What a Piece of Work is Man

“What a piece of work is man…and yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?” (Hamlet, 2.2: 327-332). In this scene from William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” Hamlet is speaking to his old university friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, explaining the sadness that has engulfed him since his father's death. The speech that precedes these lines essentially contains rhetorical ideas and thoughts, building an elaborate and elevated picture of the earth and humanity before finally declaring …

…admirable,” “their actions angelic,” and “their understanding godlike.” But, to Hamlet, humankind is the opposite of this picture. He speaks of the general acceptance of Humanity’s greatness, but then of how he feels. His own belief that Humanity is worthless shows how depressed and stressed he has been since his father’s death. It foreshadows his suicidal thoughts and embodies the one of the main themes of humanity and its worth, in the play.