Even before Hamlet speaks with the ghost of his father, Gertrude and Claudius speak to Hamlet about letting go of his "nighted color" (I.ii.68) and "obsequious sorrow" (I.ii.92). As the play progresses, Hamlet exhibits markedly diminished interest in daily life or taking care of himself. This is another symptom of depression. Ophelia brings this forth in the play when she describes to her father, Hamlet coming to her sewing chamber:.
with his doublet all unbraced, no hat upon his head, his stockings fouled, ungartered and down-gyved to his ankle; pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, and with a look so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell to speak of horrors - he comes before me. (II.i.77-82).
A third symptom of depression is shown when Hamlet questions his self-worth and expresses self-reproach when he says "O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I" (II.ii.570) and "How all occasions do inform against me and spur my dull revenge" (IV.iv.32-33). Hamlet feels inappropriately guilty for not being there for his father and somehow preventing his death. This is a fourth symptom. A fifth symptom of deep depression is repeated thoughts of death or ideation of suicide. Throughout the play Hamlet expresses recurring thought of death including taking his own life: .
O that this too too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fixed his canon gainst self-slaughter. (I.ii.129-132).
To be, or not to be To die - to sleep - no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heartache, and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to. (III.i.56-63).
One can put off these symptoms initially because of the proximity to the death of his father as just part of Hamlet's grieving process. Yet Hamlet is operating under diminished capacity and as his grieving process lingers he becomes obsessed with avenging his father's death. It is this obsession that drives him beyond melancholy.
