Examine Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56-89). Traditional views of the play would have you believe he thinks he's alone and is being introspective; others, that he knows he's being watched, and is thus directing his soliloquy at Claudius. There's evidence to be found for either side but, ultimately, it's up to the reader to decide. If Hamlet thinks he's alone on stage then soliloquy means one thing; if he knows he’s being watched, it means something else entirely, because now he's performing for an audience.

So, based on what you know so far in the play, and feel that you can solidly support from the text of the soliloquy itself and from lines taken from the greater context of the play:

a) Prove that Hamlet either thinks he's alone, or knows he's being watched.

b) Discuss how the meaning and mood of the soliloquy fits/supports your answer to a) above.

c) In addition, you must make a detailed comment on at least one classmate’s posting, agreeing, disagreeing, or taking the discussion in a different direction. Making references to life, movies, other things you’ve read, etc. are fair game, as long as they’re relevant. NB: Build your comment right into the bottom of your blog posting, rather than using the comment feature in Blogger. (It makes it easier for marking...)

Your blog posting needs to be at least 500 words in length (that’s the equivalent of two pages, typed/double spaced).

Take no prisoners.

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Trick or Feat?

Suryna Said
Hamlet is an interesting character as he is inconsistent throughout the play changing his perspective and his outlook on life and the characters within it. It is without a doubt that he is very intelligent with an open mind that is constantly questioning. In the play, he decides to play with the human mind to have an advantage, but is that the only side we see of him? The devious trickster who is always aware and always putting on a show? With this in mind, I think that Hamlet is unaware that he is being watched as he verbally expresses his thoughts to himself. I feel at some point we need to see Hamlet as he is, and the real thoughts that he harbors in his mind.


Hamlet’s soliloquy shows that he is quite bold, and even so, he is making himself vulnerable. I don’t feel as though he is putting on another persona with his antic disposition at the moment of his soliloquy, as he is full of angst and despair. I think that Hamlet presumes he is only being watched if someone is talking to him as he trusts no one but himself and Horatio. Seeing as every encounter he has had, was with someone sent to him to “subtly” question him or with someone he was trying to manipulate to scare the King. So, he is wary around others, but when he is seemingly alone, he takes advantage of the opportunity to speak to himself. I think he only becomes aware as he speaks to Ophelia because he knows that everyone is trying to spy on him. He knows that Polonius is using her to get information about him, so he goes from a deep, thoughtful speech to hurling insults. This leads me to believe that he is in fact acting when around others, but speaks his mind when the only presence in the room is himself.


That being said, when he has that one moment alone, I believe he is speaking from his heart and is again questioning his motives as he did after he considered the ghost to be a dark force rivaling against him. He is having a moment with himself to think, and in result, procrastinating instead of acting. I think this is another instance where he is taking a step back and examining his actions, his situation, and life as a whole. In his second soliloquy where he is procrastinating, he questions himself similarly: (II.ii.543-601) He says: What’s Hecuba to him, or he to her,/ That he the motive and the cue for passion/ That I have? He would drown the stage with tears,/ And cleave the general ear with horrid speech,/ Make mad the guilty and appal the free,....” (II.ii. 553-558) He is very open and intriguing when he is found alone. His speech seems more constructed and consistent when he is acting as he knows what to portray when he is playing with each character’s mind. While when he is aware he is alone, he is openly talking about his plan and his thoughts towards them. While his words can be interpreted differently, as either an attack on Claudius or an attack on himself, I think he is questioning himself and his life. He is taking into account what is happening to him, and he expresses personal thoughts. I saw the desperation he had which I noted was in his earlier soliloquy. This speech is very personal as Hamlet feels he is uncertain once again.


It’s interesting to try to differentiate between his antic disposition and real thoughts. I noticed that when Ophelia enters the scene, Hamlet seems nervous and genuinely concerned about her and her presence. “Soft you now,/ The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons/ Be all my sins remember’d.” (III.i.88-90) At this instance, he stops as he realizes he is interrupted and no longer alone. He silences himself when she enters. Now he must compose himself, but if he knew he was being watched, couldn't he just continue with his speech even as Ophelia entered because he’s trying to seem crazy to everyone anyways. If he were to continue rambling, no one would understand and would continue to think he’s crazy, but instead he stops himself. Also, as Jessie pointed out, as he notices her, he asks for her forgiveness under his breath showing his transition from Hamlet the person to Hamlet the actor as he continues on to act in front of her. He rapidly changed from being consumed with uncertainty and raw emotion to simply being cruel and playing with words and emotions. As many are arguing that he is aware he is being watched when conversing with Ophelia, I can agree with that fact, but during his soliloquy, I don't think he is aware.


The speech would merely be an act if he was aware that he was being listened to. It would lose most of its meaning and power if it was just words being said to seem crazy and put on a show, even if he had meaning behind it. As I see it, Hamlet had a lot on his mind that he needed to let out. He has been constantly acting around everyone and he needed that moment to really think about everything and be honest to himself. He is lying to everyone, and soon he will lie to himself if he can’t keep in touch with his emotions. His mind is very powerful, full of uncertainties, ideas, and like any other human, conscience and emotion. Therefore I feel Hamlet was speaking his mind, unaware he was being watched because he was seemingly alone, he spoke his mind similarly to his past soliloquy and his emotion changed as Ophelia entered. This shows his courageous side to look into his emotions. There is a personality under his acting mask which I believe he revealed in his soliloquy.


RE to Jessie and Rachel
I agree with Jessie and I find it interesting that she made the observation in the way that Hamlet speaks. Connecting his speech patterns of using Iambic pentameter when he is speaking alone and speaking in prose when acting. I found this to be constant. I completely agree with the last paragraph explaining that the speech would lose its meaning because as I said, Hamlet expresses himself on the rare occasion when he isn't acting and I think it’s important to keep the connection to his real self amidst his sneaky tactics. When I was thinking of ideas, the suicidal aspect didn't occur to me. I agree with the fact that it doesn't seem he is hinting at anyone else, he is only talking about himself.

It’s also interesting to see Rachel’s opposing side. My mind really opened up to the possibilities within the soliloquy. Outlined were points I didn't realize and that gave me another outlook on what could be interpreted. Pointed out was that Hamlet being aware would make him a cunning trickster.This is true, however, that fact is constantly reiterated during the play. We see how he is a trickster through the love notes to Ophelia, the blatant insults to Polonius, the manipulation with R and G, the play he puts on later in the act, etc. I think it’s refreshing to see Hamlet in a state where he can reflect and have another look into what he’s feeling, as opposed to only seeing the devious side to him. This may be a lame example, but he's similar to a lot of troubled fairy tale characters. For example, Shrek. He's misunderstood and he puts on an angry and deadly persona to push everyone away, kind of like how no one was grieving with Hamlet and being upset about his father's death, so he acts crazy in his plan to get revenge. Shrek isn't always acting tough because soon enough you see a sensitive side to him, much like Hamlet during his soliloquy and his concern for Ophelia, which I think is real. No matter what show someone puts on, they have to let their real self show. He is in fact very smart, but that doesn't guarantee he's aware and observant all the time. For the most part he does know when he's being watched. But to always know? Is anyone capable of that?
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