Shakespeare writes, in his play, Hamlet, of how thorny the earthly life can seem. Here Hamlet, driven to suicidal thoughts by the death of his father and wearied by the pain and trials of the “mortal coil,” reflects on how useless and mundane his life appears to be. Tragic as the feeling of despair was to Hamlet, Christians know the truth of this and value the eternal above any joy the “mortal coil” can offer.
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter. Oh God, God,
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
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