preview

Suicide In Hamlet Research Paper

Decent Essays

Many controversial topics are touched on in Shakespeare's "Hamlet". These topics include revenge, marriage, and teenage relationships. One of the strongest themes that occurs in the story is suicide, and the consequences thereof, brought by grief over the loss of a loved one, specifically a parent. In the instance that a suicide occurs, usually it is as a result of long-term untreated depression. Suicide wasn't just a fad, it's a tragedy that's stood the test of time, and is a current issue. Judith Peacock states in her book titled "Teenage Suicide", that untreated depression is the number one cause of teenage suicide, and that suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people ages twelve through eighteen, as of 2013. This fact is reflected in the play "Hamlet" multiple times, across several characters, two of which are teenagers. …show more content…

The historical context surrounding this event was in 14th and 15th century Denmark, where religion, specifically Christianity, was at the center of many people's lives. Hamlet says, "His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O god, God!", because the church considered suicide as being the ultimate sin which could not be forgiven. The play implies that the death of Hamlet's father, King Hamlet, triggered young Hamlet's melancholy disposition and general discontent with life. Young Hamlet uncovered the nature of King Hamlet's death, by means of a ghost, who insists that the new king, King Claudius, who was also King Hamlet's brother and young Hamlet's uncle, was the murderer. Naming Claudius as King Hamlet's murderer may have been Hamlet's way of coping with the reality of the situation that his father had

Get Access