What does Hamlet mean by the following? Please comment to this post with your interpretation.
O, that this too too solid flesh would melt
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely. That it should come to this!
But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:
So excellent a king; that was, to this,
Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother
That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth!
Must I remember? why, she would hang on him,
As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on: and yet, within a month--
Let me not think on't--Frailty, thy name is woman!--
A little month, or ere those shoes were old
With which she follow'd my poor father's body,
Like Niobe, all tears:--why she, even she--
O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle,
My father's brother, but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules: within a month:
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!
It is not nor it cannot come to good:
But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.
My translation (though probably mistaken) is as follows:
ReplyDeleteHamlet is full of melancholia/despair and wishes that his body would turn to dew, and that God wasn't so opposed to suicide (see how extreme his sadness and anger is?). The reason for such feelings are as a result of his mother's rushed marriage to her brother-in-law only two months after the death of her husband (Hamlet's father). No doubt that Hamlet's festering anger will grow to his uncle and mother rather quickly. Furthermore, the uncle is nothing in comparison to Hamlet's father, just as Hamlet is nothing when compared to Hercules. This segment is a bit self-deprecating.
Brenna, I totally agree with you. In addition, Hamlet gets so caught up with his emotions that he becomes shocked about his speech and actions due to the fact that his thoughts of suicide and disrespect to his mother were not socially acceptable during that time period.
DeleteBrenna's also right about Hamlet's view of himself. Throughout the play he is extremely critical of himself and compares himself unfavorably to others, who he sees as stronger, more noble, and more capable of action than he is. In this way, Hamlet serves as a mirror (and cautionary tale?) to all of us who compare our inner thoughts/feelings with others' outward appearance/behavior.
DeleteMy interpretation of the soliloquy was that hamlet was distraught by his father's death and struggles living in a world where everything is "weary, stale, flat and unprofitable." He even mentions suicide. To add insult to injury, his mother has already moved on to his uncle, certainly creating some fiery emotions in Hamlet. It is implied that when Hamlet states that his uncle is nothing like his father he means that his uncle is not a man of character, since he clearly revered his father.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Greek mythological references in here that I feel obliged to describe. Hamlet is comparing "Hyperion to a satyr", Hyperion being the Titan of Light and a satyr being a keeper of the wild-lands and follower of the god Pan. The comparison may be obvious, but he is saying that Hamlet's father, the king, is so much greater than his uncle, whom his mother has chosen to marry after the death of the mighty king.
ReplyDeleteYES! Insightful observation.
DeleteGood catch Connor! I was happy when I saw that someone else caught that, because I was hoping I wasn't the only kid who knew some mythology! This is when I realized how much of a nerd I am!
DeleteHamlet is so upset that he doesn't even want to be alive anymore. He is distraught with not only the fact that his father is dead but the way the his mother handled it. I think he has never been so angry with his mom and his own anger startles him but the last line "But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue" shows that he realizes he can't say anything and has to respect his mom.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is outraged that he is seemingly the only person still mourning his father's death. His mother's marriage to his uncle barely two months after his father's passing upsets him greatly because he believes that the wedding was too sudden and uncalled for which he believes disrespects his deceased father. He is overcome with so much emotion that he continues to rant until he realizes that his harsh words might be disrespecting his mother and cuts himself off.
ReplyDeleteHamlets frustration stems from his fathers death. His mother remarried two months after his fathers death to his uncle which angers Hamlet more because he felt the wedding was too soon and was not respectable to his father. Hamlet is so upset that he thinks about suicide which shocks him. Hamlet is also bothered by his uncle not having the character his father did as king.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hamlet is distraught over his mother marrying his uncle so quickly after his father's death. It seems like he doesn't want to face the fact that his mother probably didnt love his father all that much. Hamlet doesn't think anything good will come out of this rapid marriage and feels forced to hold his tongue and not speak up.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is still mad about his father's death. He gets even more mad when his mother marries again only after two months. There is a problem that Hamlet does not like though. It was to short and it was with his Uncle.
ReplyDeleteIn this soliloquy, Hamlet is frustrated and depressed to the point of wanting to take his life. The reasons behind this are because of his father's recent death and the fact that his mother remarried only 2 months later to his uncle. The reader can see his anger through this passage and that he wants to speak up but he knows he should keep quiet and respect his mother.
ReplyDeleteHamlet finds himself in a melancholy mood in which he cant discern between his anger that his mother married the man he suspect as the murderer of his father not more than a month after King Hamlets death, and the morning he still endures after his fathers passing
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of Hamlet's first soliloquy is that he is in a state of despair and frustration. Hamlet is outraged over the fact that his mother moved on from his father's death so quickly by remarrying his uncle only two months after his death. He is so bothered by this that he even considers committing suicide.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got from this is that Hamlet is still extremely upset about his father's death, which happened less than two months ago, and even more upset that his mother has chosen to remarry already. In the beginning he talks about his desire to kill himself, but he does not want to follow through with the idea because he knows that God looks down upon suicide. He then goes on to talk about his father, who recently died, and how good of a king his father was to his people and how good of a husband he was to his wife, Hamlet's mother. Compared to his father, Hamlet feels that his mother's new husband, Hamlet's uncle, is nothing in comparison but he knows that he can not say anything.
ReplyDeleteHamlet becomes very upset over the death of his father. He then goes on to become more upset over the fact that his mother has no feeling towards the death of his father, and how she is now marrying his uncle, Claudius, two months after his death. He even starts thinking about suicide as an option.
ReplyDeleteI interpreted that Hamlet Jr. was still grieving over his father's death because he doesn't know what actually happened still. In addition to grieving, he accuses his mother of being a whore for marrying King Claudius a month after Hamlet Sr.'s death. Hamlet Jr. thinks that it is even worse that his mother marries his uncle, showing no grievance for his father's death or respect.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of Hamlet's soliloquy is that he is upset with everything that happened. Hamlet's emotions are ripped apart from his fathers death, to his mother marrying his uncle, and all the in between details of his family. He starts considering committing suicide.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough commenting after so many great comments have been posted ahead of mine, and I feel that I'm making yet another restatement; so I'll try to say something different. Fie is a word used to express intense disgust or outrage, which clearly displays the tone of Hamlet in the soliloquy. He shows disgust in his mother for moving on so quickly from his father's death two months ago, and he explains his outrage due to the fact that his uncle is a man who could never compare to his father, much how he could not compare himself to Hercules. I liked the last phrase, "But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue." I feel as though many of us can relate to this phrase in various situations where it is better to yield with a broken heart than to make a scene with lashing words. Shakespeare definitely understood the universal truths that are present in society to this day.
ReplyDeleteIn this soliloquy Hamlet is simply reacting to his circumstances. He is angered, confused and fighting with his inner demons. For starters he has some self-confidence issues. He does not even know where he stands when it comes to his persona. To top it off he is faced with the betrayal of her mother. The fact that his mother married his murder uncle is what has really drove him mad. He cannot stand the fact that his mom can forget about his father so quickly and move on to his uncle. Hamlet is so overwhelmed that he even thinks as suicide as a possible option.
ReplyDeletePrior to Hamlet's soliloquy is Claudius and his mother's pestering, showing how forced and uncomfortable their relationship is at the time. Hamlet's despair is shown when he hints at wishing he could commit suicide, and while the first half of what he is saying is full of sadness, there is an underlying tone of anger and disbelief. How could his mother move on so quickly (and with her own brother)? It's obvious that the tension between him, his uncle and mother arise from the lack of respect for his father. He ends by saying he must hold his tongue and suffer in silence. Clearly this will only let his emotions grow stronger and stronger as he holds it in.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is in complete despair, because he is angry at his mother. His father, a good king and man to whom Hamlet looked up to, had only been dead two months, and yet his mother was already wed to his uncle, Claudius. He feels that his mother did not really love his father, and that she just wanted to be in power, so she will marry who ever the current king happens to be.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got from hamlets soliloquy is that he is very upset over his fathers death. But he is even more upset at the fact that is mother has decided to remarry his uncle. Hamlet is so upset he contemplates suicide but he knows god looks down upon that so he does not follow through.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of the soliloquy is that in the beginning Hamlet is talking about the death of his father and his uncle taking over the throne. Hamlet feels bitter and hatred towards his life because of the unfortunate events. I think Hamlet is especially angry about his mother marrying his uncle after two months of his fathers death. I'm not exactly sure if he wanted to commit suicide.
ReplyDeleteThe soliloquy allows us to meet Hamlet as he expresses his grief over his father's loss and his mother's betrayal. He's also expressing his confusion over the situation and wishing it could essentially solve itself so he would not have to deal with so much pain. Hamlet is revealed as a very emotionally unstable person, yet at the same time he is intelligent and despite the emotional issues he is going through he can examine the situation in a logical way.
ReplyDeleteIn this soliloquy, Hamlet is mourning his father, the king, who he considers a much nobler man than his uncle. His is distraught and frustrated, however, that his mother, who adored and loved his father for many years, has already moved on in less than a month to marry his uncle, his father's brother. His feelings are evident when he proclaims the generalization "Frailty, thy name is woman!," saying that women are naturally weak-willed and so the gender must explain his mother's despicable actions. Hamlet is so miserable by his parent situation that the only thing keeping him from suicide is his fear of God's wrath if he does kill himself.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I was kind of shocked that I understood most of the soliloquy! haha Anyways, what I understood is that Hamlet is so mournful over his fathers death, and even has thoughts of suicide but knows that God is against it, yet he still has no interest to live. He is more hurt by his mother, that just after two months after her husbands death she is already agreed to marriage to her brother-in-law King Claudius, showing no sign of remorse. It is clear that Hamlet is full of despair, and is convinced that his mother never even loved her husband Hamlet in the end.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is angry because he feels that he is the only one the is mourning and missing his father. His own mother has already remarried after only a month and not only does this show no sign of remorse or depression, she married her dead husbands brother which I think shows that she never truly cared about the king. Hamlet is overflowing with hate and remorse and its clear to see that he doesnt really want to live anymore after finding out all of this.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of personal turmoil in this first soliloquy. First we have the utter pain and emotion involved in Hamlet's beloved father's death, then we have the betrayal of Hamlet's mother through her abandonment of her late husband as she marries Hamlet's uncle within a month of the late king's death. Next Hamlet's detestable uncle becomes king, which would have put much pressure on Hamlet to show loyalty to his uncle whom he hates. Because of all this Hamlet is incredibly distraught and begins contemplating suicide (a theme I think that will stick with us through the end of this play). But in the end what I think really starts getting to Hamlet is how he has to maintain a level of silence which is practically killing him as he states in the final line, "But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue."
ReplyDeleteI definitely enjoy Shakespeare's use of Greek mythology. One of the allusions is the comparison of Hyperion to a satyr. Although I don't fully understand the entire reason behind the comparison, I do like how Shakespeare employs many allusions. Although sometimes these allusions sadly make Shakespeare all the more confusing.
My interpretation of the silioquy is that Hamlet is in a very upset and confused place. His father's death and his mother getting remarried seemed to be the main focus of his anger. He must think that his mother had no true feelings for King Hamlet, since she remarried so quickly after his death to his brother. He is having all these emotions and that is basically what this silioquy is about.
ReplyDeleteThis soliloquy is Hamlet speaking of his disdain for his mother remarrying, especially that of his uncle. He speaks of "Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears, Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,She married." referring to the salty tears that were still in her eyes as she married another man. (An exaggeration of how quickly she moved on.) Hamlet goes on to speak about how he doesn't like the man and he is nothing like his father, yet he "must hold his tongue" and not mention it to his mother. (Not completely sure why... Improper manners?)
ReplyDeleteThe whole beginning portion is Hamlet describing different metaphors for how distraught he is about his mother remarrying, and how great of a king his father was.
To me, this soliloquy is practically just Hamlet complaining. He's complaining rightfully, seeing as his father died and the only one that seems to be mourning his death is Hamlet himself. His mother remarried and he hates it. His uncle, who he thinks it's even close to his noble, brave, father is now on the throne. Hamlet definitely has a handful of problems, and eventually in the soliloquy he considers suicide.
ReplyDeleteIn this soliloquy Hamlet is mainly conveying his despair and extreme sadness/anger. He is very distraught over his father’s death as well as his mother’s recent marriage to his uncle Claudius. Hamlet even goes as far to say that he wishes that God had not made suicide a sin so he could commit it in that moment. Hamlet talks about his father’s reign with great admiration and expresses his intense anger that it is now over. He is quick to call his mother’s feelings into question due to the fact that she remarried so quickly. As a whole this soliloquy can be described as mournful and dark.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of this is pretty much like everyone else's meaning that Hamlet was upset over his father's death because his father was an excellent leader that did no wrong and did not deserve to die. Then when he, Hamlet, gets more heated about his mother marrying his uncle a mere month after his father's death shows his displeasure and anger he has to the world to the point where he contemplates even living any longer so he decides to not say a word out loud to cause more of a riff in his family. This soliloquy also shows the admiration and love that he had for his father and that he does not believe that his uncle is not capable of holding the kingdom that his father did.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is in a state of complete confusion and despair. Although he is upset about his father's death, Hamlet is devastated due to the fact that his mother had married his uncle just two months after the death of his father. Hamlet is mainly outraged at his mother's decisions and he strongly believes that she never truly cared about her husband. These occurrences cause Hamlet to feel such a great deal of hate to the point where he is even considering to take his own life.
ReplyDeleteThe actions of Hamlet's uncle and mother make Hamlet feel conflicted about how he feels towards them and himself. He questions why his mother married his uncle so quickly, and carried on with such and "incestuous" relationship so quickly after his father died. He realizes that he cannot say anything about this or how he feels to his mother or uncle out of respect and for his own safety. The emotional turmoil between having strong feelings and not being able to express them makes Hamlet feel as if he is coming apart at the seams, shown in how he wishes his "flesh would melt"
ReplyDeleteI feel a good portion of this soliloquy is that Hamlet feels betrayed by his uncle and his mother because, after his father's death, his mother marries his uncle. I think he feels that his mother never truly loved his father. Also, the fact that his uncle took over the throne and took Hamlet's mother as his bride really got to him. He is going through confusion and frustration.
ReplyDeleteHamlet's soliloquy presents the various feelings and emotions that Hamlet is having. The reader can feel Hamlet's despair, anger, sadness, and heartbreak. It is evident that Hamlet is having a lot of inner conflict. He feels betrayed that his mother moved on that quickly, and especially with a man like Claudius. These inner conflicts that Hamlet is struggling with even cause him to question the importance of his own life and whether he wants to live or not. The soliloquy shows Hamlet's grievances and also shows how he is dealing with those problems. It's like he is at his breaking point and coming to terms with all of the emotions that he is dealing with.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is frustrating beyond measure over the fact that he is still mourning his father's death, and not two months after, his mother had married Cornelius, his uncle. I see Hamlet's soliloquy as a mournful rant or a rant with grief embedded into it. Perhaps Hamlet is more frustrated and angry because he is still mourning, but his mother had married so quickly after his death.
ReplyDeleteHamlet's first big soliloquy really presents himself to us as a character, and helps us understand his inner conflicts as the play begins to unravel. He is confused, and the whole situation he is dealing with is too morbid for him to understand clearly. His uncle is now marrying his mother and his father is dead. How twisted can you get? This might have been a normal event in Shakespeare times, but today, if someone's mother was to marry her dead husband's brother, you would think something fishy was going on, right? Hamlet is upset and we can all see why, and this first soliloquy is just an expression of his sadness and despair. I feel bad for the dude. I didn't think this play was going to be so depressing!
ReplyDeleteClearly, Hamlet is disillusioned with life. The reason for his despair is the death of his father, the king, two months prior. He wishes to commit suicide and end it all, but he can't because it is a sin in the eyes of God. He feels betrayed at the fact that his mom only mourned for a month then married his uncle. The fact that Prince Hamlet saw King Hamlet as "so loving to my mother" adds to the betrayal and disillusionment he feels. So evidently, Hamlet will have to deal a lot with avenging the dead. The reason this play (and much of Shakespeare's plays) are difficult to interpret is because of the more antique vocabulary coupled with the metaphors and allusions that much of our contemporary audience might not understand without some prior knowledge. The reason people disagree on the contents and meaning of such a quintessential play in the English language is that we are a diverse group of human, not some Orwellian society where we all think exactly the same. Our different past experiences and upbringings obviously influences one on what one believes it is saying or what it means.
ReplyDeleteSo I read most of the comments after I read the soliloquy and thought, 'What can I bring to this conversation that will help students?' The answer to that is really nothing at all, it basically is already stated. But I will give my ideas anyways. This speech is extremely suicidal. Its filled with hateful thoughts towards Hamlet's family and ultimately I feel he is angry at his father for dying. Unfortunately he cannot kill himself because of the sin he would be committing.
ReplyDeleteRelying a bit in the knowledge I acquired in the expository class, I think that Hamlet is thinking about the way he feels now that his father has been dead for two months and his mom is married to his uncle.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is still mourning the loss of his father who he believed wholeheartedly was a great ruler. He expresses thoughts of suicide and despair while being extremely self-deprecating in the way he regards himself. Hamlet is outraged at his mother's quick rebound into another marriage with his uncle. In my opinion, he seems lonely. He feels as if everyone is moving on and he is stuck in his grief and it's a suffocating feeling.
ReplyDeleteAs many have commented previously, Hamlet is distraught over the fact that his mother has remarried shortly after his father has died. Nonetheless, she does anyways, and even remarries his uncle. Shakespeare writes, "Like Niobe, all tears:--why she, even she--" Here you can see that Hamlet is so emotionally worked up that he can't even speak clearly and make complete sentences. Here you can see another reference to Greek mythology. He compares Hamlet to Niobe, the Queen of Thebes. All children of Niobe are murdered by either Apollo, her brother, or Artemis, a subject. It is said that she grieved so much that she turned into stone. Shakespeare uses this comparison to paint the picture of how much distraught and grief Hamlet is feeling.
ReplyDeleteI could feel Hamlet's raw emotion in this speech. The descriptive language he used to describe both he and his mother's pain really added to the story. He is expressing his anger and sadness over the loss of his father. I think that when some one dies people have a way of only remembering the good in them. I think that was evident in this speech.
ReplyDeleteHamlets soliloquy came off as a cry for help in my point of view. He's been spending his time trying to balance and juggle his emotions of anger and sadness with no proper way or releasing them. Hamlet is still mourning for his father's murder and has yet to understand why nobody else is mourning along with him. Not even his mother seemed to be heavily affected by the murder of her husband.She moved on to the next "soon to be king" and continued on with her life. Hamlet seems to be facing a lot of personal family issues and doesn't quite exactly no how to solve them. In the end his only option out is suicide in which he cannot commit without going against God. Yet even in spite of his struggles, Hamlet manages to express his feelings through words instead of harsh and vengeful actions.
ReplyDeleteI interpreted this as a vent for Hamlet. He starts off by wanting to die with the melting of his skin, but acknowledges that slaughter against yourself is a sin through the eyes of God and the religion. He describes his disgust with his mother's choice, and uses a juxtaposition to compare and contrast his father to the uncle. The god vs. the goat looking man, makes the uncle appear to be toothpick vs. Hercules. He comments how she married so soon, that her shoes from the marriage to his Father were not jaded. Hamlet questions if his mother truly loved his father, but despite the anger he says he must hold his tongue.
ReplyDeleteThis is a way for hamlet to relay his emotions to the audience in a soliloquy that explained why He was so distraught. He was dissapointed with his mother for her choice to remarry and have a terrible suitor. Emotional vent number 1 to show why he got the title the melancholy Dane.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of Hamlet's soliloquy is that Hamlet is frustrated about the fact that two months after his father's death, his mother married his uncle.Hamlet is most angry about the fact that while he is still mourning his father, his mother was able to quickly recover and find someone else to marry. Hamlet compares his father to his uncle by saying that his father is like Hercules while his uncle is like him. This shows how highly Hamlet thinks of his father compared to his uncle.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of Hamlet's soliloquy is that Hamlet is full of despair, anger, and disgust. He's full of such critical judgement of himself because of the events that occurred in his family such as his father's death and his mother's choice to marry his uncle. The fact that his mother had moved on so quickly, upset Hamlet to think of some very drastic measures such as suicide. So by letting the audience know how he is feeling, he is also telling us what type of characters his mother and father are.
ReplyDeleteAll of my thoughts and interpretations of Hamlet's first big soliloquy have all been stated before me. Though I will still state mine as well. This soliloquy was very dramatic and it should be. Hamlet is completely distraught and overwhelmed by his emotions. He is grieving over his father's death, his mother moved on quickly, and he does not know how deal with this. Hamlet believes that he should commit suicide. Hamlet feels as if he is drowning, and when he looks around him everyone else is still breathing. Hamlet is displaying signs of depression.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hamlet is still grieving for his father as his mother moves on in life with his own uncle. He can't believe that she would do that but he won't say a word. His heart is breaking and his mother doesn't see any of it when she marries her husbands brother. Hamlet is disgusted, how could his mother do this to him? How could she do this to his father?...
ReplyDeleteI interpreted the soliloquy as Shakespeare's first revealing of the true Hamlet. Hamlet is under a lot of pressure from his uncle, mother, and the kingdom to get over the death of his father. It is Hamlet's way of coping with the abomination of a family that he has and trying to keep it all in. His mother married his uncle just a month after Hamlet's father passes and now he is even contemplation suicide.
ReplyDeleteHamlet wishes he was dead, or that suicide wasn't forbidden by the Bible. He emphasises the difference between his father and King Claudius, saying that comparing them is like comparing a god to a goat. His father loved his mother so much that he wouldn't even let the wind blow too hard on her face. She seemed to adore him, too. But, within a month, even though she should have still been mourning (before, she had been crying like Niobe, a goddess who was so distraught at her sons' deaths that she was turned to stone and her tears became waterfalls), she married Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet is disturbed, sad, confused, and angry, but he knows he can't talk to anyone about it because he's a prince and it would be improper.
ReplyDelete