Why Is Hamlet's First Soliloquy

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.

Earlier, Hamlet swings to a depressive episode so severe, he almost commits suicide. In one of the most famous soliloquies from Hamlet, Hamlet contemplates suicide: “To be or not to be? That is the question” (III.i.57.).

One major theme within the play is the pervasiveness of death; death is everywhere within hamlet’s life and is a driving factor of the plot. This theme can be found in many parts of the play; for example, in Act 5 scene 2 of the play hamlet sends two players to their death in England (Shakespeare 1181). This shows how death is a mundane occurrence in hamlets time, this is shown in how hamlet shows almost no remorse for his actions and the subject is quickly overlooked. Within the soliloquy “To be, or not to be” hamlet comments on this theme and shows the audience his own ideas on the subject. One of his ideas is stated as “to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep (Shakespeare 1127).” In this line hamlet relates death to a peaceful sleep; by connecting the two terms hamlet conveys a certain familiarity in death as in sleep. Maybe in reducing death to nothing more than a sleep, hamlet is stating that dying is as simple

When Hamlet is set up and spied on by Claudius and Polonius, he examines the moral aspect of suicide in a painful world. He opens his soliloquy with asking a simple question, "To be, or not to be:that is the question:" (III. i. 58), that is, whether to live or to die. He then begins to question whether it is nobler to suffer life and the, "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," (III. i. 66), or to take ones life and end one's suffering. He compares death to sleep and at first thinks that

In his mature, adult mind, he knows that he must avenge his father, but there lives an innocent child in his conscience who does not want to commit murder; and Hamlet perceives this as cowardice. It seems as though Hamlet is struggling with what he knows he must do, and actually doing it. While instead of pursuing his father’s revenge, he lets his emotions dictate his actions (in this case, his lack of action). So, in self-justification, he tucks away his apprehension and decides to seek proof of Claudius’s murder of Hamlet’s father. Furthermore, Hamlet is beginning to question his identity as a “pigeon-livered coward.” What is more noteworthy, however, is that both soliloquies exhibit Hamlet to be an immature boy, as he speaks on impulses of emotion, rather than logic itself.

Shakespeare's Hamlet is the home of Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” soliloquy. In this soliloquy Hamlet is pondering whether it is better to be or not to be- to be alive or to be dead. In Hamlet’s eyes he has no power while alive- he is at the mercy of all the misfortune life brings. Alternatively death is something to be desired- it is escape from everything life throws his way. Death comes in the form of sleep. Hamlet comes to the conclusion that life is a passive, powerless state, compared to death which he believes is an empowering, and active state that he averts due to the unknown.

The topic of Hamlet’s soliloquy is his consideration of committing suicide. Throughout the speech, it is obvious that Hamlet is over thinking and wavering between two different extremes: life and death. "Whether 'tis nobler in the

This quote can be interpreted in many different ways. The way most people and myself see it is that Hamlet is contemplating death and suicide. He is debating whether he should or should not kill himself. He would have killed himself if suicide wasn’t a sin and he would not go to hell. This is one of the biggest psychological factors throughout Hamlet because he debates and fights with himself within his head (Pg. 64-68).

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

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

It is clear that the death of his father and his mother 's remarriage has taken an enormous mental toll on him and that he desires death to free himself of the burden laid upon him by the ghost. He romanticizes it, saying that suicide is the brave and courageous option akin to “[taking] arms” against troubles. However, he can’t commit to the idea of death, saying “To sleep, perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub / For in that sleep of death what dreams may come” (III, i, 66-67). He craves death, which would allow him to escape all the “natural shock / that flesh is heir to” (III, i, 63-64) but the more he ponders it, the further he is from reaching a decision. Ironically, the argument within his mind about how he should free himself of the ghostly burden — murder, or death — is impeding him from carrying out any action on it. At the end of his most famous soliloquy, Hamlet hasn’t made any decisive choice and therefore is in limbo regarding death due to his overarching rationale. His inaction proves “[his] endless reasoning and hesitation and the way in which the energy of his resolutions evaporates in self-reproaches” (Morgan 259). Moreover, Hamlet tackles the decision of interpreting what is real and what is false when he questions the ghost’s true nature. At first, Hamlet is certain

Hamlet also believes that people refrain from suicide since it is inconclusive whether living or dying is nobler. Hamlet has this exact thought asking, “ 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, 57-60). Hamlet does not know if it is nobler to continue to suffer through all that life throws your way or if it is nobler to fight and end the suffering. If it were known which was nobler it would have a major impact on Hamlet's decision around suicide (that is since he contemplated this

The first soliloquy reveals Hamlet’s virtue yet it also shows his reluctance to act, even when he knows what he is doing is right. The soliloquy expresses both Hamlet’s melancholic

Hamlet was distraught after he found out that is father had been killed by his uncle and then to learn that his uncle shortly thereafter married his mother was seemingly unbearable. Hamlet had a conversation with himself as to the pros and cons of continuing his life. This is the conversation that he had himself while he waited for his plan unfold. A suicidal death were his thoughts because of the deep frustration regarding the situation. My opinion of this Soliloquy is a two-part question that Hamlet was considering. Initially, he was considering taking his life. This was essential because of the fact that his uncle had taken his father’s life and within 30 days of his father’s death, his uncle and his mother are married. Secondly, he contemplated getting revenge against his father’s death. This was beginning to be too much for a young prince to handle so he figured some rest and sleep would shield and him from the life that was less than perfect life that he was living. In his thoughts, he felt as if he would sleep and dream that is his pain and misery of his reality would end. Every thought of every day was miserable and painful. Each memory brought sorrow and anger, therefore, he wanted to sleep in hopes of the reality of life taking a pause. Hamlet’s reality was too much for him to bear. While his body slept it seemed that that he would be safe from the oppressive faults of