In such a critical situation, Hamlet feels extremely lonely as there are no other persons to console him. will have no more marriages. There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th 'oppressor 's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of disprized love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th 'unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin; who But, when he thinks about the dreams he is going to see in his eternal sleep, he becomes aware of the reality. But now the joy they brought me is gone, so please take them back. I hear him coming. For this reason, the action of ending his sufferings loses the name of action. . Not death, to be specific. And I think that whatever hatches is going to be dangerous. who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns. Yes, definitely, because the power of beauty is more likely to change a good girl into a whore than the power of purity is likely to change a beautiful girl into a virgin. My honorable lord, you know very well that you did. There, my lord. To be, or not to be? A living being cannot know what happens there. If you marry, Ill give you this curse as your wedding presenteven if you are as clean as ice, as pure as snow, youll still get a bad reputation. A once noble and disciplined mind that sang sweetly is now harsh and out of tune. You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname Gods. No, his sadness is like a bird sitting on an egg. It includes the death of a loved one, disease, bodily impairment, and many more. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet." . He does confess he feels himself distracted. In this section of the soliloquy, To be, or not to be Hamlets utterings reflect a sense of longing for death. The following lines also contain aporia. Everyone else will have to stay single. Wissahickon Shs . It doesn't follow the grammatical pattern of English because it is not originally an English word. who would these fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, viii+ 176. They are at the court now, and I think theyve been told to perform for him tonight. Dont believe any of us. Meanwhile, if you think its all right, Ill hide and listen to what they say. Goodbye. Madam, it so fell out, that certain players. And yet he's talking about proud man's contumely? This was sometime a paradox, but now the time gives it proof. And I know all about you women and your make-up. Because the kinds of dreams that might come in that sleep of deathafter you have left behind your mortal bodyare something to make you anxious. RIKI TIKI TAVI WOULD. There's the respect must give us pause: Wake Duncan with thy knocking! It comes from the Middle English word, contumelie. To sleep, perchance to dreamay, theres the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. Actions of great urgency and importance get thrown off course because of this sort of thinking, and they cease to be actions at all. Madam, it so fell out, that certain players We oerraught on the way. But, the cause of the death increases the intensity of the shock. [To OPHELIA] Beauty, may you forgive all my sins in your prayers. It should work. It hath made me mad. In Act 3 Scene 1, Hamlet is seen walking in the hall and musing whether To be, or not be to himself. There's the respect . The line, To be or not to be inspired the title of the. The pangs of disprizd love, the laws delay. To be, or not be is an intellectual query that a princely mind is asking the readers. We oerraught on the way. Off: Plot No. If readers closely analyze the lines, it will be clear that Hamlet uses this phrase to mark a transition in his thoughts. Oh, what guilt! [To himself] Oh, that's all too true! I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in,imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. Were all absolute criminals. Rather he discusses what he thinks in that critical juncture with his inner self. Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/william-shakespeare/to-be-or-not-to-be/. Firstly, he is consciously protestant in his thoughts. My good lord, how have you been doing these last few days? The insults of proud men, pangs of unrequited love, delay in judgment, disrespectful behavior of those in power, and last but not least the mistreatment that a patient merit receives from the unworthy pain him deeply. When we have shuffled off this mortal coil. It is a soliloquy that Hamlet speaks directly to the audience to make his thoughts and intentions known to them. After this line, the speaker presents a series of causes that lead to his suffering. What should such fellows as I do crawling between earthand heaven? "To be, or not to be from Hamlet". From the following lines, Hamlet makes clear why he cannot proceed further and die. But, if you think its a good idea, after the play let his mother the queen get him alone and beg him to share the source of his grief. THE OPPRESSOR'S WRONG, THE PROUD MAN'S CONTUMELY? Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966. To sleep, perhaps to dreamyes, but theres theres the catch. They have to understand what is going on in his mind. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely. Alongside that, the natural boldness metaphorically referred to as the native hue of resolution, becomes sick for the pale cast of thought. In pale cast of thought, Shakespeare personifies thought and invests it with the idea of casting pale eyes on a person. I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of, sinners? . But I still think that the cause of his madness was unrequited love. 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? Thats the consideration that makes us suffer the calamities of life for so long. Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely.. That's not to say the word has no use in modern English. To be, or not to be? I wont allow it anymore. In addition, Hamlet is equally disillusioned by humanity, even . the proud man's contumely Contumely means scorn. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, p. 129 80 The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th' unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Go to a convent. However, for a speaker like Hamlet who has seen much, the cold arm of death is more soothing than the tough punches of fortune. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely.. Time for Globemasters to "Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war". The harlots cheek, beautied with plastering art, Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it. Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns that patient merit of th'unworthy takes, speaker: Hamlet- speaking to: himself (soliloquy)- context: commenting on every corrupt person and their faults; oppressor- claudius; proud man- polonius . Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, He didnt ask many questions, but answered our questions extensively. From his thought process, it becomes clear. The phrase, No more emphasizes how much he longs for this eternal sleep. His feelings dont move in that direction. Ophelia, walk you here. Everyone else will have to stay single. You dance and sway as you walk, and talk in a cutesy way. The lady doth protest too much, methinks is a famous quote used in Shakespeares Hamlet. . You call Gods creations by pet names, and claim you dont realize youre being seductive. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time. To think about life in this way makes the speakers mind wearier than before. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th'unworthy takes While death is something that has an embalming effect on his mind. There is another metaphor in the phrase, sea of troubles. In the next two lines, Shakespeare uses enjambment and internally connects the lines for maintaining the speechs flow. from The Merchant of Venice In this monologue of Ophelia, Shakespeare describes how mercy, an attribute of God, can save a persons soul and elevate him to the degree of God. Quick, lets hide, my lord. With all my heart, Im glad to hear of his interest. That is the question, Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer. Farewell. We are arrant knaves, all. Teachers and parents! Farewell. In the previous plots, Hamlet has lost his father. Contumely is interesting in that most English words that end in -ly are adverbs, which describe verbs, but this is a noun. To die, to sleepbecause thats all dying isand by a sleep I mean an end to all the heartache and the thousand injuries that we are vulnerable tothats an end to be wished for! Likewise, not everybody will understand the evidence in the same way. Hamlet's greatest soliloquy is the source of more than a dozen everyday (or everymonth . Struggling with distance learning? Who would fardels bear. In such a critical situation, Hamlet feels extremely lonely as there are no other persons to console him. In the last line, Shakespeare uses a. begins with an epigrammatic idea. In the meanwhile, he and Claudius watch from afar to understand Hamlets reaction. Therefore, he has to bear the ills of life throughout the journey than flying to the unknown regions of death. For all the things happening in his life, he feels it is better to die rather than living and mutely bearing the pangs that life is sending him in a row. Go to a convent. He is not sure whether life after death is that smooth as he thinks. Lets see how our on-screen Sherlock performs Hamlets To be, or not to be onstage. In Shakespeares tragedy Hamlet, the central figure asks this question to himself. Who would these fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience! Th observed of all observers, quite, quite down! Next, by "the oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely," Hamlet refers to a general abuse of power by superiors or oppressors. But, he has not submitted himself to fate yet. - J. M. Kelly: Roman Litigation. Oh, what a noble mind is here oerthrown!. God has given you one face and you make yourselves another. Read this prayer book, to make youre being alone seem natural. For this reason, he is going through a mental crisis regarding which path to choose. Nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little, And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose, Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England. Therefore, he has to bear the ills of life throughout the journey than flying to the unknown regions of death. To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer. Black liberation leader Malcolm X quoted the first lines of the soliloquy in a debate in Oxford in 1963 to make a point about extremism in defense of liberty. You dont have to tell us what Lord Hamlet said. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, 80 Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th' unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make 85 With a bare bodkin? God. In the first line, fardels mean the burdens of life. Benedict Cumberbatch performed Hamlet at the Barbican Centre in London in 2015. To live, or to die? It means that when Hamlet thinks about death, his natural boldness fades away and he becomes a coward. The situations mentioned here have occurred in others lives too. To be, or not to be, the opening line of Hamlets mindful soliloquy, is one of the most thought-provoking quotes of all time. Hamlet comes to the conclusion (in the previous sentence) that what comes after death must "give us pause". It puzzles his will to do something that can end his mental pain. Later, the 19th-century scholars valued the character for his internal struggles and tensions. It shall do well. Theres the respect That makes calamity of so long life. But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn, And makes us rather bear those ills we have. You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said. Weve sent for Hamlet as a way for him to meet with Ophelia, seemingly by chance. contumely; 2 pages. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. The first line of Hamlets soliloquy, To be, or nor to be is one of the best-known quotes from all the Shakespearean works combined. As the plots reflect, Hamlet is facing an existential crisis after coming across the harsh reality of his fathers death and his mothers subsequent marriage with his uncle, Claudius, the murderer of King Hamlet. It is possible that even after his death, he will not be relieved. viii+176. Everything was happening so quickly that it was difficult to digest their effect. Why is it so? from Macbeth This famous soliloquy of Macbeth describes how he is taken over by guilt and insanity. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. The phrase, No more emphasizes how much he longs for this eternal sleep. The speaker talks about the events happening in his life for his misfortune. Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry, Home William Shakespeare To be, or not to be from Hamlet. Dear Gertrude, please go as well. There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life. Most of Shakespeares dramas are written in this form. It is important to mention here that the speaker just wants an answer. B. to, Ill no more on t. For this reason, the quote has become a specimen for understanding how Shakespeare thought. For example, lets have a look at the metrically scanned opening line of the soliloquy: To be,/ or not/ to be,/ that is/ the quest(io)n: The last syllable of the line contains an elision. C. purposeful repetition. His insanity is sly and smart, and he slips away from our questions when we try to get him to tell us about how hes feeling. Why should people like me be allowed to crawl between heaven and earth? Good gentlemen, give him a further edge, And drive his purpose on to these delights. [to OPHELIA] Read on this book That show of such an exercise may color Your loneliness. It is a bit difficult to understand what the question is. in possessionem against the man who simply refused to defend, or the judgement debtor, was open to the same objection (no physical help), and the praetor's These lines collectively contain a device called the, is one of the best-known quotes from all the Shakespearean works combined. Or if you must get married, marry a fool, because wise men know that women will eventually cheat on them. Wheres your father? Accessed 4 March 2023. Secondly, if he refuses to submit to his animalistic urges, the pain lying deep in his subconscious mind is going to torture his soul. The truth, like arrows bolting directly toward his mind, made him so vulnerable that he was just a step behind madness or death. LitCharts Teacher Editions. What think you on t? What should such fellows as I do crawling between earth. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns . Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Must give us pause. To die, to sleep No moreand by a sleep to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir totis a consummation Devoutly to be wished! Why wouldst thou be a breeder ofsinners? Hopefully the sea and all the new things to see in a different country will push out these thoughts that have somehow taken root in his mind, making him a stranger to his former self. If she find him not, To England send him or confine him where Your wisdom best shall think. It takes up to 4 minutes to perform. Just a moment can end, all of his troubles. Hamlet says: "There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life. Lets have a look at some of the works where the opening line of Hamlets soliloquy is mentioned. In Act 3 Scene 1 of Hamlet, Polonius forces Ophelia to return the love letters of Hamlet. At one point, he gives the hint that death seems easier than bearing lifes ills. To be, or not be is an intellectual query that a princely mind is asking the readers. [To CLAUDIUS] Your Majesty, if you agree, lets go hide. We respond to all comments too, giving you the answers you need. The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? The whores ugly cheekonly made beautiful with make-upis no more terrible than the things Ive done and hidden with fine words. Must make us stop and think: there's the thing. has given you one face and you make yourselves another. To sleep, perchance to dreamay, theres the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come. After rereading the line, it can be found that there is a repetition of the r sound. And hes not willing to be questioned. Yes, my lord, you made me believe you did. There, my lord. Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns. To sleep, perhaps to dreamyes, but theres theres the catch. In such a critical mental state, a single blow of fortune can end his life. So, its a consummation that is devoutly wished. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of. Not knowing a solid answer, he makes a coward of himself. quote is taken from the first line of Hamlets, To be, or not to be, that is the question. B. rhetorical question. Before reading this soliloquy, readers have to go through the plots that happened in the play. The greatest English writer of all time, William Shakespeare wrote: To be, or not be. This quote appears in his tragedy Hamlet written sometime between 1599 and 1601. In the first line, fardels mean the burdens of life. Gentlemen, try to nurture this interest of his, and keep him focused on these amusements. At the Almeida, Andrew Scott played Hamlet under the direction of Robert Icke in 2016. who would these fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after . Through this sleep that will help him to end the mental sufferings, he can get a final relief. Not knowing a solid answer, he makes a coward of himself. . Her father and Ispying for justifiable reasonswill place ourselves so that we cant be seen, but can observe the encounter and judge from Hamlets behavior whether love is the cause of his madness. Gupta, SudipDas. Another device is embedded in the line. Here is a list of some thought-provoking Shakespearean quotes that are similar to Hamlets soliloquy, To be, or not to be. Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, The heartache and the thousand natural shocks, That flesh is heir totis a consummation. Readers should not take this question at its surface value. And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, Now see that noble and most sovereign reason. According to him, such thoughts stop him from taking great action. Sweet Gertrude, leave us too, For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither, That he, as twere by accident, may here Affront Ophelia. Beautiful gifts lose their value when the givers turn out to be unkind. "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, / Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely / The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, / The insolence of office, and the spurns / That patient merit of th' unworthy takes, / When he himself might his quietus make" (Lines 15-20) C. Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in s own house. And his wordsalthough they were a bit all over the placewerent crazy. The last two lines are often excluded from the soliloquy as those lines contain the mental, The last syllable of the line contains an, There is another metaphor in the phrase, sea of troubles. In the next two lines, Shakespeare uses, After this line, the speaker presents a series of causes that lead to his suffering. His theory of terministic screens helps us to understand how the arguments we and evidence that we use to support our arguments (i.e., the creation of knowledge) can depend upon how we interpret this evidence. Now hes fallen so low! He was the perfect rose and great hope of our countrythe model of good manners, the trendsetter, the center of attention. Please take them back. is taken from the Second Quarto (Q2) of the play, Hamlet which was published in 1604. Therefore, this quote is a soliloquy that Shakespeare uses as a dramatic device to let Hamlet make his thoughts known to the audience, addressing them indirectly. The syntax of the soliloquy is structured in a way that gives it an almost . This antithetical idea reveals Hamlet is not sure whether he wants to live or die. Besides, the repetition of the phrase, to be makes this line easy to remember. But, my lord, could beauty be related to anything better than purity? Hamlets soliloquy begins with the memorable line, To be, or not to be, that is the question. It means that he cannot decide what is better, ending all the sufferings of life by death, or bearing the mental burdens silently. If you marry, Ill give you this curse as your wedding presenteven if you are as clean as ice, as pure as snow, youll still get a bad reputation. You dont have to tell us what Lord Hamlet said. On This Page . Who would bear his burdens, and grunt and sweat through a tiring life, if they werent frightened of what might happen after deaththat undiscovered country from which no visitor returns.
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