Hamlet's Soliloquy-To Be Or Not To Be

Throughout Hamlet’s soliloquy on “To be or not to be,” Hamlet reflects upon struggle and elaborates upon the common struggle regarding love among all people, and that teenagers in particularly may relate to. The two key symbols amidst this soliloquy are the metaphors of life and afterlife; referencing life with sleeping, and afterlife with dreaming. Life seems to be the safe choice with certainty behind a regular, possibly conflicted, life, while afterlife seems to be the courageous, brave choice that has no certainty, but possibilities of everything he wants. This decision to be courageous and take the uncertain, but possibly heavenly, choice shows even more resilient than continuing to endure conflict and struggle. Interestingly, while Hamlet does all of this thinking he never references himself; thus bringing on
In conclusion, the purpose of Hamlet’s soliloquy is to educate the common teen that struggle, specifically depression and struggle over love, is difficult and frustrating, and that “not to be,” or in other words, suicide, may seem appealing; however, the common man will never know what the correct, less painful choice is. The metaphor of life or death is a concept that even Shakespeare, arguably the greatest writer ever, cannot fully comprehend. Life and death bring on a world of questioning, for neither can be proven as better than the other. Shakespeare suggests, “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?” (58-61). In this portion, Shakespeare questions the dignification of putting up with the hardships