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Speech: “To be, or not to be, that is the question”
(from Hamlet , spoken by Hamlet)
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- Introduction
Meaning and interpretations
Literary and pop culture references, the monologue.
To be, or not to be
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To be, or not to be , opening line of a monologue spoken by the character Hamlet in Act III, scene 1, of William Shakespeare ’s revenge tragedy Hamlet (c. 1599–1601). Often referred to as a soliloquy , the speech technically does not meet that term’s strictest definition—that is, a monologue delivered by an actor alone onstage—because Ophelia , the object of Hamlet’s fickle affections, is also present, though Hamlet does not speak directly to her until the speech’s very end. The scene in which “to be, or not to be” appears is sometimes referred to as “the nunnery scene,” because Hamlet spurns Ophelia by telling her to “get thee to a nunnery” rather than wed him or another.
The monologue communicates Hamlet’s fixation on the play’s primary moral question: whether it is right for Hamlet to avenge his father’s death by killing his father’s suspected murderer, Claudius . The speech also conveys Hamlet’s obsession with the concepts of life (“to be”) and death (“not to be”). At first, Hamlet considers that death may be merely “a sleep ” that could “end / The heart-ache” inherent in being human , but then he frets over “what dreams may come” in “that sleep of death.” This uncertainty is “the rub,” or the crux of the question. With no certain knowledge of what happens after “we have shuffled off this mortal coil,” humans must suffer all of life’s indignities (“the whips and scorns of time , / The oppressor’s wrong”). Otherwise, who would bear such burdens (“these fardels”)? Death is an “undiscover’d country” that might arouse curiosity, but it is a dreadful one “from whose bourn / No traveller returns.”
The speech is typically interpreted as expressing Hamlet’s fear that, by killing his uncle Claudius, he will be committing a grievous sin , the consequence of which will be the eternal damnation of his soul . It has also been interpreted as an indication that Hamlet is considering suicide , an act that is echoed later in the play in Ophelia’s death by drowning , which may or may not have been accidental. Whether “to be, or not to be” specifically refers to Hamlet’s desire to kill Claudius or himself, both interpretations have strong defenders and detractors. The monologue’s layered meanings highlight the complexity of Hamlet’s psychological makeup and of Shakespeare’s gifts for strong characterization through the use of language .
“To be, or not to be” is one of Shakespeare’s most famous phrases and one of the most famous phrases in English literature . It is no exaggeration to say that it is impossible to catalog all the times it has been referred to in other literary works and in popular culture . For example, a burlesque of the speech appears in Mark Twain ’s novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), in a chapter in which Huck and his friend Jim are joined on their Mississippi River raft by two traveling con artists who are passing themselves off as an English duke and the king of France . The con men plan to put on a production of Shakespeare in the next town on their schedule. The duke attempts to teach the king “Hamlet’s soliloquy…the most celebrated thing in Shakespeare.” But with no copy of the play at hand, the duke must “piece it out from memory,” resulting in a comical mishmash of lines from various speeches in Hamlet and other Shakespearean plays that incorrectly begins, “To be, or not to be; that is the bare bodkin.”
Ernst Lubitsch ’s brilliant satirical film To Be or Not to Be (1942) follows two married members of an acting troupe, played by Jack Benny and Carole Lombard , who get caught up in a search for a German spy in World War II -era Poland . Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft took on the same roles in a 1983 remake. Kurt Vonnegut ’s 1962 short story “2 B R 0 2 B” (the “0” in the title is pronounced “naught”) explores a dystopian world where population control is achieved by government-mandated infanticide and assisted suicide . Those who want to avail themselves of the government’s macabre services can call a hotline, the number for which is the same as the story’s title. In the cult flick Last Action Hero (1993), Arnold Schwarzenegger plays an action movie star named Jack Slater who is the favorite actor of a young boy named Danny. When Danny becomes bored while watching the 1948 film version of Hamlet starring Laurence Olivier , he imagines Jack Slater in the role. His imaginary version comes complete with a movie trailer in which tough guy Hamlet chomps on a cigar , wields an Uzi , and delivers the opening line of the famous speech—and gives it an answer—as a church explodes behind him: “To be or not to be? Not to be.”
Other lines from the monologue have found their way into pop culture. The sci-fi film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) is named for Hamlet’s lines “The undiscover’d country from whose bourn / No traveller returns,” and a Klingon character quotes Shakespeare’s work in the alien language. Indeed, another character claims, “You have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon.” P.D. James ’s chilling novel The Children of Men (1992) borrows the word quietus (from the lines “That patient merit of the unworthy takes, / When he himself might his quietus make / With a bare bodkin?”) for the name of a government program that forces older adults to participate in mass suicide so as not to become a burden on society. In the novel’s 2006 film adaptation , directed by Alfonso Cuarón , the term is used as the name of a suicide-facilitation kit in the form of a self-administered drug.
The full speech reads as follows:
To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die—to sleep, No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to: ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. There’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The 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 the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would these fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover’d country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment, With this regard their currents turn awry And lose the name of action. Soft you now, The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remember’d.
'To Be, or Not to Be:' Exploring Shakespeare's Legendary Quote
Why is this Shakespeare speech so famous?
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Even if you have never seen a Shakespeare play, you will know this famous "Hamlet" quote: “To be, or not to be.” But what makes this speech so renowned, and what inspired the world's most famous playwright to include it in this work?
“To be, or not to be” is the opening line of a soliloquy in the nunnery scene of Shakespeare’s "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark." A melancholy Hamlet is contemplating death and suicide while waiting for his lover Ophelia.
He bemoans the challenges of life but contemplates that the alternative—death—could be worse. The speech explores Hamlet’s confused mindset as he considers murdering his Uncle Claudius, who killed Hamlet's father and then married his mother to become king in his place. Throughout the play, Hamlet has hesitated to kill his uncle and avenge his father’s death.
Hamlet was likely written between 1599 and 1601; by that time, Shakespeare had honed his skills as a writer and learned how to write introspectively to portray the inner thoughts of a tortured mind. He would have almost certainly seen versions of "Hamlet" before writing his own, as it pulls from the Scandinavian legend of Amleth. Still, the brilliance of Shakespeare’s take on the tale is that he conveys the protagonist's inner thoughts so eloquently.
Family Death
Shakespeare lost his son, Hamnet, in August 1596, when the child was just 11 years old. Sadly, it was not uncommon to lose children in Shakespeare’s time, but as Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet must have forged a relationship with his father despite him working regularly in London.
Some argue that Hamlet’s speech of whether to endure the tortures of life or just end it could offer insight into Shakespeare’s own thinking in his time of grief. Perhaps that is why the speech is so universally well-received—an audience can feel the real emotion in Shakespeare’s writing and perhaps relate to this feeling of helpless despair.
Multiple Interpretations
The famous speech is open to many different interpretations, often expressed by placing emphasis on different parts of the opening line. This was demonstrated comically at the Royal Shakespeare Company's 400-year celebration performance when a range of actors known for their work with the play (including David Tennant, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Sir Ian McKellan), took to instructing each other on the best ways to perform the soliloquy. Their different approaches all exhibit the different, nuanced meanings that can be found in the speech.
Why It Resonates
Religious reforms.
Shakespeare’s audience would have experienced religious reforms where most would have had to convert from Catholicism to Protestantism or risk being executed. This throws up doubts about practicing religion, and the speech may have posed questions about what and who to believe when it comes to the afterlife.
"To be a Catholic or not to be a Catholic" becomes the question. You have been brought up to believe in a faith, and then suddenly you are told that if you continue to believe in it you may be killed. Being forced to change your belief system can certainly cause inner turmoil and insecurity.
Because faith continues to be a subject of contention to this day, it is still a relevant lens through which to understand the speech.
Universal Questions
The philosophical nature of the speech also makes it appealing: None of us know what comes after this life and there is a fear of that unknown, but we are all also aware at times of the futility of life and its injustices. Sometimes, like Hamlet, we wonder what our purpose here is.
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To Be or Not to Be: Analyzing Hamlet's Soliloquy
General Education
"To be, or not to be, that is the question."
It’s a line we’ve all heard at some point (and very likely quoted as a joke), but do you know where it comes from and the meaning behind the words? "To be or not to be" is actually the first line of a famous soliloquy from William Shakespeare’s play Hamle t .
In this comprehensive guide, we give you the full text of the Hamlet "To be or not to be" soliloquy and discuss everything there is to know about it, from what kinds of themes and literary devices it has to its cultural impact on society today.
Full Text: "To Be, or Not to Be, That Is the Question"
The famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy comes from William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet (written around 1601) and is spoken by the titular Prince Hamlet in Act 3, Scene 1. It is 35 lines long.
Here is the full text:
To be, or not to be, that is the question, Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; 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 That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.—Soft you now! The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remember'd.
You can also view a contemporary English translation of the speech here .
"To Be or Not to Be": Meaning and Analysis
The "To be or not to be" soliloquy appears in Act 3, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet . In this scene, often called the "nunnery scene," Prince Hamlet thinks about life, death, and suicide. Specifically, he wonders whether it might be preferable to commit suicide to end one's suffering and to leave behind the pain and agony associated with living.
Though he believes he is alone when he speaks, King Claudius (his uncle) and Polonius (the king’s councilor) are both in hiding, eavesdropping.
The first line and the most famous of the soliloquy raises the overarching question of the speech: "To be, or not to be," that is, "To live, or to die."
Interestingly, Hamlet poses this as a question for all of humanity rather than for only himself. He begins by asking whether it is better to passively put up with life’s pains ("the slings and arrows") or actively end it via suicide ("take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them?").
Hamlet initially argues that death would indeed be preferable : he compares the act of dying to a peaceful sleep: "And by a sleep to say we end / The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to."
However, he quickly changes his tune when he considers that nobody knows for sure what happens after death , namely whether there is an afterlife and whether this afterlife might be even worse than life. This realization is what ultimately gives Hamlet (and others, he reasons) "pause" when it comes to taking action (i.e., committing suicide).
In this sense, humans are so fearful of what comes after death and the possibility that it might be more miserable than life that they (including Hamlet) are rendered immobile.
Inspiration Behind Hamlet and "To Be or Not to Be"
Shakespeare wrote more than three dozen plays in his lifetime, including what is perhaps his most iconic, Hamlet . But where did the inspiration for this tragic, vengeful, melancholy play come from? Although nothing has been verified, rumors abound.
Some claim that the character of Hamlet was named after Shakespeare’s only son Hamnet , who died at age 11 only five years prior to his writing of Hamlet in 1601. If that's the case, the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, which explores themes of death and the afterlife, seems highly relevant to what was more than likely Shakespeare’s own mournful frame of mind at the time.
Others believe Shakespeare was inspired to explore graver, darker themes in his works due to the passing of his own father in 1601 , the same year he wrote Hamlet . This theory seems possible, considering that many of the plays Shakespeare wrote after Hamlet , such as Macbeth and Othello , adopted similarly dark themes.
Finally, some have suggested that Shakespeare was inspired to write Hamlet by the tensions that cropped up during the English Reformation , which raised questions as to whether the Catholics or Protestants held more "legitimate" beliefs (interestingly, Shakespeare intertwines both religions in the play).
These are the three central theories surrounding Shakespeare’s creation of Hamlet . While we can’t know for sure which, if any, are correct, evidently there are many possibilities — and just as likely many inspirations that led to his writing this remarkable play.
3 Critical Themes in "To Be or Not to Be"
- Doubt and uncertainty
- Life and death
Theme 1: Doubt and Uncertainty
Doubt and uncertainty play a huge role in Hamlet’s "To be or not to be" soliloquy. By this point in the play, we know that Hamlet has struggled to decide whether he should kill Claudius and avenge his father’s death .
Questions Hamlet asks both before and during this soliloquy are as follows:
- Was it really the ghost of his father he heard and saw?
- Was his father actually poisoned by Claudius?
- Should he kill Claudius?
- Should he kill himself?
- What are the consequences of killing Claudius? Of not killing him?
There are no clear answers to any of these questions, and he knows this. Hamlet is struck by indecisiveness, leading him to straddle the line between action and inaction.
It is this general feeling of doubt that also plagues his fears of the afterlife, which Hamlet speaks on at length in his "To be or not to be" soliloquy. The uncertainty of what comes after death is, to him, the main reason most people do not commit suicide; it’s also the reason Hamlet himself hesitates to kill himself and is inexplicably frozen in place .
Theme 2: Life and Death
As the opening line tells us, "To be or not to be" revolves around complex notions of life and death (and the afterlife).
Up until this point in the play, Hamlet has continued to debate with himself whether he should kill Claudius to avenge his father. He also wonders whether it might be preferable to kill himself — this would allow him to escape his own "sea of troubles" and the "slings and arrows" of life.
But like so many others, Hamlet fears the uncertainty dying brings and is tormented by the possibility of ending up in Hell —a place even more miserable than life. He is heavily plagued by this realization that the only way to find out if death is better than life is to go ahead and end it, a permanent decision one cannot take back.
Despite Hamlet's attempts to logically understand the world and death, there are some things he will simply never know until he himself dies, further fueling his ambivalence.
Theme 3: Madness
The entirety of Hamlet can be said to revolve around the theme of madness and whether Hamlet has been feigning madness or has truly gone mad (or both). Though the idea of madness doesn’t necessarily come to the forefront of "To be or not to be," it still plays a crucial role in how Hamlet behaves in this scene.
Before Hamlet begins his soliloquy, Claudius and Polonius are revealed to be hiding in an attempt to eavesdrop on Hamlet (and later Ophelia when she enters the scene). Now, what the audience doesn’t know is whether Hamlet knows he is being listened to .
If he is unaware, as most might assume he is, then we could view his "To be or not to be" soliloquy as the simple musings of a highly stressed-out, possibly "mad" man, who has no idea what to think anymore when it comes to life, death, and religion as a whole.
However, if we believe that Hamlet is aware he's being spied on, the soliloquy takes on an entirely new meaning: Hamlet could actually be feigning madness as he bemoans the burdens of life in an effort to perplex Claudius and Polonius and/or make them believe he is overwhelmed with grief for his recently deceased father.
Whatever the case, it’s clear that Hamlet is an intelligent man who is attempting to grapple with a difficult decision. Whether or not he is truly "mad" here or later in the play is up to you to decide!
4 Key Literary Devices in "To Be or Not to Be"
In the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Shakespeare has Hamlet use a wide array of literary devices to bring more power, imagination, and emotion to the speech. Here, we look at some of the key devices used , how they’re being used, and what kinds of effects they have on the text.
#1: Metaphor
Shakespeare uses several metaphors in "To be or not to be," making it by far the most prominent literary device in the soliloquy. A metaphor is when a thing, person, place, or idea is compared to something else in non-literal terms, usually to create a poetic or rhetorical effect.
One of the first metaphors is in the line "to take arms against a sea of troubles," wherein this "sea of troubles" represents the agony of life, specifically Hamlet’s own struggles with life and death and his ambivalence toward seeking revenge. Hamlet’s "troubles" are so numerous and seemingly unending that they remind him of a vast body of water.
Another metaphor that comes later on in the soliloquy is this one: "The undiscover'd country from whose bourn / No traveller returns." Here, Hamlet is comparing the afterlife, or what happens after death, to an "undiscovered country" from which nobody comes back (meaning you can’t be resurrected once you’ve died).
This metaphor brings clarity to the fact that death truly is permanent and that nobody knows what, if anything, comes after life.
#2: Metonymy
A metonym is when an idea or thing is substituted with a related idea or thing (i.e., something that closely resembles the original idea). In "To be or not to be," Shakespeare uses the notion of sleep as a substitute for death when Hamlet says, "To die, to sleep."
Why isn’t this line just a regular metaphor? Because the act of sleeping looks very much like death. Think about it: we often describe death as an "eternal sleep" or "eternal slumber," right? Since the two concepts are closely related, this line is a metonym instead of a plain metaphor.
#3: Repetition
The phrase "to die, to sleep" is an example of repetition, as it appears once in line 5 and once in line 9 . Hearing this phrase twice emphasizes that Hamlet is really (albeit futilely) attempting to logically define death by comparing it to what we all superficially know it to be: a never-ending sleep.
This literary device also paves the way for Hamlet’s turn in his soliloquy, when he realizes that it’s actually better to compare death to dreaming because we don’t know what kind of afterlife (if any) there is.
#4: Anadiplosis
A far less common literary device, anadiplosis is when a word or phrase that comes at the end of a clause is repeated at the very beginning of the next clause.
In "To be or not to be," Hamlet uses this device when he proclaims, "To die, to sleep; / To sleep: perchance to dream." Here, the phrase "to sleep" comes at the end of one clause and at the start of the next clause.
The anadiplosis gives us a clear sense of connection between these two sentences . We know exactly what’s on Hamlet’s mind and how important this idea of "sleep" as "death" is in his speech and in his own analysis of what dying entails.
The Cultural Impact of "To Be or Not to Be"
The "To be or not to be" soliloquy in Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most famous passages in English literature, and its opening line, "To be, or not to be, that is the question," is one of the most quoted lines in modern English .
Many who’ve never even read Hamlet (even though it’s said to be one of the greatest Shakespeare plays ) know about "To be or not to be." This is mainly due to the fact that the iconic line is so often quoted in other works of art and literature — even pop culture .
And it’s not just quoted, either; some people use it ironically or sarcastically .
For example, this Calvin and Hobbes comic from 1994 depicts a humorous use of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy by poking fun at its dreary, melodramatic nature.
Many movies and TV shows have references to "To be or not to be," too. In an episode of Sesame Street , famed British actor Patrick Stewart does a parodic version of the soliloquy ("B, or not a B") to teach kids the letter "B":
There’s also the 1942 movie (and its 1983 remake) To Be or Not to Be , a war comedy that makes several allusions to Shakespeare’s Hamlet . Here’s the trailer for the 1983 version:
Finally, here’s one AP English student’s original song version of "To be or not to be":
As you can see, over the more than four centuries since Hamlet first premiered, the "To be or not to be" soliloquy has truly made a name for itself and continues to play a big role in society.
Conclusion: The Legacy of Hamlet ’s "To Be or Not to Be"
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most popular, well-known plays in the world. Its iconic "To be or not to be" soliloquy, spoken by the titular Hamlet in Scene 3, Act 1, has been analyzed for centuries and continues to intrigue scholars, students, and general readers alike.
The soliloquy is essentially all about life and death : "To be or not to be" means "To live or not to live" (or "To live or to die") . Hamlet discusses how painful and miserable human life is, and how death (specifically suicide) would be preferable, would it not be for the fearful uncertainty of what comes after death.
The soliloquy contains three main themes :
It also uses four unique literary devices :
- Anadiplosis
Even today, we can see evidence of the cultural impact of "To be or not to be," with its numerous references in movies, TV shows, music, books, and art. It truly has a life of its own!
What’s Next?
In order to analyze other texts or even other parts of Hamlet effectively, you'll need to be familiar with common poetic devices , literary devices , and literary elements .
What is iambic pentameter? Shakespeare often used it in his plays —including Hamlet . Learn all about this type of poetic rhythm here .
Need help understanding other famous works of literature? Then check out our expert guides to F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby , Arthur Miller's The Crucible , and quotations in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird .
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Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.
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StageMilk / Monologues For Actors / Hamlet Monologues
Hamlet Monologues
Hamlet. Arguably Shakespeare’s most lauded play . Hamlet is an incredible play and if you’re lucky enough to be involved in a production, be prepared for a rollercoaster ride. Whether you are auditioning for drama school , a local play, film or whatever , it’s important to have a great monologue up your sleeve. Hamlet is a great play for finding monologues.
Hamlet , of course, is one of the greatest characters ever penned, but there are a number of great male and female characters in the play, and where there are great characters there are great monologues. So enjoy!
Updated Feb 3, 2024!
We are committed to providing the best monologue resources out there and so here is our list of best Hamlet Monologues:
Hamlet Monologues (Hamlet’s 7 Soliloquies)
First up, here are the seven soliloquies Hamlet speaks during the play. A soliloquy is where the character is completely alone on stage, typically sharing their thoughts directly with the audience. Some would argue these seven soliloquy’s give a decent roadmap of Hamlet’s state of mind during the play.
Act 1 Scene 2
O, that this too too solid flesh would melt Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! God! How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on’t! ah fie! ’tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. That it should come to this! But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two: So excellent a king; that was, to this, Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth! Must I remember? why, she would hang on him, As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on: and yet, within a month– Let me not think on’t–Frailty, thy name is woman!– A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she follow’d my poor father’s body, Like Niobe, all tears:–why she, even she– O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn’d longer–married with my uncle, My father’s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month: Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good: But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.
More on Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2
Act 1 Scene 5
O all you host of heaven, O earth – what else? And shall I couple hell? O fie! Hold, hold, my heart, And you, my sinews, grow not instant old But bear me swiftly up. Remember thee? Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat In this distracted globe. Remember thee? Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past That youth and observation copied there, And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by heaven! O most pernicious woman, O villain, villain, smiling damned villain! My tables — meet it is I set it down That one may smile and smile and be a villain – At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark. So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word. It is ‘Adieu, adieu, remember me.’ I have sworn’t.
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Act 2 Scene 2
O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all the visage wanned Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit – and all for nothing – For Hecuba? What’s Hecuba to him, or he to her, That he should weep for her? What would he do Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have? He would drown the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech, Make mad the guilty and appall the free, Confound the ignorant and amaze indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, And can say nothing. No, not for a king Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me villain, breaks my pate across, Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face, Tweaks me by the nose, gives me the lie i’th’ throat As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this, Ha? ’Swounds , I should take it. For it cannot be But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall To make oppression bitter, or ere this I should ha’ fatted all the region kites With this slave’s offal – bloody, bawdy villain, Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain. O, vengeance! Why, what an ass am I: this is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murdered, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must like a whore unpack my heart with words And fall a-cursing like a very drab, A stallion! Fie upon’t, foh! About, my brains! Hum — I have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play Have by the very cunning of the scene Been struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaimed their malefactions. For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. I’ll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle. I’ll observe his looks, I’ll tent him to the quick. If ’a do blench I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the de’il hath power T’assume a pleasing shape. Yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me! I’ll have grounds More relative than this. The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King.
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Act 3 Scene 1
To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life; 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 That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover’d country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.–Soft you now! The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remember’d.
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Act 3 Scene 2
Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood, And do such bitter business as the day Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my mother. O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom: Let me be cruel, not unnatural: I will speak daggers to her, but use none; My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites; How in my words soever she be shent, To give them seals never, my soul, consent!
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Act 3 Scene 3
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying. And now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven. And so am I revenged. That would be scanned. A villain kills my father; and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge. He took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May; And how his audit stands, who knows save heaven? But in our circumstance and course of thought, ‘Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged, To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent. When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th’incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game, a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in’t — Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays. This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.
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Act 4 Scene 4
How all occasions do inform against me And spur my dull revenge. What is a man If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast – no more. Sure he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused. Now whether it be Bestial oblivion or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on th’event (A thought which quartered hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward) I do not know Why yet I live to say this thing’s to do, Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do’t. Examples gross as earth exhort me – Witness this army of such mass and charge, Led by a delicate and tender prince Whose spirit with divine ambition puffed Makes mouths at the invisible event Exposing what is mortal and unsure To all that fortune, death and danger dare Even for an eggshell. Rightly to be great Is not to stir without great argument But greatly to find quarrel in a straw When honour’s at the stake. How stand I then That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep; while to my shame I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men That for a fantasy and trick of fame Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, Which is not tomb enough and continent To hide the slain? O, from this time forth My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.
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Hamlet Monologues (Men – All)
Here are a few more great male monologues from Hamlet. These include monologues by Hamlet and other key characters.
Act 1 Scene 2 (Claudius Monologue)
‘Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father: But, you must know, your father lost a father; That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound In filial obligation for some term To do obsequious sorrow: but to persever In obstinate condolement is a course Of impious stubbornness; ’tis unmanly grief; It shows a will most incorrect to heaven, A heart unfortified, a mind impatient, An understanding simple and unschool’d: For what we know must be and is as common As any the most vulgar thing to sense, Why should we in our peevish opposition Take it to heart? Fie! ’tis a fault to heaven, A fault against the dead, a fault to nature, To reason most absurd: whose common theme Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried, From the first corse till he that died to-day, ‘This must be so.’ We pray you, throw to earth This unprevailing woe, and think of us As of a father: for let the world take note, You are the most immediate to our throne; And with no less nobility of love Than that which dearest father bears his son, Do I impart toward you. For your intent In going back to school in Wittenberg, It is most retrograde to our desire: And we beseech you, bend you to remain Here, in the cheer and comfort of our eye, Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son.
Act 2 Scene 2 (Hamlet Monologues) – Prose
I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and, indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory, this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave overhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why it appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What piece of work is a man – how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving; how express and admirable in action; how like an angel in apprehension; how like a god; the beauty of the world; the paragon of animals. And yet to me what is this quintessence of dust?
Act 3 Scene 2 (Hamlet Monologue)
Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue: but if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness. O, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumbshows and noise: I would have such a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termagant; it out-herods Herod: pray you, avoid it.
Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special o’erstep not the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure. Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the censure of the which one must in your allowance o’erweigh a whole theatre of others. O, there be players that I have seen play, and heard others praise, and that highly, not to speak it profanely, that, neither having the accent of Christians nor the gait of Christian, pagan, nor man, have so strutted and bellowed that I have thought some of nature’s journeymen had made men and not made them well, they imitated humanity so abominably.
O, reform it altogether. And let those that play your clowns speak no more than is set down for them; for there be of them that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too; though, in the mean time, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered: that’s villanous, and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it. Go, make you ready.
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Act 3 Scene 3 (Claudius Solioquy)
O, my offence is rank: it smells to heaven; It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t – A brother’s murder. Pray can I not: Though inclination be as sharp as will, My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent And like a man to double business bound I stand in pause where I shall first begin And both neglect. What if this cursed hand Were thicker than itself with brother’s blood? Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy But to confront the visage of offence? And what’s in prayer but this twofold force – To be forestalled ere we come to fall Or pardoned, being down? Then I’ll look up: My fault is past. But O, what form of prayer Can serve my turn: ‘Forgive me my foul murder’? That cannot be, since I am still possessed Of those effects for which I did the murder, My crown, mine own ambition and my Queen. May one be pardoned and retain th’offence? In the corrupted currents of this world Offence’s gilded hand may shove by justice, And oft ’tis seen the wicked prize itself Buys out the law; but ’tis not so above: There is no shuffling, there the action lies In his true nature, and we ourselves compelled Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults To give in evidence. What then? What rests? Try what repentance can – what can it not? – Yet what can it, when one cannot repent? O wretched state, O bosom black as death, O limed soul that struggling to be free Art more engaged. Help, angels, make assay. Bow, stubborn knees, and heart with strings of steel Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe. All may be well.
More Male Shakespeare Monologues…
Hamlet Monologues (Women)
Unfortunately, though there are some incredible female characters, there are not many female monologues or soliloquies in Hamlet. However, these are two classic pieces and definitely worth exploring. Ophelia’s monologue here is particularly iconic.
Act 3 Scene 1 (Ophelia Monologue)
O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown! The courtier’s, scholar’s, soldier’s, eye, tongue, sword, Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state, The glass of fashion and the mould of form, Th’ observ’d of all observers- quite, quite down! And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, That suck’d the honey of his music vows, Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh; That unmatch’d form and feature of blown youth Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see!
Learn more about Ophelia’s Monologues (Act 3 Scene 1)
Act 4 Scene 7 (Gertrude Monologue)
There is a willow grows aslant a brook, That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream. There with fantastic garlands did she come Of crowflowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples, That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, But our cold maids do dead men’s fingers call them. There on the pendant boughs her coronet weeds Clamb’ring to hang, an envious sliver broke, When down her weedy trophies and herself Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up; Which time she chaunted snatches of old tunes, As one incapable of her own distress, Or like a creature native and indued Unto that element; but long it could not be Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, Pull’d the poor wretch from her melodious lay To muddy death.
Learn more about Gertrude’s Act 4 Scene 7 Monologue
So there you have it, a huge amount of monologues to explore from Hamlet. I would recommend diving into as many of these great pieces as you can. Also, don’t feel restricted to gender, or age. Tackle the monologues that you love and that resonate with you.
For more Female Shakespeare Monologues…
For more Male Shakespeare Monologues….
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is the founder and CEO of StageMilk.com. He trained at the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), and has worked professionally across film, TV and theatre. He is one of the most in-demand acting and voice-over coaches working in the industry, and the head coach of StageMilk Drama Club.
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2 responses to “Hamlet Monologues”
Thank you, this was much more effective than frantically listing through the play!
Thank you for complying the speeches and monologues with references! You’ve saved me and my Advanced Placement students several hours of work. It helps them jump straight to performing and evaluating the passages!
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Spoken by Hamlet, Act 5 Scene 1. Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft.
Speech: "To be, or not to be, that is the question"
'To Be Or Not To Be': Hamlet's Soliloquy With Analysis ️
Hamlet Quotes: Read 30 Memorable Quotes From ...
To be, or not to be
Making it easier to find monologues since 1997. A complete database of Shakespeare's Monologues. All of them. The monologues are organized by play, then categorized by comedy, history and tragedy. You can browse and/or search. Each monologue entry includes the character's name, the first line of the speech, whether it is verse or prose, and shows the act, scene & line number.
To be, or not to be | Meaning, Hamlet, Shakespeare ...
To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end. The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks (70) That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation. Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come.
'To Be, or Not to Be:' Shakespeare's Legendary Speech
To Be or Not to Be: Analyzing Hamlet's Soliloquy
This soliloquy is considered to be one of the most important and fundamental in English literature. Hamlet's desperate question, "To be, or not to be," occurs in Act 3, Scene 1, and is the most famous and celebrated because of its philosophical nature, questioning life and death-in short, existence. Hamlet's dilemma is whether it is worth ...
Speeches (Lines) for Hamlet in "Hamlet" Total: 358. print/save view. OPTIONS: Show cue speeches • Show full speeches # Act, Scene, Line (Click to see in context) Speech text: 1. I,2,267 [aside] A little more than kin, and less than kind! 2. I,2,269. Not so, my lord. I am too much i' th' sun. 3. I,2,276.
Gertrude. Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever with thy vailed lids. Seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know'st 'tis common. All that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity.
Act 1 Scene 2 (Claudius Monologue) 'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father: But, you must know, your father lost a father; That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound. In filial obligation for some term. To do obsequious sorrow: but to persever.
Hamlet's Soliloquy: To be, or not to be: that is the question (3.1) Unlike Hamlet's first two major soliloquies, his third and most famous speech seems to be governed by reason and not frenzied emotion. Unable to do little but wait for completion of his plan to "catch the conscience of the king", Hamlet sparks an internal philosophical debate ...
Speech text: 1. I,2,270. Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.... 2. I,2,277. If it be, Why seems it so particular with thee? 3. I,2,321. Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. I pray thee stay with us, go not to Wittenberg. 4.
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 3 - Polonius tell Laertes, to thine ...
More Hamlet soliloquies coming soon! We have separate pages dedicated to Hamlet soliloquys and Hamlet monologues, which include the text with an analysis of other famous Hamlet quotes, such as: " Oh my offence is rank, it smells to heaven ". (Spoken by Claudius, Act 3 Scene 3) " Now might I do it pat ". (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 3 Scene 3)
The most popular play by the world's best known playwright, contains the world's most famous character from a play who has the most recognizable lines in the history of theater. ... Hamlet. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounc'd it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as live the ...
Claudius. Act I - Scene 2. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death. The memory be green, and that it us befitted. To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom. To be contracted in one brow of woe, Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature. That we with wisest sorrow think on him.
Hamlet - Entire Play
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Hamlet - Act 3, Scene 1. This is a great example of the power of a good speech. The choice of words is particularly apt. Hamlet: To be, or not to be : that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,