Understanding Hamlet's Famous Speech in Shakespeare's Hamlet

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Understanding Hamlet's Famous Speech in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Hamlet's classsic "To be or not to be..."(Hamlet, prince of Denmark, 3.1.57) speech really shows who he is. Obviously Hamlet is horribly depressed. We have already seen several examples of this, but this speech gives us a clear picture of his sadness. More importantly however, his speech shows his weakness and indecisiveness. Hamlet is consistently melancholy, but he never really acts on it; he just kind of wallows around, full of self-pity and loathing. Finally, it gives us Hamlet's reason for not committing suicide. Throughout the play he seems to wish for death and here we find out why he doesn't bring it on himself. This also gives us a window into his personality. This speech provides us with a clear understanding of Hamlet and his motivations.

Hamlet is seriously in need of some Prozac. He says in this speech, flat out: "To die, to sleep-..'Tis a consumation devoutly to be wished."(3.1.69-72). He feels that his troubles and his heartache are to to much to deal with. While this speech is not the first time he ha...

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