Meredith Muirhead

ENGL 115

Dr. McFeeley

29 September 2020

First Soliloquy: Hamlet 1.2.133-1.2.164

This soliloquy, begun in line 1.2.133 and ended in line 1.2.164, is prompted by Hamlet's

despair at his mother's hasty marriage to her brother-in-law, the brother of Hamlet's recently

deceased father. Hamlet is concerned with the topics of death and betrayal-that is, he first

expresses his wish to die in the lines "O that this too, too sullied flesh would melt/Thaw, and

resolve itself into a dew!" Hamlet wishes to merely die as opposed to commit suicide because

suicide, at the time, was seen as a mortal sin. Additionally, Hamlet discusses the betrayal he feels

due to the fact that his mother has so quickly married his uncle. He views this as an act of

disloyalty and an act of incest, but he blames this on his mother's "frailty" rather than malice.

These topics of death and betrayal all tie into Hamlet's grief over his father's death and the love

that he has for his late father. The soliloquy is structured with numerous exclamations as well as

many hyphenated remarks, for example, "and yet within a month-/let me not think on't,-frailty,

thy name is woman!" It is not until the end of the soliloquy when Hamlet reminds himself and

the audience that he must keep all of these thoughts to himself. He frequently uses the words

"God" and "heaven" as well as many other negative words such as "wicked," "beast," and

"roughly." These negative words, combined with the words "God" and "heaven" give the image
of death and murder. As a result of this soliloquy, Hamlet resolves that although he is frustrated

and although he knows things will turn out badly, he will keep all of these thoughts to himself.

Second Soliloquy: Hamlet 1.5.99-1.5.115

This soliloquy, begun in line 1.5.99 and ended in 1.5.115, is prompted by Hamlet’s

encounter with the ghost of his father, and the revelation that King Claudius murdered Hamlet’s

father (therefore meaning that Hamlet must avenge his father). Hamlet is concerned with the

topics of revenge, fear, and betrayal once again in this soliloquy-seen in the lines “foul and most

unnatural murder” and “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown.”

Hamlet is stunned and shocked to have even seen this ghost, let alone to receive this information

that Claudius was the murderer. Because Hamlet is so overcome with grief and love for his

father, it is simple for him to come to the conclusion that he must avenge his father’s death. This

soliloquy is structured with the repeated word “villain”-indicating Hamlet’s hatred for Claudius

and his marking of Claudius as evil. He once again makes numerous exclamatory remarks,

however, this time he is declaring his intent to wreak vengeance on his uncle (now stepfather). In

the end, Hamlet has firmly resolved that he will take his revenge. This particular soliloquy serves

as a pivotal moment in the play in that it drives Hamlet as a character for the rest of the story.