Hamlet - Rouge and Peasant Slave Solo Analysis

In one of Hamlet’s most well known soliloquies, “Rouge and peasant slave”, the character Hamlet first introduces his extreme internal conflict. The soliloquy takes place after the ghost of his father has presented him with the order of avenging his murder by killing his own uncle, the same uncle who inherited the throne and wedded his very own mother. However, Hamlet still remains uncertain about holding the ghost credible, so he devised a plan. He asks actors to perform a murderous play, which he describes to them. The plot of the play mirrors the story the ghost had told him. His plan is that when the king sees the play, he will know someone is on to him, and under extreme stress, eventually reveal his mis-doings. The soliloquy itself is a portrayal of the different sides of Hamlet waging a battle through dialect in his mind.

Hamlet’s true feelings are conveyed through symbolism within the speech. First, he labels himself as a “rouge and peasant slave”, this self-conviction shows that he truly believes the vengeance is an order and not a choice, because slaves are not allowed the power of choice by their masters, they are only given orders. Also, “rouge” is another term for a useless vagrant, or beggar. By comparing himself to a beggar, Hamlet represents his dependence on the situation and his role as a lesser towards the orders of the ghost. That one phrase accurately depicts Hamlet’s total motive. He is unsure about the vengeance of his father as told by the ghost, however he feels compelled and as if the retaliation is a necessary order.

The soliloquy continues on to describe Hamlets dilemma, and he wishes himself to have the traits of an actor (player…Hecuba). He speaks of how actors can conceive their own mind, force their soul to believe the part that they play, and adapt themselves to the setting around them. By Hamlet wishing he carried those traits he conveys the feeling that he is still unsure about what path to follow, and that he feels as if he does not fit into the setting around him. He cannot truly convince himself; therefore he cannot complete or disregard the task, it still must be thought over.

Next, the allusion to Hecuba is very important. Hecuba was a Trojan queen of classical age mythology. Earlier in the scene Hamlet had asked an actor to act out a monologue in which the actor analyzed Hecuba’s response to the death of her husband, King Priam. The actor told us that Hecuba’s grief was great and profound. This allusion foils the emotions of Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, who seemingly does not mourn her deceased husband at all. The fact that Shakespeare chooses to allude toward Hecuba’s experience shows the importance of Gertrude’s lack of emotion and the impact it has on Hamlet. This example also provides reason for the growing mental instability within Hamlet.

Hamlet continues to compare himself to this actor, and says that if he were in the actors place, he would “Make mad the guilty, and appal the free, confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed”. This is a description of the goal of Hamlet’s plan. If true, it would force the king into insanity and confession, disgust the important members of society who trusted and supported the king, and shock everyone at the same time. Because Hamlet is now visualizing the theatrical