Hamlet

What does the soliloquy: to be or not to be express?

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The soliloquy expresses Hamlet's contemplation of suicide. Although he never once speaks as if he's talking about himself...... the speech poses a thought, which weighs heavily on his mind. In other circumstances we might think that Hamlet's question pertains to another character, or that the question is philosphical in nature, but that's not what we have here. Hamlet isn't speaking to anyone, he isn't making a speech for anyone else's benefit, and he certainly isn't asking for anyone else's thoughts ot opinions....... he's talking to himself.

Is he trying to talk himself into suicide? Or maybe trying to find the courage..... maybe even trying to talk himself out of it? We don't really know...... but what we do know is that Hamlet is expressing feelings of defeat and hopelessness; a feeling that life is not worth living. Should he "be" or not "be"?

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Hamlet