Internal Fear Of Death In Hamlet

Throughout William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the protagonist, Hamlet, carries an internal fear of his afterlife. When going through situations involving death, Hamlet displays a great discomfort and apprehension because of the uncertainty of death beyond his understanding. With an inconsistent moral compass, Hamlet puts an unwavering importance on the afterlife over taking revenge on his father’s death. Through the contemplation of life and death, the constant delay on killing Claudius, and the compassion he shows Laertes before dying, Hamlet shows how his theology significantly alters his fate over time.
While transitioning from sanity to madness, Hamlet is found questioning the meaning of life. This results in the confused Hamlet becoming emotionally …show more content…
This is when he begins to contemplate suicide. Hamlet’s internal thoughts become apparent when he weighs the pros and cons of life when he felt alone. “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” (III, I, 57-60). Hamlet reaches an internal climax; he no longer wants to live knowing that Claudius murdered his father, Gertrude married his father's murderer, or that he is not able to spend his life with Ophelia. These questions allow for a deeper insight into how Hamlet feels regarding what is going on around him. Since Hamlet thinks life’s burdens will never wear off, he develops the idea that the life hereafter will offer him tremendous peace. Therefore, his theology is directly related to the actions he takes. Once he begins to take into account the beliefs in the Bible, Hamlet’s fear is unraveled. The insight to his fearful psyche is found when he wonders why people would go through life’s mind-numbing trials unless afraid of hell. “Who would fardels bear… / But that the dread of something after death, / The undiscovered country from whose