Hamlet Soliloquies In Hamlet

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Looking into the Soul of a “Soul”iloquy
Speech is commonly used as a way of expressing opinions or thoughts on a particular subject; however, it can also be an outward manifestation of one’s nature or temperament. When portrayed in a story line, speech plays an important role for connecting a character with its audience. Otherwise, their intentions may become difficult to understand or identify. Since Prince Hamlet retains an elusive personality throughout the play, his profound soliloquies allow the audience of Hamlet to better recognize the nature of his character. Three of these speeches include his depression from the corruption of his family, his cowardly character when acting on his commitment to kill the King, and the ultimate decision he needs to make: whether or not to live and fulfill his father’s wish. These soliloquies not only allow the audience of Shakespeare to understand Hamlet’s temperament at the time of the speech, but it also helps to have further insight into the decisions he makes throughout the play.
Like most teenagers and young adults, Hamlet bases his decisions on his emotions. Feeling out of place in his family without his father, the desire to see him became more prominent; and with no sympathy or support from his mother or uncle, his depression worsened. Since he is not understood and has no one to relate his life to, he expresses his feelings to himself in his first soliloquy in Act one, scene two. This soliloquy reveals his suicidal state of mind when he says, “Or that the everlasting had not fixed His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter!” (1.2. 135-36). In this quote, he explains his frustration regarding God’s “canon” against committing suicide. This shows the audience the depth of his despair, since sui...

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...ternal conflict as soon as the play began. Though he only expresses his true emotions to himself, the audience benefits from his profound soliloquies and can understand his decisions and behaviours more easily despite the complex plot. In addition to recognizing the reasons behind his actions, his soliloquies also provide an opportunity for the audience to connect to his elusive nature and temperament. Since speech is a supporting foundation for conveying thoughts and opinions, the speeches that are performed regarding his depression, cowardly character, and decision whether or not to live and fulfill his father’s wish, are the keys to grasping the true story line that Shakespeare intended to create. Not only do Hamlet’s brilliant soliloquies bring the story of Hamlet to life, but it has also helped to make it one of the most famous pieces of literature of all time.

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