The Soliloquies of Hamlet

Authors use various literary elements 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 soliloquy 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.  He is saddened by the

death of his father, who he admired as a king and husband to

his mother.  His grief over his father's death is

compounded by his mother's hasty marriage to Claudius.

Hamlet protests, "a beast, that wants discourse of reason,

would have mourn'd longer" (1285).  The worst part is that

he cannot tell them how he feels.

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 talking 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 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

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 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

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 that it is final. It is "the

undiscovered country from whose bourn no 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, soliloquy, Hamlet gains the

courage to finally avenge his father.  After talking with a

captain in Fortinbras' 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 craven scruple of thinking too precisely

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 sources 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

the deepest thoughts of a character.  I submit that without

it, "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" would have had a different

effect.  Instead, Hamlet's soliloquies gave depth to his

emotions, making the audience aware of his internal

conflicts.                 The Soliloquies of Hamlet

Authors use various literary elements 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 soliloquy 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.  He is saddened by the

death of his father, who he admired as a king and husband to

his mother.  His grief over his father's death is

compounded by his mother's hasty marriage to Claudius.

Hamlet protests, "a beast, that wants discourse of reason,

would have mourn'd longer" (1285).  The worst part is that

he cannot tell them how he feels.

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 talking 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 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

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 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

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 that it is final. It is "the

undiscovered country from whose bourn no 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, soliloquy, Hamlet gains the

courage to finally avenge his father.  After talking with a

captain in Fortinbras' 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 craven scruple of thinking too precisely

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 sources 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

the deepest thoughts of a character.  I submit that without

it, "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" would have had a different

effect.  Instead, Hamlet's soliloquies gave depth to his

emotions, making the audience aware of his internal

conflicts.