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Luke Cree
Mrs Bernhard
AP Literature
10-6-15
The Seven Soliloquies Of Hamlet
A common way in literature for an author to display his true feelings and emotion
through a character is through a sequence of soliloquies. Many Authors have done this, but
Shakespeare can be considered one of the best. Throughout his novel his characters speak in
soliloquies almost naturally. One Shakespearean character, who is a key example for the use of
soliloquies, is Hamlet in Shakespeares poem Hamlet. Hamlet gives a total of seven soliloquies
over a period of four acts. When Shakespeare uses soliloquies, he shows his characters
character, as well as interjects information that plays a major role in the poem.
In Act 1 Scene 2 Lines 129-59 Hamlet gives his first soliloquy,
Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God!
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
"That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
Visit her face too roughly.Heaven and earth,
Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him
As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on, and yet, within a month
Let me not think on t. Frailty, thy name is woman!

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A little month, or ere those shoes were old

With which she followed my poor fathers body,
Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she
O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason
Would have mourned longer!married with my uncle,
My fathers brother, but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules. Within a month,
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galld eyes,
She married. O most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!
It is not nor it cannot come to good,
But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongueShakespeare).
In Hamlets first soliloquy, shakespeare shows the readers Hamlets tension and opinion of other
characters which plays a major role in the poems plot. Hamlet speaks of two main people in
this section of the poem, his mother and his father. These two characters are both referenced but
in two major different ways. Hamlet speaks very highly of his father and how he was a very
righteous man. Although when he talks about his mother, he gives statements of unappeasement.
This tension with his mother and uncle after the remarriage shows that Hamlet is wanting change
and justice. Although Hamlet wants to avenge his father and give him the honor, the last line of
his soliloquy Hamlet states But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue which shows that
even though Hamlet wants change to come he must keep quiet because it would destroy his mom
to hear his true feelings.
Hamlets second soliloquy resides in Act 1 Scene 5 Lines 92-112. In Hamlets second
soliloquy he has just learned about his fathers murder and is angered and wanting to wage war
on is uncle immediately. Hamlets second soliloquy sets the plot for the entire play. W. Schrickx
states in an article posted by the MHRA, ... for it is here that Hamlet dedicates himself to the

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role of revenger(Schrickx).. Hamlet is instantly angered by this tragedy that ruined his fathers
great legacy and gave false glory to his undeserving uncle. In these twenty lines Shakespeare
writes trying to portray Hamlet as angered and enraged, and he could not have done a better job.

Hamlets third soliloquy has a much similar tone to his first and second one, but his anger
and obsession has now shifted to a new call to action. Before Hamlet gives his third soliloquy he
learns of his fathers death and how it was done by his uncle. This charges Hamlet to want to
seek revenge for his father by taking the life of his uncle in vengeance. Hamlets third soliloquy
speaks much of this topic. Frequently Hamlet rants about his Uncles murderous ways and how
he plans to avenge his father, although in this soliloquy Hamlet isnt upset with his uncle but
more with his self. In lines 530-550 of the soliloquy Shakespeare writes this,
A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward?
Who calls me villain? Breaks my pate across?
Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face?
Tweaks me by the nose? Gives me the lie i' th' throat
As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this?
Ha!
'Swounds, I should take it, for it cannot be
But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall
To make oppression bitter, or ere this
I should have fatted all the region kites
With this slaves offal. Bloody, bawdy villain!
Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!
O vengeance!
Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,

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That I, the son of a dear father murdered,

Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,
Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words
And fall a-cursing like a very drab,
A scullion! Fie upont, foh!(Shakespeare).
This section of text describes the main scene of Hamlets soliloquy. For the majority of his
speech he speaks of himself as someone who is cowardly and wasting of time. He sees himself as
someone prompted by both heaven and hell to do justice and steal the life of the false king, but
instead has stood around moping in his fathers death not acting on the task put before him. This
self evaluation allows Hamlet to analyze the current setting and make a plan for an upcoming
play to guilt King Claudius. Hamlets third soliloquy is one of the longer soliloquies Hamlet
gives but every word is needed for Shakespeare to get his full idea across
The fourth soliloquy exists in Act 3 Scene 1 Lines 56-92. This soliloquy is by far the
most well known and referenced. Shakespeares fourth soliloquy begins with the famous line
To be or not to be( Shakespeare). This intriguing opening phrase is the start to one of the
plays most influential speeches. Jess Domanico, an English professor at Auburn University says
this, The first five lines of this soliloquy demonstrate Hamlets involuted intellect better than
any other instance in the play(Jess)(Domanico). This soliloquy makes the entire play. Jane
Muhammed, an Asst. Professor at Prime University, says it in this way, It has a universal and
timeless quality that suggests a core of stillness at the very heart of the play(Muhammad).
Without this speech happening in this setting the entire play would have a completely different
appearance.

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Hamlets fifth soliloquy is not as well known as the fourth but still plays a major role in
the poem. In this shorter soliloquy, which can be found in Act 3 Scene 2 Lines 350-361. In these
eleven lines Hamlet finally reveals that it is time for the revenge to take place. Shakespeare uses
a various amount of in-depth imagery in his text but especially in Hamlets fifth soliloquy. A
great example of this imagery is at the beginning of this soliloquy where shakespeare writes,
'Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes
out(Shakespeare). These three lines give us a perfect connection to the character and what he is
thinking. These connections allow the reader to get addicted to the poem. Without this imagery
this poem would be unappealing and would of had less of an impact on the English language and
literature as a whole.
Hamlets sixth soliloquy shows how troubled by his fathers death. In this soliloquy
Hamlet is presented with an opportunity to seek revenge on Claudius but refrains because he
finds Claudius praying. At this point Hamlet decides to wait until the king has repented so he will
go to the spiritual afterlife Hamlet feels he deserves. Shakespeare writes it in this way, A villain
kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send, To heaven(Shakespeare).
Hamlet sees it as almost a favor to kill him now and send his unworthy soul to heaven. Hamlet is
so bent on revenge that he is purposely missing opportunities to seek revenge on whether his
uncle would go to heaven or hell.
Hamlets final soliloquy, the seventh, occurs just after seeing engaging with Fortinbras.
The main topic of Hamlets final soliloquy is his unnecessary procrastination. He speaks of how
he has had the means to seek his revenge and had many opportunities to do the task. Hamlet
recognizes that he and Fortinbras are similar except Fortinbras is taking action to avenge his
father. This ignites the fire in Hamlet to finally avenge his father. Jane Muhammed comments on

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this section of the poem by saying, This soliloquy gives the audience a chance to connect with
Hamlet because it is easy for one to understand feelings of being wronged and wanting to get
revenge(Muhammad). Hamlet is eager to finally get this task done because he has
procrastinated it for so long. In this final soliloquy Hamlet decides he needs to act or otherwise it
is just a waste of time. Hamlets final soliloquy informs us of his final decision to avenge his
father.
Shakespeare uses soliloquies to give insights of what his characters are thinking and
feeling. He uses this artistic writing style to allow his characters to connect to the audience. This
ability to connect readers to poems is one of the great skills Shakespeare has and uses. its
soliloquies is one of the greatest examples of this skill.

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Works Cited
Domanico, Jess. "Sincerity in Soliloquy: The Unraveling of Hamlets Murderous
Identity." Valley Humanities, 2010. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
"Jess Domanico at Auburn University - RateMyProfessors.com." Jess Domanico
at Auburn University - RateMyProfessors.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
Muhammad, Jane A. "ISSN 2394-9716 International Journal of Novel Research in
Interdisciplinary Studies." Soliloquies in Hamlet: Necessary or Unnecessary In the
Context of the Play 2.3 (2015): 1-10. Novelty Journals. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
Schrickx, W. "The Background and Context of Hamlet's Second Soliloquy."
MHRA. Modern Humanities Research Association, 2000. Web. 15 Oct. 2015..
Shakespeare, William, Henry Norman Hudson, Israel Gollancz, and C. H.
Herford. Hamlet. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1909. Print