Hamlet Close Reading

Posted by James Prell in English 3 - Rami on

Shakespeare is known for his ability to create characters that resonate with every reader. Hamlet is one of his most famous creations, particularly well known for his “To be, or not to be” monologue. The fame of this piece arises from its resonance as a separate work, taking the monologue out of context does not in any way subtract from it’s meaning. The reason for this is that in the passage, Hamlet addresses a subject that almost everyone throughout human history has had to wonder about at one point in his or her life. Themes in this passage include life after death, the meaning of existence on earth, and whether or not your actions during life matter in the long run. The genius of this passage is that it doesn’t lay these themes out in front of the reader, but guides them down a path of thought that eventually leads to these subjects. What starts as an analysis of Hamlet’s life suddenly becomes much deeper contemplation about the reader’s own existence.

Taken with the rest of the play, Hamlet begins to think these thoughts after a visitation by his father’s ghost. It is revealed to him that his uncle murdered his father, and that his father expects him to take revenge. In the moment, Hamlet agrees but as time goes on he grasps the magnitude of the task. What he needs to do is treason, and he needs to do it alone. As time goes on his responsibility weighs on him. He delays his task for as longs as possible, and becomes secluded and short tempered with other characters at court.

            “To be, or not to be: that is the question” A fitting start to the monologue, as it sets the scene with a summary of what is to come. It comes from a dark place, where Hamlet contemplates suicide. “The question” –whether or not he will end his life there or live on to commit murder– has him torn between his duty to the memory of his father and his own fear of being caught, his hesitance to act. “Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles.” Will his struggle be worth it, how will his actions be remembered? He wonders if he will look back with satisfaction in the end. He wants to know if his perseverance will be worth the trouble. At the same time he wonders if the better thing to do is nothing at all. ‘‘Tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” in the end would he be more at piece if he suffered through the rest of his life, or if he fought –possibly died– avenging his father. He continues in the same vein, “And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to” What would happen should he choose to carry out his father’s revenge? Should he die, what would happen? He finds a bright side in the thought of death, because at the very least he would hope that his troubles would end. In saying, “Sleep” he implies that it will bring him a peaceful death. Settling the souls of himself and his father. 'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; to sleep: perchance to dream.” He hopes that upon entrance to the after life he will dream a better dream. Shakespeare has Hamlet end this portion of the monologue with a profound thought, “Ay, there's the rub; for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil.” The problem, he says, is that we don’t know what comes after death. This is the train of thought at the root of his hesitation to kill his uncle. He believes that any of the choices he makes going forward could easily result in his death. He doesn’t know what will come, and that ignorance turns into a fear of the unknown. Hamlet reflects in a very real way how any person might react in his situation.

Hamlet Passage Analysis

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