Why Does Hamlet Commit Suicide

In Hamlet, suicide is a common theme that the characters all temper with. Hamlet, the narcissistic protagonist, is the character that ponders it more than anyone else. Throughout the play, Hamlet’s obsession of always being the center of attention drives him to do insane things. However, one thing it does not drive him to do is commit suicide.

Throughout the play, Hamlet’s obsession of always being the center of attention drives him to do insane things. However, one thing it does not drive him to do is commit suicide. In his famous ‘To be or not to be’ speech, Hamlet says, “To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must

This causes a spur of events that indirectly cause Ophelia’s death. Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, seeks revenge for the death of his father and sister. He and Claudius plot kill Hamlet in a fight with a poisoned sword. Following the fight, the casualties are Hamlet’s mother, who is accidentally poisoned, Claudius, who is stabbed and forced to drink poison, Laertes and Hamlet, who die from the wound of the poisoned sword. When Horatio, Hamlet’s closest friend, realizes the catastrophe, he tries to kill himself. Hamlet stops him saying, “If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart absent thee from felicity a while, and in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain to tell my story”(5.2) Hamlet is only thinking of himself, which is one of his narcissistic characteristics. It is not that he cares about Horatio’s well being, instead, he cares that Horatio lives to tell his story. He wants to reassure that he will be in the spotlight even after he dies, and Horatio is his way of doing

He thinks of himself in such high importance that suicide is something he would never act upon. Committing suicide would ultimately take away his ability to be in the spotlight, making him irrelevant. His father, who was of such high stature, was forgotten within two months of his death. Hamlet does not want to end up like his father which ultimately keeps him from committing suicide. However, when the Prince is dying, to ensure he will not be forgotten, he stops Horatio from committing suicide. With Horatio still alive, Hamlet’s narcissistic wish, being talked about and not forgotten, becomes a