Shakespeare's Hamlet is a play that touches on many themes, one of which gives readers an insight into how Elizabethan England viewed life and death. Shakespeare uses soliloquies and meaningful speeches to convey the character's true thoughts and emotions. Furthermore, the code of honor, the embodiment of how people should prioritize decisions, is an underlying moral in the story. In essence, the code of honor states that the country comes first, then the family and finally yourself. Hamlet, the protagonist of the play, is told by the ghost of his murdered father to avenge his death, but because he was reluctant to follow the code, the play ends in tragedy. A deeper analysis of Hamlet's major speeches offers a window into his evolving view of life and death. Hamlet repeatedly states his desire for suicide, but also questions the repercussions of taking his own life. In the first soliloquy, the audience is presented with Hamlet's heartfelt feelings regarding his father's death and Gertrude's hasty remarriage to Claudius. First he says: “Oh, that this too dirty flesh would melt, melt and resolve itself into dew! Or that the eternal had not set his canon "against self-killing!" (Hamlet, I, ii, 129-131). Hamlet reveals his God-fearing character and his apprehension towards Heaven's punishment for suicide. The rest of the soliloquy explains why he is depressed and ends with him declaring that he must keep everything to himself, essentially to hide his true opinion regarding King Claudius and Gertrude's marriage. The next scene in which Hamlet's suicidal thoughts come to light occurs after he realizes that he needs to avenge his father's death, even though Hamlet is evidently not the kind of person for whom... middle of paper. .. the smallest misdeed. Hamlet was so entrenched in remorse that he could not honor his father, and in doing so he also neglected his responsibility to Denmark and Gertrude. William Shakespeare attempted to show that suicide is not a noble act, but a selfish one that contradicts the purpose. of life. According to the code of honor, he puts his own needs and suffering before the needs of his country and his family. Shakespeare suggests that it is the easiest way out of life and that the so-called perpetual sleep could be a worse nightmare than life itself. Contemplating death while still alive can cause unwanted pain and anguish, which led Hamlet to reflect on life and death. It was through soliloquies that his outlook on life and death gradually evolved and ultimately allowed him to perform the honorable act of redeeming his father's murder..