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The theme of life and death is central to Hamlet, exploring the inevitability of mortality and the moral consequences of actions. Shakespeare uses various elements, such as the...
Hamlet tells Horatio again that he is dying, and urges his friend not to commit suicide in light of all the tragedies, but instead to stay alive and tell his story. He says that he wishes Fortinbras to be made King of Denmark; then he dies.
- Why Is ‘To Be Or Not to Be’ So Important?
- Why Does Hamlet Say ‘To Be Or Not to Be’?
- Is ‘To Be Or Not to Be’ A Metaphor?
- What Is Shakespeare Saying in ‘To Be Or Not to Be’?
‘To be or not to be’ is not important in itself but it has gained tremendous significance in that it is perhaps the most famous phrase in all the words of the playwright considered to be the greatest writer in the English language. It is also significant in the play, Hamlet, itself in that it goes directly to the heart of the play’s meaning.
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. Soliloquies were a convention of Elizabethan playswhere characters spoke their thoughts to the audience. Hamlet says ‘To be or not to be’ because he is questioning the value of life and asking himsel...
The line ‘To be or not to be’ is very straightforward and direct, and has no metaphorical aspect at all. It’s a simple statement made up of five two-letter words and one of three – it’s so simple that a child in the early stages of learning to read can read it. Together with the sentence that follows it – ‘that is the question – it is a simple ques...
In the ‘To be or not be to’ soliloquy Shakespeare has his Hamlet character speak theses famous lines. Hamlet is wondering whether he should continue to be, meaning to exist or remain alive, or to not exist – in other words, commit suicide. His thoughts about that develop in the rest of the soliloquy.
Hamlet’s responses to Polonius’s questions serve as reminders that Hamlet does not value his own life—and perhaps actively yearns for death.
Hamlet, wondering who has died, notices that the funeral rites seem “maimed,” indicating that the dead man or woman took his or her own life (V.i.242). He and Horatio hide as the procession approaches the grave. As Ophelia is laid in the earth, Hamlet realizes it is she who has died.
Claudius dies, and Laertes forgives Hamlet, asking for Hamlet’s forgiveness in return before dying as well. Knowing he only has a few moments left to live, Hamlet begs Horatio not to commit...
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Hamlet and Fortinbras are both dispossessed heirs to the throne; in Act V, Scene 2, Hamlet will give his “dying voice” to Fortinbras’ accession to the throne of Denmark, and Fortinbras will...
