Hamlet's Anger In The Second Soliloquy example essay topic

In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare varies the diction and the images of the first two soliloquies to reveal the change in Hamlet's character from one of purposeless depression to one of a determined anger. Hamlet's mental state in the first soliloquy is analogous to the diction and images that he uses to voice his concerns - all three are highly negative. He calls the world an "unheeded garden" with "things rank and gross" and expresses his wish to disappear with the imagery of melting flesh that ought to "resolve itself into dew". What is the cause of such negative emotion? Preceding Hamlet's soliloquy was the recent death of his father, King Hamlet - followed by the marriage of his widowed mother to the King's brother - Claudius.

Hamlet's comment on the "most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets" reveals that he is troubled by the incestuous marriage that has taken place so soon after the death of his father. Furthermore, Hamlet is angry at his mother for taking so little time to mourn King Hamlet. Hence, the negative diction that Hamlet applies to life - such as weary, stale, flat and unprofitable - reflects the disgusted mind-set of Hamlet at this point. Hamlet's second soliloquy - although still filled with negative diction - is a different kind of negative. Where in the first soliloquy Hamlet's negativity was coupled with hopelessness and depression - in his second soliloquy Hamlet's negativity is a result of Hamlet's angry determination and urge for action. In between the two soliloquies, Hamlet had chanced upon a meeting with the ghost of his dead father.

The ghost had thereby revealed to Hamlet that his death was the result of murder at his brother's hand. At the close of the discourse with the ghost, Hamlet had sworn to avenge his father's death and kill Claudius - who now carries the title of King of Denmark. Hamlet's second soliloquy opens with him being angry at himself for showing less emotion than the actor reciting the tragic play of fictional Hecuba. Hamlet decides that had the actor the motive that he himself has, that actor would "drown the stage with tears and cleave the general ear with horrid speech, make mad the guilty and appeal the free". The above imagery relates to what Hamlet would like to do himself - namely, to make a difference. He calls himself a coward, a rogue, a villain and a peasant who "like a whore" unpacks his "heart with words".

Combining both negative diction and negative imagery, Hamlet subjects himself to images of self-degradation that is fit for a coward. Namely, he sees himself being called names, hit over the head, tweaked by the nose, and plucked at his beard. Unlike the first soliloquy, Hamlet's anger in the second soliloquy is directed at himself and his verbose talk and lack of action. Hamlet's character evolves between the two scenes. At the time of the first soliloquy, Hamlet is depressed with a feeling of helplessness. He wishes to disappear - finding the world a stale place of little use.

He is angry at his mother and disgusted by the recent, incestuous marriage. Nevertheless, at the end of his first soliloquy he is resigned to "hold his tongue". The second soliloquy opens with Hamlet being no longer angry at his mother - but rather at himself. He has learned of his father's murder and is no longer resigned and accepting. Instead, he is disgusted by his own lack of direct action to avenge his father. He compares himself to the actor grieving over a character in a play - and finds fault with his own progress.

Ironic to the resignation with which Hamlet ends his first soliloquy, Hamlet ends his second soliloquy with a plan for action. The uses of life that had so recently appeared stale and unprofitable have now grown into a greater purpose - a purpose of revenge. The second soliloquy ends with Hamlet's decision to direct the "players to play something like the murder of my father, before my uncle" - hoping to draw out the murderer in Claudius through a channel of guilt..