Soliloquies of Hamlet
Hamlet's first soliloquy7 prominently displays deep distress, even emotional fragility. He stands in the castle after having a long conversation with his mother and uncle-turned-step-father. This conversation has left him agitated and contributed to his unstable emotional state. The argument recounts his feelings toward his mother's actions and the current state of his country. All of these things put him in a state of distress. The death of his father is a heavy blow, and his mother's quick marriage, or her words, do nothing to ease his pain, but only exacerbates it. His mother's lack of loyalty and quick submission to Claudius makes Hamlet believe that something is awry in the affairs of
Denmark. Hamlet idealized his parents and their relationship, and he bemoans the fact that although his father doted on his mother and was a good husband and father, she rushed into a relationship with another man, much less Hamlet's uncle, a man that differs from his father in almost every respect. In his description of Denmark, he uses a metaphor to compare the country to "an unweeded garden/That grows to seed, things rank and gross in nature/Possess it merely"s.
To him, the country has become rotten, and will only lead to more infection.
The final two lines of Hamlet's soliloqu/ are a conclusion and an analysis. He reacts to his mother's indecency and lack of respect for his father, and decides her actions will not lead to anything but bad consequences. Hamlet concludes that there is nothing he can do. His mother has been disloyal to his father, which Hamlet takes as a sign of disloyalty to the ideal that he believed his family was, but she is the queen. His country is falling apart, but he has no real power to make any changes. Hamlet must hold his tongue, because he is expected to be a loyal son and fulfill his duties as the prince.
This soliloquy presents Hamlet's emotions and psychological state. Hamlet feels emotional pain and is enraged, and he is
Denmark. Hamlet idealized his parents and their relationship, and he bemoans the fact that although his father doted on his mother and was a good husband and father, she rushed into a relationship with another man, much less Hamlet's uncle, a man that differs from his father in almost every respect. In his description of Denmark, he uses a metaphor to compare the country to "an unweeded garden/That grows to seed, things rank and gross in nature/Possess it merely"s.
To him, the country has become rotten, and will only lead to more infection.
The final two lines of Hamlet's soliloqu/ are a conclusion and an analysis. He reacts to his mother's indecency and lack of respect for his father, and decides her actions will not lead to anything but bad consequences. Hamlet concludes that there is nothing he can do. His mother has been disloyal to his father, which Hamlet takes as a sign of disloyalty to the ideal that he believed his family was, but she is the queen. His country is falling apart, but he has no real power to make any changes. Hamlet must hold his tongue, because he is expected to be a loyal son and fulfill his duties as the prince.
This soliloquy presents Hamlet's emotions and psychological state. Hamlet feels emotional pain and is enraged, and he is