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Shakespeare seems to think that death is absolute. While the idea of the afterlife remains ambiguous, death itself is absolute for Shakespeare. From the beginning of the play, Hamlet recognizes this. He often contemplates whether it is better to live and suffer or to die, an action that would bring finality or completeness. Shakespeare also explores a person's mental state as liminal. Many of the characters go back and forth between sanity and insanity throughout the play. Hamlet, in particular struggles with this as he sets out to avenge the murder of his father. By the end of the play many do think that he has gone mad; however on occasion he does appear to be sane and in a stable state of mind. Ophelia, also oscillates between sanity and insanity. She starts the play sane but when her father passes away she becomes mad and fretful. However, occasionally, in the midst of her madness she reverts back to her sane state. (a healthy or good conscience something viewed as liminal in the play)