| Soliloquy #1 (1.2) | Hamlet is mourning his father and how he died only two months ago. He is also mad at Gertrude for remarrying within a month to Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius into the incestuous sheets. Hamlet says that an animal mourns longer than Gertrude did. Hamlet wishes that suicide wasn’t a law in God’s eyes. |
| Soliloquy #2 (1.5) | This is right after the ghosts visits Hamlet. Hamlet swears he will take revenge against Claudius and kill him. Hamlet will clear all things from his mind except killing Claudius. He swears he’ll remember his vow. |
| Soliloquy #3 (2.2) | This is Hamlet’s reaction to the play about Hecuba. He’s confused as to how the actors can show real emotion and tears to a fictional story. Why should the actor cry for Hecuba? If the actor went through the same situation Hamlet was going through, he’d cry an ocean of tears. But what should Hamlet do? Is he a coward for moping around like a dreamer? If the play makes Hamlet show his guilt, maybe a play will reveal Claudius and his violence towards his brother? |
| Soliloquy #4 (3.1) | Right after Claudius plans to have Hamlet run into Ophelia, Hamlet wonders if he is better off dead or alive. Is it better to face all of the bad luck that’s happening or give up and put an end to it all? All dying is is sleeping that ends all problems. Why deal with crap when you can end it with a knife? Fearing death makes us cowards. |
| Soliloquy #5 (3.2) | This is when Hamlet is asked to see Gertrude. Hamlet says he could drink hot blood and do terrible things people would tremble. But he has to see Gertrude, and he prays that he’ll be cruel but not inhuman. |
| Soliloquy #6 (3.3) | This is when Claudius is praying, kind of. He says his crime is so bad, heaven can smell it. It has the mark of Cain on it. His guilt is so strong that he can’t even pray properly. He only prays to serve the two purposes: to keep him from sinning and to bring forgiveness. Even though he’s praying, he’ll keep the prizes he got: the crown and Gertrude. Can he still pray but keep his rewards of the sin? |
| Soliloquy #7 (3.3) | This is when Hamlet plans to kill Claudius while he is praying. But Hamlet decides not to do it because he wants to kill Claudius in a sin, so he is sent straight to hell. |
| Soliloquy #8 (4.4) | This is when Hamlet realizes how much he’s been hesitating to take revenge against Claudius. He has the determination to do it, he just likes to take his time and plan every little thing out. |
Hamlet Soliloquies
September 10, 2019