The Theme Of Revenge, Revessance And Death In Shakespeare's Hamlet

Are themes always mentioned in the soliloquies of Shakespeare’s plays? In William Shakespeare’s dark and symbolic play, Hamlet, he reveals the major themes of revenge, clarity and death through the soliloquies in order to clarify the plot of the story. Firstly, Shakespeare demonstrates the theme of revenge in the play’s soliloquies. The first soliloquy where Hamlet seeks for revenge occurs when he discovers from his father’s ghost that Claudius murdered his father. This information triggers Hamlet to determine a plan to get vengeance. In one part of this soliloquy Hamlet declares, “With this slave’s offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! / Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! / O vengeance! --” (II.ii.576-579). He wants Claudius

He realizes that he does not know the result of afterlife and this aspect stops him from committing suicide. His view on afterlife and its uncertanity is examined in Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; / For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, / When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,” (III.i. 66-67). The dreams that he specifies can be interpreted as the pain that someone could suffer in the afterlife. There is no assurance that his pain will stop once he is dead. The unpredictability of afterlife with the help of his reflections and the consequences of suicide resulted in the decision not to kill himself. Another example when Hamlet’s thoughts consist of death occurs near the end of the play. It specifically happens when Hamlet visits the graveyard and discovers his jester’s skull. The soliloquy reveals the theme of death and its consequences it has on an individual. In this memorable soliloquy, Hamlet

I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment, (V.i.178-185)

He realizes while looking at the skull that all the experiences and memories they had together have all disappeared because of death. Hamlet sees that everyone must die and that they are gone and forgotten so quickly. Shakespeare surely confirms that death is a major theme throughout the play. Ultimately Shakespeare proves that the soliloquies inserted in the play reveal the major themes of clarity, revenge and death to clarify the plot of the story. Shakespeare certainly realizes that the theme discussed influence the actions and decisions of all