Prompt: Now that you've mastered the text of "To be, or not to be..." reflect on Hamlet's dilemma and help him make up his mind. Use the text of the play and your own logic to support your opinion.
During Act 3, Scene i, Hamlet is faced with a life or death situation... literally. Through the script so far, Hamlet has had to deal with a murderer of an uncle, a ghost expierence that informs him of the hideous intentions of his Uncle, and whatever feelings are flooding his head over the beautiful Ophelia. During the infamous, "To be, or not to be..." speech, Hamlet has narrowed his options down to a meager two choices. On one hand, he can end all this EARTHLY suffering, and take his life by his own dagger. In other words, his first option to end all the pain he is going through, is to commit suicide. On the other hand, Hamlet can live on, and find some way to avenge his father's untimely death. He can learn to live with all the hurt and all the pain that he is currently expierencing, and push forward to hopefully better days, where his devious uncle pays for what he has done. The question Hamlet is facing, is whether or not to commit one of the unforgiveable sins, or to deal with pain and suffering, and deface his Uncle, taking whatever means necessary.
The question burning poor Hamlet's mind, is which of the two evils he should commit. Which one would be right, or at least less wrong? To die, to slip into this "endless sleep," would be a way to escape from his suffering... right? This is where Hamlet begins to question the certinty of death. "To die, to sleep- to sleep- perchance to dream: ay, 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." (page 89) What if, even in death, the mind is left to waunder and to dream? What if even death can't surpress the endless thoughts that happen in moments of solitude? This can't be the correct choice. Even if he were to escape the saddness that comes with being damned in a seemingly meaningless life, there's no way he can be assured the endless thoughts of life will cease. He may be forced to succomb to thinking about what could of happened, for an etertunity. Hamlet's only option left, is to push forward through these hard times, and expose his Uncle for that he truly is: a murderer.
Hamlet's final option is to push on; to move forward from the pit his life stands at, at the current moment, and find the "light at the end of the tunnel." This of couse, proves hard for our protagonist. After "the fair Ophelia" walks in on Hamlet's speech on his inner turmoil, he speaks his mind to her, and tells her she should go to a nunnery, for his sin would taint her. "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it wwere better if my mother had not bourne me: I am vert proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offense at my back than I have thought to put them in, imagination to give the shape, or time to act them in. Why should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven?" (page 91) His sins which are spiriling through his mind at this moment in time, are driving him mad. And to act upon his instinct to unviel his Uncle's true colors, would only add to the list. Not to mention, what kind of dangerous situation this can throw Hamlet into... After admitting to knowing about the murder, there's no knowing what his Uncle, the King of Denmark, will want to do with him. But Hamlet must push forward with his plans, no matter the circumstance. Hamlet must avenge his father, and bring light to the murder of his beloved father, King Hamlet.
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