Contemplating Suicide In Hamlet

227 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Hamlet as an existential play

Suicide is an important theme in Hamlet and is brought up in many situations where Hamlet is contemplating suicide , but he is having trouble deciding what is “To be, or not to be” In a moral perspective, Hamlet finds that suicide is morally wrong. He isn't sure if he would be able to actually end his life one day, but what he goes through seems like a good enough reason to end it.Hamlet is afraid to kill himself because he doesnt know what is to come after he is gone. He knows that suicide is the wrong thing to do, but he feels that he has a reason to kill himself. He questions in his mind why should a human end his troubles and hardships on earth to risk eternity of peace above afterlife? Hamlet decides not to “sleep because he fears that

Show More
Related

  • Topics Deeply Hidden in Hamlet by Williams Shakespeare

    2200 Words  | 5 Pages

    To continue on the subject of suicide, I will bring in some information from my last source, “Shakespeare’s Hamlet 1.2.35-38,” by Kathryn Walls. (Gather information from source and relate to the book).

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare Hamlet Suicide Quotes

    697 Words  | 2 Pages

    Suicidal tendencies play a huge role in Hamlet by forming character relationships, adding suspense to the plot and storyline. “Ah, I wish my dirty flesh could melt away into a vapor, or that God had not made a law against suicide. Oh God, God! How tired, stale, and pointless life is to me” (Hamlet 1.2.130-134). This quote by Hamlet Junior in act 1 really embodies the

    Read More

  • How Does Hamlet No Value

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet views his existing life in a negative manner, and he sees that the only way to escape his misery is to take his own life. A thought of self-slaughter is enough to devalue one’s life, and throughout the entirety of the play it is the only way Hamlet values his own life. To live or not to live, that is Hamlet’s only question, while the value of his own life is not in

    Read More

  • What Are The Three Messages In Hamlet Act 3 Scene 1

    1540 Words  | 4 Pages

    Everybody goes through tough times at least several times in their lives. Often times, with these hard times, tough decisions sometimes have to be made. Unfortunately, when some people encounter these very tough decisions, some people simply cannot make a decision and decided to end their lives. Sometimes, facing an issue head on is too difficult for some people to do, which may cause people to either ignore the issue or commit suicide. This is true for Hamlet, who is faced with a difficult decision in the play Hamlet. In act 3, scene 1, Hamlet is faced with the issue of whether or not if he should act in avenging his late father, King Hamlet,

    Read More

  • Death In Hamlet

    1310 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet is full of death. The whole plot revolves around the death of King Hamlet, and death is what drives the play forward. Hamlet is surrounded by death and struggles with dealing with it. Before the tragic ending Hamlet loses his father to murder and his love to crazed suicide, along with murdering Polonius himself. Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s questioning of his own mortality and fear of death to connect with the human problem: that if we all die what is the point of living?

    Read More

  • The Soliloquies of Shakespeare's Hamlet - To be or not to be Soliloquy

    2240 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hamlet enters, desperate enough by this time to be thinking of suicide. It seems to him that it would be such a sure way of escape from torment, just to cease existing, and he gives the famous speech on suicide that has never been worn thin by repetition. “To be, or not to be . . .” It would be easy to stop living.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Death Of Thinking

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet once said, “for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”(2.2.253). The way a person thinks determines their being. Yes, once again just as many critics, I want to dissect the sanity of Hamlet. We will never know the truth behind his actions but along with the ideas of several other critics we can find answers to confirm his sanity. While exploring Davis’s thoughts on the sanity of Hamlet she quickly drew my attention with making the point, “His own testimony could not be regarded as conclusive-for, if he were truly mad, we could hardly accept his word for it; while if he seemed mad merely, we could hardly believe a present protestation that the appearance was all a sham”(Davis). Hamlet was not insane. He may have had conscious and unconscious emotional breaks throughout the play due to his tragic life events. On the contrary too call him mad or say that his actions stem from insanity seems like a scapegoat for not only his family but also the audience.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Suicide In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    Suicide has always been a “taboo” topic in society; the thought of just abruptly ending one’s life leaves a wide open space for moral interpretations. This moral discussion is not new though, it’s been around ever since there have been people walking this earth. Discussions on whether it can ever be justified, or in religious connotations what happens to the person’s soul, are they automatically damned to hell? These discussions existed in Shakespeare’s time, making the fact that Hamlet has such a huge theme of suicide running through its text an almost nerve-shaking moral dilemma. Can suicide ever be portrayed in a good light without being glorified, or must it forever lurk in the moral shadows?

    Read More

  • "To Be or not To Be:" Hamlet and His Suicidal Tendencies

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet although he believes that suffering must be endured or battled, he also understands that suffering is optional and that suffering is caused from pain and all pain can be relieved. At times Hamlet no longer sees the point of bearing the huge burden of suffering as he does, but rather to end the burden through suicide. These thoughts are however based or can be linked back to Hamlet’s emotion and how his negative emotions overcome his logical thinking. We see however Hamlet’s ability to think logically and understand the reasoning behind suffering and the preciousness of his life. At this point in the play Hamlet no longer doubts his meaning in life, this is quite pivotal because this then allows him the confidence and power to seek revenge on Claudius.

    Read More

  • Death And Suicide In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the last soliloquy he was understanding how its a crime and a sin to commit suicide but in act 3 scene 1 his mindset changes dramatically.He states “ To be or not to be—that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer”(3.1.64-65). Hamlet is now asking himself if he should die, should he commit suicide. Would it be worth living? But due to his religion, he can't.”To die — to sleep. To sleep—perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub!; / for in that sleep of death what dreams may come “(3.1.72-72).Shakespeare is very good at using metaphors in which he uses in this scene. He compares sleep to death and sleeps to dreams. The dreams that he fears are those who connect to death. A never-ending sleep that gets rid of all our problems. Hamlet then goes on and proves that there's suffering after death. But even though he doesn't know what happens after death, he learns that he has the ability to make his own decision and that his decisions deprive on

    Read More

  • Personality Traits Of Hamlet

    503 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this soliloquy Hamlet once again talks about suicide. He says he would like to get rid of his endless troubles by killing himself, because in death he can sleep and have no worries.

    Read More

  • Suicide in Hamlet

    1446 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Hamlet suicide is an issue of controversy and question. Hamlet is a confused man from everything that he has experienced in such a short period of time. And even though Hamlet contemplates suicide he is not the one who suffers from it. Ophelia is actually is the victim of the actual act of suicide. His morality, religion, and philosophical views on suicide keep him from committing the dreaded act.

    Read More

  • Hamlet And Suicide Analysis

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    After the death of his father, Hamlet becomes obsessed with death and the afterlife. He sees his father ghost and the ghost tries to tempt Hamlet in committing a great sin. Hamlet contemplates suicide, from the depression after his father’s death. Hamlet felt loss and isolation from his life and family. Hamlet’s “To Be Or Not To Be” soliloquy, speaks on Hamlet’s thoughts to commit suicide. Hamlet states, “too solid flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew!” Hamlet states that no one would choose to live a life full of pain and unhappiness, but he chooses to not commit suicide because of God’s consequences. The mortal sin would prevent the person from entering heaven. Taking the soliloquy from a Christian perspective, it informs Hamlet that it is wrong to take his life and risk eternal peace in

    Read More

  • Theme Of Suicide In Hamlet

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    The play Hamlet, also treats the idea of suicide aesthetically. However, the notion of killing himself is pleasing to his own mind. His mind is in a state in which he really thinks that it is okay to consider suicide sometimes. He wishes that he would be able to make the ultimate sacrifice in his own death. Hamlet knows in his heart though, that he must live. He has a lot of wrong in his life, but he also has a life that he must live because God gave him his

    Read More

  • Free Essays - Hamlet as a Tragic Hero

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet’s anger and grief- primarily stemming from his mother’s marriage to Claudius- brings him to thoughts of suicide, which only subside as a result of it being a mortal and religious sin.  The fact that he wants to take his own life demonstrates a weakness in his character; a sense of cowarness, his decision not to kill himself because of religious beliefs shows that this weakness is balanced with some sense of morality.  Such an obvious paradox is only one example of the inner conflict and turmoil that will eventually lead to Hamlet’s downfall.

    Read More

More about Contemplating Suicide In Hamlet

Open Document