that Hamlet needed to revenge over Claudius and all who have hurt him.
Cheer Up, Hamlet
A soliloquy is when a character voices their feelings about anything inside of their head. These are feelings that nobody in the play knows of. It is strictly the character talking to himself and the audience. Hamlet’s soliloquies in Act 1 and Act 3 allow the reader to connect with his dark and depressed thoughts about his existence. Whether it is about Claudius, Gertrude, or Ophelia, Hamlet reveals his exact thoughts and pain about his situations. Hamlet’s first and third soliloquies perfectly portray Hamlet’s emotions.
At the beginning of the play, Hamlet quickly finds out that life is not the way he had hoped it would be after his father’s death. Not only is Hamlet not the dead king’s successor, but his uncle Claudius becomes king and marries Hamlet’s mother shortly after. In Hamlet’s first soliloquy, he explains his sadness about Claudius becoming king and marrying his mother. “O that this too too sullied flesh would melt, That and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d His cannon ‘gainst self-slaughter.” (1.2. 129-132) Throughout the soliloquy, Hamlet mourns over the death of his father. He explains how highly he thought of his father, and how much he misses him. “So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly. (1.2 139-143) Hamlet reveals his mental state and shows that his heart is broken over his father’s death, and that he wants to find out more about how it happened.
In Act 3 of “Hamlet”, Hamlet’s emotions are even more in-depth than in Act 1. Claudius and Polonius are committed to figuring out what is making Hamlet act unusual. Claudius attempts to understand Hamlet better be asking Rosencrantz and Guildenstern if they have noticed anything different about him, or if they know anything that Claudius does not. Since they could not help Claudius, he decides to spy on Hamlet talking to Ophelia to find out if she is what is causing his odd behavior. Before Hamlet begins talking to Ophelia, he gives the audience insight to his feelings with his soliloquy. Hamlet wonders if life is worth living, or if he would be better off dead. “To be, or not to be, that is the question” (3.1. 56) He explains that he will not commit suicide because of the uncertainty of the afterlife. “But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover’d country, from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?” (3.1. 79-82). Hamlet not only makes a statement about his own melancholy feelings, but of everybody’s. He thinks that people would rather bear their own problems day after day because they do not know what happens when they die. Hamlet is clearly very depressed at this point of the play because of everything he has lost.
The soliloquies in Act 1 and Act 3 are similar because they are both moments of thought that come from sadness. They help the reader to understand Hamlet more, because they can relate to him and his feelings. Many things have gone wrong for Hamlet, such as Claudius becoming king and marrying his mother and the loss of Ophelia. The soliloquies help the reader to know exactly how depressed Hamlet is, and they tell the reader things that nobody else knows, such as Hamlet’s feelings of suicide.
Hamlet, Suicidal or in Command
When anyone loses someone close to them a gigantic sense of negatively overwhelms them. This is normal and part of the grieving process. But Hamlet is finding it quite difficult to cope with his loss; which has made him suicidal. “Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!” (1.2.131-132) Hamlet wishes he could commit suicide but knows it would be a sin, according to his religion. Hamlet is suicidal because his father (King of Denmark) died. Hamlet’s perception of his father is very high, and his perception of his uncle is very low. Hamlet compares his father and his uncle, “So excellent a king, that was to this/Hyperion to a satyr.” (1.2.139-140) Hamlet compares his father with God and his uncle to satyr, which is a beast with an uncontrollable sex drive. Hamlet clearly admires all the aspects about his father. Also Hamlet’s perspective towards women changes when his mother marries Claudius. “Frailty, thy name is woman!” (1.2.146) Hamlet believes women are weak because of the way his mother handled the situation. Hamlet hates his mother and his uncle. Hamlet keeps referring to Claudius as “My father's brother” (1.2.152), this proves Hamlet does not want to be associated with Claudius, or Hamlet would have called Claudius his uncle. This is Hamlet’s first soliloquy and it is evident that Hamlet is in a grieving process. Hamlet accepted the fact that the loss of his father is real, but he has not adjusted to living without the deceased. This is why Hamlet contemplates suicide. Hamlet needs a purpose in his life and finally receives one from his father’s ghost. Hamlet waits the whole play to assassinate Claudius, and there is no better time in the play then in Act 3 Scene 3. Claudius is kneeling and praying and is oblivious to the fact that Hamlet is behind him. Hamlet is indecisive the whole play, but it appears this is the moment Hamlet kills Claudius, “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying./ And now I'll do 't” (3.3.74-75). But Hamlet again continues to show signs of weakness and uncertainty. Hamlet realizes that Claudius is praying and if he killed Claudius at that moment, Claudius would be sent to Heaven. Hamlet does not want to send Claudius to Heaven because Heaven is too good for him. He believes Claudius should go to Hell. At this moment, Hamlet is thinking the situation very thoroughly. He wants Claudius to suffer in hell, rather then live blissfully in Heaven. Hamlet understands the parallels between Heaven, purgatory, and hell, “He took my father grossly, full of bread,/ With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May.” (3.3.81-82) Hamlet is reminded by his father’s ghost that he is in purgatory because he never got a chance to confess his sins. Hamlet’s father took all the sins he had to purgatory with him and wants Claudius to do the same; “When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,/ Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed,/ At game a-swearing, or about some act/ That has no relish of salvation in 't—/ Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,” (3.3.90-94) Hamlet will catch Claudius in the act of a sin and then he will send him to Heaven. In Act 1 Hamlet has no purpose for life, but as the play lengthens Hamlet finds a purpose for himself. Hamlet’s cause is to destroy Claudius. The reader does not see the Hamlet constantly grieving and doubting his purpose for existents. The reader views a much more intelligent Hamlet, who has matured.
Truth Be Told
Soliloquies are a key factor in allowing the audience to comprehend a characters true intentions and feelings. This is demonstrated various times throughout the play of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, in a character named Hamlet. Hamlet’s soliloquies reveal to the audience his state of deep depression caused by his father’s recent death and his mother’s hasty marriage to his uncle Claudius. Hamlet also reveals his intentions for revenge of his father’s death and his inability to act solely on passion.
In act two Hamlet’s soliloquy reveals to the audience his plan of capturing the king in his guilt and seeking revenge for his father’s horrendous murder. Hamlet’s intricate plan entails adjusting a few lines from a play he watched previously called, The Murder of Gonzago, to ensure close relevance to his father’s murder by Claudius and a guaranteed public admission of guilt. By reviewing his situation, Hamlet feels like a coward seeing as he never took any action and let his uncle destroy his life. “Yet I/ A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak/ Like a John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause/ And can say nothing---no, not for a king/ Upon whose property and most dear life/ A damn’d defeat was made. Am I a coward” (2.2.561-566)? Hamlet becomes infuriated at the fact that he allowed Claudius to intrude into his life and did not try to defend it by any means. Claudius made a mockery of Hamlet and he will not let him do it again. He swore he would take revenge for his father’s death and he will not stop being a coward until he follows through with his promise. “Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,/ That I, the son of a dear father murder’d,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words/ And fall a-cursing like a very drab,/ a scullion! Fie upon’t! Foh”(2.2.578-583)! Hamlet feels that his unfulfilled promise makes him a liar, someone who can swear up and down that they will do something but when the time comes do nothing. He decides that he can not procrastinate any further and figures out a way to force Claudius into a confession. “Hum---I have heard/ That guilty creatures sitting at play/ Have, by the very cunning of the scene,/ Been struck so to the soul that presently/ They have proclaim’d their malefactions”(2.2.585-588). Through watching a play that mimics every aspect of what Claudius has done from murdering King Hamlet and stealing the crown, to marrying Gertrude, there is not doubt in Hamlet’s mind that Claudius will announce his guilt. Hamlet will get the revenge he so desperately deserves.
In act three, Claudius has locked himself in his room, distraught, after seeing a reenactment of his crimes unfold within the play. Hamlet enters Claudius’ bedroom to find him on his knees, in a prayer like stance. He prepares himself to administer justice to Claudius and withdraws his sword. Before he takes any action, Hamlet analyses the situation and determines that he can not kill Claudius yet. Hamlet believes that since Claudius is able to pray, he is in such a state of grace that his soul will not have to endure the purgatorial torments that King Hamlet is suffering. “And so a’goes to heaven;/ And so am I reveng’d. That would be scann’d:/ A villain kills my father, and for that/ I, his sole son, do this same villain send/ To heaven”(3.3.74-78). Hamlet has found the moment he has been waiting for and decides to pass it up because he feels it I not the right time. He makes an excuse for his inability to act and states that if he killed him now then he would be sending him to heaven, which would be payment, not punishment. Hamlet decided to achieve full revenge he has to be patient for the right moment, which is not now. “Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent:/ When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th’incestuous pleasure of his bed,/ At game a-swearing, or about some act/ That has no relish of salvation in’t,/ Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven/ And that his soul may be as damn’d and black/ As hell, whereto it goes”(3.3.88-95). Hamlet will have to await Claudius’ next fault and seek his revenge there because for now he is inable to act.
Through both of these soliloquies, Hamlet reveals to us his fault of fear of failure. Hamlet swears that he will seek revenge throughout the play, but whenever he appears to be coming close to success, he comes up with an excuse to avoid the situation. In the first soliloquy Hamlet states that he can not seek revenge without proving Claudius’ guilt first and once he receives the public admission of guilt he determines that it is not the right moment to act. Many people could compare pieces of their lives to these soliloquies in relation to daily procrastinations and reluctances to accomplishing a task in fear of not doing it perfectly.
Hamlet, The Man
In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, readers will observe Hamlet go though a vast variety of emotions throughout the course of the play. When readers first encounter Hamlet, he is portrayed as a witty character with his entry line, “A little more than kin, and less than kind.” (I, ii, 65) In Hamlet’s several soliloquies, Hamlet reveals many different things, such as the meaning of life, his true feelings, and his plans for Claudius. With this evidence, one can piece together how Hamlet is feeling at the time, and gain insight not only on Hamlet, but on what his next move will be.
In act one of Hamlet; Hamlet is being ridiculed by Claudius in front of all the Noblemen of Denmark. Though Hamlet stands his ground and defends himself, one does not know how he really feels. One may assume that his problems are caused by the fact that he was just ridiculed in front of his mother, his friends, and all of Denmark’s Noblemen, or even the simple fact that he is mourning for his father. However, Hamlet reveals so much more than readers assume. Firstly, because Hamlet’s father is dead, his uncle is now the King of Denmark, rather than Hamlet, the rightful heir. In addition, Hamlet’s mother has already run off and married Claudius, making Claudius not only the King, but his father and uncle too. Hamlet shows great hate for Claudius and states “So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr.” (I, ii, 139-140) With this statement, it is obvious that Hamlet resents his uncle. He states that his father was a Godlike king, while his uncle is merely a goat man. It is clear that Hamlet resents Claudius, but there is another person that Hamlet resents- his mother. Hamlet describes the events of his mother marrying so quickly. Hamlet resents the fact that, “She married. O most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (I, ii, 156-157) Hamlet also claims, “Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes” (I, ii, 154-155), which further emphasizes how quickly Gertrude married Claudius because there were still tears in her eyes! Gertrude married so quickly, and Hamlet feels she has abandoned him. Not only that, but Hamlet cannot tell anybody how he feels. When he states, “But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue,” (I, ii, 159), readers now realize the extent of Hamlet’s sadness, and why he cannot tell anyone. It is obvious Hamlet’s emotional state has been affected greatly. His mother has abandoned him, his father is dead, he missed out on his promotion, and his uncle wants to make Hamlet’s life miserable! If Hamlet would speak of his sadness to the people causing it, he would only be further ridiculed or punished.
Later on, in the first scene of act three, the situation has only gotten worse for Hamlet. In his most famous soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates suicide. In the three acts of the play he has gone from bad, to worse. As opposed Hamlet’s soliloquy in act one, this soliloquy reveals Hamlet’s mental state, as opposed to his emotional condition. Hamlet opens his famous soliloquy with, “To be, or not to be? That is the question— Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles.”(III, i, 58-62) Hamlet is contemplating whether or not suicide will solve his problems. Hamlet is now posed with a situation where he cannot win. His options are only to suffer what is happening, or to fight a battle he cannot win. Hamlet cannot win the battle, but he can surely end it. If Hamlet was to commit suicide, he would no longer have to endure the hardships of Claudius. However, Hamlet wonders, “of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns” (III, i, 80-81). Like most humans, Hamlet is now contemplating what lies after death. Is it worth living still when all of these terrible things are happening to Hamlet right now? There is no escape for him. Ultimately, Hamlet is fighting against time. Sooner or later, Claudius will die, and Hamlet will become the King of Denmark. Why has Hamlet done nothing yet? Clearly, death has changed Hamlet’s perspective and thoughts. “And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.” (III, i, 86-90) Actions that were once obvious to Hamlet are now being questioned, and this quite possibly could be why Hamlet has not acted and killed Claudius.
Hamlet’s soliloquies have helped readers understand Hamlet and get a better understanding of what is going on inside Hamlet’s head. His several emotions make him a very complex character, and without the help of his soliloquies, he would be near impossible to understand. One cannot lie to themselves in a soliloquy, and that is why it is much easier to understand a characters thoughts with their soliloquy. With this evidence, one can see Hamlet’s thoughts in both an emotional and metal state with much more clarity.
The Real Hamlet
Throughout the play of Hamlet, Hamlet uses a few soliloquies in the play to show his true emotions and feelings, he expresses himself in these soliloquies very openly and honestly and it reveals many of the problems and facts about Hamlet that give great insight to Hamlet the man.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy in the play gives the audience its first insight into Hamlet’s thoughts and inner feelings.
“O, that this too too solid flesh would melt
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, (135)
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely. That it should come to this!
But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two: (140)
So excellent a king; that was, to this,
Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother
That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
Visit her face too roughly.
O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle,
My father's brother, but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules: within a month: (155)
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!
It is not nor it cannot come to good: (160)
But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue. (Act 1, scene 2)
In the soliloquy Hamlet reveals how he feels about life and gives the audience hints as to his suicidal tendencies when he refers to the world as “weary, stale, flat and unprofitable” (Line 135, Act 1, Scene 2). This first soliloquy is very important to the play because its sets up the mood for the rest of the play to come and shows the audience the dark and dreary atmosphere that surrounds the play. Hamlet also expresses his feelings about his mother and father. He despises his mother for marrying his uncle Claudius so quickly and not even mourning the loss of his father. He compares his father to a god and expresses his feelings on how great of a man he was. The first soliloquy is one of the most important parts in the play in regards to finding Hamlet’s true feelings and thoughts.
One of the most famous soliloquies in the whole play gives the most insight into Hamlets deepest thoughts as it delves into his mind and depicts Hamlet as a different person then he was in the beginning of the play.
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer (65)
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks (70)
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, (75)
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay, (80)
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life, (85)
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of? (90)
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry, (95)
And lose the name of action.-- Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd. (Act 3, Scene 1)
The “to be, or not to be” soliloquy is a very powerful and insightful piece as it gives the audience a chance to see life through Hamlet’s eyes. Hamlet shows death can be just like an endless sleep and is it worth living life with all of its bad luck and misfortunes or if its easier to just except death. It shows how Hamlet has been feeling the whole play, fighting over whether or not it si worth trying to avenge his fathers death only to get struck down again by the misfortunes of life. It is Hamlet saying that would he be better off living or just dying and what difference it would make,.
All the soliloquies in the play Hamlet show many different layers and perspectives that Hamlet has and the show how complex and how real of a character he really is.
The secret thoughts of hamlet
Soliloquy is a dramatic process which William Shakespeare use to raptures the audiences; this help them to agonize as well as jubilant with the players. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the prince of Denmark express his felling and the ideal of the play through the scene if soliloquies. He experience bitter and pathetical life which he cannot express to anyone but to himself. For the audiences to understand the play, Shakespeare proceed them through the moment of soliloquy; these moments help them to know and feel the emotional thought of Prince hamlet.
The first soliloquy that hamlet demonstrate is when his mother had married in his mourning time. He was very fretful because the one who should be there for him through this sorrowful moment is out there celebrating marriage with his venomous uncle. This situation truly crushed Hamlet. He said “ His canon gainst self-slaughter O God! God! How weary state, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world”(1.2. 130-131) he said this because he was physically and mentally fatigue he thought he cannot do anything to stop her mother of marrying the king ( his uncle). He was desperate even become very tired of live. This is why his death was not too surprise; because he attract his own death from the beginning of the play. In most of his speeches there are complements that show that his willing to die. The calamity that his uncle create make the world the most gloomy and somber place for him.
Another prestigious soliloquy is shown in the scene where Claudius was praying. Hamlet decision here has change every thing. Hamlet taught Claudius was sorry for his sulky deeds and asking God for forgiveness. Hamlet said “ Why this is hire and salary, not revenge. A took my father grossly……….and now his audit stands who knows save heaven?”(3.3. 75-85) Why could hamlet be fool by this venomous man? This was the best time for hamlet to fulfill his ambition. His delay cause many innocent life; example Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Even Laertes and the queen does not have to died but because of his delay, Claudius get chance to confuse Laertes , if Claudius was dead the queen may not be poison. This shows that many destruction may occur in finding revenge.
Hamlet third soliloquy show the different between King Hamlet and Claudius and he thought about the love that his father had for his mother. He said “So excellence king, that was to this hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother”(1.2. 139-140)Hamlet represent his father as Hyperion and Claudius as licentious man. He claim his father was the God of the sun who does not only shine for the people around him but also the people under him. Hamlet recall how his father treats his mother with care. Kind hamlet made the queen feel nonchalantly; hamlet know that his father will never let heaven to punish the queen roughly; hamlet said “ so loving to my mother that he might not be teem the winds of heaven to visit her too roughly”(1.2. 143). Shakespeare use soliloquy for this part to tell the audience how the dead King Hamlet feel about the Queen.
This three soliloquies help the audiences to feel what Hamlet is feeling. Shakespeare gives the idealism in the play to the audiences through the thoughts of Prince Hamlet. Mostly the secret in every play is reveal to the audiences through the soliloquies. Shakespeare made the audiences to understand the complexity of Hamlet by proceeding them through the moment of soliloquy.
Inside the mind of Hamlet
By analyzing Hamlet’s soliloquies, his mental state can be followed throughout the play. Composed of Hamlet’s true inner thoughts, there are two soliloquies especially that deal with his views on such things as his uncle, mother, and even life itself.
In Hamlet’s first soliloquy, Hamlet is outraged at all that has happened to him thus far in the play. He is sickened with his “sullied flesh” and sees no other way out of his misery but death. He feels that to escape the horrible confines of the material world he must release his spirit from the limits of his body. If it were not for the condemnation of the act of suicide, Hamlet would no longer have to suffer through the despair of life. “O that this too too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew; Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter.” (I.ii.129-32) Hamlet is shown following rules and boundaries set upon him by God, although by the end of the play, he cares not for the damnation of those that kill but wishes only to set matters straight.
In Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” soliloquy, he is delving into considerations of death regardless of his religious beliefs. Although his decision remains the same, he considers it from a different perspective and after he rations with himself he decides to remain in the world. At least long enough to avenge his father. “To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take arms against a sea of troubles And by opposing end them.” (III.i.55-9) It would seem that Hamlet has touched on death so often throughout the play, especially in this soliloquy, that when it comes time for him to finally die he has nothing left to say but “the rest is silence”.
Using the soliloquies as guidelines with which to follow Hamlet’s emotions through the play, the recurring theme of death is incessantly found. Hamlet goes from fearing God’s punishment for breaking a commandment to indirectly or directly causing the deaths of his mother, uncle, girlfriend, girlfriend’s father and brother, as well as two childhood friends. Not only has Hamlet’s attitude changed but also has his philosophical views regarding the tiniest threads of life which hold him and those around him together.
Hamlet's Procrastination
Humans all have something they would like to accomplish in life but tend to put off for another time. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet's father dies and Hamlet discovers the new king, his uncle Claudius, is the one responsible for his death. Hamlet wants to kill him and gets the opportunity to, but refrains from doing so. In two seperate soliloquies, Hamlet compares his failure to kill his father's murderer to the excellent ability to show great emotion in a play.
Hamlet is aware of his procrastination towards killing King Claudius. He compares this habit of his to the skillful ability of an actor to express outstanding emotions during a play. "Is it not monstrous that this player here, /But in a fiction, in a dream of passion,/ Could force his soul so to his own conceit" (2.2. 545-547) In the beginning of Hamlet's soliloquie he exalts the actor for his ability to express insincere emotion in a play, not a real life situation. Hamlet then compares the actors skill in a play to his failure of killing his uncle. "Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak/ Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause,/ And can say nothing --- no, nor for a king,/ Upon whose property and most dear life/ A damn'd defeat was made. Am I a coward?" (2.2. 561-566) Hamlet compares himself to a dreamer who is not moved to action by his cause. Reffering himself to a coward, one lacking courage to face danger or opposition, Hamlet is aware of the fact that he has his mind set on his goal but lacks the vigor to act.
Hamlet awaits the perfect opportunity to slay his father's killer , but when an opportunity presents itself, with nothing to stop him Hamlet waits for another chance.
"Now might I do it pat, now 'a is a-praying./ And now I'll do't."/ (3.3. 79-80) Hamlet faces an opportunity to kill his father's murderer and draws his sword as King Claudius kneels to pray.
"And am I then reveng'd,/ To take himin the purging of his soul,/ When he is fit and season'd for his passage?/ No./ Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent:/ When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,/ Or in th'incestuous pleasure of his bed,/ At gaming a-swearing, or about some act/ That has no relish of salvation in't,/ (3.3. 84-92) Believing that prayer purges ones sins, Hamlet realizes that killing Claudius would only send him to a better place. Hamlet abstains and waits to catch Claudius in a sinful act. "No./ Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent:/ (3.3. 87-88) It is clear that Hamlet is anxious to take revenge on Claudius by struggling to put his sword away. Holding back in order to catch Claudius in a sinful act would give Hamlet exactly what he wants; to have Claudius suffer in hell for killing King Hamlet.
In the two soliloquies the mental and emotional state of young Hamlet is revealed. It is clear that young Hamlet is anxious and determined and only wishes to accomplish his goal. From one perspective it would appear as if Hamlet reason for procrastinating is due to lack of courage, but on the other hand one could argue that his reason for waiting is to ensure that in killing Claudius he does not do him a favor.
Out of My Mind
Soliloquies are known to be the insights and thoughts of a character showing truth and clarity to themselves. Furthermore soliloquies communicate the emotional state of the character in different situations. In the story of Hamlet William Shakespeare uses soliloquies to interpret the feelings and expressions of Hamlet the man throughout different parts the play. This is seen by his emotional reaction, and his use of words.
Hamlet’s reactions to the situations he faces reveal his thoughts and feelings. His anger and outrage in the first act of the play are a result of his mother marrying his uncle shortly after his father’s death. Hamlet cries out, “Fie on’t, ah fie, ‘tis an unweeded garden/That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature/Possess it merely. That it should come to this!” (1.2.135-137) Hamlet shows his disgust to the recent marriage as well as his mother for making that decision. Overall Hamlet’s reaction to the marriage shows that he is surprised and upset. Similarly at one point of the play Hamlet questions himself about the situation against his uncle. Hamlet’s plan to make his uncle confess to murdering his father is at a halt as he is questions his choices. Hamlet asks himself, “Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles/And by opposing to them […]” (3.1.57-60). This shows that Hamlet is unsure of himself and in doubt. Hamlet’s emotions are shown based on his responses to the situations that he confronts.
The way Hamlet speaks in his soliloquies also expresses his feelings with detail and description. Hamlet’s speech directed towards his mother demonstrates his disapproval to her action. “Let me not think on’t–Frailty, thy name is woman–” (1.2.146), Hamlet states in the way his mother should be. His use of words point out how upset he is at his mother. He shows lack of respect even when he tries not to think about it or making pauses in his speech. In the same way as Hamlet explains that, “ […] conscience does make cowards of us all” (3.1.83) showing that he is overwhelmed with his plans against his uncle. He uses the word conscience in a universal way to show that he has a heavy burden and also shows that he is just human. Hamlet’s expression in his soliloquies shows his attitude with the situations he faces.
The soliloquies that are spoken out by Hamlet reveal his emotions which are caused by his responses to the circumstances he is placed in and his own observations. Overall soliloquies are a way to express the feelings and emotions of oneself. They reveal the human qualities based on experience and different situations.
“There’s a divinity that shapes our ends”
The idea of our fates being sealed since the moment we are carried out of our mother’s womb and into the world, is quite comical since we have no way of defying fate and we are stuck in a maze which we call life and try to make the most sense of. However, as much as we can philosophize, men will continue on to repeat the actions of their ancestors and history will inevitably repeat itself. In this case, Hamlet is trapped like any other human being and his emotional turmoil is so evidently heartfelt that we have no other choice but to relate to him in grief and pity.
With that in mind, we can see the sources behind Hamlet’s emotional difficulty when he opens his soul and mind to the audience to deliver a passionate soliloquy that shows his internal conflicts and the pain that rots as deep in his soul as Yorick’s skull lies beneath the ground, “Tis an unweeded garden/That grows to seed; things rank and gross of nature.” Hamlet feels that Denmark is rotten and full of corruption because his own dear uncle, has just slain his own brother, Hamlet’s father, to gain the rank of King. This drives Hamlet’s state of mind into a never-ending abyss of rage until vengeance is taken and order is restored. Also, the hasty marriage, of his beloved but traitorous mother, accelerates Hamlet’s melancholia to intensify in character and mood, meaning that the depression has become a part of Hamlet and his state of mind, which shall be a motivational factor behind his actions. Through this, we can understand that Hamlet is lost in anger, confusion and adolescence throughout the first soliloquy, but we do see a hint of a greater logic within Hamlet when he says, “But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue”, for he demonstrates the ability to suppress the raging emotions and go on to develop ingenious schemes to bring down those against him. In the end, he accomplishes that through the power of word instead of brute action.
As Hamlet charges through his constant misfortunes, the audience notices that he does more and more self-analysis to the point where he withholds from necessary action such as not taking Claudius’ head when he had the chance. Nevertheless, the final soliloquy presented by Hamlet portrays his calm and analytical side as he ponders on the idea of his indecisiveness and how he cannot complete a simple task as taking one man’s life while Fortinbras can thoughtlessly slaughter hundreds. In addition, Hamlet realizes the sad reality of his own self since he only talks of doing things but never actually accomplishing anything, “I do not know/Why yet I live to say this thing’s to do.” Then Hamlet gets frustrated at himself because he looks at the situation he is faced with and compares to what Fortinbras deals with, “Led by a delicate and tender prince…Makes mouths at the invisible event.” At this point, Hamlet is torn between two extremes, the one he is used to, thinking and analyzing, or the total opposite, untamed and primitive methods of a barbarian. The perception we see now in Hamlet is quite different since the first soliloquy because currently he is looking into himself about what halts him from his actions while in the first soliloquy he was tragically overcome with grief and brutal wounds straight to his heart. However, by the end of the final soliloquy, we can see a change of heart in Hamlet, as he concludes on the aspect that whatever shall come to his heart, he shall act upon that and fulfill his desires, “O, from this forth/My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worse.”
The insight granted by these soliloquies through analysis, gives us real factors that cause Hamlet to feel and motivate to go through certain states of mind such as intense depression in which taking own life seems as the only way out. However, in the third soliloquy, Hamlet shows a different state of mind, in which he is almost preparing himself to take action, but he does not know what is about to come crashing down on him, such as the events about to occur and result in everyone lying on the floor and uttering that last wish, “The rest is silence”, this is inevitable because as much as we can try, fate will not budge and simply continue its pre-determined course.
An insight on Hamlet’s emotional and mental state
Hamlet possesses various character traits; he is always thinking and acting smart so that the outcome of each situation is the way he planned it to be. One may see him as an intelligent individual, whereas others may believe he is insane. What the society does not realize is that Hamlet manipulates and contemplates how to act and who to trick to get his way. Times in which the reader can grasp Hamlet’s true inner thoughts and feelings is when he is alone and talking amongst himself. In today’s terms we refer to this as a soliloquy: a dramatic speech intended to give the illusion of unspoken reflections. The following are two soliloquies where Hamlet proves to be in an emotional and mental state.
In Act 3, Scene 1, lines 56-90, Hamlet considers if life is worth living and whether or not he should end his own. “To be or not to be that is the question” (56), Hamlet is extremely depressed and states that the only reason one lives a long life is because they don’t want to die. An individual fears what will happen after death and therefore Hamlet affirms that we are all cowards. “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,” (83). Hamlet is very analytical and says that by not acting on something is as bad as doing it. He refrains from killing Claudius because he feels that any form of action needs requirement and once you realize this you pull back. Whether or not it was fair for King Hamlet to suffer and die, Hamlet wonders if it is ok to lift weapons and kill out of revenge.
On the other hand, in Act 3, Scene 3, lines 72-96, the opportunity to seek vengeance and kill Claudius presents itself, but he does not go through with it. “A villain kills my father and for that I, his sole son do this same villain send to heaven,” (76-78). Hamlet observes Claudius praying and defies his father’s wishes by not killing him because he feels that Claudius will not be sent to hell. “Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge,” (79). Hamlet wants Claudius to suffer and die at a time that is he acting against God, therefore he states he’ll wait for another opportunity to present itself. He feels that God will have forgiven Claudius and that this would not be payment nor punishment but it would be almost nice, in the sense that Claudius would be going to heaven, not hell. After reading this soliloquy, the reader should have realized that Hamlet is going through a very hard time and releases a lot of emotion very discreetly. It just so happens that at the time when Hamlet thinks he is seeing Claudius pray, he really isn’t.
It is evident that Hamlet is dejected, lonely and feeling a sense of betrayal from his family. He knows what he wants but is having troubles getting it. It seems as though he is far from insane but sometimes may think or say things others may feel are out of the ordinary.
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Contrary to the media’s perspective, life cannot simply be defined clear cut as black or white, but is rather more complex, something which is able to constantly change by the effects left by the lives of others. William Shakespeare’ ability to replicate this complicity of life is partly the reason for his success, as it allows his audience to relate and understand the characters and the reasons why they continually grow and develop. For example, an adolescent is able to relate with the character Hamlet because they know what it is like to be a hopeful youth with ambitions they cannot yet achieve. As a result, the teenage audience of Hamlet is also able to understand the change in Hamlet’s state of mind as he dabbles in the extremities of action and reason to achieve his goals.
In Hamlet’s first soliloquy, the audience is given its first opportunity to genuinely examine the mind of Hamlet and is able to see how difficult his problems are as he briefly laments his existence for having to bear them, “O God! God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seems to me all the uses of this world! (1.2.132-133)”, displaying a typical teenage response of simply giving up. However, Hamlet goes quite some length to describe his conflict of having his mother wed his uncle despite the , “O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourn’d longer –married with my uncle (1.2.151-152)”, which shows that Hamlet is an analytic and logical man. By the end of his first soliloquy, Hamlet’s solution to his problem is to keep his troubles to himself, “But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue. (1.2.159)”, showcasing Hamlet to be a man of caution and reason.
However, by Hamlet’s last soliloquy his state of mind has drastically changed as he begins resenting his course of keeping his conflicts to himself when he is reminded by his choice, “How all occasions do inform against me, and spur my dull revenge (4.4.33)” and then goes to quite some length analyzing the absurdity of life, “What is a man if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed? (4.4.33-34)”, showing Hamlet’s anger and resentment at life, hinting at a fragile point of time in Hamlet’s mind. By the end of his last soliloquy, Hamlet resolves to abandon reason and instead act on impulse, “O, from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth. (4.4-65-66)”, showing a sharp contrast from being a man of reason to a man of action.
From Hamlet’s change from a man of reason to a man of action, it allows the reader to reflect on their own thoughts and to whether they have attained their own balance or still at odds in an extremity.
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