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Hamlet's Third Soliloquy

Decent Essays

The tragedy, “Hamlet” written by Shakespeare introduces the reader to a complex character who is the Prince of Denmark. The death of Hamlet’s father and the swift marriage of his mother to his uncle helped to shape Hamlet into the complex character that he became. In Act I, Hamlet is melancholic, which leads to him becoming delayed in his actions and finally towards the end of the story he becomes decisive, finally carrying out his revenge for the death of his father.
After the death of Hamlet’s father, his mood becomes melancholic, which dictionary.reference.com defines as “to be in a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression.” The melancholic Hamlet wishes to commit suicide, but knows he cannot because of God. Hamlet states during Act 1. 2: “ O that this too sullied flesh would melt, / thaw, and resolve itself into dew” …show more content…

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

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