In William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Essay by lizzzy5 August 2003

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In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the soliloquies are used to show aspects of Hamlet's motives, intentions and his state of mind, though they cannot be completely relied on for a wholly accurate account of his motives and intentions, due to Hamlet's irrational, distressed and depressed state of mind at the time of the soliloquies.

Soliloquies 2 and 3 are particularly helpful in showing the spontaneity of his thoughts. Hamlet deals with issues such as the confliction of values, life, murder, the afterlife, madness, revenge, death and love

Hamlet is a classic play of the revenge tragedy genre. Hamlet, the central character, is the Prince of Denmark, son of the late King Hamlet and Gertrude who married Claudius (Her late husband's brother) shortly after King Hamlet's death. The ghost of King Hamlet appears to his son and tells him that Claudius murdered him. Hamlet, in seeking revenge for his father's death, pretends to be mad and rejects Ophelia, whom he had claimed that he loved.

After Hamlet's accidental murder of her husband, Polonius, Ophelia goes mad and later drowns herself. Becoming concerned about his own welfare, Claudius sends Hamlet to England with his "friends" (Really spies hired by the King), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who carry a letter asking for the execution of Hamlet- however Hamlet finds the letter and changes his name to that of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. On his return to Denmark, the King organises a fencing match between Hamlet and Polonius's son, Laertes. Laertes wounds Hamlet with a poisoned sword, and Hamlet grabs the sword and mortally wounds Laertes, who tells of the King's treachery before his death. Meanwhile, Gertrude drinks poison meant for Hamlet, who then forces the King to drink the rest before stabbing him. After stopping Horatio from drinking the remainder of the poison, Hamlet...