Exploring The Use Of Soliloquies In Shakespeare’s Hamlet

ENGL 2326 Literature

ENGL 2326 Literature

ENGL 2326 Literature

Hamlet soliloquy – Act 3, Scene 1

The works by William Shakespeare are seen to be timeless and still appeal to the society even after centuries and are still relevant. Hamlet was written in 1601 or 1602 and is the longest play written by Shakespeare (The Tragedy of Hamlet, 2016). The play is based in the Denmark kingdom and is about how Prince Hamlet takes revenge on his uncle, Claudius for murdering his father, who is the King of Denmark. The play offers a psychological insight into human nature as it portrays moral corruption, revenge, and treachery. Many of the characters speak in soliloquies during the play.

Soliloquies are essential as they tell the audience specific information that cannot be included in the normal conversation. Shakespearean characters speak in soliloquies for the presentation of a story (Verma, 2016). They advance the plot as well as reveal the inner thoughts of the characters to the audience. Those emotional outbursts within the soliloquies help to create an atmosphere and are reflective and thoughtful. Hamlet’s reflective and thoughtful nature is revealed through his soliloquies. Hamlet talks about himself and his mind to the audience and justifies his actions through the soliloquies. Shakespeare’s powerful imagery in the Soliloquies shows the inner flight and emotions of the characters clearly. His characters reveal a lot about themselves and their inner emotions through the soliloquies and convey their views to the audience without the need to speak to another character. In a way, the soliloquies are direct revelations to the audience. Shakespeare has inserted the soliloquies just at the right places within the play so that the character can express himself freely and the audience is able to know what he is going through and can understand the different shades of his character.

There are several soliloquies in Hamlet and the one chosen for discussion is “To Be Or Not To Be” that takes place during Act 3, Scene 1. Hamlet questions life in his famous speech” “to be or not to be” (BookRags, 2007). The man question Hamlet puts to himself is whether to exist or die. He ponders if the miseries of lie are worth dying for, or he should take the risks of unknown miseries that might exist after death. This soliloquy reveals a new side of Hamlet to the audience as it shows the softer and emotional side of him. One can understand the inner turmoil going on inside him as Hamlet tries to focus whether to fight and die for what you believe is right. The audience can relate to him as he discussed mortality and reveals his fears of death. He questions if it is braver to put up with all the hardships of life or fight against those troubles. He suggests that one may even die in the fight to oppose them”. To die—to sleep.” He wonders if all that is worth dying for and to enter a sleep that ends all that heartache. He compares death to a sleep from which one never awakens and a sleep like situation where we are away from the miseries of life. Still, he sees problems in sleep because of the kind of dreams he may encounter. However, he also wonders that “what dreams may come” from that “sleep of death.” His thoughts point out the catch in the situation here as 0ne does not know what kind of dreams one may have in death’s sleep. Even after putting all that troubles of life to rest, the dreams after death may still worry us and stretch out the sufferings. He thinks aloud and conveys that this is certainly something to worry about.  Through the soliloquy, Hamlet conveys that it is difficult to bear “bear the whips and scorns of time” and the humiliations of life which include the insults and abuse from the superiors. He finds injustice everywhere, in life, in love, in the legal system and this is what makes him feel the burden of life. Hamlet tells his audience that he has no faith in the corrupted world. He is not willing to go through this exhausting journey of life as he says” To grunt and sweat under a weary life.” However, at the same time, he is unsure of what lies after the death and the” undiscovered country whose bourn No traveler returns.”  His mind is torn between the two possibilities he has to face, either to put up with the known evils or life or to die and face those unknown dreams.

Claudius soliloquy – Act III, scene III

Moreover, great and important plans are diluted to the point where we don’t do anything. “One can see that it is the fear of death within him that make him vulnerable and more humane. He conveys clearly that at least he knows the ills of life but he does not know what lies ahead for him on his journey after death- “Than fly to others that we know not of?” It leaves him wondering if he should stick to life and bear with its known evils rather than die opposing them and bear the unknown. The soliloquy ends with “be all my sins remembered” and those words make the audience pause and absorb that Hamlet has decided to take revenge. Now he feels justified of his decision and finds his noble deed justifiable. The soliloquy creates a somber atmosphere for the audience and prepares them for the actions that Hamlet is getting ready for in the future. Hamlet’s questions put one in a state of dilemma and make one question that even if one throws away his life to conquer the evils of the world, would they really go away?  While one has control over the situations in life and can take conscious decisions, they have little control over their dreams or what lies after death. Hamlet suffers not form the fear of dying but what lies behind the death and after being dead. He pounders overs the unknown and unknowable.

Shakespeare illustrates the inner turmoil going through Claudius in Act III, scene III after murdering his brother. He wants Guildenstern and Rosencrantz take Hamlet to England and the two leave to fulfill the political mission. Claudius, believing he is alone, confesses his crime and through his soliloquy, he conveys the torment he is going through (BookRags, 2007). He speaks” My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,” and those words show that now that his intentions are done and over with, the guilt within him is stronger to conquer. He looks at his hands like cursed hands that are soaked with his brother’s blood. He wonders if there are rains in heaven that can wash the blood away and make them as “white as snow.” He wonders if there is a prayer that can ask for his forgiveness and is he can be forgiven his “foul murder”. Although, Claudius’s confesses to his crime, his words that he is “possessed” by the “crown”, “ambition”, and “queen” shows that he is giving a reason behind and is not regretful. He speaks his mind as he says that the wicked can do injustice in the world and still enjoy the fruits of their crime but this is not so in the heavens as he says” But ’tis not so above. “Now that he has committed the crime, he says, – What then? What rests? He wonders if there is anything that can be done to offer repentance for his crime. Now that he has a “bosom black as death,” he finds his souls burdened with the guilt and “struggling to be free.” Those words show the helpless situation he is in and how he longs to get free of that turmoil going on within his mind. He knees down as he calls the angels for help and asks them to make his “stubborn knees” and “heart with strings of steel” soft and make them bend in prayer and humility, just like a “newborn babe.” He just wants to pray so that everything will turn out to be okay.

Through Claudius soliloquy, Shakespeare reveals the character of Claudius and the turmoil he is going through after committing the crime. Shakespeare exposes a sharp change to Claudius’s character through his confession. Now, he is struggling to get free from the burden of his sin. Claudius personifies his soul in the process, and his words show that the more it struggles to get free the more it clings to sin he committed. Although he is not regretful for his brother’s death he is not able to take the guilt; he experiences later.

This additional speech can be inserted into the Act V when just before when Hamlet attacks Claudius. Perhaps Claudius can show Hamlet the kind of guilt he is going through with the help of his soliloquy.

I saw him from the distance and was excited; I could not believe my eyes when I saw

God walk towards me! I was excited; I rubbed my eyes!

Was it a dream or was I praying?

I pinched myself to wake me from my dreamlike state.

This was the moment; this was the minute I had always envisioned,

 Face to face with God,

I always wondered what he would be like, fair or pale in complexion or darker in skin

tone

What would his features be like – the ones I had grown up seeing in those images or the

sculptures within the church,  

I felt myself turn into a statue, what had made God descend from the heavens and walk

towards me? Was it my devout prayers for him or my intense longing or simply his love

that forced him to come?

 Well, I was too excited as I was going to meet God today,

And finally, all my troubles were going to end.

I walked hurriedly, towards Him. To my joy, I saw Him coming towards me,

And with hurried steps,

Perhaps He has realized the urgency of my situation, and so I thought,

“Hurry!” he said, as he came towards me. “I need your help to help this man out.”

 I realized in an instant there and then. There are more who need His help more than me,

 In a situation perhaps worse than me. And, He needs my help to help them.

I walked in complete obedience and silence behind him. It really didn’t matter if God

came to meet me or was here for someone else.

 I was happy as long as He was with me.

References:

BookRags (2007). Hamlet William Shakespeare. BookRags’ Hamlet Premium Study Guide,, 1(1), 1–300.  

The Tragedy of Hamlet. (2016). ucm.es. Retrieved from https://www.ucm.es/data/cont/docs/119-

    2014-02-19-5.%20Hamlet%20(summary).pdf

Verma, A. (2016). Hamlet: Shakespeare’s Masterpiece in Our Times. Language in India, 16(7), 73–80.