Hamlet: Shakespeare's play

 Soliloquies in Shakespeare's play Hamlet

7 Soliloquies in Hamlet

1. Act 1, Scene 2

 - "O, that this too too solid flesh would melt": 

Hamlet expresses his anguish and disgust at the world and his mother's hasty remarriage after his father's death. He contemplates suicide and wishes for release from his pain.

2. Act 1, Scene 5

 - "O all you host of heaven! O earth, what else?": 

Hamlet reacts to the ghost's revelation of his father's murder. He vows to remember the ghost's words and expresses his frustration at being sworn to secrecy.

3. Act 2, Scene 2

 - "O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I":

 Hamlet berates himself for his inaction and inability to take revenge. He compares himself unfavorably to the player who can evoke emotion for a fictional character.

4. Act 3, Scene 1

 - "To be, or not to be: that is the question": 

Hamlet ponders the nature of existence, contemplating the pains of life and the uncertainty of death. He considers the option of suicide but reflects on the fear of the unknown that holds people back.

5. Act 3, Scene 3

 - "Now might I do it pat, now he is praying": 

Hamlet encounters Claudius while he prays and considers killing him to avenge his father's murder. He hesitates, fearing that Claudius's soul might go to heaven if he dies while praying.

6. Act 4, Scene 4

 - "How all occasions do inform against me":

 Hamlet reflects on Fortinbras' determination to go to war over a small piece of land, contrasting it with his own lack of action. He criticizes himself for his indecision and resolves to take more decisive action.

7. Act 5, Scene 1

 - "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio":

 Holding Yorick's skull, Hamlet reflects on the inevitability of death and the transient nature of life. He contemplates mortality and the futility of human endeavors.