Hamlet's soliloquies in the first Act, though important because they introduce his character to the audience and help to set the foundation of his though processes, aren't quite as significant as the ones found later on in the play. For instance, in Act II, Hamlet voices his tormented state of mind because he has neglected his promise to his deceased father. He begins this soliloquy after watching one of the players which kindles a spark of revenge in him. Hamlet's emotional response wants to model the brutality of the player's version of

Hamlet's soliloquy in Act IV is in direct contrast to his former thoughts. He voices these new opinions after he is ordered to go to England and encounters Prince Fortinbras along the way. Similar to the previous soliloquy, because once again Hamlet's interaction with with other's forces his passionate nature out. After seeing Prince Fortinbras willing to sacrifice hundreds of men's lives for a single plot of land, something within Hamlet awakens. He condemns himself of inaction and curses all the time that has gone by in vain. He realizes that god did not give us brains for them to "fust in us unused" (l. 41). He realizes that through all of his thoughts of action, he had merely been observing others and thinking about it instead of doing it. He knows that he has the strength and willingness to act, and he asks himself why he hasn't done it yet. He finally realized that he has been a coward all this time. He looked at Fortinbras' army and knew that they were fighting for one thing: honor. When honor is a stake, it is a valuable reason to fight. He marks this transition by "from this time forth, my thoughts by bloody or be nothing at all" (l. 68-69). This emphasizes his new ambition to do what fate has set down for him. He now has the justification that he needs to fulfill his destiny and take action and he is ashamed that it took him so long to find it.

Perhaps another reason why this soliloquy is important is because of it's resolution. Throughout it, Hamlet bullies himself and Claudius, whom he refers to as a "bloody bawdy villain" (580). However, this name calling is what Hamlet needs to get himself worked up

Some topics in this essay:
Prince Fortinbras, Pyrrhus Hamlet, Throughout Hamlet, II Hamlet, Soliloquies Throughout, Act IV, Hamlet Hamlet, Honor Hamlet, Hamlet Fortunbras', Fortinbras Similar, act iv, honor stake, soliloquies act, prince fortinbras, act ii, hamlet's soliloquies,