The French scholar, Roland Barthes says the readers are born at the cost of the death of the authors. In his book of literary criticism titled “The Death of the Author (1967)”, Barthes consciously considers a writer a “death” once he or she has published the raw copy of the manuscript, which has been copied as raw as the scribbles of any other writer. When the writers remain dead, the readers (alive) provide light and lives to the author’s work by interpreting and re-interpreting the meanings from the texts through the lens of various theories of literary criticism.
In literature, the term “Criticism” is understood as an “evaluation” rather than considering it a “mechanism of censorship.” This is why the readers reconstruct the lives of the authors through their interpretations (writerly texts) of their works (readerly texts). It is obvious that the readers turn the houses into homes, built by the writers.
This book has been written carefully by interpreting the selected articles through the lens of various appropriate theories of literary criticism. The text is much simplified and understandable which would help exemplify the analysis of the texts through the readers’ interpretations. The author expects that this book would be essentially useful to a range of readers (both college students and researchers in literature) in their academic endeavors.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1.Definition and Origin
1.2 Soliloquy as a Literary Device
1.3 Chorus and Soliloquy (Soliloquy as a crucial literary device to Elizabethan dramatists in general and Shakespeare in particular)
2. Seven Soliloquies in Hamlet
1.1 First Soliloquy
1.2.Second Soliloquy
1.3 Third Soliloquy
1.4 Fourth Soliloquy
1.5 Fifth Soliloquy
1.6 Sixth Soliloquy
1.7 Final Soliloquy
3. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper aims to examine the functional significance of the soliloquy as a core literary device in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, by analyzing the seven soliloquies performed by the protagonist. The work investigates how these speeches reveal the character's internal psychological state and how they serve as a structural replacement for the traditional Greek Chorus in Elizabethan drama.
- Analysis of Hamlet’s seven major soliloquies.
- Comparison between the Elizabethan soliloquy and the Greek Chorus.
- Exploration of Hamlet’s madness, irresolution, and delay in action.
- Evaluation of the transition from classical dramatic devices to romantic era techniques.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2 Soliloquy as a Literary Device
Shakespeare is a well-known dramatist with a deeper understanding of human nature with diverse feelings, emotions and passions. Shakespeare has used seven soliloquies in his tragic play, which help an audience to understand the inner world of the protagonist, Hamlet, his feelings and thoughts to comprehend his motives of being in a confused state of madness, delay in action and irresolution. In the research article, Soliloquies and Asides in Hamlet, Ullah (2016) states: “Each soliloquy is united by vivid imagery, introspective language and discussion of Hamlet’s delay of action” (p.82). It also helps in the advancement of the plot of the play through the protagonist’s psychic conflict which reflects his existential crisis, the tragic moral frustration. In the tragedy of Hamlet, the major soliloquies are spoken by the protagonist revealing his doubts, dilemmas, fears, anger and musings on questions of morality. Khalid (2012) condenses Margeson’s views that: “The central character of a tragedy may himself choose a course of action in blindness or ignorance” (as cited in Margeson, 1967, p.4). Particularly, in the play, soliloquies help an audience or a reader to trace the spiritual crisis that Hamlet experienced.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Defines the etymology of the soliloquy and distinguishes it from the monologue, establishing the theoretical framework for its use in drama.
Seven Soliloquies in Hamlet: Provides a detailed analysis of each of the seven soliloquies found in the play, linking them to Hamlet’s evolving psychological state, his internal conflict regarding revenge, and his existential crises.
Conclusion: Summarizes how Shakespeare utilizes soliloquies to bring the audience into Hamlet's consciousness, thereby explaining the motivations behind his delay and irresolution.
Keywords
Soliloquy, Monologue, Chorus, Hamlet, Madness, Revenge, Conflict, Aesthetic distance, Shakespeare, Elizabethan drama, Literary device, Existential crisis, Irresolution, Psychology, Tragedy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the role of the soliloquy in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet as a primary literary device used to communicate the internal psychological state of the protagonist to the audience.
Which theatrical concepts are compared in this study?
The study compares the Elizabethan soliloquy with the traditional Greek literary device known as the Chorus, exploring why the latter lost its relevance in later drama.
What is the central research question?
The research seeks to understand how the seven soliloquies uttered by Hamlet reveal his madness, delay in action, and existential dilemmas, and whether these soliloquies served as a direct replacement for the Chorus.
What methodology is employed to analyze the play?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing upon secondary sources and critical theory to dissect the soliloquies as reflections of the protagonist’s inner conflict.
What key aspects of Hamlet's character are addressed in the main body?
The main body examines Hamlet’s self-reproach, his philosophical struggle regarding life and death, and his inability to execute revenge due to his reflective and indecisive nature.
Which terms best characterize this work?
Key terms include soliloquy, monologue, Chorus, madness, revenge, conflict, and aesthetic distance.
How does the author define the "aesthetic distance" mentioned in the text?
The author relates it to the physical features of the Elizabethan stage, where the proximity between the audience and actors helps reduce the gap between the fictional world of the play and reality.
What conclusion does the author draw about Hamlet’s procrastination?
The author concludes that Hamlet’s delay is not merely a lack of opportunity but a reflection of his inherent "natural deficiency" and deep, philosophical moral introspection.
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- Tashi Gyeltshen (Autor:in), 2021, Analysis of selected texts through a flower of literary criticism, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1066562
