Escape Pain

Hamlet, at the beginning of the act, finds himself reflecting upon his actions. He realizes that these will cause him great pain and also sees two paths he can follow. One is to “to be” (3.1.64) where he will “suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (3.1.66). The other choice is “not to be” (3.1.64). In this case, he will “take arms against a sea of troubles” (3.1.67) “and by a sleep (…) end the heartache” (3.1.69-70). Put simply, in this scene he decides whether to end his troubles with suicide or face them, withstanding the pain that they carry. Hamlet sees death would prove an easy exit where all his troubles would end. There is just one problem that comes from human nature, which interferes with this apparently easy decision. He fears death and the possibly dreadful mysteries that come with it. Here, we see this fear he cannot overcome: “Who would fadels bear, to grund and sweat under a weary life, but that dread of something after death, (…) makes cowards of us all”(3.1.64-91). He explains why people would continue to suffer despite the pain that comes with living. The fear of the unknown that comes after death moves him to continue with his plan. Although Hamlet does not wish to kill, he finds that to be the only acceptable choice. The ideas expressed in this soliloquy are not complicated to do a close reading on. Still, their meaning with in the play and what they allow us to infer is what truly gives them value. These lines reveal a conflict inside Hamlet that puts him in a very human position. He knows that in order to live with himself, he will have to kill his uncle. Even, if this goes against his ideals. Also, courage or a sense of honor are never mentioned as a partial driving force. Instead, he constantly highlights that he cannot commit suicide because of fear of death, knowing it could mean having to kill his uncle. This questions my vision of Hamlet in the play so far. At first, he seemed like a character that would take revenge for his father and save the kingdom from the uncle: a rather heroic character. But now, he is a confused person that sees nothing but revenge or death and is willing to kill at the whim of a ghost. Is Hamlet then weak or strong?