Hamlet's soliloquy in act 1, scene 2 touches on several themes and preoccupations to which Hamlet returns throughout the play. First of all, it touches on his desire for death; he expresses suicidal ideation because of the situation in which he finds himself, a world that is an "unweeded garden." Next, he complains about the fact that his mother has moved so quickly from Hamlet's father onto her new husband, Claudius. He says this is an example of female "frailty" and is particularly distressed because Claudius is, in Hamlet's eyes, not at all like his father, but a poor excuse for a man. Hamlet's distress is very evident here in such asides as "O God!" and the soliloquy is normally performed in an acutely distressed fashion.
At the end of act 2, scene 2, Hamlet is in a similar state. Describing himself as a "rogue and peasant slave," he is still very unhappy. He rebukes himself harshly throughout this speech, pondering whether he is a coward not to have done anything to advance the cause of revenge against his father, so treacherously betrayed by Gertrude and Claudius. We can also argue that the theme of Claudius's conscience, should he have one, as it pertains to his misdeeds comes to the fore here. Hamlet has previously wondered how Claudius and Gertrude could behave as they have done: here, he determines that "the play's the thing/wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."
In act 3, scene 3, Hamlet returns again to this prevarication as to what he can do to take revenge on his father. He muses on what he could do—he could kill Claudius, certainly. But would that really be revenge? A word appears here, "incestuous," which can be seen in the first soliloquy we've discussed; this emphasizes why Hamlet is so upset about the marriage between Claudius and Gertrude, which he feels to be unnatural, as well as a betrayal.
In act 4, scene 4, the theme of revenge appears again—and, alongside it, Hamlet's unwillingness to commit to any action. Hamlet says here that his "dull revenge" is spurred on by circumstance, and refers again to the reason he needs revenge: his mother's interaction with Claudius. Hamlet's mental state is here shown to be deteriorating in the face of his grief, but he is particularly moved by the idea that some should die blameless, while others, like Claudius, should live.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
In Hamlet's soliloquies in act 1 scene 2, act 2 scene 2, act 3 scene 3, and act 4 scene 4 what common themes are presented about the play?
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