Issues Of Suicide In Hamlet

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).

Hamlet recognizes that suicide is a sin in the eyes of God, so consequently wishes that he could simply cease to exist. In doubting that life is worth all the hardships one must face, Hamlet briefly relishes in the concept of death, equating it to nothing more than a sleep wherein one can be rid of the “heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks” of physical life (III.i.70). Though immediately thereafter Hamlet acknowledges the startling unknown, and the fact that one does not know what comes after death. Hamlet feels a great deal of uncertainty, which surely enhances his overall frustration. Herein lies Hamlet’s reservations in regards to committing suicide: it is a sin, and the afterlife may prove to be more unpleasant than life itself.

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, suicide is an important and continuous theme throughout the play. Hamlet is the main character who contemplates the thought of suicide many different times throughout the play, since the murder of his father. Hamlet weighs the advantages of leaving his miserable life with the living, for possibly a better but unknown life with the dead. Hamlet seriously contemplates suicide, but decides against it, mainly because it is a mortal sin against God. Hamlet continues to say that most of humanity would commit suicide and escape the hardships of life, but do not because they are unsure of what awaits them in the after life. Hamlet throughout the play is continually tormented by his fathers death and his

The play is a tragedy and with Shakespeare plays there will be deaths at the end. This quote sums up the main idea in the story that the idea of suicide and death will always be around. Throughout our lives we will be faced with hard times just like Hamlet. It is definitely our choice if one chooses to commit suicide but there is always that thought of where suicide will lead to. The fact that religion has always been opposed to this type of behavior and has viewed it as a sin it makes the human mind hesitant to go through with the action.

In these lines Hamlet thinks of committing suicide, but realizes he would disobey God’s command. According to Andrew Foley, “Far from evincing an acceptance of death or a belief in its religious purpose, Hamlet continues instead to view life and death as sickening and pointless. Nor does Hamlet seem to have overcome the

Moreover, in Hamlet, Hamlet's decision on suicide is impacted by the view of society during his time. The social life in Hamlet is based on a Christian lifestyle and around the church. Due to everyday life being based on the church, suicide is greatly looked down upon in the society. On page 253, Act Five, Scene One, lines 244 and 245 when the Doctor says, “No more be done. We should profane the service of the dead...” The Doctor is saying that he can do nothing more for Ophelia’s death and that it needs to be profaned, which means to treat her death secular rather than religious because she has committed suicide and that is against the bible and their society. Societies view of suicide can be found on page 241, Act Five, Scene One, lines twenty-seven to thirty when the Gravedigger says, “Why thou sayst. And the more pity that great folk should have count’nance in this world to drown or hang themselves more than their even-Christian.” The Gravedigger is saying that it is not fair to the rest of the Christians that Ophelia gets a proper Christian burial as a response to Other because he is talking about that since Ophelia is rich she gets a proper Christian burial and if she is poor she would not have gotten that because she committed suicide. This shows that the rich in their society receive benefits that the poor do not get, even when it comes to tragic things such as suicide, yet, as mentioned previously the Doctor could not do much for her because suicide is so badly looked upon. Ultimately the view societal view of suicide effects Hamlets choice to not commit suicide because society is extremely religious. On page twenty-nine, Act One, Scene Two, line 136-138, “His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter O God, O God, how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world.” Hamlet is saying that God has made it a sin against suicide, but life is pointless and unprofitable to him. To Hamlet, suicide seems like a desirable alternative to life in a painful world, but Hamlet feels that the option of suicide is closed to him because it is forbidden by religion and society, so he does not commit it.

Hamlet continuously throughout the play not only self-deprecates himself, but he also talks about committing suicide and the reasons he has for and against it. Hamlet self-deprecates for multiple reasons consisting of: Claudius killing his father, Gertrude marrying her husband’s brother after his death, his complications with Ophelia, and his very own insanity. From Hamlet’s self-deprecating tendencies, it is evident that he is not only depressed, but suicidal. Hamlet has many things going on in his life, and to him, he doesn’t know if his life is even worth living. Hamlet states, “To be or not to be? That is the question…Be all sins remembered.” (3.1.57-91), meaning that Hamlet really couldn’t care less what happens anymore. Hamlet summarizes the pros and cons to suicide, and he questions what he should do. He does this because he has changed – primarily his personality – and the events occurring around him are

The play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, when broken down to its essence, is about a man who seeks fulfillment in life or death. Hamlet’s life before his father’s death was one of ease and comfort as seen by him living in Germany as a college student. However, with King Hamlet’s death, his complacency is destroyed, and he is left feeling unsatisfied with life. He returns to Denmark and his family to mourn the loss of his father, but in less than two months the rest of the palace has moved on while Hamlet continues to mourn (1.2.138). This causes an emotional response from Hamlet to do something to ease the pain of his misfortune, that something being either suicide or murder. While many emotions and people motivate and persuade Hamlet’s course of action, such as depression, the ghost, Laertes, and revenge, in the end, revenge pushes Hamlet into action with support from Laertes.

Hamlets contemplation of ending his life shows an inward conflict within himself. In his first soliloquy, he debates whether he should commit suicide. "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" (3.1. lines 64-68 Shakespeare). He questions why he should live with all of this chaos but overcomes this internal conflict because he acknowledges that in his religion suicide is a sin. “O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, / Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, / or that the everlasting had not fixed His canon 'gainst (self-slaughter). O God! God!” (1.2. lines 133-136 Shakespeare). This soliloquy signifies the reality of Hamlet s internal conflict and also shows the reality of his external conflict with the society he is surrounded by. This declamation establishes

In the play, Hamlet, Shakespeare leaves you wondering about death. Through the characters in the play, he reveals his own thoughts about death. Does Shakespeare portray a deep understanding of death in this play? The never-ending cycle of death and revenge is evident throughout the entire play.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, suicide is treated differently on the aspects of religion, morals, and philosophical views. Suicide is the act of deliberately killing yourself in contrary to your own best interests. In today’s society suicide is highly looked down upon. But Shakespeare used suicide and violence in almost all of his most popular plays. Many of his tragedies used the element of suicide, some accomplished, others merely contemplated. Shakespeare used suicide as a dramatic device. A character’s suicide could promote a wide range of emotions: horror, condemnation to pity, and even respect. Some of his suicides could even take titles like the noble soldier, the violated woman, and star-crossed lovers. In Othello, Othello see suicide as

When your back is against a wall and it seems that all hope is lost, do not give up. Because if you choose suicide, you will never live to see it get worse, however, you also pass up the chance to see life get better. Suicide is an important, recurring theme in William Shakespeare's, Hamlet, and it is a topic that Hamlet contemplates quite often throughout the play. Hamlet often goes back and forth between to be or not to be, but continues to believe that people although capable of suicide, choose to live. Hamlet is adamant that the unknown, the inconclusiveness of nobility, along with the sin attached to suicide is what ultimately keeps people from taking their own lives.

In Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 3, scene 1, he presents his most rational and dominating scrutiny of the moral authority to take one's own life. He presents the dilemma of whether to commit suicide and escape one's frustrations in life, or to live because of fear of the after life. "To be or not to be-that is the question:/ Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles" (3.1. 64-7). He decides that the only reason people choose to live is because they fear the afterlife and it's consequences. "When he himself might his quietus make/With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, / To grunt and sweat under a weary life, / But the dread of something after

In Act III, scene I of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the thematic imagery, along with the symbolic use of syntax and diction that Shakespeare uses helps convey Hamlet’s state of mind as troubled and as having a painful view to life which, overall, is subtly expressed with weakness as he talked about death.

Thesis: Although most people believe that Hamlet is suicidal at his point in the play, it is not until this soliloquy where the audience actually learns of Hamlet’s ability to judge based on his emotion and logic. Hamlet’s ability to endure suffering allows him to realize how valuable and precious his life truly is.