Just the soliloquies: Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" (analysis)
Summary
TLDRCarly Stevens, a teacher and author, delves into Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' in her English Nerd series, focusing on the famous 'To be or not to be' soliloquy. She explores Hamlet's contemplation of life and death, the metaphors of suffering versus action, and the fear of the unknown afterlife. Stevens discusses the soliloquy's themes of existential struggle and the impact of overthinking, emphasizing the significance of human decisions and the play's dark yet thought-provoking nature.
Takeaways
- 📚 Carly Stevens is a teacher and author who dives deep into Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', focusing on its soliloquies.
- 🎭 The 'To be, or not to be' soliloquy is the most famous and is explored in detail, starting with its central question about the value of life and death.
- 🤔 Hamlet contemplates whether it's nobler to endure life's hardships or to actively oppose them, even to the point of ending one's own life.
- 🌊 The soliloquy uses rich metaphors like 'a sea of troubles' and 'slings and arrows' to represent life's challenges.
- 💤 Death is likened to sleep, a peaceful end to life's suffering, but Hamlet worries about the unknown nature of dreams that may come after death.
- 🔄 The repetition of 'to sleep, to sleep' emphasizes Hamlet's contemplation on the act of dying and what it might entail.
- 😟 Hamlet's fear of the 'Undiscovered Country' (the afterlife) causes him to pause, reflecting on the uncertainty that makes life bearable despite its suffering.
- 🛡 The soliloquy also touches on societal ills like pride, contempt, and the abuse of power, which contribute to the 'calamity of so long life'.
- ⚔️ Hamlet's internal struggle with taking action, symbolized by the 'Bodkin' (dagger), represents his ongoing conflict with the idea of suicide.
- 🧠 The soliloquy reveals Hamlet's overthinking and how it saps the strength of his resolve, a recurring theme throughout the play.
Q & A
What is the main theme of Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' soliloquy?
-The main theme of Hamlet's soliloquy is the contemplation of life and death, specifically whether it is better to endure life's hardships or to end them by dying.
How does Carly Stevens introduce the soliloquy series on her channel?
-Carly Stevens introduces the soliloquy series by mentioning her previous series on Hamlet and stating her intention to focus solely on soliloquies from various plays, starting with Hamlet's famous 'To be or not to be' speech.
What is the significance of the phrase 'To be or not to be' in the soliloquy?
-The phrase 'To be or not to be' is significant as it encapsulates Hamlet's existential dilemma throughout the soliloquy, pondering the question of whether it is better to live or to die.
What are the 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' referring to in the soliloquy?
-The 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' refers to the various misfortunes and hardships that life throws at individuals, which Hamlet is considering whether to endure or to fight against.
How does Hamlet view death in the soliloquy?
-In the soliloquy, Hamlet views death as a form of sleep, a peaceful state that ends the heartache and suffering of life, but he is also concerned about the unknown aspect of what comes after death.
What is the 'rub' that Hamlet refers to in the soliloquy?
-The 'rub' Hamlet refers to is the potential for dreams or experiences after death, which are beyond his control, and this uncertainty makes him hesitate to choose death over life.
What does Carly Stevens suggest about Hamlet's character based on his soliloquy?
-Carly Stevens suggests that Hamlet's character is deeply contemplative and conflicted, as he grapples with the decision of whether to endure life's suffering or to end it, highlighting his introspective nature.
What is the 'Undiscovered Country' mentioned by Hamlet?
-The 'Undiscovered Country' is a metaphor for the afterlife or death, which Hamlet describes as unknown and uncertain, causing him to pause and consider the implications of suicide.
How does Carly Stevens interpret the line 'Conscience does make cowards of us all'?
-Carly Stevens interprets 'Conscience does make cowards of us all' as Hamlet's reflection on how the awareness of right and wrong, or the fear of the unknown after death, can make people hesitate to take decisive actions, even when they are contemplating ending their own lives.
What does the soliloquy reveal about Hamlet's attitude towards life's hardships?
-The soliloquy reveals that Hamlet is deeply troubled by life's hardships, such as the scorns of time, the pangs of despised love, and the insolence of office, which contribute to his contemplation of suicide as a means of escape.
How does Carly Stevens connect the soliloquy to the broader themes of Shakespeare's works?
-Carly Stevens connects the soliloquy to the broader themes of Shakespeare's works by emphasizing the significance of human life and the struggle between the desire for peace and the fear of the unknown, which are prevalent in many of Shakespeare's plays.
Outlines
🎥 Introduction to the Soliloquy Series
In this introductory paragraph, Carly Stevens, a teacher and author, welcomes viewers to her channel 'English Nerd.' She explains that she has previously done a series analyzing *Hamlet* scene by scene but now plans to focus exclusively on soliloquies. This new series will begin with Hamlet's famous 'To be or not to be' soliloquy and expand to other Shakespearean plays. She highlights the significance of this speech as one of the most famous soliloquies of all time, making it a natural starting point.
🤔 Hamlet's Existential Question
The second paragraph delves into the start of Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' soliloquy. Carly emphasizes the central question: whether it is better to live or to die, with Hamlet contemplating the suffering life brings versus the uncertainty of death. She explains the metaphor of life’s struggles as 'slings and arrows' and contrasts it with the image of fighting back against 'a sea of troubles.' This section illustrates Hamlet’s internal debate about enduring life’s hardships or actively seeking an end to them through death.
💤 Death as Sleep: A Comforting Analogy?
Here, Carly explains Hamlet’s comparison of death to sleep, describing it as a peaceful end to life’s 'heartache and natural shocks.' She notes that Hamlet initially presents death in a positive light, as sleep offers a reprieve from pain. Carly discusses how Hamlet begins to lean towards 'not to be,' viewing death as a desirable alternative to life's struggles, with sleep becoming a metaphor for the calmness that death could bring.
💭 The Fear of the Unknown Afterlife
This paragraph explores Hamlet's hesitation about death, prompted by the uncertainty of what dreams—representing the afterlife—might come in the 'sleep of death.' Carly highlights Hamlet’s fear of losing control over what happens after death, contrasting sleep’s temporary nature with death’s permanence. This fear of the unknown is what makes Hamlet pause, as he contemplates the possible horrors or unknown experiences awaiting him after life.
📜 Life's Burdens and Delayed Justice
In this section, Carly discusses Hamlet’s reflections on the various hardships of life, such as 'whips and scorns of time,' oppression, and the arrogance of others. These sufferings, he argues, are what people endure rather than face the uncertainty of death. Carly breaks down difficult language, explaining archaic terms like 'contumely' and 'spurns,' and she connects Hamlet’s thoughts on life’s pains to broader themes of pride, injustice, and love that has been rejected or undervalued.
🗡️ Bodkins and Quietus: Choosing Death?
Carly explains Hamlet’s contemplation of ending his life, symbolized by a 'bare bodkin' (a dagger), which would bring 'quietus,' or a final settlement. She interprets Hamlet’s musings on death as an escape from life’s 'fartles' (burdens). However, Hamlet remains unsure about the afterlife, represented as 'the undiscovered country,' which prevents him from taking decisive action. Carly also notes the irony of Hamlet’s father returning from death, yet Hamlet remains unsure of his own fate after death.
🧠 Overthinking and Inaction
Carly discusses Hamlet’s awareness of his tendency to overthink, which leads to inaction. He reflects on how fear of the unknown paralyzes him, preventing him from taking bold action, including ending his own life. Hamlet acknowledges that deep contemplation sickens the 'native hue of resolution,' meaning that too much thought causes one to hesitate rather than act. Carly connects this to Hamlet’s broader existential struggle and foreshadows how Hamlet later comes to a more peaceful understanding of life and death.
💔 Consciousness and Cowardice
In this final paragraph, Carly unpacks Hamlet’s claim that 'conscience does make cowards of us all.' She explains that 'conscience' can refer to both a moral sense of right and wrong and Hamlet’s consciousness or awareness of the consequences of death. This awareness, Hamlet argues, turns people into cowards, preventing them from acting on their thoughts. Carly also highlights Hamlet’s eventual conclusion that being ready for death is more important than obsessing over it, though at this moment in the play, he is still trapped in indecision and fear.
📚 Concluding Thoughts and Hamlet's Significance
Carly concludes the video by reflecting on the significance of Hamlet’s soliloquy within the larger context of the play. She stresses that the soliloquy’s dark themes are not meant to suggest that life is meaningless, but rather to evoke sympathy for Hamlet’s tragic situation. Carly promotes her book, *Lair Tees,* a dark academia retelling of Hamlet set in the 1920s, and invites viewers to like, subscribe, and ask questions in the comments for more 'English nerdy goodness.'
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Soliloquy
💡Hamlet
💡To be or not to be
💡Slings and arrows
💡Fortune
💡Sea of troubles
💡Death
💡Consciousness
💡Readiness
💡Undiscovered Country
Highlights
Carly Stevens introduces a series on soliloquies starting with Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' speech.
The soliloquy questions whether it's better to live or die, given life's difficulties.
Hamlet considers if suffering is nobler than taking action against one's troubles.
Death is analogized to sleep, suggesting an end to life's heartaches.
Hamlet contemplates the unknown aspect of dreams and the afterlife.
The speech reflects on life's negative experiences, such as scorn and despair.
Hamlet's hesitation to act is due to the fear of the unknown after death.
The soliloquy explores the idea that consciousness can lead to inaction.
Hamlet's internal conflict is highlighted by his overthinking and indecision.
The speech concludes that life's burdens are preferable to the unknown after death.
Carly points out the significance of characters in Shakespeare's plays, even in their flaws.
The soliloquy is analyzed for its dark themes and Hamlet's contemplation of suicide.
Carly discusses the importance of readiness and the evolution of Hamlet's views on life and death.
The speech is critiqued for its complex language and metaphors.
Carly emphasizes the importance of understanding Hamlet's character development throughout the play.
The video ends with a call to action for viewers to engage with the content and subscribe for more.
Transcripts
hey welcome back to my channel my name
is Carly Stevens I'm a teacher and
author and this is English nerd
[Music]
so as many of you know already several
years ago I did a series all about
Hamlet going scene by scene through the
um ins and outs of the entire play so I
would definitely recommend that you
check that out if you want a deep dive
but in those videos the soliloquies are
kind of buried you have to find them and
so I thought for your ease of study I
would do a series that is just
soliloquies I'm going to start with
Hamlet but I'm not going to end with
Hamlet we'll look at
soliloquies from other plays as well but
it will just be the soliloquies so I'm
kicking things off with the classic
today the 2B or not to be speech because
that is
just it's the most famous Soliloquy of
all time so I figure it's probably going
to be the most searched as well
so yes let's let's dive in to the to be
or not to be speech
all right so here's the 2B or not to be
speech
um so it starts out with that question
that is so famous that it's easy to read
right over to be or not to be that is
the question
um that truly is the question of the
entire speech to be to live or not to
live earlier in the play Hamlet brings
up this conundrum as early as his first
Soliloquy to be or not to be is actually
his third so to be here not to be that
is the question he's going to be
considering throughout this entire thing
whether it is better to live or to die
given the difficulties that his
his life has faced
so it's a very dark subject matter for a
speech like this but it's dealt with
very beautifully which in itself I think
implies
leaning toward the 2B side
so he continues on whether it is 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
so that is really one big thought we
have two things being weighed here
whether it is nobler in the mind to
suffer on the one hand the slings and
arrows of Outrageous Fortune or to take
arms against a sea of troubles and by
opposing end them so this is an analogy
he's a nobler to suffer all that fortune
throws at you the slings the arrows or
is it better to attack Fortune head on
um although the the metaphor kind of
shifts instead of being this Warrior
Fortune uh attacking with slings and
arrows that bad fortune becomes this sea
of troubles and how do you take arms
against a sea but is it better to attack
head on all of this bad fortune and by
opposing end them the troubles
um so in this in this analogy we have
him living through enduring all of this
pain or taking action which in this case
is to
um sadly end his own life and then he
starts developing the probably the most
famous analogy in this speech and that
is
um death to sleep to die
sleep
no more and by asleep to say we end the
heartache and the Thousand natural
shocks that flesh is there to it is a
consummation devoutly to be wished
so right away when he says is it better
to be or not to be is it better to take
all this pain or to take up arms against
it
he starts leaning toward not to be
the analogy that he gives for death is
one that's very
very peaceful to sleep and buy a sleep
to say we end the heartache so he he
even clarifies that this is a positive
metaphor sleep ends pain it kind of
dulls that down when you're when you're
unconscious tis a consummation devoutly
to be wished so consummation being the
the completion of a thing with a
positive connotation to it
so he says okay this is this is actually
a positive thing
which is going in a in a sad and
dangerous direction right
so after this
he says all right to die to sleep to
sleep he's considering the ramifications
of this metaphor of dying is like
sleeping if it's being unconscious what
are some of the the things that we can
extrapolate from that so to die to sleep
to sleep
per chance to dream
hi there's the rub for in that sleep of
death What Dreams May Come when we have
shuffled off this Mortal coil must give
us pause
so in my opinion that's the next uh kind
of piece all together so he starts out
to die to sleep to sleep then we have
that repetition he's thinking about it
and then he stops he says per chance to
dream so in this analogy of dying is
like sleeping both are this level of
unconsciousness dreams dreams would be
to sleep as the afterlife would be to
death because once there's that
unconsciousness
there's something else uncontrollable on
the other side so when you sleep you
can't control your dreams they could be
wonderful they could be stressful they
could be nightmares and for Hamlet he is
concerned about what could happen after
death as well that he does not have that
control over but unlike people who can
wake from sleeping this is a permanent
situation
so he says okay yeah there's the there's
there's the rub there's the thing for in
that sleep of death What Dreams May Come
when we have shuffled off this Mortal
coil must give us pause and then there's
literally a pause in the Soliloquy to
emphasize that idea that he's stopping
he's thinking about what kind of
afterlife could exist once we have
shuffled out this Mortal coil again he
talks about life in these negative terms
that it's this
coil that is that is almost tightening
around him you can tell that he's he's
fed up with the difficulties that he's
faced if you're looking at the context
of the play as a whole that is the death
of his father that's his hated uncle's
rise to power that's his mother marrying
his uncle so quickly afterwards that's
the pressure of him needing to get
revenge
so he's he's considering all these
things so give us pause
there's the respect that makes Calamity
of so long life
he thinks
that he thinks that the the concern
about what happens after death is
largely what makes Calamity live so long
um make people stay in their calamities
for as long as they do
for who and then we get this whole list
of things that really do make life
difficult
um for who would bear the whips and
scorns of time this this kind of reminds
me of the the slings and arrows up here
but whips and scorns uh if I remember
correctly are actually fencing terms
like really quick fencing flicks so
again in terms of the play as a whole
that's a really cool connection
considering the end but if you haven't
read the whole play I will I will leave
you to that
um yeah so fencing terms but who would
bear the whips and scorns of time the
oppressor is wrong the proud man's
contumely so contumely is a word that we
don't use anymore obviously it looks
like an adverb but it's actually a noun
that means
um just arrogant Pride so you know this
this super silliest looking down your
nose at other people kind of arrogance
nobody likes that the pangs of despised
love so despised I I've seen that
spelled in a variety of ways and that's
pretty typical of shakes sphere because
of the different versions that exist out
there but
it could be just prized it could be
despised so that could mean undervalued
love that could mean love that is
scorned and turned aside he could be
thinking of Ophelia who stopped talking
to him and wouldn't say why various ways
that you can that you can look at the
pain he's describing there but love love
gone wrong love under valued by someone
the law is delay everybody hates that
the insolence of office so people who
are in official positions having this
kind of once again arrogance laziness
sense of entitlement
and the spurns that patient Merit of the
Unworthy takes this is probably my least
favorite line in the entire thing
because it's such a such a mouthful to
to say and to get your head around
um maybe it's just maybe it's just me
but the spurns that patient merits so
patient Merit that's one group of people
those who are patient those who have
Merit and they're taking all of these
spurns from the Unworthy so it's almost
like another aspect of prideful entitled
powerful people taking advantage of
those who who are more worthy of of that
power and recognition
so who who would who would put up with
all this nonsense when he himself might
his quietest make with a bear Bodkin
we have a couple 25 cent words here so
quietus means as maybe you can see the
footnote actually I think it's just out
of frame but it's the final settlement
of an account so you can make your final
settlement with a bear Bodkin a Bodkin
is a dagger so once again this so far in
the speech he's been leaning toward that
not to be
um because of the the pain of Life the
only thing that is giving him pause is
the uncertainty of the afterlife and
that is what he's going to return to
here
who would fartles bear
fartles is I shouldn't laugh I'm a grown
intelligent person but it's it means
burdens so who would Bear all of these
burdens to Grunt and sweat under a weary
life so there's
just very negative
um connotations thereof of slavery Etc
but that the dread of something after
death the Undiscovered Country from
who's born that's a boundary
no traveler returns puzzles the will
there's more to this speech I'm going to
turn the page in a second but let's deal
with this part of the question first
um obviously it is a question it starts
out with who who would put up with this
nonsense once again that's the that's
his big question but that the dread of
something after death the Undiscovered
Country
from who's born no traveler returns
puzzles the will so everyone is puzzled
by this this dread the uncertainty of
the Undiscovered Country of of death
it took me an embarrassingly long time
to realize that in the context of this
play at least Hamlet's father
comes back from the afterlife to speak
to him obviously I knew that that was
part of the plot but connecting that to
this speech makes it a little bit more
obscure is he still doubting the truth
of the ghost's word or is he just unsure
about where he would go and even even
his father doesn't get into any details
about purgatory where it seems like he
is
so let's turn the page here
there's not a whole lot left
and this book needs to be stretched out
so it puzzles the will that dread
and makes us rather bear those ills we
have then fly to others that we know not
of
so the devil you know is better than the
devil you don't is the idea there he
knows what he's up against here at this
time
but he doesn't know what he might be up
against should he
end his life now I want to balance this
whole speech out I personally there are
other speeches in Hamlet that I prefer
to the to be or not to be
um for a variety of reasons not least of
which is how dark this whole thing is
um but Hamlet has this wonderful moment
toward the end of the play he's it's not
all ponies and Roses at the end of the
play as far as his character development
goes he's not suddenly this very good
person necessarily but he has this
evolved idea of what life and death mean
to him and he concludes that the
Readiness is all it's the Readiness of
one's soul to die and he feels like his
soul is actually ready here obviously
there is not that kind of certainty that
kind of piece that comes with what we
hear from him later on
thus conscience does make cowards of us
all
this is a this is a tough line as well
so conscience that can be conscious that
can be actual conscience like the sense
of of right and wrong throughout this
play there's the understanding that
um it is it's wrong to
harm oneself because of the value of
each individual but but Hamlet
um resists that and questions it and and
struggles with it since ever since the
very first scene when we meet him so it
can mean conscience
um that is stopping him that makes
cowards of us all he feels like it's
cowardly to remain in his situation or
it can be Consciousness as well
depending on the way that you read it or
the version of the play that you have so
Consciousness makes cowards of us all
and thus the native Hue of resolution is
sick lead or with a pale cast of thought
throughout this entire play Hamlet is
overthinking for the most part until he
stops thinking altogether and gives away
his final brain cells sometimes
but he says okay there's this there's
this native hue
of resolution so so it's like a
a natural state the the color that we
ordinarily are that our minds are and
then over it there is this this
additional color that makes it kind of
sickly maybe a green
um and that it's the overthinking that
that sickly is the resolution resolution
being the the final decision and so he
is he's aware even in the moment that
he's doing it that he's
he tends to overthink in this case it is
a positive
type of thinking that he's doing but
he's uh he's obviously very upset
and Enterprises of great pitch and
moment
with this regard their currents turn
awry and lose the name of action
so even though this goes on a little bit
longer at this point he turns and
realizes that he's not alone in the room
that Ophelia has been watching him
actually this entire time and he
realizes later others are watching him
too but this still counts as a soliloquy
because he thinks he's alone until this
soft genome wait look over there there's
Ophelia
so Enterprises of great pitching moment
once again he's talking about that
taking his life into his hands
um with this regard their currents turn
awry and lose the name of action so we
have layers of metaphors going on here
there's the metaphor of of a sort of
color up here the Hue and then the it's
sickly door with this cast and then we
have great pitch and moment
um these Enterprises I've seen
a commentary or notes that referenced
falconing I believe this is the the top
most
um
point in the Flight of the bird and so
there's this height to what he's trying
to attempt but with this regard their
currents turn awry and I think what he's
talking about there is is thinking
too hard about consequences
and then they lose the name of action
so going back to the initial question of
the Soliloquy to be or not to be that is
the question he does end on the idea
that to be is better
but he's not very happy about that he
comes to he comes to terms with this
idea much more solidly later in the play
but here he basically
says you know I don't want to deal with
my with my problems I don't know what's
on the other side
um but just to just to leave you with
something that is not as horrible and
Bleak because obviously I've I've do not
support any of of the direction that
he's going here
um all of Shakespeare has the assumption
that the characters within that play
matter even if they decide not to go the
right way even if they decide to make
evil decisions even if they don't live
up to their potential there is this
sense of the great significance of
people and so when Hamlet's considering
all of this it's we're not supposed to
say oh well that's that's you know life
is life is meaningless it's true we're
meant to say no no
Hamlet this is this is so heartbreaking
um because things didn't have to to be
this way so there you go I hope you
enjoyed my Hamlet retelling Lair tees
which is a dark Academia retelling set
in the 1920s is available in ebook
paperback and hardcover if you want to
check that out if you're a hamlet fan
person like I am if you have any
questions about this um Soliloquy feel
free to put those down below I like to
hear from you so like this video if you
like it do not forget to subscribe for
more English nerdy goodness and I'll see
you next time bye
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