Analysis of Anguished Tone and Repetition in Hamlet's Act I, Scene V
Act I, Scene V of Hamlet is a pivotal moment in the play, marked by Hamlet's profound contemplation of life and death. Shakespeare masterfully employs various literary devices, including repetition and vivid imagery, to convey the anguished tone of Hamlet's internal conflict. This analysis delves into specific instances of these techniques within the soliloquy.
Repetition and Parallel Structure
Hamlet starts the soliloquy with a question of “To be, or not to be.” The question uses parallel structure and repetition with the phrase “to be,” which emphasizes the impact of the answer to this question on Hamlet’s future. He also repeats the word “sleep” within the same sentence, which seems to be an attempt to show the benefits of sleep, as it would put an “end” to his “heartache.”
War Imagery and Hyperbole
Hamlet then employs war imagery in order to highlight the consequences of choosing each path. In order to illuminate the suffering he undergoes by “being,” he uses the words “slings” and “arrows,” which provide an image of Hamlet being bombarded by pain from all sides. Meanwhile, he uses the word “arms” to describe what action he would have to take to conquer the “sea of troubles” that he faces in his daily life. Hamlet also uses hyperbole in the phrase “thousand natural shocks,” as his use of the number one thousand demonstrates that suffering in life is rampant and difficult to endure.
The Shift in Tone: Doubt and Questioning
However, his interjection of “perchance to dream” marks a shift in the tone in the soliloquy, as Hamlet now begins to doubt and question himself. This becomes clear through the word “rub,” as its meaning of “obstacle” shows that sleep through death has its pitfalls. Furthermore, by enclosing the phrase “perchance to dream” in dashes and then using the word “rub” shortly after these dashes, dreams during death are made into a barrier both on the page (due to the dashes) and in Hamlet’s mind.
The Dangers of the "Sleep of Death"
Hamlet then begins explaining the dangers of the “sleep of death,” as the use of the word “pause” contributes to the new doubt he is feeling about whether death is superior to living. In addition, the phrase “mortal coil” illuminates that the dreams during death may be worse than suffering during life, as it is suggested that the turmoil of the mortal world is nothing compared to the turmoil of dreams during death. This section then concludes by Hamlet’s determining that there is a “respect” for death that is held by man, which leads them to choose the “calamity” of life instead of death.
In Act I, Scene v, the Ghost's dialogue with Hamlet also showcases Shakespeare's use of repetition to create an anguished tone. Consider the line:
Ghost: O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
The repetition of "O, horrible!" emphasizes the Ghost's anguish and the terrible nature of the information he is conveying to Hamlet.