An a-typical soliloquy

This is the most celebrated of Shakespeare’s soliloquies, and it is also one of the less typical of his monologues as it is entirely given over to reflection. Even though reflection is present in various soliloquies, they also include other elements: recollections and reactions to recent events, self- analysis or observation of the environment, anticipation or planning of the future. Most soliloquies provide information about the speaker, instead here we are given no answers; on the contrary, Hamlet’s doubts spread to the audience.

A pause of reflection

Furthermore, this soliloquy is made particularly effective by the apparent lack of connection with what precedes and follows it. Only a few minutes have passed since the audience heard Hamlet’s plan of proving the King’s guilt (Act II, Scene 2) by means of a play to be performed by the actors who have come to Elsinore. Shortly before Hamlet enters, the king and his chancellor Polonius hide to spy on him, This builds up the audience’s expectation, What will Hamlet reveal. What further plans? But Hamlet is now different, he seems to be distancing himself in contemplation, although we perceive that he is tormented inside. His thoughts are not concerned with the here and now but with the ultimate questions of man’s existence. The audience, too, is forced to pause and reflect. Hamlet is not actually talking to himself, in fact the ’first person’ in his speech is plural and not singular (line 6).

The shape of thoughts

His thoughts take shape slowly, according to a process of seeking, reflecting and associating. The opening line, "To be, o! not to be" has become very famous. According to an established tradition, Hamlet enters the stage absorbed in reading a book, asking his question as a comment on what he has been reading. The weighing and balancing of one alternative against another, which is expressed in this line, is continued throughout the soliloquy. Various grammatical structures are used; a series of infinite forms ("To be, or not to be" is followed by "to suffer","to take arms","to say","to lie","to sleep","to dream","to grunt and sweat") give voice to Hamlet’s uncertainty and enable him to distance himself from the action. The sequence of questions give way to further questions instead of finding an answer and resolving the dilemma.

The choice of existence

The militaristic images from the battle-field in which the choice of existence is expressed, give an immediate impression of how violent is the struggle within Hamlet’s mind. The situation presented in lines 2-5 implies inevitable defeat, It might be possible to endure and survive a sea of troubles, It is highly impractical to take up arms against it. It might be possible to reply effectively to an assault with slings and arrows. If they are simply endured they will inevitably overcome their target. Where both passive and active resistance is bound to meet failure, death is seen as a welcome relief (lines 8-9).The unusual use of "consummation", derived from liturgical texts, and "devoutly", adds a religious tone.

To die, to sleep, to dream

But then death itself is divided into sleep, which is desirable, and dreams. The thoughts advance, but progress is blocked, and the obstacle is pointed out by the colloquial brusqueness of "ay, there’s the rub" (line I 0). The Medieval perspective in which Harnlet sees death as physical liberation from the prison of the body (line l 2) and earthly affliction, is countered by the doubt (line 13) of the Renaissance man, concerning the after death (line 11).

The calamity of life

In six successive phrases (lines 15- 19), which sum up human behaviour and social standing, Hamlet lists the injustices and miseries inflicted on mankind. They range from the passing of time through unreturned love to social discrimination and political oppression. Primal bodily sensations are expressed most clearly in the final question (lines 21 -22), in the image of man being forced to bear the load of human existence like a beast of burden. It would only take a small knife to bring relief but the fear of something after death, expressed in the image of the unknown country from where no traveller comes back (lines 23-25), paralyses the will and prevents it seeking relief in self-destruction.

A problem of conscience

The conclusion of this argument is maybe the most remarkable part of the soliloquy (lines 28-33). There is a clear relationship between "conscience" and "consciousness", or the power of thought. The opposition of sickness and health, which characterises the whole play, returns here in the "pale cast of thought" which turns the "native hue of resolution" pale and sick. Yet, the kind of thought which prevents men from committing suicide is not far from a moral conscience.

Courage and cowardice