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Why does Hamlet say “To be, or not to be”? In Act 3, Scene 1 of the play, Hamlet seems to be puzzled by the question of whether to live or die. He is standing in such a critical situation that life seems painful to bear and death appears to be an escape route from all the sufferings.
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Why does Hamlet say ‘To be or not to be’? To be or not to be’ is a soliloquy of Hamlet’s – meaning that although he is speaking aloud to the audience none of the other characters can hear him.
Nov 3, 2018 · Hamlet’s soliloquy from William Shakespeare’s play is rightly celebrated for being a meditation on the nature of life and death, but some interpretations of the soliloquy serve to reduce the lines to a more simplistic meaning.
In the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Shakespeare has Hamlet use a wide array of literary devices to bring more power, imagination, and emotion to the speech. Here, we look at some of the key devices used, how they’re being used, and what kinds of effects they have on the text.
It is not clear that Hamlet is thinking of his own situation since the speech is entirely in an abstract, somewhat academic register that accords with Hamlet's status as a (recent) student at Wittenberg University.
Hamlet tries to take comfort in the idea that death is really "no more" than a kind of sleep, with the advantage of one's never having to get up in the morning.
Which choice does Hamlet make in the "to be or not to be" soliloquy, and why? The answer to this depends on how literally you interpret this phrase.
