Soliloquies in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

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A soliloquy is a literacy device that is used to reveal the innermost thoughts of a character. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to expose fascinating insights into the thoughts and actions of Hamlet and in doing so: the readers can grasp his character. The first soliloquy of the play, introduces the main theme for the rest of hamlet’s thoughts and actions, this soliloquy allows the audience to understand hamlets inner thoughts that are repetitive throughout the play. Secondly, Hamlet’s famous soliloquy “to be or not to be” portrays him as a perplexed man, who is unsure of himself and often fluctuates between two extreme endings. In this soliloquy Hamlet reveals to the audience he is both suicidal and indecisive. The final soliloquy indicates to the audience the unmasking hamlet’s character revolution into a murder. In this soliloquy the readers are able to concluded there idea of Hamlet’s character which stimulates his thoughts of revenge and his procrastination. In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, literacy techniques soliloquies are used to expose compelling insights of the main character Hamlet.
Hamlet’s opening soliloquy is a remarkably telling and revealing speech that presents a theme of attitude that will supersede continuously throughout the play. The main focus of this soliloquy is the rottenness of the King, Queen and the world in general, thus the audience gets there first glimpse into Hamlet’s character. Through this speech the readers are introduced to Hamlets depressed and sadden thoughts. This characteristic is emphasized through the opening lines of the soliloquy, “How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world” (1.2.133-134). This soliloquy marks a time in Hamlet’s lif...

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...time, highlighting his inner conflict caused by the must recent events in his life. Secondly, Hamlet offers the audience many intuitions into his meaning of life as he questions the validity of it. In the final soliloquy, Hamlet confirms his madness as he confesses his procrastination and yet he is still unable to see the wrong in his actions. Overall, through the frequent uses of soliloquies in the play Hamlet, Shakespeare unveils to the audience Hamlet’s intimate thoughts allowing them to grasp the key to Hamlet’s mysterious character.

Works Cited

Mabillard, Amanda. Hamlet's Soliloquy Analysis. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamlet/soliloquies/tobeanalysis.html
Newell, Alex. The Soliloquies of Hamlet. London: Associated Unversity Presses, 1991.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Harold Jenkins. London: Methuen, 1982.

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