Download The Soliloquies of Hamlet Authors use various liter

The Soliloquies of Hamlet
Authors use various literary elements to give insight into the me
ntal composition of their characters. In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,” we can trace Ha
mlet’s mental process through his soliloquies.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy reveals him to be thoroughl
y disgusted with Gertrude, Claudius, and the world in general. “How weary, stale, flat and unprofi
table, seem to me all the uses of this world” (1284), he said. He is saddened by the death of his f
ather, who he admired as a king and husband to his mother. His grief over his father’s death is co
mpounded by his mother’s hasty marriage to Claudius. Hamlet protests, “a beast, that wants discours
e of reason, would have mourn’d longer” (1285). The worst part is that he cannot tell them how he f
eels.
In his second soliloquy, Hamlet becomes curious and suspicious after hearing of the ghost. “
My father’s spirit in arms! All is not well; I doubt some foul play” (1287), he said. Hamlet feels
that the presence of the ghost indicates that his father died due to dubious circumstance.
After t
alking with his father’s ghost, in the 3rd Soliloquy Hamlet is angered by the news that Claudius had
murdered his father. Hamlet assures that he will think of nothing but revenge. “I’ll wipe away al
l trivial fond records...and thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my b
rain” (1296), he proclaims.
In Hamlet’s fourth soliloquy, his mental state shows signs of declina
tion. He castigates himself for not taking action to avenge his father. He realizes that he has ca
use to kill Claudius, but cannot muster the chutzpah to go through with it. He said, “Why, what an
ass am I! This is most brave, that I...must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words” (1314). He
also expresses some doubt that the ghost was telling the truth. He said, “The spirit that I have se
en May be the devil: and the devil hath power T’assume a pleasing shape...” (1315). However upset h
e is with himself, Hamlet is sure that the play he has arranged will reveal Claudius’ guilt.
In the
fifth soliloquy, Hamlet hits upon a mental nadir. As he contemplates suicide, Hamlet asks himself
if it is more honorable to live with life’s misfortunes or to die young and bypass all the hardships
. Hamlet suggests that the reason we choose life is because we know nothing about death, except tha
t it is final. It is “the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns” (1317). He go
es on to say, “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all” (1317). Subscribing to this theory, Ham
let takes the coward’s way and does not take his life.
Hamlet’s mental status shows some promise in
his sixth soliloquy. Extremely resentful toward Gertrude, part of Hamlet really wants to hurt her.
Sensibility prevails as he admits that it is not his nature to harm. He resolves to “speak dagger
s to her, but use none” (1328).
In his seventh, and final, soliloquy, Hamlet gains the courage to f
inally avenge his father. After talking with a captain in Fortinbras’ army, Hamlet is inspired by t
he men going off to Poland to fight for not much more than pride. Hamlet then feels ashamed of his
unwillingness to go after Claudius. It dawned on Hamlet that he had been thinking too much and acti
ng too little. “Now, whether it be bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking too precise
ly on th’ event, A thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wisdom and ever three parts coward, I
do not know why yet I live to say, “This thing’s to do” (1342). With his newfound determination to
avenge his father’s murder, he vows, “O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing
worth” (1342).
There is no doubt that movies and television shows have replaced plays as main sour
ces of entertainment. Unfortunately, modern entertainment sources rarely utilize important forms of
discourse, such as the soliloquy. The soliloquy can be a powerful tool used to gain access into t
he deepest thoughts of a character. I submit that without it, “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” would hav
e had a different effect. Instead, Hamlet’s soliloquies gave depth to his emotions, making the audi
ence aware of his internal conflicts.
The Soliloquies of Hamlet
Authors use various literary e
lements to give insight into the mental composition of their characters. In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,
Prince of Denmark,” we can trace Hamlet’s mental process through his soliloquies.
Hamlet’s first so
liloquy reveals him to be thoroughly disgusted with Gertrude, Claudius, and the world in general.
“How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, seem to me all the uses of this world” (1284), he said. H
e is saddened by the death of his father, who he admired as a king and husband to his mother. His g
rief over his father’s death is compounded by his mother’s hasty marriage to Claudius. Hamlet prot
ests, “a beast, that wants discourse of reason, would have mourn’d longer” (1285). The worst part i
s that he cannot tell them how he feels.
In his second soliloquy, Hamlet becomes curious and suspic
ious after hearing of the ghost. “My father’s spirit in arms! All is not well; I doubt some foul p
lay” (1287), he said. Hamlet feels that the presence of the ghost indicates that his father died du
e to dubious circumstance.
After talking with his father’s ghost, in the 3rd Soliloquy Hamlet is an
gered by the news that Claudius had murdered his father. Hamlet assures that he will think of nothi
ng but revenge. “I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records...and thy commandment all alone shall live
within the book and volume of my brain” (1296), he proclaims.
In Hamlet’s fourth soliloquy, his
mental state shows signs of declination. He castigates himself for not taking action to avenge his
father. He realizes that he has cause to kill Claudius, but cannot muster the chutzpah to go throug
h with it. He said, “Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, that I...must, like a whore, unpac
k my heart with words” (1314). He also expresses some doubt that the ghost was telling the truth.
He said, “The spirit that I have seen May be the devil: and the devil hath power T’assume a pleasing
shape...” (1315). However upset he is with himself, Hamlet is sure that the play he has arranged w
ill reveal Claudius’ guilt.
In the fifth soliloquy, Hamlet hits upon a mental nadir. As he contemp
lates suicide, Hamlet asks himself if it is more honorable to live with life’s misfortunes or to die
young and bypass all the hardships. Hamlet suggests that the reason we choose life is because we k
now nothing about death, except that it is final. It is “the undiscovered country from whose bourn n
o traveller returns” (1317). He goes on to say, “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all” (1317
). Subscribing to this theory, Hamlet takes the coward’s way and does not take his life.
Hamlet’s
mental status shows some promise in his sixth soliloquy. Extremely resentful toward Gertrude, part
of Hamlet really wants to hurt her. Sensibility prevails as he admits that it is not his nature to
harm. He resolves to “speak daggers to her, but use none” (1328).
In his seventh, and final, solil
oquy, Hamlet gains the courage to finally avenge his father. After talking with a captain in Fortin
bras’ army, Hamlet is inspired by the men going off to Poland to fight for not much more than pride.
Hamlet then feels ashamed of his unwillingness to go after Claudius. It dawned on Hamlet that he
had been thinking too much and acting too little. “Now, whether it be bestial oblivion, or some cra
ven scruple of thinking too precisely on th’ event, A thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wi
sdom and ever three parts coward, I do not know why yet I live to say, “This thing’s to do” (1342).
With his newfound determination to avenge his father’s murder, he vows, “O, from this time forth, m
y thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” (1342).
There is no doubt that movies and television sho
ws have replaced plays as main sources of entertainment. Unfortunately, modern entertainment source
s rarely utilize important forms of discourse, such as the soliloquy. The soliloquy can be a power
ful tool used to gain access into the deepest thoughts of a character. I submit that without it, “H
amlet, Prince of Denmark” would have had a different effect. Instead, Hamlet’s soliloquies gave dep
th to his emotions, making the audience aware of his internal conflicts. ------------------------------------------------------------- soliloquies hamlet authors various literary elements give insig
ht into mental composition their characters shakespeare hamlet prince denmark trace hamlet mental pr
ocess through soliloquies first soliloquy reveals thoroughly disgusted with gertrude claudius world
general weary stale flat unprofitable seem uses this world said saddened death father admired king h
usband mother grief over father death compounded mother hasty marriage claudius protests beast that
wants discourse reason would have mourn longer worst part that cannot tell them feels second soliloq
uy becomes curious suspicious after hearing ghost father spirit arms well doubt some foul play said
feels that presence ghost indicates died dubious circumstance after talking with ghost soliloquy ang
ered news claudius murdered assures will think nothing revenge wipe away trivial fond records comman
dment alone shall live within book volume brain proclaims fourth mental state shows signs declinatio
n castigates himself taking action avenge realizes cause kill cannot muster chutzpah through with sa
id what this most brave must like whore unpack heart words also expresses some doubt telling truth s
pirit have seen devil devil hath power assume pleasing shape however upset himself sure play arrange
d will reveal guilt fifth hits upon nadir contemplates suicide asks himself more honorable live life
misfortunes young bypass hardships suggests reason choose life because know nothing about death exc
ept final undiscovered country from whose bourn traveller returns goes thus conscience does make cow
ards subscribing this theory takes coward does take life status shows some promise sixth extremely r
esentful toward gertrude part really wants hurt sensibility prevails admits nature harm resolves spe
ak daggers none seventh final gains courage finally avenge after talking captain fortinbras army ins
pired going poland fight much more than pride then feels ashamed unwillingness dawned been thinking
much acting little whether bestial oblivion craven scruple thinking precisely event thought which qu
arter hath part wisdom ever three parts coward know live thing newfound determination avenge murder
vows from time forth thoughts bloody nothing worth there doubt movies television shows have replaced
plays main sources entertainment unfortunately modern entertainment sources rarely utilize importan
t forms discourse such powerful tool used gain access into deepest thoughts character submit without
prince denmark would different effect instead soliloquies gave depth emotions making audience aware
internal conflicts authors various literary elements give insight into composition their characters
shakespeare prince denmark trace process through first reveals thoroughly disgusted gertrude world
general weary stale flat unprofitable seem uses saddened admired king husband mother grief over comp
ounded hasty marriage protests beast wants discourse reason would mourn longer worst cannot tell the
m second becomes curious suspicious hearing spirit arms well foul play presence indicates died dubio
us circumstance talking angered news murdered assures will think revenge wipe away trivial fond reco
rds commandment alone shall within book volume brain proclaims fourth state signs declination castig
ates taking action realizes cause kill muster chutzpah what most brave must like whore unpack heart
words also expresses telling truth seen devil hath power assume pleasing shape however upset sure ar
ranged reveal guilt fifth hits upon nadir contemplates suicide asks more honorable misfortunes young
bypass hardships suggests choose because know about except final undiscovered country from whose bo
urn traveller returns goes thus conscience does make cowards subscribing theory takes coward take st
atus promise sixth extremely resentful toward really hurt sensibility prevails admits nature harm re
solves speak daggers none seventh gains courage finally captain fortinbras army inspired going polan
d fight much than pride then ashamed unwillingness dawned been thinking acting little whether bestia
l oblivion craven scruple precisely event thought which quarter wisdom ever three parts thing newfou
nd determination murder vows time forth thoughts bloody worth there movies television replaced plays
main sources entertainment unfortunately modern rarely utilize important forms such powerful tool u
sed gain access deepest character submit without different effect instead gave depth emotions making
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