Queen Gertrude teaches Hamlet a valuable lesson about death when she says “Thou know’st ‘tis common; all that lives must die, / Passing through nature to eternity” (1.2.74–75). She tells us that all we know is that we go from earthly existence back into the mysterious pace from whence we came. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet contemplates what happens when we die and what it means to die. Hamlet's point of view on death changes throughout the play. His views range from one side of the spectrum – contemplating the worth of life – to the other, which is death. He shows many emotions such as sadness, fear, anger, and acceptance.
The root of Hamlet's sadness is his father passing away. Sadness is a very common emotion to feel
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People have been curious about what happens after death for the longest time. This question has been asked for the longest time and is still being asked. The Cleveland Clinic states that “it’s normal to fear death because of the unknowns.” This lines up with Hamlet's views because he does not know if death is better or worse than life. In his state of fear, he is distraught and confused. When he is talking to the ghost he states, “O all you host of heaven! O Earth! What else? / And shall I couple hell?” (1.5.99–100). Hamlet is looking to heaven and hell in an attempt to gain some sort of divine understanding of the ghost’s revelation. When he talks to the ghost of his father, his mood changes to anger because he finds out that his father was murdered. This new information leads him to want revenge for his …show more content…
Carl Sandburg, an American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor, says in his Kaderli letter:
“ I have had a good life of it so I am ready to go with you, Mister Death. I remember when I was a little girl there was a time I was afraid of you and I cried about it. That was because I was a sad little fool and didn’t know then that I would have many good years of life. You stayed away from me many years, Mister Death, and you can now give me your kiss and I will go with you saying thank you Mister Death.”
A person who lives their life to the fullest does not see death as a setback; they have gone through many experiences, and their life has been lived. Hamlet experiences this by saying “Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar” (4.3.34–35). Hamlet accepts that all things die, and everything will turn to dust equally. This shows fear of death, but it also shows acceptance by looking out for the future of the kingdom and making a decision before