Hamlet's soliloquy

Hamlet’s soliloquy, To be or not to be,  can be considered one of the most celebrates and famous Shakespearean soliloquies. It comes from Act III, scene I of the Tragedy, it is set in a room of the castle, in addition it is an a-typical soliloquy, along with the last monologue in Macbeth, because it is entirely given over to reflection.

In many soliloquies some information about the speaker are provided, instead in the soliloquy you are give no answers; on the contrary Hamlet’s doubts spread to the audience. According to the idea of Renaissance man during the soliloquy Hamlet reflects slowly and step by step. In the first part he uses a series of infinitive forms, underling his uncertainty and enable to distance himself from the action.

The image of war put in evidence the conflict in Hamlet’s mind. The reference to a battle-field is very concrete and it leads the audience to understand Hamlet’s situation. The doubt of doubts is a fundamental element of discussion in the soliloquy. Hamlet ponders different point of view. On one side the life, that is only pains and disappointments. On the other hand death, that is considered like an eternal sleep.

After a list of the negative aspects, the negative human behavior, the injustices, the miseries, the social discriminations and political oppression of life he finds out a rub, that consists of the dream: negative dream, the nightmare. The situation after death is like a unknown country from where no travelers came back.

This uncertainty leads man to stop from taking action, therefore his action become pale and sick losing their name.