Hamlet's Soliloquy
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Life, Death, and Uncertainty: How is this topic significant to the play?
Hamlet develops many themes and topics that become significant to the overall play. Life, death, and uncertainty are reoccurring themes throughout Hamlet. The character of Hamlet plays one of great uncertainty. When faced with a decision, Hamlet is constantly debating on what to do. For example, in Hamlets soliloquy ‘To be or not to be’ he contemplates suicide. He is uncertain of what choice would benefit him more, and how each decision would affect him and the people around him. At the start of the play, Hamlet is very thoughtful and uncertain about many other things, such as the death of his father and the appearance of his father's ghost.
As the play progresses, Hamlet's uncertainty diminishes and the theme of death becomes more prominent. For instance, during Act 5, Scene 1, Hamlet comes to terms with death while he is observing Yorik's skull. Apart from that, he also encounters death with many other characters in the play; such as when he kills Polonius accidentally. Ophelia’s death came as a surprise when the characters found out that she drowned. Hamlet was one of the last people to know about her death. People debated if her death was intentional, but couldn’t come to the conclusion whether it was or if it was accidental. At the end of the play at Ophelia’s burial, Hamlet took her death very emotionally, causing him to act irrationally. For example, when he jumped into her grave with Laertes to prove that his love for her is stronger than that of her own brothers. The death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wasn’t of much importance to the other characters of the play. Since they were only “sponges” and had been used to their full need, their death didn’t affect any of the characters. In Act 5, Scene 2, the Queen is killed from drinking the poison, the King is killed shortly after since Hamlet finally gets his revenge. A battle between Laertes and Hamlet, ends both their lives.
Lastly, the theme of life plays a short but significant role. When Hamlet was debating if he should live or die, he looks at all the benefits life has and what he could accomplish if he stayed alive. He would be able to take revenge on Claudius for killing his father, which has been his main priority throughout the play. Furthermore, Hamlet fears death because what happens after it is unknown. Therefore choosing life keeps him away from his fears. Life also occurs in a more subtle way at the end of the play. Although death plays a prominent role near the end, life managed to take a small part as well. Throughout the play we get to know Hamlet as a character of being indecisive. At the end of the play he portrays a new Hamlet, one that thinks we should “Let it be” and learn to accept our fate. Although Hamlet dies in the end, he accepts it. Thus showing a changed person; a new life.
As the play progresses, Hamlet's uncertainty diminishes and the theme of death becomes more prominent. For instance, during Act 5, Scene 1, Hamlet comes to terms with death while he is observing Yorik's skull. Apart from that, he also encounters death with many other characters in the play; such as when he kills Polonius accidentally. Ophelia’s death came as a surprise when the characters found out that she drowned. Hamlet was one of the last people to know about her death. People debated if her death was intentional, but couldn’t come to the conclusion whether it was or if it was accidental. At the end of the play at Ophelia’s burial, Hamlet took her death very emotionally, causing him to act irrationally. For example, when he jumped into her grave with Laertes to prove that his love for her is stronger than that of her own brothers. The death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wasn’t of much importance to the other characters of the play. Since they were only “sponges” and had been used to their full need, their death didn’t affect any of the characters. In Act 5, Scene 2, the Queen is killed from drinking the poison, the King is killed shortly after since Hamlet finally gets his revenge. A battle between Laertes and Hamlet, ends both their lives.
Lastly, the theme of life plays a short but significant role. When Hamlet was debating if he should live or die, he looks at all the benefits life has and what he could accomplish if he stayed alive. He would be able to take revenge on Claudius for killing his father, which has been his main priority throughout the play. Furthermore, Hamlet fears death because what happens after it is unknown. Therefore choosing life keeps him away from his fears. Life also occurs in a more subtle way at the end of the play. Although death plays a prominent role near the end, life managed to take a small part as well. Throughout the play we get to know Hamlet as a character of being indecisive. At the end of the play he portrays a new Hamlet, one that thinks we should “Let it be” and learn to accept our fate. Although Hamlet dies in the end, he accepts it. Thus showing a changed person; a new life.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Life, Death, and Uncertainty: What Relation does this have to Hamlet?
Shakespeare is an author known for his ability to write great tragedies. His plays captivate their audiences with tales of life, death, and uncertainty: the perfect topic for a tragedy. Hamlet is known as one of Shakespeare's greatest works, and it stands out as one of the great tragedies of all time.
The play starts out with the murder of Hamlet's father. Hamlet is devestated and spends the rest of the play mourning his father's death. He spends all of his time in his own head, contemplating a plan for revenge on his uncle, Claudius, who murdered his father. This one uncertain death, changes the lives of everyone in the play.
Throughout the play Hamlet spends his time thinking about life, and all the horrible things that have happened to him. His father was murdered, his mother remarried to his father's murderer, and his friends all think he's mad. The entire play Hamlet is trying to come to terms with death. He struggles internally with loss and contemplates suicide. In the famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy Hamlet sums up the three main themes of the play: life, death, and uncertainty. Hamlet is reflecting on life and all the terrible things people suffer while living. Hamlet wants to die but describes the uncertainty that comes with death. No one has ever come back from the dead; death may be more horrible than life. So Hamlet keeps on living, despite his great unhappiness, because he too fears the uncertainty of life after death.
After old Hamlet's murder, every person in the play changed. Hamlet became obsessed with death, and ruined his relationships with many. He stabbed Polonious when he mistaked him for the King, and Ophelia went mad as a result of her father's death and accidentally drowned herself. As tragedy unfolds, Laertes returns from England and finds out his father is dead and sister is mad. After his sister's "accidental" death, Laertes is overcome with rage and challenges Hamlet to a duel. During this duel the tragedy comes to a bloody end. The King accidentally kills his wife, Hamlet's mother, and Hamlet kills Laertes but gets wounded in the process. After his mother dies Hamlet stabs the King, and dies from his own wounds. Everyone has died.
The theme life, death, and uncertainty was a major part of this play because the play was about Hamlet's struggle with his own mortality after the uncertain, and premature death of his father. The play focuses on a life filled with loss and death, and the individual who faced all these great tragedies: Hamlet.
The play starts out with the murder of Hamlet's father. Hamlet is devestated and spends the rest of the play mourning his father's death. He spends all of his time in his own head, contemplating a plan for revenge on his uncle, Claudius, who murdered his father. This one uncertain death, changes the lives of everyone in the play.
Throughout the play Hamlet spends his time thinking about life, and all the horrible things that have happened to him. His father was murdered, his mother remarried to his father's murderer, and his friends all think he's mad. The entire play Hamlet is trying to come to terms with death. He struggles internally with loss and contemplates suicide. In the famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy Hamlet sums up the three main themes of the play: life, death, and uncertainty. Hamlet is reflecting on life and all the terrible things people suffer while living. Hamlet wants to die but describes the uncertainty that comes with death. No one has ever come back from the dead; death may be more horrible than life. So Hamlet keeps on living, despite his great unhappiness, because he too fears the uncertainty of life after death.
After old Hamlet's murder, every person in the play changed. Hamlet became obsessed with death, and ruined his relationships with many. He stabbed Polonious when he mistaked him for the King, and Ophelia went mad as a result of her father's death and accidentally drowned herself. As tragedy unfolds, Laertes returns from England and finds out his father is dead and sister is mad. After his sister's "accidental" death, Laertes is overcome with rage and challenges Hamlet to a duel. During this duel the tragedy comes to a bloody end. The King accidentally kills his wife, Hamlet's mother, and Hamlet kills Laertes but gets wounded in the process. After his mother dies Hamlet stabs the King, and dies from his own wounds. Everyone has died.
The theme life, death, and uncertainty was a major part of this play because the play was about Hamlet's struggle with his own mortality after the uncertain, and premature death of his father. The play focuses on a life filled with loss and death, and the individual who faced all these great tragedies: Hamlet.
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