When I read about the assignment this week I immediately thought of “To be, or not to be, that is the question” as the most intellectually admired piece in Hamlet. Not only have I heard this famous saying since I was very young but I have made reference to it in several occasions. These moments range from a silly mocking of the phrase to a feeling of knowledge. Shakespeare has always been considered hard to read and I believe a close reading of this part will make a lot of doubts clear.
In order for me to understand what Hamlet means in this soliloquy I have to look beyond the play. It is necessary to look at the context in order to understand the meaning but what I am getting at is about the generalization that was made. It is almost impossible for a phrase to become so famous if it had no relevance outside the play. Hamlets tone is one of sadness. He does not appear angry but he is lost. Despair has driven him to question existence and whether or not he should act or not. If you know what he is referring to when saying, “to be” then the rest is a little easier. Shakespeare has made it possible for a great number of people to draw conclusions on his question. The greatest thing about the sentence is the mystery. It makes me question things that might seem obvious to someone else.
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