How Does Shakespeare Use Soliloquies In Hamlet
A soliloquy is an example of a literary device that is used in many dramas to real the inner thoughts of a character. In soliloquies, the character reveals his or her inner thoughts about a particular person or event without “acknowledging” the presence of any other character. In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses soliloquies to provide reader with the understanding of Hamlet’s character who is the protagonist. Hamlet is a play about a young prince who returns to Denmark from his studies after his father’s death. Hamlet sees his mother, the queen marry his father’s brother, Claudius which makes him very upset. Hamlet believes King Claudius killed his father so he makes a plan to get revenge but something always stops him for example, he thinks about
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After meeting with Gertrude and Claudius in court which did not go well and Hamlet was asked to stay in Denmark and not return to Wittenberg for his studies, Hamlet’s first soliloquy is shown. Hamlet says, “O that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!’ (Act I, Scene II, Lines 129-130). This is the first time that Hamlet thinks about committing suicide when he talks about his flesh melting. In the same soliloquy, Hamlet talks about his anger that his mother married his Uncle Claudius who was nothing like his father. Hamlet says, “My father’s brother; but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month;” (Act 1 scene 2, lines 151-152). Hamlet uses allusion in the lines to emphasize how Claudius is nothing like his brother and Hamlet’s father just like how Hamlet is nothing like Hercules. This show how smart Hamlet really is and how caring and sad he is because of his father’s death. There is another allusion in the soliloquy when Hamlet talks about his father’s deep love for his mother. Hamlet is angry that his mother marries Claudius not long after his death and calls her frail. Hamlet says, “So excellent a king; that was, to this, Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother,” (Act 1 scene 2, lines 139-140). The allusion of the king’s love to Hyperion to a satyr shows Hamlet’s intelligence. …show more content…
In Act 3, one of the most famous speeches in the English language is spoken by Hamlet when he thinks about killing himself so he can be free from his misery. Hamlet says, To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer, The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,” (Act 3 scene 1, lines 58-61). Hamlet asks himself if he should be alive) or not to be (dead which means kill himself). Hamlet’s soliloquy reveals his character by showing how depressed he is. Hamlet does not whether it is more noble to let the mind suffer and go against a sea of troubles which shows how Hamlet is considering taking his own life because of his misery. However, this goes against Hamlet’s faith as suicide is a great sin in his religion. Hamlet says, “Devoutly to be wish’d. To die,—to
After meeting with Gertrude and Claudius in court which did not go well and Hamlet was asked to stay in Denmark and not return to Wittenberg for his studies, Hamlet’s first soliloquy is shown. Hamlet says, “O that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!’ (Act I, Scene II, Lines 129-130). This is the first time that Hamlet thinks about committing suicide when he talks about his flesh melting. In the same soliloquy, Hamlet talks about his anger that his mother married his Uncle Claudius who was nothing like his father. Hamlet says, “My father’s brother; but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month;” (Act 1 scene 2, lines 151-152). Hamlet uses allusion in the lines to emphasize how Claudius is nothing like his brother and Hamlet’s father just like how Hamlet is nothing like Hercules. This show how smart Hamlet really is and how caring and sad he is because of his father’s death. There is another allusion in the soliloquy when Hamlet talks about his father’s deep love for his mother. Hamlet is angry that his mother marries Claudius not long after his death and calls her frail. Hamlet says, “So excellent a king; that was, to this, Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother,” (Act 1 scene 2, lines 139-140). The allusion of the king’s love to Hyperion to a satyr shows Hamlet’s intelligence. …show more content…
In Act 3, one of the most famous speeches in the English language is spoken by Hamlet when he thinks about killing himself so he can be free from his misery. Hamlet says, To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer, The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,” (Act 3 scene 1, lines 58-61). Hamlet asks himself if he should be alive) or not to be (dead which means kill himself). Hamlet’s soliloquy reveals his character by showing how depressed he is. Hamlet does not whether it is more noble to let the mind suffer and go against a sea of troubles which shows how Hamlet is considering taking his own life because of his misery. However, this goes against Hamlet’s faith as suicide is a great sin in his religion. Hamlet says, “Devoutly to be wish’d. To die,—to