Life, the Eternal Struggle

Each piece poses the question as to whether or not to continue living, or to end life as it is, by committing suicide. In “Pinch Me”, death is seen as a way of waking up from a “dream” (Bare Naked Ladies); all it needs is a “pinch”. The only way out of the “dream” or nightmare of life is to “pack the car and leave…town,” to die. “I could hide out under there”; here, the singer is referring to death as a safe haven, something which one can escape to in time of need. Death is the way to “see the world beyond your front door,” suggesting that by ceasing to exist, one can become free from the confinement of life. “Pinch Me” is an excellent example of Hamlet’s view of death as an escape from the hardships of life. “To be or not to be, that is the question” (Shakespeare 3.1.56), Hamlet poses the question whether or not to live or to die and which is the “nobler” (3.1.57) choice to make. Hamlet feels that death is what “flesh is heir to” (3.1.63) and thus should be expected and not feared. He thinks that by shuffling “off this mortal coil,” (3.1.67) he can escape all of life’s hardships. Life is not viewed as something to be cherished but rather as something that should be thrown away as Hamlet says, “Who would bear the whips and scorns of time” (3.1.66). Hamlet views death as the saviour from torment, by dying is to cease the “conscience does make cowards of us all,” (3.1.84) therefore just as in “Pinch Me”, death is to be embraced. Both pieces of work exhibit a sense to accept death however, with death comes the uncertainty of what occurs after it.

What happens in the afterlife is a serious theme that is considered within both pieces. The singer contemplates what is after the “dream” (Bare Naked Ladies) of life; he does not know what is waiting for him. It may be something “perfect” that is “gonna make you smile” or possibly something that will make you “scream”. The singer looks to the divine to aid him in seeing “the world beyond your front door” as he pleads, “Please God tell me.” The singer can not “figure out” what lies beyond death and because of this uncertainty decides to “just stay” as the “stuff” which he is certain of is “here anyway”. The song “Pinch Me” is similar to Hamlet, because both explore the theme of the uncertainty after death, in a very similar fashion. In Hamlet’s soliloquy, the fear of the afterlife prevents Hamlet from taking his own life as he ponders “what dreams may come” (Shakespeare 3.1.66) when he has exited the world. Hamlet does not know what will happen in this new state of being and thus a fear of “something after death” (3.1.80) is formed. Hamlet is a Christian and being so he believes that “The undiscover’d country” lies beyond death; and much like “Pinch Me” he can not see what is awaiting him. He also understands that an act of suicide is an act of defiance towards God therefore perhaps a grave punishment in Hell is in store for his rebellion against life. The fear of what is in store for Hamlet in the afterlife is what prevents Hamlet from committing suicide and to choose “to be” instead of “not to be”. Both pieces demonstrated a fear of the uncertainty of the afterlife which in turn resulted in a reluctance to leave life as everything that was to be certain of remained in life.

On the whole, each piece of work clearly contained ideas based around the harshness of life, death and the uncertainty after life through the psychological struggle taken place. Both Hamlet and “Pinch Me” demonstrated that life is a harsh burden and that through death; one may break free from the dissonance of life. Each piece also contained elements regarding fear of the uncertainty of what awaits in the afterlife which leaves one to cling to the certainty that is life. The three themes of the toils of life, death and the uncertainty of the afterlife were well exposed as Hamlet and the singer debate whether or not “to be or not to be” (Shakespeare 3.1.56).

Works Cited

Bare Naked Ladies. “Pinch Me.” Disc One 1999-2001. Ed. Reprise Records. 2001

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Roma Gill. Oxford: Oxford University Press,    

2000.