To be or not to be Hamlet soliloquy analysis

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Zoya Kidwai

Hamlet Soliloquy: "To be or not to be..."Act 3 Scene 1

Shakespeare's use of soliloquies throughout "Hamlet", show the audience a characters inner most thoughts and emotions. Soliloquies further accentuate the characters traits and underlying themes. Hamlet's soliloquy along with Shakespeare's use of literary techniques such as irony, metaphor and imagery, allows the audience to distinguish the underlying themes of uncertainty and death, Hamlets view of life and his innermost thoughts which furthers our understanding of his character.

This world famous soliloquy is spoken after Polonius and Claudius hide as they hear Hamlet approaching in the beginning of Act three. Some analyses of this scene differ as to whether Hamlet is aware of the fact that he is being spied on or if he is unaware. Hamlet speaks out in a very philosophical manner, as if he is giving a seminar to someone which may indicate that he is aware that he is being spied on.

There is no evidence in the soliloquy that indicates that he is talking about his own life as there is no use of the words "I" or "my" which further demonstrates the fact that