Hamlet's Soliloquies Reveal His Personality "To be or not to bethat is the question (Hamlet, III, i, 64)" The previous quotation is the opening line from Hamlet's most famous soliloquy in which he is contemplating suicide as an end to all of his adversities. "Hamlet's world is bleak and cold because almost no one and nothing can be trusted ("Folger Shakespeare Library")." Hamlet allows his words to exhibit his emotions through the soliloquies in the play. While dealing with the sudden loss of his father, Hamlet must now face the reality of his mother's (Gertrude) marriage to his uncle, Claudius, only two months after his father's death. Hamlet learns that Claudius murdered his father to become the king of Denmark. These dilemmas in …show more content…
Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death... (III, i, 78-86)"
Hamlet is asking himself if it would be easier to endure a never-ending sleep, or to suffer; he asks who would tolerate the whips and scorns of time, the oppressor's wrong against us, the disrespect of proud men, the pain of rejected love, the proudness of authorities, and the advantage that the worst people take of the best when one could just release himself with a blade? Hamlet wonders who would carry this load, sweating and grunting under the burden of life if one did not have to dread of the after life. By Hamlet's in-depth thoughts of suicide, it is apparent that Hamlet is depressed and does not enjoy his life. "Repetition of words such as calamity, scorns, oppressor, despised, dread and weary emphasize the mental trauma he is portraying ("Passage analysis of Hamlet")." "Hamlet's speech contains obsessive concerns with suicide and death. His representation of himself as mentally unstable is an attempt to accomplish his super-objective of avoiding
Based on the play of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, suicide is the most prevalent and important themes in Hamlet. Hamlet always asks himself for the reason to stay alive. Even though he always thinks that there is no reason for him to stay alive, however he always chooses to stay. The first reason Hamlet seems to contemplate suicide is because his life is contaminated by sins and revenge. The other reason he is thinking about suicide is because he is young and immature. Young adults usually look for escapes when they become angry with things. There are many instances where Hamlet contemplating suicide and he treats the idea of suicide morally, religiously, and aesthetically, with particular attention to Hamlet’s two important statements about suicide: the “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt” soliloquy (I.ii.129–158) and the “To be, or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56–88).
on an epic scale, Hamlet tell us that his father was so loving to her
Hamlet does not see a need to live in a world as corrupted as thee, for which the new king Claudius has taken over, and has made life miserable for him. Hamlet questions his belief in G-d, for he does not have a say or choice in anything that occurs. Hamlet continues to live in the "unweeded garden" (135), which he refers to Denmark being a prison, given that Claudius has demanded for him to stay close by his side. Stuck in the town of Denmark, Hamlet does not have the choice to go to college and get an education. Claudius and his mother Gertrude control his boring life, and it leaves Hamlet with nothing to do. Hamlet feels that the mourning of his father by his mother was too short, indicating to Hamlet a false mourn, or simply that she did not care for the death of her husband, the king, for so many years. Hamlet says that his mother moved on so quickly from a Sun G-d to basically a nobody, "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/ Vist her face too roughly" (139-141). Hamlet thinks of his father as being such a great guy and powerful, and doesn't see how his mother could move on from such a great man, yet to belittle
In William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” there are four major soliloquies that reflect the character of Hamlet.
Hamlet was so obsessed with his lack of action and the worthlessness of life that he contemplates suicide asking, "For who could bear the whips and scorns of time" ( III. i. 69-70). He believes he would be foolish to suffer through his life when he will simply be
“To be or not to be— that is the question.” An exceptionally recognized phrase amid many centuries, cultures, places, and people. This short excerpt derives from the Shakespearean play, Hamlet: The Tragedy of the Prince of Denmark. Originally, this passage was displayed in one of the soliloquies of the play. Defined as “an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play”, a soliloquy is crucial to furthering the plot and connecting the audience with the speaker. William Shakespeare reveals the true desires and intentions of Hamlet, the main character of Hamlet: The Tragedy of the Prince of Denmark, within the protagonist’s soliloquies. Even Hamlet, one of the most complex characters in literary history, can be simplified through the use of a soliloquy.
To Be or Not To Be “To be, or not to be—that is the question.” Undoubtedly, this simple, yet profound phrase is one of the most quoted sayings of all time. However, this single sentence is only the tip of a beautifully crafted speech found in the ancient play Hamlet, and written by none other than the classic playwright Shakespeare himself. In this speech, the protagonist of the play, a young man named Hamlet, has reached the depths of hopelessness, frustration, and despair. Hamlet’s father, the former king of Denmark, has recently been killed by Hamlet’s wicked uncle, Claudius.
In his soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates committing suicide as he says, “to be or not to be – that is the question” (3.1.56) – which roughly means ‘to exist or not to exist”. Hamlet is angry at his mother for marrying so soon after the death of his father and asks whether it is better to “suffer [in the mind] // The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, // Or to take arms against a sea of troubles // And, by opposing, end them” (3.1.65-68). Essentially, Hamlet is questioning whether he should endure the pain of watching his mother marry again, so soon after the death of his father, or to end his life and no longer feel that pain. Hamlet compares death to sleep, implying that dying is just as easy as sleeping. But Hamlet fears “what dreams may come” (3.1.65) will be nightmares that last forever.
They attempt to suppress Hamlet’s true emotions in order to cover up their pure guilt. All at once, Hamlet is abandoned by his father, his mother, and his uncle and stepfather to cope with his chaotic sentiments of grief, disgust, anger, disappointment, and depression alone. This whirlwind of emotions quickly turns into thoughts of yearning to escape the torture of a life in his circumstances, thinking to himself, “How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on ‘t, ah fie! ’Tis a weeded garden” (1. 2. 137-139). The world that Hamlet lives in is full of nothing but evil and torturous emotions that he does not want to have. The collection of overpowering emotions can become difficult for a person to handle, particularly when coping with little to no support system. Hamlet had suffered death of a role model, only to suffer death again, within himself. Methods of physical self-harm are never mentioned by Hamlet but the thought of dying seems infinitely more pleasurable to him than to continue his life under his new parents. His personal and expressive self-destruction is not caused solely by his twisted familial struggles however, as Hamlet finds himself caught in a storm of emotions brought about by his peers as well.
His father’s death and mother’s quick remarriage has him contemplating the world he lives in, and if he would like to continue doing so. This soliloquy is the first that starts to delve deeper into Hamlet’s mind pertaining committing suicide. Hamlet is fascinated with the idea, but his doubt of the paradise-like afterlife stops him “Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d/ His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!”
Hamlet once again contemplates suicide in his third soliloquy “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.57-61), showing that he is depressed because he is contemplating killing himself. The inability to get his revenge also depress Hamlet. He says: “How all occasions do inform against me, and spur my dull revenge? What is a man if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more.” (IV.iv.31-4). Hamlet is depressed because of his fruitless attempts to revenge his father’s death. According to Mr. Bradley “the tragedy of Hamlet is that these very characteristics, which were the reasons for his superiority, because of the marriage between his mother and uncle and the murder of his father is the reason for his destruction.” Mr. Bradley sees “Hamlet’s inability to gain his revenge as a moral disillusionment.” Mr. Bradley
This soliloquy spoken by Hamlet during this play worries some individuals with the concern over the concept on whether or not life is worth living. Would it be easier for one to just put an end to all the pain one may be facing in life than to “suffer/ the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (Act III, Scene I)? The thought of suicide at times
This will keep people from choosing death because of the unknown. The whole soliloquy compares the two extremes, life and death. Hamlet thoroughly analyzes both situations and considers the consequence of both. He decided against killing himself, he knew that God would not accept his suicide and he didn’t know what would be in store for his after life. Hamlet is upset because of his mother's marriage to Claudius but especially how quickly they got married about the death of his father. He is constantly expressing his hate and angry toward Claudius while he praises his father and says how great of a king he was. Suicide is a major recurring theme found in the play and Hamlet finds himself considering it.
Hamlet was given too short of a period to let the fact of death sink; a great depression is set upon himself. Hamlet tries to explain how the world is not of use to him, “How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable / seem to me all the uses of the world!”, but he does not realize the cause of these thoughts. Since Hamlet’s parents have been of no help to satisfy his needs, Hamlet feels as nobody cares. Further in this soliloquy, Hamlet clarifies the idolization he gave to King Hamlet, his father. The depressiveness coming from Hamlet is solely to do with the lack of respect given to someone he cares for. If Hamlet has a reaction like this for the carelessness of others, it can foreshadow much greater states of melancholy leading to irresponsible
talks of actors on the stage and says ‘Had he the motive and the cue