Death In Hamlet

The prince’s concept and understanding of death changes and develops throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet. At first, Hamlet thinks that death is a way to escape reality but by the end, he realizes that there is no running from death or trying to avoid it, and it should be accepted when it comes. In the first act, Hamlet’s father dies and his mother remarries his uncle very quickly after his father’s death. This has given Hamlet so many problems that he conceives death as a form of escape and wishes he could commit suicide but it is forbidden by God. He wants to be vaporized and die because of the problems going on in his life. “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew”(1.2.129). Hamlet also thinks that
Hamlet realizes he may very well die during the duel but he understands now that death is inevitable and you cannot escape it. Horatio tells Hamlet that if he does not want to go through with the duel, Horatio will claim that Hamlet is unfit to do fight. Hamlet says in response “If it be now, ‘tis not to come. If it be not to come, it will be now, yet it will come-the readiness is all”(5.2.207). Hamlet explains to Horatio that if death is coming to him, he has accepted it and is ready for death to take him away. Hamlet also claims that people disregard the omens of their coming deaths and try to save themselves by ignoring their own fate. According to Hamlet “Not a whit. We defy augury. There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow”(5.2.206). Throughout the tragedy, Hamlet’s concept of death has changed from one idea to another due to his father being killed by his uncle, curious of the secrets of the afterlife, learning of everyone sharing similar graves, and realizing his own impending death. Whether he be longing for death, curious and confused about it, or even accepting his own death, Hamlet’s mind has evolved and his ideas