Hamlet Analysis Kenny Le
Act 2 Scene 2 Lines 605-616
To make oppression bitter, or ere this
I should have fatted all the region kites
With this slave’s offal. Bloody, bawdy villain!
Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!
O vengeance!
Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,
That I, the son of a dear father murdered,
Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,
Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words
And fall a-cursing like a very drab,
A scullion! Fie upon ’t, foh!
In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, soliloquies are an important factor in determining the thoughts of the characters. Scenes and events happen, but the character’s soliloquies are what bring out the true, deeper meaning of an event. Characters are often judged by their actions in scenes, but there is deeper meaning on their minds. An example of this is when Hamlet is going crazy and screaming to himself on what is the right thing to do. Hamlet had just got done speaking to the actors about a performance and his plan, but his mind is not in the right place for the plan of trying to get revenge on his uncle. Hamlet is going insane, and he questions himself.
“Bloody, bawdy villain! / Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!” (Line 606-607). The description Hamlet says about his uncle is out of frustration, and might include a personal description of what Hamlet’s relationship with his uncle was like. Hamlet doesn’t know for sure that his uncle killed his father. The only reason why he assumed his uncle was guilty was because of the ghost of his father. Hamlet starts his accusing once the ghost came to him. Hamlet was quick to assume what the ghost said was true, because Hamlet and his uncle probably did not have a good relationship before the king died. “O vengeance!” (Line 608). The ghost of the king placed revenge into Hamlet’s mindset. The mindset of revenge is driving Hamlet crazy. Hamlet fears if revenge is the right or wrong thing to do, because of the uncertainty of the consequences.
“Why, what an ass am I! This is the most brave, / That I, the son of a dear father murdered, / Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell” (Line 609-612) Hamlet is prompted to revenge by his father’s ghost from heaven or hell. Hamlet wants to avenge his father, but he is afraid. Being brave doesn't mean that Hamlet is not afraid. Being brave is when a person is doing something right, but is afraid. The only reason Hamlet wants revenge is because of the ghost, but Hamlet is not sure if the ghost was from heaven or hell. When Hamlet says heaven, it’s his father’s ghost telling him that his uncle killed his father. The “hell” revenge is Hamlet’s mindset of the hatred of his uncle. Hell is the hate that Hamlet has towards his uncle for marrying his mother. His revenge prompted by hell is just Hamlet wanting to murder his uncle, because he took his mother and the kingdom without finding out if his uncle is guilty.
“Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words / And fall a-cursing like a very drab, / A scullion! Fie upon’t, foh!” (Line 613-616). Hamlet feels like he is dehumanized and disrespected the way that a whore would be treated. Hamlet unpacks his heart with words rather than actions. He is lifeless in his heart with only bad words that spark his life. Hamlet feels useless.
Hamlet’s soliloquies reveal the emotions and insights of what is going on in his life. He speaks his mind, but the words Hamlet speaks are what reveals the true thoughts and meaning of Hamlet.
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