Commentary on Hamlet’s Soliloquy
Commentary on Hamlet’s soliloquy
-- On Hamlet’s character
We can know a thoughtful, tough, and affectionate Hamlet from this soliloquy.
In this soliloquy Hamlet sparks an internal philosophical debate on the advantages and disadvantages of existence, and whether it is one's right to end one’s own life. He first asks himself thoughtfully whether it is nobler to bear the miseries of life or to take arms against them. And then he explains like this: he says maybe death can be a way to end one’s sorrows once and for all. He sees death from a Medieval perspective, as physical liberation from the prison of the body (the “mortal coil”); but he also symbolizes the doubt of the Renaissance man, concerning the after life. But he faces obstacle, because he wonders what dreams may come in the sleep of death. He doesn’t stop from here, but continues his explanation that the reality is so cruel (The whips and scorns of time, the oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely i.e.), so it would be easier to put an end to the misfortunes of life with a single stroke. But since we don’t know what it will be in the afterlife that undiscovered country no one returns. Then it makes us to bear those ills we have than to fly to others that we know not of. From his speech, he is debating on himself about whether to live on in this world or to die. And he thinks a lot on both sides, so it shows his thoughtful nature.
In this part (Thus conscience does make cowards of us all…Soft you now!), Hamlet says: the opposition between the pale cast of thought and the native hue of resolution makes us lose the name of action. It seems that we all alive because of our cowardice, because we are afraid of the dread of something after death. But if it’s true that there exists a afterlife? Or maybe that is paradise, and you may have a direct contact to God, so what are you afraid of death? That’s not true, if he does choose death, he will be a real coward. If this is true, then on one would commit
-- On Hamlet’s character
We can know a thoughtful, tough, and affectionate Hamlet from this soliloquy.
In this soliloquy Hamlet sparks an internal philosophical debate on the advantages and disadvantages of existence, and whether it is one's right to end one’s own life. He first asks himself thoughtfully whether it is nobler to bear the miseries of life or to take arms against them. And then he explains like this: he says maybe death can be a way to end one’s sorrows once and for all. He sees death from a Medieval perspective, as physical liberation from the prison of the body (the “mortal coil”); but he also symbolizes the doubt of the Renaissance man, concerning the after life. But he faces obstacle, because he wonders what dreams may come in the sleep of death. He doesn’t stop from here, but continues his explanation that the reality is so cruel (The whips and scorns of time, the oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely i.e.), so it would be easier to put an end to the misfortunes of life with a single stroke. But since we don’t know what it will be in the afterlife that undiscovered country no one returns. Then it makes us to bear those ills we have than to fly to others that we know not of. From his speech, he is debating on himself about whether to live on in this world or to die. And he thinks a lot on both sides, so it shows his thoughtful nature.
In this part (Thus conscience does make cowards of us all…Soft you now!), Hamlet says: the opposition between the pale cast of thought and the native hue of resolution makes us lose the name of action. It seems that we all alive because of our cowardice, because we are afraid of the dread of something after death. But if it’s true that there exists a afterlife? Or maybe that is paradise, and you may have a direct contact to God, so what are you afraid of death? That’s not true, if he does choose death, he will be a real coward. If this is true, then on one would commit