One important change in Hamlet’s character suggested by the language in these two soliloquies is the perceived (ostensible) spirituality of Hamlet. As opposed to his last soliloquy, Hamlet’s first soliloquy insinuates a strong spiritual/religious conviction. As soon as the third line, Hamlet acknowledges the “Everlasting”, whose laws, he notes, condemn suicide as a sin. Additionally Hamlet makes three exclamations of “O God!” and several references to the heavens. In this soliloquy there are also many mythological references used, for example in the comparison between his father and the sun god Hyperion. Not only do these references effectively add depth to the audiences understanding of the characters mentioned, but their use shows Hamlets idealization of his circumstances and of other people, as well as highlights his reverence of the divine.
However, the words of Hamlet’s last soliloquy are not used in the glorification or depreciation of anyone by use of divine references, even as he mentions his respect of Fortinbras. As a result, no ideals are established and the foul and gross physicality of nature is dominant. He calls man a “beast” characterized by “bestial oblivion”. He makes several other references to the less-attractive elements of the physical such as “egg-shell”, “gross as earth”, “stain’d”, “blood”, “grave”, etc. What is not in this soliloquy is the acknowledgment of the celestial. No mythological references are made, and even the reference to God is minimal in number and importance. Only once does Hamlet refer to “he that made us”, lacking the capital on the “h”. Although Shakespeare does not give any definite indication of Hamlet’s beliefs, there is a discernible diminution of Hamlet’s use and dependence on the spiritual and celestial.
In addition to the contrasting mythological and celestial references and imagery, the other imagery used by Shakespeare is distinct to each soliloquy. In the first soliloquy Shakespeare creates a sordid and foul tone, using disease imagery and metaphors to establish the reasons for Hamlet’s melancholia and bitterness towards Claudius and Gertrude. Hamlet’s first lines in this soliloquy, incorporating metaphors about the “flesh”, immediately begin the chain of disease imagery that continues throughout the play. Although the imagery used by Shakespeare in the last soliloquy is consistent with the Hamlet’s disgust of the physical, its focus is on the association of man and beast. This soliloquy is less descriptive and more focused on prefacing action than the first.
In contrast to the elevation of the intellectual, in this soliloquy Hamlet makes the first depreciatory comment towards the intellect and language: “of thinking too precisely on the event” and “my thoughts be bloody”. Although there are still references to the rankness of nature, these references are far less abundant in the first. This overall decrease in outrage and passion indicates the alteration of Hamlet’s character throughout the bulk of the play.
