Suicide and the images of death in Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Suicide and the images of death in Hamlet - Essay Example This suspicion is confirmed when he makes his famous speech wishing that his flesh would â€Å"melt,/ Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew.† (Act I, Scene 2, lines 129-130). He says that the reason he does not kill himself is because God has made laws against â€Å"self-slaughter† (Act 1, Scene 2, line 131) but in fact the real reason is probably that he is over-dramatizing his mother’s relationship with his uncle, and he does not have the courage to do this to himself. The character of Hamlet appears to be very prone to dwelling on sad events, and he also feels weighed down by the pressures of belonging to this royal family. The two young men Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are presented as a sharp contrast to the miserable Hamlet, and while they make jokes about Fortune being a woman, Hamlet just maintains â€Å"Then is doomsday near...Denmark’s a prison...† (Act II, Scene 2, lines 236 and 241) He seems to have given up on life because he says â€Å" I have of late-but wherefore I know not – lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises.† (Act II, Scene 2, lines 293-295) He contemplates suicide in another famous speech where he asks himself whether it is better â€Å"To be, or not to be...† (Act III, Scene 1, line 56). The image that he has of suicide and death is that of sleeping, and while this tempts him, because he is so tired of all the troubles that weigh him down, he is also afraid: â€Å"To die, to sleep-/To sleep, perchance to dream.