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Soliloquie's Emotions In Hamlet

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Our emotions define us as human beings, they determine our mental state and sometimes physiological state. Hamlet’s innermost feelings are revealed through multiple soliloquies throughout the play. In Act II, scene ii Hamlet is in awe after an actor’s moving performance of the murder of Hecuba’s husband. First Player’s short speech impacted Hamlet’s feelings enough for him to conduct a plan to avenge the murder of his father. There is a sense of lack of motivation and a depressed mindset in the beginning of the soliloquy, but eventually his increased appetite for vengeance helps him calculate a plan for catching his uncle with a face of guilt. Within soliloquy two Hamlet expresses several distinctly different moods. His bewilderment …show more content…

He would drown the stage with tears and cleave the general ear with horrid speech,
Make mad the guilty and appal the free,
Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed
The very faculties of eyes and ears (II.ii.531-537).
Hamlet is not only moved by the speech, but he is envious of First Player’s ability to evoke emotion in other people. Hamlet believes if First Player were in his position, he would give such a genuine, touching performance that it would drive the guilty spectators crazy and make the audience feel what Hamlet is going through. After Hamlet is worked up from the speech, he realizes how poorly he has handled the murder of his father. Sarcastically, Hamlet observes:
Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,
That I, the son of a dear father murder’d,
Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,
Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words,
And fall a-cursing (II.ii.556-560).
Hamlet is upset with himself because he is told his father has been murdered and all he does is talk about it, he does not take action. From Hamlet’s disappointment with himself, he proceeds into calculating a plan and making a final decision on how to get evidence against his uncle so that he can finally get …show more content…

The use of figurative language engages the readers and makes the scene or argument more relevant and impactful. When Hamlet said, “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I” (II.ii.520) it emphasizes his feelings of dissatisfaction because Hamlet is not really a slave, but he is acting like a servant who lacks courage. Uses of imagery in the play, like when Hamlet utters, “What would he do, / Had he the motive and the cue for passion / That I have? He would drown the stage with tears” (II.ii.531-533) creates a picture in the audience’s head of how moving that performance would be because the stage is figuratively filled with tears. The audience realizes how upset Hamlet is with himself when he says, “Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words” (II.ii.559). This simile is powerful because a whore is a woman who fakes love and says words, but does not feel them. Hamlet is comparing himself to this because he is just speaking and not actually acting with real emotion. He speaks of being a loyal son, but does not act on

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