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Hamlet's Second Soliloquy Analysis

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t is in Act one Scene five that we hear Hamlet’s second soliloquy relating to revenge. “A very special significance, however attaches to the second soliloquy, for it is here that Hamlet dictates himself to the role of the revenger” (W. Schrickx). This quote from Schrickx shows us that it is here that Hamlet chooses who he wants to be. He decides that he needs to seek revenge in order to move on with his life. This relates to soliloquy two because is shows what Hamlet is going to do. It is in this scene that we learn about Hamlet’s interaction with the ghost, who is supposed to be his deceased father. Hamlet listens to the ghost and hears him out. Hamlet chooses not to tell anyone about his interaction, as they might think he is crazy(Hamlet, Act one.5). After …show more content…

“When the ghost does appear, he commands with the power of the resurrected, yet supplicates with the impotence of the murdered. Imposing and imposed upon, terrifying yet pitiable, he is an ambiguous figure who both comes to renew his son’s sense of purpose and, ultimately, to crush him”( Erlich, Avi). What Erlich is saying is that the ghost does not appear to have good intentions. The ghost ultimately wants Hamlet to seek revenge. It is quite interesting that his father, would come back as a ghost and have bad intentions for Hamlet. The leading cause of Hamlet wanting to seek revenge lies on the idea that he is having a hard time dealing with his father’s loss and his mother choosing to remarry did not help any. Once Hamlet decides to get revenge, he ultimately changes his mind. Throughout the play we find Hamlet going back and forth on the idea of revenge. We are never told exactly why he decided against his plan, but ultimately it would not have been worth it. All that would happen is the king would be dead, and Hamlet’s mother would be even more sad. Hamlet would not be become King, so there was no point.

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