In considering a thesis for the theme of suicide, consider these ideas:
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the idea of suicide comes to Hamlet and Ophelia as an escape from dealing with their quandaries of being immersed in a world of corruption and disillusioning experiences.
His fourth soliloquy, the famous "to be, or not to be" meditation from Act III reflects this maelstom of emotions that Hamlet experiences. Indeed, Hamlet cannot control all his emotions as he wants revenge for his father, but knows that regicide is a serious crime; he is disgusted with his mother's "incestuous behavior," yet he does love her; and he is incensed by the corruption of the courtiers, such as Polonius, but is gravely disappointed in his old friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
In his depression over his dilemma and his anger at the corruption of the court, Hamlet lashes out at Ophelia; her insanity begins after this brutality of Hamlet and manipulation by Polonius, who has her spy upon Hamlet. Having lost faith in both, Ophelia, then, commits suicide. Thus, her suicide becomes the metaphor [the aesthetic treatment] for Hamlet's detection of the corruption that is so immoral that it can destroy an innocent and beauty such as Ophelia. [morality]
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