Greetings,
Hamlet is one of my favourite plays written by Shakespeare, there is so much within this play to discover, especially about the times and people of the age. However, there is one monologue which stands out above the rest, not only in the corpus of his works, but also as a question we must ask ourselves each and every day.
To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_be,_or_not_to_be)
Why is this small passage, this piece of the entire monologue so significant? Let's examine it closely. Overall, Hamlet is asking himself whether he should or should not die, possibly by his own hand. He is also asking himself whether it is better that he fight in his current situation or just let it pass by him. The most interesting thing about this question is that it is summarised in the first line.
Most English-speaking people would have heard the line, "To be, or not to be, that is the question:", but the question would be, how many of those same people have asked themselves about the deeper meaning of these simple words? How many people have asked themselves the same things, maybe in different words, but with the same intention?
The same question can be applied in several different situations. The question of being or not being, is a question of whether an individual should continue with their life; it is a question of whether an individual should take up a position against some adversary; it is a question of whether a person should take up an occupation; it is a question of whether an individual should continue with their current occupation; each one of these questions can be found within those simple 11 words. It is through such words Shakespeare speaks to us across the ages. This is one of the reasons it is true he is one of the great writers, not only of his age, but of all ages (regardless whether he was a single writer or many).
I choose to be, rather than not to be. I choose to live my life the best way I can. I choose the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," this is my choice. "To be or not to be" is a question which reaches across the centuries to us, so we may make our choice.
Cheers,
Henry
