Hamlet Soliloquy Essay

The soliloquy in the first scene Hamlet’s third act is the most famous of Shakespeare’s soliloquies and arguably the most famous one anywhere. Even today, the famous line ‘To be or not to be’ is etched in the public consciousness. In this close reading, I wish to discover the soliloquy’s deeper meanings and what made this Shakespeare passage, as opposed to others, so prominent in today’s society.

The most apparent theme in this passage is the theme of death, the first line strongly implying the character of Hamlet is considering suicide. Another prominent theme is that of morality, the main reason Hamlet is struggling with the decision to end his life. On the one hand, Hamlet romanticises the idea of death, a common occurrence amongst suicidal individuals. One way in which Hamlet is attracted to death is that it is, to him, a way of cheating fate. The lines ‘The slings and …show more content…
The comparison of suicide to taking arms is empowering, making it seem like a valiant, noble idea. In addition, the passage incorporates the use of simile, comparing death to sleep, a desirable and peaceful alternative to ‘this mortal coil’. However, Hamlet admits that he has met an obstacle. As well as romanticising death, he also seems to fear its uncertainty, comparing it to ‘(The undiscovered country from whose bourn| No traveller returns)’. His morality is another obstacle holding him back, the line ‘Thus conscience does make cowards-‘ arguably being the most important and profound line in the soliloquy. It bears religious significance, as suicide is considered a sin under the Christian doctrine. Therefor, Hamlet’s fear of punishment after death adds to his fear of the unknown. This line may also be applied to Hamlet’s dilemma of killing his uncle Claudius. It can be argued that Hamlet is stuck between two value systems. The pagan