What is the play within the play in Hamlet?
The play presented within Hamlet is called “The Murder of Gonzago.” The plot of this sub-play closely resembles the actual murder of Hamlet’s father, and its primary function is to trap Claudius into revealing his guilt. This is why he also refers to the play as “The Mousetrap.” Hamlet’s trap works, and a distraught Claudius leaves the play before it is finished. How does the “poor Yorick” speech fit in with the rest of Hamlet? Hamlet’s depression prompts him to discuss death and nothingness whenever possible. Seeing the skull of the court jester that he so fondly remembered just reminds Hamlet further of how “the dust is earth” and how we will soon be mixed with that earth in our graves. Even “Imperial Caesar” turns to dust in the end. How many soliloquies does Hamlet deliver? Hamlet has seven major soliloquies: “O that this too too sullied flesh would melt” (1.2.129-159) “O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else?” (1.5.92-111) “O what a rogue and peasant slave am I!” (2.2.549-607
