Analysis of Monologue “To Be Or Not To Be”

Claire Wang

Ms Gaurino

IB Lit and Performance

2016/9/6

Analysis of Monologue “To Be Or Not To Be”

I agree with Benedict Cumberbatch. “To Be Or Not To Be”: original words spoken by
Hamlet, (Act 3 Scene 1 )is known as one of the most famous quotes throughout the play.The author utilizes solo monologue to empathize the personality of the It gives Hamlet this character vitality. I can know his inner activities. It makes the vague figure more realistic. By saying”to be or not to be”, Hamlet illustrates the idea of being alive or dead. In the solo monologue, Hamlet employs metaphor to compare death to a little sleep. “To die, to sleep—

No more—and by a sleep to say we end” (Act 3 Scene 1,line 63-64) He implies that to die is not as painful as the others think. He considers death as an state of tranquility. It is an special angle to view death which is a thing everybody fears. This rhetorical skill leaves broader space of consideration for the audience to chew on the monologue. It is definitely appeals to pathos that the audience will feel the same sadness and desperation as Hamlet. In addition, he refers “slings and arrows” to love. He considers love as one thousand arrows which hurts each other so much. He also feels betrayed by his own mother marrying to his own uncle after only 2 months his own father’s funeral. He is confused and does not believes love or promises any more. As an result, the solo monologue is better than conversation because it can shorten the distance of character and the audience. The audience can know that Hamlet considers morality more important than death.Though Hamlet talks about committing suicide all the time, but the thing he really concerns about is morality. “To grunt and sweat under a weary life,But that the dread of something after death,” This paragraph is so important because Hamlet mentions seriously consideration of those vague and philosophic questions about life and death, but ,what is more important than “to be or not to be”, the meaning of being alive is the most important. Hamlet draws out heartfelt pondering form the audience about morality and destiny. He does not talk about himself any longer. He forces the audience to face an shift to the tragedy happens on him to a broader consideration of general life itself. As an old saying goes “ There are one thousand Hamlet among one thousand readers.” The audience have different opinions about meaning of being alive.