What function do Hamlet’s soliloquies (or any one of them you’d like to analyze) serve in the play?
A soliloquy is an act of speaking one’s thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers. The monologue of Hamlet is the essence of the play. That is key to understanding Hamlet as a tragic character. In the monologue, the reader realized that Hamlet was experiencing a huge emotional shock. His father’s mysterious and sudden death and his mother remarried so quickly.
‘O God, God, How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world!’ (I.ii.) The monologue here shows that he is not only sad for his father and mother but also that he is bored with life itself. Shakespeare used character monologues to provide readers with information to understand Hamlet. Without this information, it will be difficult for readers to understand the character’s behavior. Through these monologues, we can learn about Hamlet’s character and experience pain with him.
Very interesting post. “To be, or not to be? That is the question (Act 3, Scene 1).”
This most famous sentence is also a soliloquy of Hamlet. This soliloquy signifies his painful struggle inside. On one hand, he wants to avenge his father. On the other hand, his weakness, doubts make him scared to take this step. So he considers whether to live in this world. We can see Hamlet’s hesitation and why Hamlet was slow to take revenge.
So I agree with you that Hamlet’s monologue plays a unique role in the play.
Hamlet soliloquies plays an important role throughout the duration of the play. The soliloquies serves as an important piece of dialogue that is only shared with the readers, or audience that isn’t shared with other characters or the play. For example, Hamlet’s famous “To be, or not to be. That is the question…” piece informs the audience that Hamlet is suffering an internal conflict. His famous soliloquy informs readers that his pondering life and death, which shows a sign of mental issues. This example informs us why soliloquies serves as a major turning point throughout the play of Hamlet.