2007-10-10 02:55:00 · 5 answers · asked by tinny 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
but soft, me thinks the lady doth protest too much.
can no-one help me get to the BOTTOM of this?
2007-10-10 15:33:06 · update #1
Wrong play. Hamlet and Juliet didn't know one another. :D
But basically, it means "to live, or to kill myself?---that's the decision I have to make."
2007-10-10 03:00:59 · answer #1 · answered by helene 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hamlet,Prince of Denmark is beset with many troubles
and they are not minor ones---the worst is the discovery
by way of his father's Ghost---(who appears early in the
Play written by William Shakespeare)---a shocking
revelation that Hamlet's Uncle had murdered his
father (King of Denmark) in order to secure the throne !
Hamlet was also upset with his Mother---with whom he
had a loving relationship ---because she had married
the Uncle "in haste" after the King's death !!
In the middle of the play as Hamlet thought about this
tragedy more and more --and beset by Grief---he began to think of killing himself !
In Theatrical performances in Shakespeare's time,it
was very common for the actor ---in moments when he was
alone on the stage ---to speak his inner thoughts---and thus
the audience could follow and empathize with the player
on stage (the device was called a "soliloquey")
When Hamlet says "To be (alive) ---or not to be (to die!)"
he is pondering just that---he goes on to say "That is the
question we all ask---is it better to live and put up with
a lot of bad things or end it all---but if we do who knows---
it might be worse on the other side !!"
Hamlet was no dummy ! And he liked a girl all right---
her name was "Ophelia"---she did end it all !
Juliet was in another play of Shakespeare's called
"Romeo and Juliet" ---
She didn't fare any better than Ophelia in that Play !
Happy Endings came later ---in Hollywood !
2007-10-10 10:39:02 · answer #2 · answered by ytellu 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ummm...you have your Shakespeare mixed up...Sorry. Juliet and Hamlet are from different stories. Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.
2007-10-10 15:37:23 · answer #3 · answered by Nessarose 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ummmm.... Juliet DOESN'T think about it (except for a quick moment at the end) -- that's from Hamlet, Act III, scene i.
2007-10-10 10:00:41 · answer #4 · answered by Bryce 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU HAVEN'T READ EITHER OF THESE GREAT WORKS FROM SHAKESPEAR. YOUR QUESTIONS WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE IF YOU DID. AND TO BE OR NOT TO BE MEANS TO LIVE OR DIE, THAT IS THE QUESTION WHETHER IT WERE BETTER TO SUFFER THE SLINGS AND ARROWS OF OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE ETC, ETC
2007-10-10 10:08:05 · answer #5 · answered by Loren S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋