Common Themes In Hamlet Research Paper

William Shakespeare’s plays are known for using a wide array of ideas, and themes that recur throughout his plays which include mortality, deceit, ambition, revenge, rivalries, tragic character flaws, internal conflict and appearance versus reality. Hamlet by Shakespeare approaches, and deals with many of the recurring themes used in other Shakespeare plays like Macbeth. Hamlet is characterized in consequence of his actions, and by his interior strife with himself over whether he should kill Claudius, or not which is depicted to the audience through his internal monologue, and outer dialogue with other characters..

Through Hamlet’s Soliloquy in Act III, Scene iii of “Hamlet” captioned “Now might I do it” we witness the Intellectual Hamlet be temporarily engulfed with the sin of temptation to avenge his Father as he sees the praying Claudius as easy prey ”now I’ll do ’t. And so he goes to heaven.

And so am I revenged.”(Act III Scene iii Lines 74-76). Hamlet a “believer” of religion discards his temptation of assassinating Claudius while praying as he once again becomes conscious of the fact that life on Earth is temporary, but salvation is for eternity, and that Claudius did not offer that mercy to his Father “A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven.”(Act
III, Scene iii Lines 77-79) This Soliloquy further develops the plot line as it entails to the audience to what situation Hamlet will be waiting for to occur to kill Claudius because of Hamlet’s intentions to ensure that Claudius has no chance of salvation considering that Claudius did not offer Hamlet’s father the honour of repenting his sins. Hamlet will keep on delaying until the opportune circumstance to slay Claudius occurs to condemn him to an eternity of perdition because of his sins. “When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t”..”(Act III, Scene iii Lines 90-94) The themes of mortality, religion, and the afterlife are further developed, and exemplified throughout this Soliloquy.

The themes of religion, mortality, and the eternity of the afterlife are explored, and illuminated further in this soliloquy by Hamlet in Act III Scene iii. Through the repetition of words with cognition’s that involve mortality, the damnation of an eternity in hell, and salvation through god help cement these themes to the character of Hamlet, and the play itself, for example “Soul”, “Purging”, “Seasoned”, and “Passage” all help further concrete these themes as pivotal to the overall plot of the soliloquy, and to the entire story of Hamlet itself. This soliloquy also depicts to the audience the internal conflict Hamlet is having within himself to determine the moment to follow through, and avenge his father, which has caused Hamlet to have moments of self made lunacy, and uncontrollable madness, however unbeknownst to Hamlet it is relieved to the audience that Claudius’ words have no merit to them causing the soliloquy to be ironic. “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”( Act III Scene iii (L98-99)

Through the Soliloquy in Act III Scene iii, William Shakespeare allows the audience to see a display of the internal dissension that Hamlet is going through, and thus explaining his lack of action, but also showcasing the temptation to go through with it.
Hamlet's choice of vocabulary in the Soliloquy characterizes him, and firmly establishes his belief of an afterlife that goes for eternity acting as a preventative for Hamlet to go through with the killing of Claudius, The plot is further developed as it tells the audience the moment Hamlet is waiting for to avenge his father while also expanding on the themes of religion, mortality, and an
afterlife.