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The Hamlet Soliloquies

            "To be or not to be that is the question" (Hamlet. i 56) is one of the most famous quotes in English literature. This quotation is the opening line from Hamlet's most famous soliloquy in which he is contemplating his fate, as he debates whether to take his own life as an end to all of his enemies. Hamlet's world is bleak and cold because he feels that almost no one and nothing can be trusted. Hamlet channels his emotions through his seven soliloquies in the play. With dealing with the sudden and tragic loss of his father, Hamlet must now face the cold reality of his mother's marriage to his uncle only after two short months after his father's untimely death. Hamlet discovers that Claudius (his uncle) murdered his father to become the king of Denmark. These tragic circumstances in Hamlet's life are the cause of his depression and desire of revenge against his father's killer. "It is a commonplace of Hamlet criticism that there is a divide in Hamlet's character between "thought" and "action", a division of which he is himself aware. However, in the soliloquies themselves, Hamlet is essentially involved in thought rather than action and the polarity he experiences is instead between rational thought and emotional outbursts" (Duffy and Pearce). There is a huge disconnect with Hamlet's extreme thoughts and his delayed actions. He speaks of committing suicide then he changes his mind. He speaks of killing the newly appointed King but then refuses when he sees him praying. If his ultimate goal was to avenge his father's death, nothing should have stopped him. Hamlet's vague moral viewpoints stalled his goals and indirectly caused his tragic end. Joanna Montgomery Byles states in her essay, "Tragic Alternatives: Ego and Superego Revenge in Hamlet'" that "the concept of the superego is important to our understanding of the dynamics of aggressive destruction in Shakespeare's tragedies involving vengeance" (Byles).


Essays Related to The Hamlet Soliloquies

1. Soliloquies in Hamlet

... of the soliloquies help readers better understand the exact mind of Hamlet. At the conclusion of the play, the readers feel as if they know Hamlet and his soliloquies contribute too much of that understanding. Hamlet's soliloquy 'to be or not to be that is the question' (Act 111, scene 1) is one of the most remarkable soliloquies that serves to highlight the state of indecisiveness in which he finds himself. Each one of Hamlet's soliloquies ... being wronged and needing to get revenge. In conclusion, the density of Hamlet's thoughts is extraordinary. After analyzing these soliloqui...

  • Word Count: 2774
  • Approx Pages: 11

2. Hamlet

... a resolution to the conflict that rages within him. The soliloquies performed by Hamlet help unfold what Hamlet's feelings and thoughts are really about. Without these soliloquies understanding Hamlet would be very hard, and there would be alot of guessing about what Hamlet is really about. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to discover and explore Hamlet's feelings and internal and external conflicts. In the soliloquies in act two through four the reader learns about Hamlet's deepest and ... a purpose and are dependent on one another to develop Hamlet into a full character and the play into ...

  • Word Count: 1666
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Hamlet

... a character better as a play unfolds. In Hamlet, the soliloquies performed by the title character help reveal his innermost thoughts and feelings aloud. Hamlet's soliloquies are the keys to his internal struggles, which are hidden under a mask. From Hamlet's soliloquies in Act I, II, III, and IV, one learns of his feelings towards the new marriage between his mother and his uncle, his indecisiveness towards the revenge for his father's death, and his ... IV, one is able to see the internal struggle which Hamlet faces regarding the revenge of his father's death, and the epiphany he has w...

  • Word Count: 1231
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Hamlet: Dialogue, Themes, and Actions

... and drinking, Hamlet knows he has to get rid of his Uncle and have someone else ascend to the throne. The final theme that can be found in various parts of Hamlet's soliloquies is the idea of Mortality- Hamlet's suicide, or just the action of taking peoples live in general. This is also a common theme of the entire tragedy. It has happened in the soliloquies, and ironically to the one he loved ... maybe the most that was not in his family- Ophelia ... . To fully understand his grief and his want to leave the earth can, look at ... ...

  • Word Count: 1825
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Hamlet's Soliloquies

... shapes all his actions. It is also noticeable that Hamlet goes though a number of stages in his pursuit of revenge. It is evident from his soliloquies in Act II along with Act IV, that a transition occurs from his hesitation in fulfilling his destiny to his awareness that there is no escaping it. 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 ...

  • Word Count: 1106
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Hamlet

... and pensive attitude through his long, drawn out soliloquies. Hamlet is a static character whose thoughts never dramatically change throughout the course of the play. For this reason, we can examine the first of his soliloquies and use the language in it to predict the substance of his future soliloquies and actions and to gain an understanding of Hamlet's character. The first of Hamlets many soliloquies occurs in Act I, Scene II. This soliloquy ... serves to prepare the readers for the rest of Hamlet's feelings, measures, and beliefs. It ... ...

  • Word Count: 1324
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Hamlet- a complex character?

... dilemmas and questions he is facing at just one time. The structure of the soliloquies is significant because it can be divided into different section, where Hamlet is feeling different emotions and moods. The opening line is a clear indication of Hamlet being the self critic, he then moves to the thinker, where he wonders at how the players so easily mourn for Hecuba even though they are ... in drama, because there is no narrative point of view. Therefore the soliloquies are used to provide the reader at discovering the intimidate thoughts of Hamlet and also providing "direct access to...

  • Word Count: 1574
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. HAMLET & SOLILOQUIES

... more knowledge about what he is currently pursuing; giving him two different roles behind his one character. He is portrayed as a "madman" by the other characters because he is unable to express his inner emotions and desires with those around him. However, Hamlet's soliloquies enable the audience to capture his inner feelings and portray his character as cautious, indecisive, and contemplative, rather than mad ... . Hamlet's soliloquies enable the audience to understand the meaning behind his actions. If it weren't for his soliloquies, his true character would not be fully understood by...

  • Word Count: 1397
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Hamlet

... to contemplate every action, prepare for the reaction, and also prepare for any consequences. Hamlet wants to be a perfectionist, and his questions and soliloquies help him to make sure that everything runs smoothly. What do Hamlet's soliloquies tell us about him? The first (Act 1, Scene 2) reveals the a great deal about Hamlet's character since it gives the audience their first real impression of what hamlet is like and how he has ... been affected by events. It is this soliloquy where Hamlet first expresses his desire that he might escape from life: "O that this too ... ...

  • Word Count: 2036
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: High School

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