Essay, Research Paper: Hamlet's Last Soliloquy Commentary

Hamlet's Last Soliloquy Commentarythat he is angry at himself for not having avenged his father s death and we see that he makes up his mind to do something about it. Hamlet begins his soliloquy stating that many occasions or happenings seem to haunt him for his inability to act upon revenging his father s death. The occasions which he talks about could be the meeting with Fortinbras and his army and perhaps his encounter with the players. Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, had, unlike Hamlet, taken action to revenge the killing of his father. Hamlet, even when asked by the ghost of his father, has so far done nothing to avenge his death. Hamlet s encounter with the players could have also been another occasion of which he speaks. The first player recited the lines, upon Hamlet s request, of a part of AEneas and Dido . In this play the son of the murdered father did delay, but only momentarily. Hamlet speaks of man in general. He contemplates what a man is. He then goes on to criticise himself as a coward. He is a man, built with the power of reasoning and man must use this gift, through positive action, but he still has not done anything to avenge his father. He accuses himself of either bestial oblivion or thinking too precisely on th event . The first accusation is irrelevant but the second immediately brings us to the picture of Hamlet which we have all seen. The philosophical dreamer who thinks and does not act. Hamlet himself calls this cowardice. thought which, quart d hath but one part wisdomAnd ever three parts coward After Hamlet calls himself a coward he once again asks himself why he has still not done anything to avenge his father. He has the cause, the will, the strength and the means to do it yet he still hasn t. This whole soliloquy focuses on the occasions that have told him that he should do something. Hamlet has examples gross as earth which he should perhaps copy and follow. Here stands young Fortinbras with his army willing to fight for a small piece of land, an eggshell simply for the honour when he is risking fortune, death and dagger. Hamlet admires Fortinbras for acting upon his father s death and he agrees that it is good to act when one s honour is at stake. What is truly great, is to fight over an apparently worthless cause, like Fortinbras , when it affects one s honour.
Hamlet knows that his honour has been affected. However he has done nothing, even though he has a murdered father and a mother who has been morally corrupted and he is shamed to see the twenty thousand men going to battle for Fortinbras to die for the honour. Hamlet comes to the conclusion at the end of this last monologue that he must act now. O, from this time forthMy thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth. He is thinking of revenge, he realises that he must act. His thoughts must be bloody from now on so that he can act accordingly. This soliloquy shows us that Hamlet has finally made up his mind that he must act to avenge his father s death. He has come to this conclusion because of all the events that have been happening around him which are setting examples of what he must do. He feels cowardly for not having acted sooner and he admires Fortinbras for his swift action. He wants to finally defend his honour and act on what must be done. by akbaker@hotmail.com