Consider different interpretations of some of Hamlet's soliloquies and/or other key speeches and explain your view on the way in which Hamlet is portrayed during the speeches you have selected.

Sophie Anderton, 22/01/04

Hamlet Coursework

Some critics see Hamlet’s soliloquies as self-absorbed and self-indulgent; others see him as evidence of a great intellect at work. Consider different interpretations of some of Hamlet’s soliloquies and/or other key speeches and explain your view on the way in which Hamlet is portrayed during the speeches you have selected.

William Shakespeare employs the use of soliloquies in the play Hamlet to portray his clear and logical thinking underneath the show of emotion to the audience to gain a more understandable outline of Hamlet’s character and actions. The soliloquies isolate Hamlet’s thoughts and inform the audience of his observations of what is happening and how Hamlet interprets the events surrounding him. The audience are able to see things from his perspective and are able to empathise with him.

Hamlet is a tragedy of revenge, dishonesty and conflict. Hamlet the prince of Denmark is disgusted with his mother’s, Gertrude, impulsive marriage to his uncle, Claudius, so soon after the death of his father. Hamlet soon learns how his father’s sudden death came about due to an encounter with his father’s ghost, and he finds his father was poisoned by Claudius and is determined to seek vengeance on him. During the play, Hamlet is faced with a series of dilemmas, of how to act in response to the death of his father, his mother’s actions, Ophelia, the woman he loved, and his friends Rosencrantz and Guildernstern and the barriers that prevent him from taking revenge. In his torment and suffering, Hamlet feigns madness, and causes the death of Ophelia, and leaves a line of destruction before killing Claudius and then dying himself.

Hamlet’s soliloquies are about memories and past occurrences, which relate to Hamlet’s first soliloquy where he conveys feelings of anger and grief for his mother’s actions, he is bitter and uses vivid imagery to portray his memory of his father. His words often indicate his disgust with and distrust of women in general. Other critics describe Hamlets first soliloquy as “passionate”, as it can be compared to the false speech he must exchange with Claudius.

His speech is disjointed showing he is someone struggling with his intense emotions, the repetition of “too” intensifies Hamlets feelings of guilt and regret Hamlet’s despair goes wider in his circumstances, his whole view of life is corrupted with a melancholy verging on hatred. In the metaphor the world is

Hamlet; “stale, flat, and, unprofitable, an unweeded garden, that grows to seed.”

Hamlet wishes that suicide were not a sin, he can see no purpose in life any more, he speaks of his father and how he had only been dead a short time, but Claudius and Gertrude gave the idea that a much longer time had passed and saw the mourning had to end, or rather Claudius did. Hamlets express his outrage for his mother’s marriage to her husband’s brother in law,

Hamlet; “frailty thy name is woman”

He is reflecting on the speed of his mother’s marriage to Claudius. He is personifying frailty or weakness into the form of women. Only two months after his death, Hamlet contemplates his mother’s early grief, and tells of her “unrighteous tears.” A contrast in the soliloquy is seen in Hamlet's self-pitying comment

Hamlet; “but no more like my father/Than I to Hercules",

shows his feelings of lack of self worth. This speech very much shows Hamlets character to be self-absorbed he is a victim of circumstance, although it is right to say that Hamlet ...

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Hamlet; “frailty thy name is woman”

Hamlet; “but no more like my father/Than I to Hercules",

shows his feelings of lack of self worth. This speech very much shows Hamlets character to be self-absorbed he is a victim of circumstance, although it is right to say that Hamlet has right to feel self pity seen as his father has just died, and his mother has upset him deeply by her “incestuous” actions, so it is difficult to portray Hamlet as a great intellect so early, we see this other perspective in his next soliloquy. In introspection of the first soliloquy, Hamlet’s grief is by its nature self-absorbed and self-indulgent, the futility of life, he sees no nothing left, and no good can come of it! Act 1, Scene 2 is a kind of benchmark for ‘normal behaviour’. The language he uses here is highly metaphoric, showing that hew is quite intelligent and in control of his thoughts. There are moments, however, when his anger and emotion get the better of him and he acts and speaks irrationally.

Other critics see Hamlet at a suicidal state of mind in the first soliloquy and his character shifts from emotional chaos to calculating and intellectual anger, says Tim Kremer. My judgement from this speech is that he is appalled and preoccupied with the recent circumstances and the thought of death seems an escape to him, but he intense language and vivid imagery show he is determined to avenge the murder, but is emotionally unstable and is capable of self destruction.

In the film production of 1996 by Kenneth Branagh, his interpretation of the character Hamlet is shown as dark, and quite depressing, which seems trapped amongst all the colour and the only one who sees things in another context. Branagh’s portrayal of the character Hamlet in the first soliloquy appears much older than Ethan Hawke and Mel Gibson, he dresses in black, which conveys his continual thoughts on philosophical problems of death and his recurring thoughts of suicide, also it is symbolism of his mourning for his late father. Hamlet is the contrast in the play, the physical setting is very glamorous compared to the Mel Gibson interpretation, where’s Ethan Hawke’s portrayal is a modern and inventive insight to the plot. Hamlet appears out of place as the atmosphere is very enchanting and when the whole court withdraw from the hall he is left alone and the room is drawn into his mood, dark and miserable, the unfilled hall symbolises Hamlets emptiness and the falling confetti is emblematic of Hamlet’s world falling apart around him.

The second big soliloquy (Act 2, Scene 2) opens with Hamlet alone “now I am alone” making the audience aware of his thoughts and again cursing himself as a “rogue and peasant slave.” The speech is an all-embracing view of the hollowness of life. His intellectual analysis is getting in the way of his actions; he talks about on others his anti disposition has had. His speech shows his intellectual views and his imagination and the depth of his despair, as it is the first time we get to see Hamlet feigning madness, due to his behaviour known as antic disposition is it possible for the audience to lose sight of his true state.

The soliloquy is almost written in entire blank verse; Shakespeare uses punctuation to heighten the closing effect. In this soliloquy we can see Hamlets self-hatred clearly, this can be linked to the first player moving himself to tears when reciting a speech. Hamlet describes the actor; the fact that the story is taken from “antiquity” emphasises the distance between the actor and the cause of emotion, and compares himself to him as why he cannot be the same. G Wilson Knight states “Hamlet feels inferior, not to the artist but to man who feels too passionately.” We can see here in this speech how Hamlet can be seen as a great intellect at work, as we are clearly shown his immense circumstances and are able to empathise with him as such problems, could drive him to the point of suicide, but he sees past this, and sees it would not be fulfilling his destiny. Hamlet is a puzzle full of meanings, he is able to think analytically and with his intellect voice and sees situations from all aspects and come to his own conclusions, although he is harsh on himself this is a way for Hamlet to prepare himself for hid next task. Although he is so alienated he is in danger of becoming mad in reality, Hamlet is cynical and his soul is sick, and his self-awareness makes it very difficult for him to take decisive action,

Hamlet; “What an ass I am. That I …must like a whore unpack my heart with words.”

This is a moment of realisation for Hamlet as he sees he is a chronic procrastinator, a man of words rather than deeds. He compares himself to Claudius as he is able to act straight away, Claudius wanted the crown and he took it at the opportune moment. This has again enraged and disturbed him as he faces the inner conflict, but his intellect prevails once more as he devises a plan to capture the conscience of Claudius, Hamlet sees art as a reflection of life, life becomes art.

Joanna Copland in her analysis of Hamlet’s second soliloquy interprets Hamlet as “complex, and can be interpreted in different ways, he doesn’t answer questions” this is presented in his second soliloquy as he still hasn’t come to a conclusion of recent circumstances and procrastinates his aim still, by watching Claudius to see if he reveals his guilt, but from this he continues to take no action. This soliloquy forms a link with Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” speech, as it can be argued it is a clear and logical speech with no disjointed sentences, considering the question is Hamlet a great intellect at work? Tim Kremner speaks of how Hamlet soon realises his inaction in this scene and needs to “identify and intellectualise with words about his situation rather than acting”, although he curses himself once again he become conscious that a play cannot help him take action, he needs to find his answer in words, and his soliloquy.

In the 1990 film production starring Mel Gibson, Hamlet’s soliloquy is portrayed strives for realism, with physical medieval setting, Gibson remains passionate, and shows his enormous frustration and anger, now that he knows the truth, and this is where it dawns on him that he has to avenge this murder, he is bitter, his black costume suits his mood and seeking revenge for a murder, Hamlet’s speeches have all been a process to which he has now come to.

Hamlet’s third soliloquy (Act 3, Scene 1) the most famous speech, where Hamlet finds himself frozen in inaction, his troubles of

Hamlet; “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and a sea of troubles”

and contemplating to die, to commit suicide and the issue of what happens after death? The play is overshadowed by death where G Wilson Knight says to “ignore this at our peril”. And asking the question why do we bother? “To be, or not to be.” This whole speech is full of self –pity and he is a chronic procrastinator, fro ever putting off his intentions to kill Claudius, he uses the pronouns “we” and “us”, the indefinite “who”, the impersonal infinitive. Hamlet asks for all miserable souls “tis nobler” to live miserably or to end ones life. The “rub” Hamlet faces id the fear of “what dreams may come,” Hamlet is forever aware of the belief that suicide is a sin, but welcomes the idea of sleep in order to think. “ for who would bear the whips and scorns of time,” he wonders why we chose to grow old and continue a miserable path, as the alternative is frightening.

This soliloquy can be linked to the his first soliloquy as images of death and suffering are repeated, Hamlet seems more now than ever to be in control of his thoughts with his intellect reigning high

Hamlet; “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all”, this is telling what stops people drom committing mortal sin. Hamlet now faces his dilemma, his conscience. All of Hamlet’s have been a gradual progression to this point.

It is Joanna Copeland view that even Hamlet contemplates suicide will not solve his situation, and by killing Claudius will not cure his intense frustration of seeking revenge but way out, but Hamlet again procrastinates and does not act on his conscience, he is indecisive and a self righteous avenger.

In the modern 2000 film production, starring Ethan Hawke, set in a New York, and presents the idea of choice, with Hawke walking down aisle in the video store, where he is presented with the genre “action”, the word action is an inventive idea of what the soliloquy is trying to convey and what Hamlet must do. This interpretation gives us an insight into what the director interpreted from the play.

I found this portrayal to be more inventive and intriguing as it conjured up different meanings to the speech, and also the view to look at it from another perspective, as surely Shakespeare wanted his audience to consider the choices and how Hamlet delivered his lines.

In conclusion to the question to whether Hamlet is self-absorbed or a great intellect, it is my view that as a reader, this play is about Predestination, although Hamlet displays great moments of clarity, logic and instants of great intellect, my overall view after studying and interpreting the text is that he is a victim of circumstance, he is angst ridden, a mind too strong for his situation and was forced to be aggressive out of his strict morals and beliefs. He is caught up in a network where his split character makes the person he is, he is driven by his feelings of anger, torment and self-worthiness which have clouded his judgement and made him more tangible, and I am left with the view that Hamlet appears more self indulgent as a whole than a great intellect.