The Theme Of Death In Hamlet's To Be Or Not To Be?

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Hamlet learns that King Claudius, his uncle and brother of his father (King Hamlet), murdered his father and that his father is trapped in purgatory during the day . Claudius managed to commit this murder by pouring poison into the ear of his brother, King Hamlet, while he was asleep (during his usually nap) in his garden. Further, the Ghost informs Hamlet that it is the spirit of King Hamlet and asks Prince Hamlet to avenges his (King Hamlet’s) death by killing King Claudius. This poison killed King Hamlet as it made his blood curdle, causing a rash which encased his body in a disgusting crust. Additionally, the Ghost states that Claudius deceived all of Denmark, by telling them that a serpent had stung King Hamlet, and corrupted Gertrude, as Claudius seduced Gertrude into remarriage. Finally, the Ghost asks Hamlet to avoid corrupting his mind, do no harm to his mother as she will be punished by her guilt, and …show more content…
The play analyzes the realm of death, asking whether it is more courageous for one to withstand to the tortures of life or die and fall into a realm of relative ambiguity. He goes on to compare death to sleep, as it will serve as anaesthesia to the tortures of the world. Further, he concludes that the fear fo death comes from the fear of ambiguity, as one knows little about what occurs after one dies, and this fear makes man a coward. This fear is what forces man to bear the miseries of life. Prior to the end of the soliloquy, Hamlet states “And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o 'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry,And lose the name of action.” (Act 3 Scene 1) which delineates how mankind’s fear of death causes them to avoid death (this is referred to as “action,”). This is similar to Hamlet’s dilemma in the novel of seeking revenge but never being able to force himself to attain his

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