Hamlet’s Time of Night Soliloquy
My lines: “Tis now the very witching time of night, when church yards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood,” (Hamlet 3.2 371-374)
Part One: Characteristics
1. Purpose of the soliloquy: Hamlet has just found out that his father’s ghost was actually telling the truth on how old Hamlet was murdered by his uncle Claudius, with whom his mother married a few weeks after Hamlet’s father’s passing. Hamlet is creating the atmosphere with this soliloquy to A) Murder Claudius and avenge his father and B) talk to his mother Gertrude. He creates this mood when he states: “The soul of Nero enters this firm bosom.” (Hamlet 3.2 378) When Hamlet mentions the soul of Nero, he refers to the ancient roman emperor who killed his mother after she poisoned her husband. This builds on Hamlet’s revenge to kill his uncle Claudius, for poisoning his father.
2. Interjections, Invocations, Supplications: None
3. Allusions: Shakespeare doesn’t use Greek mythology or Roman mythology but instead uses supernatural figures such as witches, when he states: “tis now very witching time of night” (Hamlet 3.2 371) According to early western Christian traditions in the, these witches were referred to as devil-like supernatural figures. These traditions were very brutal and believed that those who left their house during the hours of 3AM-4AM, mainly women, were executed for suspicion of witchcraft.
4. Enumeration: Hamlet says “Now could I drink hot blood,” (Hamlet 3.2 373). When Hamlet says this, he doesn’t mean literally drinking hot blood but rather emphasizes that he now has the will, anger and power to kill Claudius with his evil intentions. Hamlet now uses this “Hot blood” to feed his anger to avenge his father.
5. Metaphors and Extended Metaphors: When Hamlet states: “When church yards yawn and hell itself breathes out/contagion to this world.” (Hamlet 3.2 373-374), he uses metaphoric language to compare a world that seems calm and natural to evil that is polluting the kingdom like a disease. When, Hamlet speaks of the evil that is polluting the kingdom, he speaks about prior kings killing one another for war or for the throne. This is shown when old Hamlet kills Fortinbras’ father but is soon killed by his own brother, Claudius for the throne.
6. Repetition: None
7. Antithesis: Hamlet states: “Tis now the very witching time of night, when church yards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood.” (Hamlet 3.2 371-374) He uses this to express his emotions at the moment. He has just found out that Claudius killed his father and that his mother, Queen Gertrude, continuously sleeps with his father’s assassin. Hamlet speaks of an evil that is polluting the air, when he states that he could drink hot blood. This reveals Hamlet’s true emotions, as he can let this evil consume him and use it to murder Claudius and avenge his father.
8. Personification: None
Part Two: Critical Analysis and Interpretation
1. The character reflects on an event that has just transpired: When Hamlet states this soliloquy, he refers back to finding out who killed his father. Hamlet finds out that Claudius murdered his father and states this soliloquy displaying to the audience, his anger and perseverance to murder Claudius.
2. Character refers to his/her feelings thus revealing true emotions: Hamlet reveals his emotions through this soliloquy as he shows his emotion against Claudius, who he just found out killed his father. He states that he can even “Drink hot blood”, which means he has formed this hate inside him, that will help him avenge his father’s death. This soliloquy helps him release his emotions and lets the audience know how he truly feels, after finding out about Claudius and his wrong doings.
3. The speaker addresses an abstract concept: None
4. The speaker continues to agonize over his/her situation: None
5. The speaker concludes, and decides upon an action: By the ending of this soliloquy, Hamlet is now ready to kill Claudius. He says he will use the evil spirts that pollutes the kingdom to help him with the murder, when he states: “When church yards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood.” (Hamlet 3.2 373-374) Hamlet is now ready to kill Claudius, readier then he every was before. He sets off to find him.
Dramatic Purpose of a Scene
This scene takes place, soon after Hamlet finds out about Claudius killing his father for the throne. Hamlet’s character now develops from a coward that was too scared to avenge his father to and evil spirited man, that is willing to “kill Claudius”. This is shown when Hamlet tries to kill Claudius when he prays but stops because he doesn’t want him to go to heaven and accidently kills Polonius thinking its Claudius. Therefore, Hamlet’s character now shows bad and evil intentions, compared to the coward he was in the beginning of the play.
In the soliloquy when it states: When church yards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world.” (Hamlet 3.2 373-374) it talks about evil that is polluting the kingdom in Denmark. Well, evil spirts have been polluting the kingdom for a while because Hamlet’s father kills Fortinbras and Claudius kills old Hamlet. Overall, when Hamlet speaks of the evil spirits polluting the kingdom, he refers to previous kings killing one another for the throne or war.
When, Hamlet states: “Now could I drink hot blood.” (Hamlet 3.2 374) he means consuming all the evil that is polluting the kingdom and to utilize this evil for his own purpose, to kill Claudius. Also, when he states “tis now the very witching time of night” *Hamlet 3.2 372) he refers to witchcraft and sets the mood with dark imagery. Both of these quotes, foreshadow on evil happening in the future and this is done when Polonius dies later on, accidently.
This soliloquy, as a whole, now advances the plot because Hamlet is now aware of Claudius’ doings and now will kill him to avenge his father. Hamlet has not set off to kill Claudius, once and for all.