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What does Hamlet mean by the rest is silence?

User JCVanHamme
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Final answer:

Hamlet's words "the rest is silence" refer to the peace that comes with death, ending the complexity of his life's struggles and indicating experiences beyond words.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Hamlet utters the words "the rest is silence," he is directly confronting the inevitable reality of death, where all of life's complications and unresolved issues cease. In this context, silence represents the ultimate peace and stillness that follows the end of his tumultuous existence. Throughout the play, Hamlet grapples with existential questions, the nature of existence, the duality of action and inaction, as well as the emotional distress caused by his mother's actions and his own philosophical dilemmas.

His final statement signifies the cessation of his internal turmoil and struggle, surrendering to the quietude beyond life's chaos. The statement might also suggest that the complexities of his emotions and experiences are beyond language and thus, are destined to remain unexpressed and unresolved, silenced by the finality of death.

User Weslee
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