Discussion of Hamlet’s State of Mind in His First Soliloquy

Discussion of Hamlet’s State of Mind in His First Soliloquy

From Hamlet’s first soliloquy in act I scene II, it is clear to the

audience that he is not in a clear, rational, or healthy state of

mind: speaking of his desire for suicide. He describes his body as

“sullied”- tainted and dirty, wishing for it to “melt” or dissolve

into nothingness. So pessimistic and cynical is hamlets worldview at

this time, that he describes the world as “flat and

unprofitable…things rank and gross in nature possess it merely” In

Hamlet’s state of mind he cannot see good in anything of the world,

his despair has caused him to doubt that there is any goodness or

innocence left in the world for him to benefit from.

Hamlet refers to the world in a metaphor as “an un-weeded garden”,

directing the audience to the cause of his depression. Perhaps he is

indicating that like a garden, that which should be beautiful and

natural has become confused and perverted. This is perhaps referring

to his mother’s “incestuous” marriage to his uncle: marriage should be

a beautiful, natural pure thing, but it is now perverted by incest.

Hamlet concludes at the end of his soliloquy that just like an

un-weeded garden “it is not, nor it cannot come to good.” This

implies to the audience that action must soon take place to combat the

growth of these “incestuous” weeds, anticipating Hamlet’s vengeful

action further on in the play.

The terms in which the prince thinks of his father are revealing. To

Hamlet, he was not just an “excellent” king, but superhuman too, at

the opposite end of the spectrum to Claudius: “Hyperion to a satyr”.

Whilst his father is symbolised by th...

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imagery, the audience may begin to understand Hamlet’s unstable,

confused and extremely pained state of mind, during act I scene II.

Therefore, in conclusion, Hamlet’s state of mind as expressed in his

first soliloquy is clearly unstable, irrational and understandably

greatly pained at the loss of his father. It is also clear that he is

not only so distraught due to his father’s death but also due to his

mother’s incestuous remarriage. Hamlet’s state of mind is portrayed to

the audience using punctuation and language, to interrupt the flow of

the verse. And by using gruesome, and often pessimistic and cynical

imagery such as the “unweeded garden” and “sullied flesh”, Shakespeare

communicates Hamlet’s emotional instability and extremely strong moral

indignation to his mother’s marriage, comparing her to a “beast”.