Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2

In act 1 scene 2 of “Hamlet” the character Hamlet speaks his first soliloquy which reveals his innermost thoughts and feelings to the audience. In this soliloquy Hamlet’s unstable state of mind is evident as well as his feelings of despair about his father’s death and his disgust of his mother’s remarriage to his uncle Claudius. Hamlet’s hatred for his uncle is shown through harsh comparisons between Claudius and his late father. This soliloquy takes place after Claudius has begun his reign as king and has addressed the court for the first time but before Hamlet hears about the apparition that Horatio and the guards have seen. Hamlet’s character and personality are shown in this soliloquy through the use of classical imagery, diction and other literary devices.

The opening of the soliloquy reveals Hamlet’s unstable state of mind because it begins with his inner struggle with his suicidal thoughts as shown through the line “o that this too, too sullied flesh would melt”. This line can be interpreted in two ways the first as a melodramatic response to the situations happening in his life and the line is an unusual way in which to begin because it shocks the audience with no introduction. The soliloquy also introduces the audience to a different side of Hamlet’s character as before he was shown to be quiet and sullen with a sarcastic attitude towards his uncle. Another way in which Hamlet’s instability is shown is through the structure of the soliloquy where he repeats himself as seen in his repetition of the words “month” and “O”. The primary reason for Hamlet’s distress is his mother’s remarriage to his uncle. This soliloquy shows his true feelings about the marriage namely that it disgusts him as shown in the line “with such dexterity to incestuous sheets” which shows that he finds the match to be wrong or against nature. The image of nature is shown “things rank and gross in nature” in which the “things” refers to the marriage also the idea of nature is