In Shakespeare's infamous play, Hamlet, he says "To be, or not to be, that is the question." How do you interpret his meaning?
2007-01-27 02:44:35 · 7 answers · asked by sciencenerd 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
He's deciding whether to commit suicide or not.
"To be" is "to live, to exist"
"Not to be" is the opposite - to be dead.
Read the context; it's obvious he's talking about death:
"To be or not to be, that is the question —
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. To die, to sleep —
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to — 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep —
To sleep, 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. "
2007-01-27 03:04:22 · answer #1 · answered by Elise K 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To seek greatness or let it pass beyond your reach.
2007-01-27 10:49:02 · answer #2 · answered by Billy Dee 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
he is pondering his future as a king
2007-01-27 11:04:04 · answer #3 · answered by Wicked 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
in love
2007-01-27 10:47:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
should i, or shouldnt i be who i really am
2007-01-27 11:01:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can have fun, or you can sit around and do nothing...
2007-01-27 10:52:39 · answer #6 · answered by M T 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
to try to be ALL you can be or not to try at all.
2007-01-27 11:03:47 · answer #7 · answered by ikenna o 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋