Soliloquies Compared

Comparison Essay # 53627

Drama and Theater > English
Literature > Comparative Literature
Literature > English

Compares two of Hamlet's soliloquies in this work by William Shakespeare.

750 words () | 0 sources | 2002 United States

Paper Summary:

When Hamlet first addresses the audience in Act 1, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's "Hamlet", the young prince reveals how the events of the past two months have depressed him. He has been coping with the death of his father, his mother's uncontrollable lust, and the humiliation to which his uncle subjects him for grieving so long. The paper shows, however, that by the time Hamlet again shares his inner thoughts, in Act 3, Scene 1, he has been informed by his father's ghost that his new father, Claudius, murdered him, his trusted friends are spying on him, and most of the royal court of Denmark believes him to be insane. Based on these facts, it seems logical to think that he has been pushed further to suicide. This paper shows that, in fact, Hamlet proves far less agitated in his second soliloquy. Shakespeare, through the subject matter and tone of each speech, portrays Hamlet as being a far more rational character now than he was previously, and he shows that Hamlet may now have a stronger will to live than before.

From the Paper:

"Those watching this part of the play would find Hamlet's behavior unreasonable. Though his father's death was sudden, the audience might agree with Gertrude's remark that it is a "common (1.2.72)" occurrence in nature, and that time must heal emotional wounds. Hamlet's view on death has become more philosophical by Act 3. He ponders whether it is worthwhile for anyone to live because each person, at one time in life or another, must "bear the whips and scorns of time (3.1.70)." He speaks for the whole of society-not once using first person-and this time he denies that suicide is a viable option, not because God says it is not, but because of apprehension about "the undiscovered country from whose born no traveler returns (3.1.79-80)." Shakespeare may be using this speech to suggest that Hamlet, by confronting the reality of death, will no longer seek a way out of this life."