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
The play, Hamlet opens with the ghost of the late King Hamlet appearing to the guards. before the play began, the King was found dead in the palace gardens. The appearance of the late King's ghost suggest the murder of the King. When the ghost appears to Hamlet, Hamlet learns that his father was murdered by his brother, Claudius. Within the First Act, readers are able to conclude that the murderer by Claudius
When your back is against a wall and it seems that all hope is lost, do not give up. Because if you choose suicide, you will never live to see it get worse, however, you also pass up the chance to see life get better. Suicide is an important, recurring theme in William Shakespeare's, Hamlet, and it is a topic that Hamlet contemplates quite often throughout the play. Hamlet often goes back and forth between to be or not to be, but continues to believe that people although capable of suicide, choose to live. Hamlet is adamant that the unknown, the inconclusiveness of nobility, along with the sin attached to suicide is what ultimately keeps people from taking their own lives.
William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet relays Hamlet’s quest to avenge the murder of his father, the king of Denmark. The late King Hamlet was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who took the throne and Hamlet’s mother Gertrude for himself. Hamlet is beseeched by the ghost of his father to take vengeance upon Claudius; while he swears to do so, the prince inexplicably delays killing Claudius for months on end. Hamlet’s feeble attempt to first confirm his uncle’s guilt with a play that recounts the murder and his botched excuses for not killing Claudius when the opportunity arises serve as testimony to Hamlet’s true self. Hamlet is riddled with doubt towards the validity of the ghost and his own ability to carry out the act necessary to
“To be, or not to be: that is the question” (Shakespeare 3.1.56). Audiences know Shakespeare’s Hamlet as a play that contains frequent meditations on suicide, yet despite suicide’s obvious religious connections, audiences do not often consider how religion as a whole functions within the play. This lack of awareness partially results from the subtlety of many of Hamlet’s religious elements. Through his religious references and the resulting emphasis on the gravity of the sins of murder and suicide, Shakespeare clarifies the contradictory attitude given to these sins and illuminates that the characters practice religion inconsistently and hypocritically because their concern is ultimately for their reputation in a Christian world rather than truly for their religion.
In the play, Hamlet, Shakespeare leaves you wondering about death. Through the characters in the play, he reveals his own thoughts about death. Does Shakespeare portray a deep understanding of death in this play? The never-ending cycle of death and revenge is evident throughout the entire play.
Regardless of a person's age or literary preference it is undeniable that William Shakespeare had a flair for composing dramatic tragedies. Tragedy, when evident is a powerful underlining theme which portrays the qualities of the human capacity. In one of Shakespeare's most brilliant plays, Hamlet, tragedy is portrayed through the protagonist's constant contemplation of suicide. Shakespeare often alludes to powerful images of death by using pathos and bereavement in life to be inconsequential. In the play, Hamlet, William Shakespeare produces a tragedy which illustrates the suggestion of suicide and the imagery of death as solutions to problems through Ophelia's demise, the minor
In the play Hamlet, the character Hamlet’s father was murdered and a month later his mother married his fathers brother. By doing this his mother made hamlet very upset and his anger grew. The character Hamlet was portrayed as a very dark and emotional young man who wanted to avenge his fathers death. Hamlet was so upset about his father getting murdered he wanted to commit suicide.
focussing on his purpose. As a matter a fact, a whole act is used to
In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, suicide is an important and continuous theme throughout the play. Hamlet is the main character who contemplates the thought of suicide many different times throughout the play, since the murder of his father. Hamlet weighs the advantages of leaving his miserable life with the living, for possibly a better but unknown life with the dead. Hamlet seriously contemplates suicide, but decides against it, mainly because it is a mortal sin against God. Hamlet continues to say that most of humanity would commit suicide and escape the hardships of life, but do not because they are unsure of what awaits them in the after life. Hamlet throughout the play is continually tormented by his fathers death and his
Based on the play of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, suicide is the most prevalent and important themes in Hamlet. Hamlet always asks himself for the reason to stay alive. Even though he always thinks that there is no reason for him to stay alive, however he always chooses to stay. The first reason Hamlet seems to contemplate suicide is because his life is contaminated by sins and revenge. The other reason he is thinking about suicide is because he is young and immature. Young adults usually look for escapes when they become angry with things. There are many instances where Hamlet contemplating suicide and he treats the idea of suicide morally, religiously, and aesthetically, with particular attention to Hamlet’s two important statements about suicide: the “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt” soliloquy (I.ii.129–158) and the “To be, or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56–88).
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, suicide is treated differently on the aspects of religion, morals, and philosophical views. Suicide is the act of deliberately killing yourself in contrary to your own best interests. In today’s society suicide is highly looked down upon. But Shakespeare used suicide and violence in almost all of his most popular plays. Many of his tragedies used the element of suicide, some accomplished, others merely contemplated. Shakespeare used suicide as a dramatic device. A character’s suicide could promote a wide range of emotions: horror, condemnation to pity, and even respect. Some of his suicides could even take titles like the noble soldier, the violated woman, and star-crossed lovers. In Othello, Othello see suicide as
Thesis: Although most people believe that Hamlet is suicidal at his point in the play, it is not until this soliloquy where the audience actually learns of Hamlet’s ability to judge based on his emotion and logic. Hamlet’s ability to endure suffering allows him to realize how valuable and precious his life truly is.
Each year 35,000 people commit suicide. According to the Huffington Post and World Health Organization, by the year 2030, depression, but specifically suicide, will have outpaced cancer, stroke, war, and accidents. That number only describes the ones who actually accomplish suicide. In the United States alone surveys suggest an estimated one million people attempt to kill themselves, with females attempting three times more than men. Now these are some intensely high numbers, so instead of looking at the bigger picture – Let’s narrow it down. Down to one person in particular. Hamlet. Hamlet is a play written by William Shakespeare and something almost every person who has gone through a high school career has read, and maybe even watched in
In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the protagonist, Hamlet is obsessed with the idea of death, and during the course of the play he contemplates death from numerous perspectives. He ponders the physical aspects of death, as seen with Yoricks's skull, his father's ghost, as well as the dead bodies in the cemetery. Hamlet also contemplates the spiritual aspects of the afterlife with his various soliloquies. Emotionally Hamlet is attached to death with the passing of his father and his lover Ophelia. Death surrounds Hamlet, and forces him to consider death from various points of view.
The death of King Hamlet effected many individuals lives to the point where great changes were made. Especially in regards to his son, Hamlet, who took the death – murder- of his father personally in both mental and emotional ways. By doing so, Hamlet portrays and experiences the death and loss of his father by acting out in manners in which magnify his isolation and alienated actions. These would include excluding and distancing himself, turning on those closest, and taking on measures one would never do so when thinking rationally or clearly.