The Soliloquies Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare

In this play “Hamlet” written by William Shakespeare, there are many soliloquies that are said by Hamlet to depict various meanings of his thoughts, feelings, and actions that are inside of him. More specifically the soliloquy in Act 3, Scene 1, in lines 57-91 starts off with the famous saying known as “To be, or not to be”. Throughout this soliloquy, Hamlet is asking himself the question of whether it is better to live or not to live. In life, we are faced with many situations where we feel the need to give up our life and not face the problems. Only by facing all the troubles, will a person become stronger and more courageous to handle anything in life. By believing in one’s self, can man have the courage to follow what they think is right. Killing yourself or giving up is never a solution in life. This soliloquy reveals Hamlet’s fearful personality by showing that his decision-making process is slow and that he fears risks or uncertainty. These character traits are depicted thoroughly by Hamlet throughout the play.

“To be, or not to be, that is the question,” (3.1.64). This famous line in William Shakespeare's Hamlet perfectly encapsulates Hamlet’s internal struggle throughout the play. Hamlet tells the story of the young prince of Denmark and his desire for revenge on the uncle, Claudius, who murdered his father. As is the case in many works of literature, Hamlet changes greatly throughout the play. However, because of his attempts to act insane, it can be difficult to precisely map the changes in Hamlet’s character. By carefully investigating his seven soliloquies, where he is alone and has no need to “put on an antic disposition,” one can understand and interpret how Hamlet’s character develops throughout the play.

Almost every story involves a conflict between hero and villain. In some stories, there is a plot twist where the hero is also the villain—but in Hamlet, there are no heroes and many villains. In Hamlet, every character has lied, kept secrets or is seeking revenge that leads to a tragic ending at every corner, but what we fail to see is who the true villain is. Looking at the character of Hamlet throughout the play, it is easier to spot his many dishonorable actions than his few honorable ones.

Shakespeare's main character Hamlet is a victim of both internal and external conflict. His conflict includes a physical nature as he goes about to avenge his father's death. Shakespeare translates further the idea of internal versus external conflict by giving it a physical nature. Shakespeare also uses soliloquies to emphasise Hamlets inner thoughts and conflict. This stands in contrast to the way he acts amongst others; with the intention of highlighting the inner turmoil he is experiencing. The infamous quote, "To be or not to be: that is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer…." (Act III, scene i, 58-90). It is during this soliloquy that

As Hamlet figures out  the news of his father's death, his emotions change and the soliloquies establish a relationship between Hamlet and the audience, not unlike that of therapist and patient. This relationship exists because Hamlet has no one to whom he can bare his soul. He desperately needs a loyal and understanding friend. While his frat brothers Guildenstern and Rosencrantz pretend to be worried about him, they become traitors to Hamlet when they spy on him for his controlling and nefarious uncle Claudius. The second soliloquy reveals complications with Hamlet’s emotional upheaval, for now he is privy to more knowledge of the rotting in Denmark: his father has been murdered by his uncomfortable le Claudius; moreover, the ghost of King Hamlet has appeared to the prince and demands vengeance for his death. When he realizes that he must kill Claudius, Hamlet turns to the audience and asks for a direct response: how he will commit this act and what may others think of him for it? “Am I a coward?.... Who calls me villain? Breaks my pate across? . . .Tweaks me by th’nose? Gives me the lie i’th’ throat...As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this, ha?”

Hamlet’s personality, while hinted at by other characters and his own actions, remains something of an enigma throughout the play. His soliloquies are necessary, therefore, to gain a fuller understanding of it. One of two main aspects of his personality revealed this way can be found in the most iconic lines of the play. Hamlet is shown to be depressed before the “to be or not to be” soliloquy, but it is this speech in which he shows the depth of his grapple with life. He contemplates killing himself outright, questioning “[w]hether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer [t]he slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, [o]r to take arms against a sea of troubles, [a]nd, by opposing, end them?” (Act 3, Sn. 1, ln. 58-61). This soliloquy exposes the depressed mood he has had throughout the play up to this point and shows it for what it really is. Another key point of Hamlet’s personality emphasized through soliloquy is his devout loyalty to his father, the king. When Hamlet speaks to the ghost of his father, his suspicions seem to be true: Claudius, the king’s brother, murdered the king in order to gain his crown. Upon learning this, Hamlet is initially shocked, but then flies into a rage, cursing his uncle and calling him a “smiling, damned villain” (Act 1, Sn. 5, ln. 25-112). The fact that Hamlet is willing to kill his own uncle in order to avenge his father goes great lengths to show his devotion. It is clear from this that loyalty is a crucial element of Hamlet’s character. As well as allowing the audience a much better understanding of what type of person Hamlet is, this insight into his personality gives a glimpse of his

As the act progresses, Hamlet encounters the Ghost of his father, King Hamlet, who confessed the man who murdered him was not Fortenbraus but, his own brother, Claudius. The Ghost orders Hamlet not to permit "the royal bed of Denmark [to be] a Couch for luxury"(1.5.82). His father then vanishes and Hamlet enters a state of great rage and drives to complete his father’s task in aniliating Claudius. He is young so his “sinews, grow not instant old”(1.5.94) which gives him the physical strength. Hamlet is so focused on his task, he agreed to, "...wipe all trivial fond records"(1.5.99) and replace them with "...[King Hamlet's] commandment all alone..."(1.5.101). Shakespeare elaborates on the characterization of Hamlet in this soliloquy. The author not only displays Hamlet's anger and depression but, his determination in vanishing the injustice in his kingdom. To summarize, Shakespeare characterizes Hamlet by using imagery to express how Hamlet was originally depressed but, turned towards anger that later lead him to become vengeful.

Hamlet’s character drastically develops over the first four acts of Hamlet, and his character development is most evident through the soliloquys he delivers throughout the play. The most character development can be seen from the first soliloquy, to the second, the third, the sixth, and the seventh and final soliloquy. Hamlet’s inner conflict with his thoughts and his actions are well analyzed in his soliloquys, as well as his struggles with life and death, and his very own existence. He begins the play wondering what purpose he has in life now that his father is dead and his mother has remarried to his uncle. After finding out foul play was involved in his father’s death, he is motivated by revenge. Finally, he wonders how he can enact his revenge while continuously overthinking and overanalyzing his actions.

Supporting characters are often looked at as impractical and unnecessary, however they are just as important as major characters. Supporting characters help influence the way the main characters act and what they do. Minor characters not only make the main characters more meaningful, but they also help to develop and drive the plot. Ophelia, falling victim to the neglect and abuse of the other characters and depending solely on the men in her life, becomes the only character who truly becomes mad. Polonius’ concern with how others perceive him, along with his selfishness ultimately leads to him driving his children further away from him thus leaving Claudius with more power. Claudius uses manipulation, corruption and destruction of the lives of the innocent to stay in power, and in doing so; he is the epitome of all evil events that occur. In the tragedy Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the plot of the play obtains added mystery and dramatic appeal due to the complexity of the supporting characters, which propel the play to move forward.

Many can feel lost at times because, but the confusion only allows them to see themselves. Individuals lose themselves in the state confusion, but can learn things that they never knew. Characters in Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead lose themselves in confusion but realize something new about themselves. Different characters face realization through different feelings, such as uncertainty, distraction, and agitation. Even though confusion leads an individual’s thoughts into turmoil, confusion will allow the individual to change in a positive or negative way. Individuals will react differently to situations and have different outcomes, but they will all go through the same process of battling against their own minds in order

At the end of the first act, Hamlet comes face to face with the ghost of his father who tells him that Claudius is his killer and orders him to avenge his “foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.25). This sends Hamlet into his second soliloquy where he vows to “wipe away all trivial fond records, / All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past / That youth and observation copied there, / And [his father’s] commandment all alone shall live / Within the book and volume of [his] brain” (1.5.99-103). Similar to an explosion, Hamlet’s hateful emotions mushroom following the identification of his father’s murderer, his once loving mother and uncle are seen as transformed into a “most pernicious woman” (1.5.105), and a “smiling damned villain” (1.5.106). This passionate expression is one of the earliest progression points for Hamlet, signifying his transformation from a timid man, to one full of fiery rage willing to complete a challenge at any cost. Through the confirmation of Claudius’ hand in his father’s murder,

Even in the mere beginning of the tragedy, Shakespeare starts to craft a plot in which insanity and vengeance are interlinked. When Hamlet interacts with the ghostly figure of his late father, the spirit reveals he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who now claims the two things that were most important to him: his throne and his wife, Gertrude. He requests that Hamlet avenge his death by killing Claudius in which Hamlet replies: “...from the table of my memory/ I’ll wipe away all…That youth and observation copies there,/ And thy commandment all alone shall live/ Within… my brain,/ Unmixed with baser matter” (1.5.105-111). Upon stating this, Hamlet writes his committment down in order to make a formal contract with himself. By erasing all other “inferior” information from his brain and making avengeance his first priority, a bud of obsession is revealed, which will be built upon as the plot thickens. The promise of revenge stimulates Hamlet to perform in ways he would not typically execute, inciting the incipient stages of his insanity. After being stripped of kingship from an unrightful heir and discovering Claudius’ audacity to kill his own brother, Hamlet’s rage boils inside of him, creating a desire to kill the man that, quite frankly, ruined his life. Through Shakespeare’s ability to develop this crucial character, the reader becomes aware of Hamlet’s unhealthy obsession with revenge, exposing an intended connection between these two themes.

The play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is set in an anti-feminist era. Women traditionally have been seen inferior to men. This was an intellectual as well as a physical issue. Women were to raise a family, cook, clean, be pretty and not be smarter than any man. The main characters Ophelia and Gertrude are both depicted with these characteristics as powerless and frail people. This illustration of helpless women affects one's understanding of what their true selves could be.

Although all humans develop personality traits as early as three to four months after birth, our unique natures and behaviors eventually unfold and serve as barcodes that distinguish us from one another. However, human beings are much more complex: we have unique personalities, but small diversions in an individual 's behavior can point towards certain mental illnesses. The American Psychiatric Association has catalogued these mental illnesses and their symptoms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, otherwise known as the DSM-5. In The Tragedy of Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare during the early 17th century, a young Danish prince of the same name demonstrates abnormal deviations from typical human behavior. By drawing from specific scenes of the play and specific diagnoses from the DSM-5, it is revealed that Hamlet shows symptoms of Bipolar 1 disorder.

Second Soliloquy Act 1 Scene 5: At the end of the first act, Hamlet comes face to face with the ghost of his father who tells him that Claudius is his killer and orders him to avenge his “foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.25). This sends Hamlet into his second soliloquy where he vows to “wipe away all trivial fond records, / All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past / That youth and observation copied there, / And [his father’s] commandment all alone shall live / Within the book and volume of [his] brain” (1.5.99-103). Similar to an explosion, Hamlet’s emotions mushroom following the identification of his father’s murderer, his once loving mother and uncle are now referred to as a “most pernicious woman” (1.5.105), and a “smiling damned villain” (1.5.106). This passionate expression is one of the earliest progression points for Hamlet signifying his transformation from a timid man, to one full of a fiery rage willing to complete any challenge at all costs. Through the confirmation of Claudius’ hand in his father’s murder, Hamlet comes to the realization that: “one may smile, and