9.) Hamlets four soliloquies (I.ii) (II.ii) (III.i) (IV.iv) are remarkable for their style as well as their substance. Choose one of these monologues and discuss how its diction, figurative language, imagery contribute to Hamlet's meaning and purpose.
In this tragedy by William Shakespeare, though Hamlet has many significant soliloquies, his first one in Act 1 Scene II holds the most importance in establishing his meaning and purpose. The protagonist's diction is very aggressive and sad all at the same time which represents the constant inner conflict Hamlet feels throughout the story. His anger toward Claudius' kingship and his mother's new relationship with her brother-in-law is able to create a permanent foundation for how the reader continues to perceive Hamlet's behavior and personality. The most paramount effect of this first soliloquy is the blunt and straight-forward language Hamlet uses. His repetition of the phrase "two months dead!" displays an inner dissatisfaction of his father's sudden death, which we see the protagonist struggle with throughout the play. Furthermore, we can see the amount of hatred he harbors for his uncle, the new king, as he derogatorily attacks his character: "My father’s brother; but no more like my father." Moreover, his disgust for the relationship between Claudius, his uncle and Gertrude, his mother comes into play. He attacks the "incestuous" relation they have with unharnessed anger, very clearly. The audience can see the pain and anguish that is being only halfway expressed by Hamlet in his first soliloquy as it comes to a rushing halt; "But break my heart,—for I must hold my tongue." From there on, the reader and audience can conclude that a brutal emotional conflict within the protagonist will ensue and become the backbone of the entire tragedy.
7.) Consider many conflicts in the play- for example, those between reason and passion, order and chaos, concealing and revealing, write an essay explaining how that conflict reveals a dominant theme of the play
A very dominant theme of the play lies in the mind of the protagonist, Hamlet. While this seemingly may be a very simple and obvious conflict to assess, there is a depth of complexities associated with the inner working of this character. The conflict Hamlet deals with is within himself as he begins to blur the line between reason and passion. While his plan of revenge on Claudius is very passionate and comes from love for this own father, we can see that the reasoning behind it tends to be rather unclear. On several occasions the reader experiences Hamlet questioning his own intentions to avenge the death of his father; as the play carries on, reason and passion seem to intersect for the protagonist. This inner conflict for Hamlet makes the chassis of the entire tragedy. His madness and calmness counteract to create a dual perspective on the plan he has to kill Claudius, his uncle and the king. In Hamlet's consistent confusion between reason and passion, the audience and reader grasp the true idea of the emotional clash that takes place inside the very disturbed protagonist's mind.
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