Charles Saint Jean

Ryan Gallagher

English 12 CP

21 March 2011

Is it better to be alive or dead?

Based on what I’ve learned about Hamlet since the beginning of the play, the video where Laurence

Oliver plays the role of Hamlet is the best interpretation of the text.First of all, they are presenting the

example of Shakespeare’s ability to make the character seems treating many aspects of the play.

In this soliloquy. Shakespeare refers to a fundamental human concern which is the validity and the

worthiness of life. Would it not be easier for us to simply enter a never-ending sleep when we find

ourselves facing the intimidating problems problems of life than to suffer? However, it is probably

because people do not know what this endless sleep entails that humans usually opt against suicide.

Shakespeare seems to understand this dilemma through his character Hamlet, and thus the phrase "To

be, or not to be."

In the video,the color that they use, the black and white color make it seems a little bit scary and

emotional.It kind of reflects to the idea of Hamlet to kill himself..Another thing is the view of the

ocean down the hill makes the scene kind of scary and it relates to the idea that Shakespeare is trying

to make human being understand about suicide.While Hamlet is saying what he has to say he keep

looking at the ocean which is moving really hard like he’s about to jump into it. This action shows how

Hamlet might be thinking about jumping in the ocean or he might be thinking about him die and

leaving Ophelia and others.

The black and white color that is presented in the video has a significance itself.As black is seen as

cold and negative aspect suggesting passivity,death,and ignorance.The white color symbolizes life in

general.Shakespeare brings up this quality to show what Hamlet himself is going through,how life is

rough for him in a certain way.In addition, the wind symbolizes the violent of human emotion.It has to
do with the fact that Hamlet is mad and thinks about killing himself to get away from problems of

life.In the video it seems like he is on a mountain while he is saying this soliloquy.The mountain

symbolizes places where the earth and Heaven meet, or stability,and safety.That kind of relates to

Hamlet because he have been through a lot of things,and he might need a safety place, a silent moment

to think about what he is going to do to solve those problems . The ocean symbolizes the testimony,

indeed, to the power of the mind over a universe of death.

By saying “to be or not to be,” Hamlet means should he commit a suicide so he can get rid of problems

about Ophelia and including that Denmark was in war at this time.This soliloquy suggests that Hamlet

might be playing with suicide or he might no have the courage to do it.Therefore, he might try to work

out something to do it. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is one of the most complex characters. His

complexness can be seen in the soliloquy when he speaks throughout the play. It reveals his innermost

thoughts and gives us the reader or audience insight as to what he is feeling at that time.

“To die, to sleep _ no more and by a sleep to say we end the heartache the thoudsan natural shocks that

flesh is heir to _’tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.”(Line 68-71) In the video as Hamlet is

saying those words, he is taking out his little swords like he is about to kill himself.He closes his eyes

and his words in his hands like he’s scared to do it.All of a sudden, he open his eyes like someone talks

to him and tells him not to do it or he might be having another thought and deciding to stop.It is like

he’s changing his mind.The sound effect changes and his mood also.His voice changes he actually is

talking with more strength and power.It is like he was sleeping and having a bad dream,and someone

just wakes him up instantly. At this moment the sound that they use in the scene is kind of alarming

and emotional.He probably hears himself talking and that makes him think another thought.This all the

things Hamlet thinks that human being might be escape from by being dead like misery.However,to

escape those miseries by choosing death which is something that would be stupid since no one comes

back from death.Hamlet suggests that it is better to endure all the misery,the suffering in life than to

die with some others suffering that it may hold.

In this soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates on suicide and enunciates the question “to be or not to

be.”Hamlet analogizes death to a sleep.He affirms that death wouldn’t be sad as it would end all the

suffering of being alive.He thinks that in death’s sleep people don’t really know what they’d

dream.According to Hamlet, that consideration alone is enough to make people think before killing

themselves.He also brings out the idea of being and nothingness by stating the human being

conditions,for example the process of life like people are born,live and die.”there’s the respect that

makes calamity of so long life.”(Line 76-77)In this line Hamlet suggests that life in general is total

calamity.However, it is important that people protract with the calamity instead of trying to get away

from or facing an unknown death.Shakespeare suggest that people should continue to live with

calamity rather than death because there might be something as bad.

Finally, before Hamlet is turned around and gone.He drops the little sword in the ocean gently after

saying those words “Who would fardels bear,To grunt and sweat under a weary life,But that the dread

of something after death,The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the

will and makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?”In those line

Shakespeare clearly brings up the fear of Hamlet to kill himself.Hamlet is scared not because of death

but because he doesn’t know,he is not sure about what will happen after death?Therefore, the action of

dropping the little sword in the ocean symbolizes that he no longer has the idea of killing himself no

more,he is going to do that.He suggests that people shouldn’t take this decision and life goes on.