“To be, or not to be, that is the question” (76) has to be the most famous line in the history of Shakespeare and even the English language. Everybody knows that line, literally everybody who has any associations with Shakespeare. It’s great to know what’s going on during that amazing Hamlet soliloquy. To be, which means to live, or not to be, or to not live (die). Hamlet is considering suicide (anybody shocked by this development). It goes on
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them. (76)
Hamlet ponders whether it would be worth it to live and face all the problems he is facing. Granted, Hamlet is extremely troubled and faces issues that nobody should have to face. His father died, his mother looks to be in on the act (at least Hamlet believes, as seen in the play scene), he is confused about his love of Ophelia, and he’s going a little insane (or very insane). That statement translates for Hamlet to give up and end his life or solve his issues. Later in the soliloquy:
To sleep (death) perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub! For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause. There’s the respect that makes calamity of so long life. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, the oppressor’s wrong…(77)
What a philisophical statement. Why do people keep living so long? According to Hamlet it is because we are unsure about the afterlife. Then he goes on and on about the harshness of life and so on, but I feel that he is missing a key point to life. People have a good time while living, or at least most do. Hamlet only drags on about how tough life is, rather than how great it is to be alive. It shows a lot about the pessimism in Hamlet, because most people are happier than that. Definitely the death of his father carries much sorrow in Hamlet. While it may be that life is difficult, it is only difficult at points. Now, he may be working himself to gain courage and actually perform suicide. I doubt that, but reading it a certain way I can see that point.
Later he comes to the conclusion that people live only because of the unknown afterlife. One interesting observation is that he never mentions anything near “I want to kill myself”. However, it’s obvious he is talking about suicide. Also he is philosophical, being indirect when alone. With other characters, maybe he doesn’t want to show his true motives, but in this scene he believes he is alone (even if the king and Polonius are spying). The only conclusion I come up with is that Hamlet is so confused about his situation that he can’t even reason with himself. The passage shows his confusion, his suicide potential, and all the pessimism in Hamlet.
Good close look at Hamlet’s famous soliloquy where he struggles with himself over whether to live or die.