All Roads Not Taken

What is the irony in the poem, "The Road Not Taken".

   Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken", describes the account of a man who makes a decision that he thinks will define his life only to predict its irrelevance and his unwavering belief.
"The passing there had worn them really about the same." Frost describes the two roads, whether they be literal or metaphorical, as nearly identical and uncharted. It seems illogical to put so much consideration in a simple decision let alone how it will affect him years into the future.

The speaker imagines years into the future that he will recount his decision saying, "Two roads diverged in a wood and I- I took the one less traveled by." By saying he took the road less travelled, he appears to be audacious in his life choices by braving the unknown. Realistically speaking, all roads, metaphorically speaking, are untraveled. It is impossible to predict one's future the same way it is to revisit decisions from the past.

"I shall be telling with a sigh...that has made all the difference." Even though the speaker greatly contemplates his choice, his decision ultimately would not have made a difference because regardless of which road he took, the results would have been unfamiliar. His realization is evident in his 'sigh' which suggests that he now understands the uncertainty of life. Despite this, he continues to portray himself as intrepid.

Hamlet Mortality Essay

   The theme of mortality is prominent force in the decision making of the play's characters. Mortality and the destination of one's soul after death affects the characters choices, actions and defines their moral boundaries.

Gertrude: "Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity" (I.ii.).

Hamlet sees a ghost whom he believes to be his father. If it is true that Hamlet is not delusional and he has in fact seen evidence of life after death, it is not congruent with his opinions that carry on throughout the play.

  Claudius gambles his mortality in exchange for his happiness. "I am still possess’d of those effects for which I did the murder" (III. iii). He could either kill his brother and gain the power he desired and risk the potential destination of his soul.

Ophelia uses mortality as an escape from the confinements and tragedies she experiences. Having no control over her existence being a young, unmarried woman, Ophelia's suicide is her only and final declaration of control.

 Death is the great equalizer of life.  Even though there are differences in people in life, once they are dead, they are all the same and end up the same. Hamlet's sadness at the death of Ophelia creates a balance to the cruelty with which he treated her in the past. However other character's are not empathetic towards his grief because the situation is Hamlet's fault.

Hamlet 7

    After hearing the news of her father's murder and Hamlet's guilt, Ophelia breaks out in a fit of madness.this is the poison of deep grief. Claudius say after she exits, "It springs. All from her father’s death[...] Poor Ophelia, divided from herself and her fair judgment" (IV.v). It is possible that Ophelia's out burst is a genuine expression of how she feels although given the context of the play, it is likely that she is putting on an act like the other characters. While her emotions are completely justified, she may be exaggerating as to break out of the pigeonhole the other characters have placed her in. Since other characters have proven to be deceptive, and Ophelia is thought of only as meek and unassuming, she is attempting to break expectation.

Dude, where's my soul?

   After Claudius confesses in a soliloquy to killing the king, "this cursed hand were thicker than itself with brother’s blood", Hamlet finds an opportunity to seek revenge on his uncle (III.iii). Instead, Hamlet finds Claudius praying. Hamlet then hesitates, reasoning that if he were to kill Claudius in a praying state, Claudius' soul will surely go to heaven, not achieving the revenge Hamlet desires: "He is praying, and so he goes to heaven" (III.iii).  The certainty Hamlet has over the destination of Claudius' soul is a direct contrast to his previous "to be or not to be" speech in which he contemplates the uncertainty of existence after death. The discontinuity of Hamlet's opinions is further reason to question his sanity, motives and moral standing especially from having a religiously focused education.

To be or not to be

   While Hamlet discusses suicide in his "to be or not to be" soliloquy, he never once refers to himself directly. Instead he uses very broad terms such as "we" and "us", suggesting that the thought of suicide is widely thought about or that it applies everyone, "To die, to sleep - no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heart ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to?" Hamlet's pain has transferred from being his own to being a general feeling felt universally. While it is accurate that everyone has their share of pain in life, Hamlet has made it known fact. This could be because he is trying to assure himself of his sanity. Since his family thinks Hamlet is overreacting to the kings death, the application of his feeling could be in an attempt for Hamlet to comfort himself in a time when he feels ostracized.