William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most powerful and influential literary works ever published. The play entails the story of the prince of Denmark, Hamlet, and his quest for revenge on the man who murdered his father, took control of Denmark, and married his mother: his uncle Claudius. Over the course of the play, Hamlet often confesses his thoughts, emotions, and plans in the form of soliloquies. These soliloquies offer a large amount of insight on Hamlets character. First of all, Hamlet’s various ways of insulting himself reveal that he is indecisive, and lacks confidence. Additionally, Hamlet’s strong need to reassure himself, and plot his actions further emphasizes these qualities, and shows his hypocrisy as well. Finally, Hamlet’s
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Even the first line of his first soliloquy has him wishing that his “sullied flesh would melt, / thaw and resolve itself into a dew, / [and] that the everlasting had not fix’d / his canon ‘gainst self-slaughter” (1.2.129-132). Here, Hamlet is saying that he has no desire to live in his world anymore, and wishes he was permitted by God to kill himself. Since this is one of the audience’s first impressions of Hamlet, his cowardly nature is one of the first pieces of information that can be gathered on Claudius’ nephew. This is because the audience views Hamlet not as a prince who can move on, but a coward who cannot resolve problems in his own life. Furthermore, his third and most famous soliloquy also shows this quality, as well as his indecisiveness. During Hamlet’s infamous speech, he contemplates if it is better “to be, or not to be” (3.1.56), and mentions that the only reason people choose to live is out of fear that death, an eternal sleep, may contain dreams that are more horrible even than life. Hamlet’s contemplation between life and death highlights his severe indecisiveness, and his excuses for not killing himself portray his cowardice. Hamlet’s contemplation of ending his own life does not do his character any favors, as it reveals its cowardly and indecisive
Even the first line of his first soliloquy has him wishing that his “sullied flesh would melt, / thaw and resolve itself into a dew, / [and] that the everlasting had not fix’d / his canon ‘gainst self-slaughter” (1.2.129-132). Here, Hamlet is saying that he has no desire to live in his world anymore, and wishes he was permitted by God to kill himself. Since this is one of the audience’s first impressions of Hamlet, his cowardly nature is one of the first pieces of information that can be gathered on Claudius’ nephew. This is because the audience views Hamlet not as a prince who can move on, but a coward who cannot resolve problems in his own life. Furthermore, his third and most famous soliloquy also shows this quality, as well as his indecisiveness. During Hamlet’s infamous speech, he contemplates if it is better “to be, or not to be” (3.1.56), and mentions that the only reason people choose to live is out of fear that death, an eternal sleep, may contain dreams that are more horrible even than life. Hamlet’s contemplation between life and death highlights his severe indecisiveness, and his excuses for not killing himself portray his cowardice. Hamlet’s contemplation of ending his own life does not do his character any favors, as it reveals its cowardly and indecisive