Hamlet (Shakespeare): Hamlet's Soliloquies

Shakespeare often has his characters speak in soliloquies during the course of his plays. Soliloquies are essential to the presentation of a story through the medium of a play because they provide the opportunity, the chance to tell the audience specific pieces of information which cannot be disclosed through normal conversation. Each soliloquy advances the plot, reveals Hamlet's inner thoughts to the audience and helps to create an atmosphere in the play.

       The first soliloquy which Hamlet delivers gives the audience their first glimpse of him as a character. He says, “It is not, nor it cannot come to good”, when referring to the marriage of his mother. This speech reveals his thoughts further when he says that his mother is frail because she is a woman, while he also admits that he knows he must hold his tongue.

    The sccond time the audience sees Hamlet speak in a soliloquy in Scene 5 of Act 1. His father has just revealed that he was murdered by his own brother. This news deeply upsets Hamlet. This soliloquy also reveals Hamlet's thoughts when he says he is going to wipe away all trivial knowledge from his brain and live by his father’s commandments.

      

      The next time the audience sees Hamlet alone. He further explains the plan to foil his uncle in his soliloquy, saying he will watch closely the way his uncle reacts to a play that is very similar in plot line to the actions Claudius has taken to become King.

      Hamlet is seen again in Act 3, speaking directly to the audience during his famous “to be or not to be” speech. The big question that Hamlet is trying to answer for himself during the course of this soliloquy is whether or not it is noble to take up arms and die defending what you believe is right.

       In the next soliloquy, Hamlet has just watched the play which he orchestrated to get a reaction out of Claudius to see if he is guilty or not. Hamlet is aware that it is time to take action because he has figured out the truth about what his uncle has done. Hamlet goes on to reveal his feelings about his mother when he says, “I will speak daggers to her, but use none.”

     

       When Hamlet presents his next soliloquy, Hamlet walks in on his uncle who he believes to be kneeling in prayer. Hamlet at tirst thinks this will be the perfect opportunity to kill his uncle and gain the revenge, but Hamlet decides that he cannot kill his uncle while he is in prayer because, then, his soul will go to Heaven and this will not be just punishment for the acts he has conmitted.

     The final soliloquy takes place after Hamlet has encountered Fortinbras’ army and talked with Fortinbras himself. He is inspired by Fortinbras and his army of twenty thousand men who walk towards certain death and yet they do it with noble hearts and courage because their honour is at stake.