TO BE OR NOT TO BE exercises pag.153-154

 

COMPREHENSION

·         How does Hamlet describe life?

Hamlet describes life as a “sea of troubles” full of “slings and arrows” which hurt people. It is also described as an “outrageous fortune” since you cannot know your future for sure.

·         How does he describe death?

Hamlet describes death as a sleep. Sleeping makes people forget life-problems.

·         What is troubling Hamlet at the idea of dying?

Hamlet doesn’t know what to expect in an after-death life, as everybody else. As a consequence he is scared and doesn’t know if it is worth to die or not.

·         Life is described as inescapable torment. What exactly are the torments of life?

According to the first six verses which we have to consider, Hamlet doesn’t make explicit references to life’s torments. However I could say that he may refer to all kinds of human pain and injustices that make life more and more difficult to face.

·         Why do we choose to go on living, according to Hamlet?

In Hamlet’s opinion, we choose to go on living because conscience makes all of us fearful.

As a matter of fact since we doesn’t know what to expect in the after-death life, we don’t try to commit suicide and prefer to go on living.

·         What conclusions does Hamlet reach?

He reaches the conclusion that conscience makes everybody fearful.

·         What is Hamlet’s mood in this soliloquy?

Hamlet’s mood is tragic and hopeless.

 

INTERPRETATION

·         Find examples of repetitions and antithesis (opposition). What is their effect?

I have found Repetitions in lines: 5-9-10-11.

In my opinion “to die to sleep”  stands for the idea of “death” or of “not to be”.

As a matter of fact sleeping is seen as a way out of life’s problems.

I have found Antitheses in line 1:“to be or not to be” is the main contrast between life and death. This opposition corresponds to the contrasting thoughts of Hamlet. As a matter of fact he is wondering what to do: if to die or to keep on living.

Moreover, I have found an antitheses between Line 2 “to suffer” and line 4 “to take arms”.

As a matter of fact Hamlet is wondering if to keep on suffering or to stop his torments by dying.

·         This moment in the play creates practical staging problems. Before Hamlet speaks his soliloquy, Claudius and Polonius have to hide to spy on him and Ophelia, but how and where? Ophelia is there too, but where? Does Hamlet know that he is being watched? Is he aware of it from the start?

According to me, while Hamlet is saying his soliloquy, he is walking to the place where there is Ophelia. Claudius and Polonius want to spy on Ophelia and Hamlet’s meeting in order to understand the boy’s attitude. They are hidden and Hamlet is not aware of their presence. Anyway I believe that Claudius and Polonius do not pay attention to Hamlet’s words since they are not interested to that.