I need help identifying 2-3 symbols in Hamlet's final soliloquy, and what they could represent.
"How all occasions do inform against me,
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on the event,
A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom
And ever three parts coward, I do not know
Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'
Sith I have cause and will and strength and means
To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:
Witness this army of such mass and charge
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
To all that fortune, death and danger dare,
Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake. How stand I then,
That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!"
i need this to
To identify symbols in Hamlet's final soliloquy and understand what they represent, we need to carefully analyze the text and look for recurring motifs or imagery. Here are two symbols along with their possible meanings:
1. "Market of his time" - In this context, the word "market" represents the purpose or value that a person assigns to their time. It symbolizes the choices and actions a person undertakes during their lifetime. In this soliloquy, Hamlet questions the value of human existence if the only purpose is to fulfill basic bodily needs ("to sleep and feed"). This symbol emphasizes the existential crisis he is experiencing and reflects his struggle to find meaning in life.
2. "Egg-shell" - The mention of an "egg-shell" symbolizes something fragile and delicate. Hamlet refers to the army led by Fortinbras, which is risking their lives for a seemingly trivial cause, comparing it to an egg-shell. This symbol demonstrates the contrast between Hamlet's inertia and the bravery of those who are willing to fight and die for honor or fame. It further highlights the frustration he feels towards his own indecision and lack of action.
It's important to note that the interpretation of symbols can vary, and other readers may derive different meanings from the same symbols. The symbols in literature can be subjective and require a deeper understanding of the context and themes of the work.