Hamlet also demeans and shows his general disgust about women, which is apparent in the way he makes judgements about his mother, using the derogatory comment ‘Frailty, thy name is woman,’ insinuating that all women are unfaithful and disingenuous, as he believes her to be. This has prompted suggestions from literary critics that the Oedipus Complex plagued Hamlet and this may have been an explanation for his chaotic and confused state of mind. Making comparative references between his mother and classical mythological creatures may seem surprising, but Gertrude is an influential figure for Hamlet and he openly condemns her apparently ‘incestuous’ behaviour. He dwells upon the fact that his life, and indeed the world seems ‘Weary, stale, flat and unprofitable as discussed in Shakespeare’s abrupt and broken syntax.’ The exercise of caesura shows a breakdown of Hamlet’s thinking. It would allow an actor to fully express his emotions on stage, whilst the blank verse replaces the iambic pentameter, which stops suddenly. It is not as controlled in rhythm but conveys furthermore the upheaval Hamlet becomes ever-more familiar with. His bitter, enraged tone gives the audience the impression that he has the possibility of committing irrational deeds, as he is constantly indecisive; rhetorical questions confirm this as he further questions his state of mind, but also feels compelled to hold his tongue, maintaining his isolation. Shakespeare’s use of sibilance manages to personify the ‘incestuous sheets’ in his choice of words and this makes Hamlet further sure that his observations are correct.
The whole purpose of a soliloquy is to use inner dialogue in order to reveal a character’s state of mind, which this clearly does at this early point in the play. All of the themes raised in this soliloquy are relevant to both audiences, and an Elizabethan audience would certainly interpret this soliloquy in a different way to a modern audience. Hamlet’s belittling comments passed about women would still be deemed as unacceptable. Much like Renaissance thinkers, a modern audience would also feel more able and willing to question the church’s teachings, as religion is no longer the dominant focus in many people’s lives as it was in the Middle Ages. The audience may be able to show a degree of empathy with Hamlet as the play was written in a slightly satirical manner and shows that he is very much human in his qualities and this first soliloquy is crucial in identifying this through a persistent melancholy tone. A modern director could go to great lengths to emphasise this mood in the way that he controlled the actor’s position and body language on stage.
The short but detailed soliloquy in Act One Scene 5 is perhaps a clarification of the preceding scene where the ghost has just finished speaking to Hamlet; some may choose to believe that this is his conscience communicating with him. He now has just a very tenuous grasp on his sanity and his despair is apparent because of his grief. The monarch was the supreme ruler in Elizabethan society and was an authoritative figure for the whole of society, so Hamlet decides that if Claudius can maintain his smug façade, even after he has murdered the King, then Hamlet should be capable of doing the same with his revenge.
It is the first scene in which revenge; the dominant theme in the play has been discussed. Hamlet unmistakably utters ‘I have sworn’t,’ an expression of his intent to kill the ‘Smiling, damnèd villain,’ even if he must pay the ultimate price for taking action against his emotions, still his father’s memory present in his mind. This creates a picture of Hamlet, the Renaissance thinker, but who does not know what to actually think, ideas taken from the society he lived in, increasingly dominated by central political institutions. This would have been a major contributing factor to his personality
Again, Hamlet passes judgemental comments about women, in particular his mother ‘O most pernicious woman!’
The amount of repetition is used to show the turmoil in Hamlet’s mind; he also appals to his body to ‘hold him up’ whilst he overcomes the difficulties he currently faces. There is also repetition used in the same lines as the ghost in the previous stanzas. Exclamatory lines highlight a sense of disgust towards his mother, her loyalty and Claudius, who feels he has escaped punishment for his unforgivable, calculated actions.
An Elizabethan audience would protest a great deal about the controversial content of this soliloquy. They believed the Divine Right dictated that they must not kill the King (God’s representative) and that the individual pursuit of revenge was wrong.
A modern audience would possibly be more sympathetic and less judging because they are able to see Hamlet’s insecurity and anxiousness, but they may also be more cynical, provoking the question ‘Why would he take advice from a ghost? Ghosts have never existed’ This same audience would perhaps show some compassion towards Hamlet in his current circumstances as revenge is a recurring topic in modern society, not only on an individual level, but also on a worldwide scale.
Theatre brought out the truth in people, and in this case, it is no exception; the truth reveals itself about both Gertrude and Claudius through the ghost. It would be a requirement that a 21st century director would instruct the use of caesura in order to convey Hamlet’s troubled state of mind in a suitable manner, as he struggles to familiarise himself with the actions he must perform. He must also direct the controversial issues with sensitivity.
The most famous soliloquy, sometimes through its ambiguity manages to convey Hamlet as the Renaissance man who questions himself and his judgements. It occurs in Act 3 Scene 1, shortly before the play takes place. This soliloquy in particular has a strong theme of suicide running throughout it, most notoriously, ‘Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer... and by opposing end them... to die, to sleep- no more.’ The words Hamlet uses almost encourage him to take his life; he makes it sound an appealing and attractive prospect, but also as a cowardly option. He asks the question ‘Who would fardels bear... but that the dread of something after death’ and he convinces himself more and more that he is making the right decision to take his own life, whilst also considering the drawbacks. Both audiences would find this quite harrowing and a director would have to take care to take a perceptive approach. ‘A sea of troubles’ provides the audience with a metaphorical visual image of everything in the world so overwhelming and having everything and everyone he loved and trusted turn against him. Many hidden meanings are left for the audience to unravel for themselves. These are presented through metaphors, euphemisms and other ambiguities. ‘The undiscovered country’ is a euphemism for death; life as seen as a continuous journey and death will never have been explored by any human that is living ‘No traveller returns.’ Hamlet does not forget that death is final; it is forever, and this establishes his characteristically detached state further. Hamlet is pensive, reflective whilst remaining analytical. The flat tone the director would allot signifies his dejected, flat state of mind.
The soliloquy, in some ways lacks a certain passion that other soliloquies have. The three main characters (Gertrude, Claudius and his father / the ghost) fail to get a mention and instead he tends to use his genuine feelings and concentrate on his awry situation. The soliloquy contains a number of religious references ‘’Tis a consummation... In thy orisons be all my sins remembered.’ This shows he is willing to accept the consequences of his actions and that death is his final sleep. Ophelia is again mentioned, though only briefly ‘Soft you now the fair Ophelia.’ He does not condemn her as some may expect, yet he highlights how he feels rejected and unloved when he talks about ‘The pangs of despised love’ and this makes the audience realise just how big a burden Hamlet did have to bear. Hamlet also shows his bitterness towards the authorities’ lack of action relating to the crime ‘The insolence of office... the law’s delay’ and their arrogance. The Elizabethan audience would disapprove of this scene because of the strong theme of suicide throughout this soliloquy. It would have made them feel uneasy and overly critical of Hamlet, ‘The eponymous hero.’
A modern director would need to be precise in order to portray Hamlet as being fully self-aware. The audience would need to be aware that Hamlet is being watched by Polonius and Claudius and this should help expose Hamlet’s uneasiness. The modern audience would be slightly more perceptive to Hamlet’s dilemma than an audience of his era would, as there have been high profile suicides covered by the media and figures have increased over the years. Still, this would be a poignant and affecting scene for any audience as they would see Hamlet slowly losing grip of his life, and the director should aim to inject passion and emotion into it.
The modern director has many new challenges to rise to which will make the play ever more relevant to the audience which the play is directed towards, despite some arguing the language is outdated and has no real relevance any longer. A modern audience will respond more to a play and will not be afraid to voice their opinions about matters raised, many of which are more relevant today as they occur frequently and make headlines. This audience, like the Renaissance thinkers will question Hamlet’s judgments and thoughts, analysing him and his thoughts carefully and relating them to their own experiences, flaws and weaknesses.
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Bibliography:
‘Hamlet’ by William Shakespeare
Edited by TJB Spencer
New Penguin Shakespeare
