Hamlet’s Soliloquies

Number Two - Act Two, scene two - “O what a rogue and

peasant slave am I!”

context - realizes R & G are spies for Claudius and has

seen a player perform a speech about the murder of
Priam and the scene where Priam, a Greek general has
been slain and his wife Hecuba weeps and cries out to
the heavens - he can’t help but think of his mother
Gertrude in contrast - he reflects on how he has failed to
act to on the revenge.

Hamlet compares himself to the actor who can work

himself into a tearful emotion over a speech and who
would act if he had a motive like Hamlet’s motive

“Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, like a

John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause and can say
nothing.” Hamlet berates himself

Hamlet accuses himself of cowardice - “I am pigeon-

livered and lack gall....like a whore, unpack my heart with
words..” (No actions just cursing like a whore)

Right after this emotional outburst - Hamlet comes up

with the idea for the play - “The Mousetrap”

Hamlet wants to make sure the ghost is right - “The spirit

that I have seen, May be the devil...and perhaps out of my
weakness and my melancholy, as he is very potent with
such spirits, abuses me to damn me.”

“The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of

the king.”