first off, what exactly is solipsism and what does ‘cogito, ergo sum’ mean?
SOLIPSISM: psychologically speaking, solipsism is the belief that the self is the only thing that can known to exist. basically, you are the only thing that you know can exist. the existence of everything and everyone else is not certain. people with a solipsistic point of view see everything in relation to themselves, constructs ideals of people in their head rather than actually acknowledging the persons true self, and narrate only their point of view. a good example of solipsism in literature is Humbert Humbert in ‘lolita’.
COGITO, ERGO SUM: this is a latin phrase which means “i think, therefore i am”. it is a cartesian philosophy (meaning it is a belief developed by the philosopher Descartes). what it means is simply, if i am doubting my own existence then that means i exist. that is because if you can doubt then you can think, and if you can think then you exist.
When Descartes asserts "I think, therefore I am," he only proves his own existence, not the existence of others or the external world. In this way, his method of radical doubt could appear solipsistic because it doesn't initially validate the existence of anything other than the self. many people took this saying as a stepping stone towards solipsism.
HOWEVER, Descartes did not intend to endorse solipsism. After establishing the cogito, he sought to prove the existence of the external world and God in subsequent meditations. His goal was to escape solipsism by reasoning that the clear and distinct perceptions he has are caused by a reality outside his mind
Géza Kallay's paper, "To Be or Not to Be' and Cogito, Ergo Sum: Thinking and Being in Shakespeare's Hamlet against a Cartesian Background," explores the intersection between Shakespeare's Hamlet and Descartes' philosophy, particularly focusing on the famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy in Hamlet and the Cartesian idea of "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am).
Kallay argues that Hamlet's soliloquy reflects a deep philosophical inquiry into existence and identity that resonates with Descartes' meditations on the nature of being and self-awareness. Hamlet's existential crisis and contemplation of life and death parallel Descartes' quest for certainty and understanding of self through the act of thinking.
In particular, Kallay posits that Hamlet's doubts and reflections about existence can be seen as a literary precursor to Cartesian skepticism. The soliloquy encapsulates a moment where Hamlet is essentially questioning the nature of his own existence and the meaning of his life, similar to how Descartes doubts everything to find a foundation for knowledge.
Hamlet is deeply introspective and spends much of the play grappling with his own thoughts, doubts, and uncertainties. His famous soliloquies, such as "To be, or not to be," show him wrestling with the nature of existence, death, and the reliability of the external world. He seems more focused on his own subjective experience than on the external world, reflecting a type of isolation that could border on solipsism.
Hamlet constantly questions the motives and sincerity of others, such as Claudius, Gertrude, and even Ophelia. He stages the play "The Mousetrap" to verify the truth of the ghost's claim about his father's murder, showing his deep distrust of external appearances and actions. This skepticism toward external reality can align with solipsistic tendencies, where only one's own perceptions and thoughts are trusted.
Throughout the play, Hamlet is consumed by his own philosophical dilemmas and internal conflicts. His preoccupation with his own mind and emotions often isolates him from other characters. For instance, he treats Ophelia, Gertrude, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with detachment or manipulation, as if their realities are secondary to his own. furthermore, he constructs his own view of the people in his life rather than speaking to them directly, which shows his deep distrust of the outside world and the fact that he only takes his perspective into account. for example, he constantly alludes to his mothers infidelity and ‘incestuous sheets’ without knowing what truly happened between king hamlet and gertrude or claudius and gertrude. he calls the marriage between his father and mother ‘an innocent love’(A3S4), showing his perception of his family as that of a cereal packet family. this shows his complete disregard for the feelings and experiences of his mother in both marriages as well as his preoccupation with his own version of the events.
Hamlet frequently feels alienated from the world around him. He sees Denmark as a "prison" and is deeply disconnected from the court, his family, and friends. This sense of alienation reinforces a worldview in which Hamlet’s internal life seems to be the only certainty.