Hamlet And Suicide Essay

The topic of death and suicide in Hamlet is one that readers analyze throughout the play. Critics often analyze Hamlet’s thoughts on suicide and question if Hamlet and Ophelia’s deaths are accidental or self-inflicted. With the situations that occur in the play, Shakespeare aims to analyze society’s views on suicide and the reasons why people chose to commit or not commit suicide. Essentially, the play follows Hamlet’s mental battle against his suicidal thoughts and Ophelia’s turning to suicide as a last resort for all of her problems. Furthermore, Shakespeare critically discusses society’s negative views on suicide due to Christian beliefs and the social repercussions of suicidal acts. The main reason as to why Hamlet stops himself from
Many hold this belief because of Hamlet’s willingness to duel with Laertes, despite the possibility of losing. Knowing the inevitability of this duel, and potentially, of his death, Hamlet states, “If it be now, ‘tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come” (Shakespeare, Hamlet V:ii:234-236). Although he makes this statement, there is no way to know, other than from a gut feeling, that Claudius and Laertes are plotting to kill Hamlet during the duel. In fact, Horatio is the character who is suicidal at the end of the play. After witnessing the death of Gertrude, Claudius and Laertes, and knowing that Hamlet will die next, Horatio does not want to be the sole survivor. When Horatio tempts himself to drink the remaining poisonous liquor, Hamlet states, “Give me the cup… If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, absent thee from felicity awhile and in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain to tell my story” (Shakespeare, Hamlet V:ii:377-384). Although Horatio contemplates suicide after seeing the death of so many characters, he keeps Hamlet’s promise to remain alive to pass on the