The harlots cheek, beautied with plastering art, Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it. Your Majesty, if you agree, lets go hide. To be, or not to be by William Shakespeare describes how Hamlet is torn between life and death. viii+ 176. 4888 Views 366 Favorites 77 Meanwhile, if you think its all right, Ill hide and listen to what they say. Beautiful gifts lose their value when the givers turn out to be unkind. And by opposing end them. Shakespeare derived the story of Hamlet from the legend of Amleth. According to the, Such thoughts confuse the speaker more. who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, May he get locked in, so he can play the fool in his own home only. But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country, from whose bourn, And makes us rather bear those ills we have. He asks whether a noble mind like him has to suffer the metaphorical slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. In this phrase, Shakespeare compares fortune to an archer who releases arrows and hurts Hamlets mind. He uses a rhetorical question, With a bare bodkin? at the end to heighten this dramatic effect. Being engrossed with such thoughts, he utters this soliloquy. English IV BLOCK ONE Midterm Spring 2022 The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, Teachers and parents! These lines collectively contain a device called the, is one of the best-known quotes from all the Shakespearean works combined. [to OPHELIA] Read on this book That show of such an exercise may color Your loneliness. To a nunnery, go. Hamlet's specific whips and scorns are DEATH, and death of a parent no less, his mother's hasty marriage and his girlfriend's returning of his letters and not getting to be king when really he should be. With a bare bodkin? William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1 We oerraught on the way. . Before reading this soliloquy, readers have to go through the plots that happened in the play. Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966. Gentlemen, try to nurture this interest of his, and keep him focused on these amusements. Besides, it is written in iambic pentameter with a few metrical variations. It is the longest play of Shakespeare containing 29,551 words. Get yourself to to a convent. No, his sadness is like a bird sitting on an egg. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. To be, or not to be? The 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 the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? So shall I hope your virtues Will bring him to his wonted way again, To both your honors. A person has to bear whatever it sends and react accordingly. It puzzles his will to do something that can end his mental pain. Im arrogant, vengeful, ambitious, and have more criminal desires than I have thoughts or imagination to fit them inor time in which to commit them. The subsequent events, one by one, add more burdens on Hamlets mind. I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. Before the 18th century, there was not any concrete idea regarding how the character of Hamlet is. The sufferings that time sends are out of ones control. He has gone through all such pangs while he can end his life with a bare bodkin. Bodkin is an, The first two lines of this section refer to the fact that none choose to grunt and sweat through the exhausting life. Farewell. If readers strictly adhere to the plot, they can decode this line differently. 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. When does a person think like that? It is a soliloquy that Hamlet speaks directly to the audience to make his thoughts and intentions known to them. 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! And lose the name of action.Soft you now. From these lines, it becomes clear what questions are troubling the tragic hero, Hamlet. Through this sleep that will help him to end the mental sufferings, he can get a final relief. We heard it all. Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied oer with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action. My honored lord, you know right well you did, And with them, words of so sweet breath composed. It should be taken in a moment. Though in the, In the earliest version of the play, this monologue is 35 lines long. To sleep, perhaps to dreamyes, but theres theres the catch. Charlie Chaplin recites this monologue in the comedy film A King in New York (1957). [To CLAUDIUS] My lord, do whatever you like. I, Get thee to a nunnery. Rather he discusses what he thinks in that critical juncture with his inner self. How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience! 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. Again, Shakespeare uses the repetition of the phrase, To die, to sleep. It is the second instance where Hamlet uses these words. Thats the consideration that makes us suffer the calamities of life for so long. On both the way, he is aware of the fact that he is destined to suffer. Based on this part of the soliloquy, which best describes Hamlet's perception of life? At that time, Hamlet is seen walking alone in the hall asking whether to be or not to be.. There, my lord. Tis too much proved, that with devotions visage. It is through you visiting Poem Analysis that we are able to contribute to charity. Pp. We've lost a lot of great minds recently Nora Ephron, Maurice Sendak, David Rakoff, and Hitch himself and we think this end-of-life memoir in essays, full of Hitchens' trademark wit and his. In Hamlets case, losing his dear father tragically is a natural shock. Thats the consideration that makes us suffer the calamities of life for so long. Oh, poor me, to have seen Hamlet as he was, and now to see him in this way! T have seen what I have seen, see what I see! We are oft to blame in this, Tis too much proved, that with devotions visage And pious action we do sugar oer The devil himself. It comes from the Middle English word, contumelie. There is an epigram in the line, Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all. The following lines contain this device as well. In William Shakespeares play Hamlet, the titular character, Hamlet says this soliloquy. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. To be, or not be means Hamlets mind is torn between two things, being and not being. Being means life and action. It means that he cannot decide what is better, ending all the sufferings of life by death, or bearing the mental burdens silently. The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns. Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/william-shakespeare/to-be-or-not-to-be/. Hamlet comes to the conclusion (in the previous sentence) that what comes after death must "give us pause". He is ready to fight against those troubles and end them all at once. who would these fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, Hamlets utterings reflect a sense of longing for death. PHL MISC. Cloth, 42 s. net. Madness in important people must be closely watched. Of those who are married alreadyall but one personwill live on as couples. However, death can end both of these pains. They have to understand what is going on in his mind. According to him, dying is like sleeping. But now the joy they brought me is gone, so please take them back. There's the respect must give us pause: Wake Duncan with thy knocking! Who would fardels bear. With all my heart, Im glad to hear of his interest. You shouldnt have believed me. Its interesting to know how Moriarty delves deeper into the character through this soliloquy. Sweet Gertrude, leave us too, For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither, That he, as twere by accident, may here Affront Ophelia. This antithetical idea reveals Hamlet is not sure whether he wants to live or die. is famous for its open-ended meaning that not only encompasses the thoughts raging inside Hamlets mind but also features the theme of existential crisis. 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. In the last line, Shakespeare uses a. begins with an epigrammatic idea. In this section of the soliloquy, To be, or not to be Hamlets utterings reflect a sense of longing for death. 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. That patient merit of th' unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make My lord, I have some mementos of yours that Ive been wanting to return to you for a while. Oh, what a noble mind is here oerthrown!. with a dangerous lunacy thats such a huge shift from his earlier calm and quiet behavior? In such a critical situation, Hamlet feels extremely lonely as there are no other persons to console him. You dance and sway as you walk, and talk in a cutesy way. That is the question. Lets see what Hamlet is saying to the audience. If thou dost marry, Ill give thee this plague for thy, dowry. O heavy burden! [To OPHELIA] As for you, Ophelia, I hope that your beauty is the reason for Hamlets insane behavior. Prince Hamlet struggles over whether or not he should kill his uncle, whom he suspects has murdered his father, the former king. 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. 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 The pangs of disprizd love, the laws delay. 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," (67-73) In regard to these lines, the mindset of Hamlet changes again because of his approach to appreciating life. Oh, what guilt! Somehow, it seems to him that before diving deeper into the regions of unknown and unseen, it is better to wait and see. I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I, could accuse me of such things that it were better my, I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more. Of those who are married alreadyall but one personwill live on as couples. Madness in great ones must not unwatched go. Weve sent for Hamlet as a way for him to meet with Ophelia, seemingly by chance. 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. He sees death as sleeping. This used to be a great puzzle, but now Ive solved it. I hear him coming. 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. to, Ill no more on t. Though in the plot, Ophelia is on stage pretending to read, Hamlet expresses his thoughts only to himself. Contumely Pronounced /kntjuml/ Contumelyis insolent or insulting language or treatment. For this reason, the action of ending his sufferings loses the name of action. Did you know? Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. The phrase, sea of troubles contains hyperbole. THE OPPRESSOR'S WRONG, THE PROUD MAN'S CONTUMELY? Digging deeper into the soliloquy reveals a variety of concepts and meanings that apply to all human beings. and he slips away from our questions when we try to get him to tell us about how hes feeling. Love? Is sicklied oer with the pale cast of thought, With this regard their currents turn awry. who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, 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. 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, . Everyone else will have to stay single. The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns. How now, Ophelia? Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in s own house. Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, Contumely is interesting in that most English words that end in -ly are adverbs, which describe verbs, but this is a noun. Or if you must get married, marry a fool, because wise men know that women will eventually cheat on them. 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? 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. The line, To be or not to be inspired the title of the. After this line, the speaker presents a series of causes that lead to his suffering. Farewell. Niggard of question, but of our demandsMost free in his reply. LineBreak); builder. such as "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and "the oppressor's wrong," which evoke a sense of despair and hopelessness. . 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. You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname Gods. In this part of the To be, or not to be quote, Hamlets subconscious mind reminds him about his sufferings. Pp. My lord, I have remembrances of yoursThat I have longd long to redeliver.I pray you now receive them. Not only that, Hamlet is quite depressed by the wrongs inflicted upon the innocents by the haughty kings. God gives you one face, but you use make-up to give yourself another. So, its a consummation that is devoutly wished. Must give us pause. Hello, Ophelia. imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. Its an alliteration. us. Scholars believe that Shakespeare wrote this play and later revised it. Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh; That unmatched form and feature of blown youth. , , "contumely" . It is important to mention here that the speaker just wants an answer. After rereading the line, it can be found that there is a repetition of the r sound. Go to a convent. force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness. I wont allow it anymore. A once noble and disciplined mind that sang sweetly is now harsh and out of tune. I used to love you. TEXT: The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, IMAGES: In my phonetic number system, the sound "op" is the same as the image for 09 (Aesop), but encased in a block of ice (an image modifier that reverses the way 09 is read, from "suh" to "op"). Oh, what a noble mind is here oerthrown! The courtiers, soldiers, scholars, eye, tongue, sword, Th expectancy and rose of the fair state, The glass of fashion and the mould of form, Th observed of all observers, quite, quite down! net. Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered. is taken from the Second Quarto (Q2) of the play, Hamlet which was published in 1604. Why would you want to give birth to sinners? Ophelia, walk you here. 165. The pronunciation is kn - tym - le with the accent on the first syllable. THE OPPRESSOR'S WRONG, THE PROUD MAN'S CONTUMELY? But now the joy they brought me is gone, so please take them back. "contumely" . Get thee to a nunnery. 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. You dont have to tell us what Lord Hamlet said. 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 be, or not to be, the opening line of Hamlets mindful soliloquy, is one of the most thought-provoking quotes of all time. To dieto sleep, The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks, That flesh is heir to: tis a consummation. He is asking just a simple question. 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. Not death, to be specific. It is possible that even after his death, he will not be relieved. The unmatched beauty he had in the full bloom of his youth has been destroyed by madness. 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? It is considered the earliest version of the play. With this regard their currents turn awry. That patient merit of th' unworthy takes, 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. which we wonder about and which makes us prefer the troubles we know rather than fly off to face the ones we dont? Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966. InsertBreak (BreakType. And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish That your good beauties be the happy cause Of Hamlets wildness. The lines are famous for their simplicity. Oh, his great mind has been overcome by insanity! The first line of the speech, To be, or not to be, that is the question contains two literary devices. With a bare bodkin? Being engrossed in his self-same musing, he clarifies his thoughts to himself first as he is going to take a tough decision. Farewell. It should work. He badly wants to end the troubles but he thinks by choosing the safest path of embracing death, he can also finish his mental sufferings. Im as good as the next man, and yet I could accuse myself of such horrible crimes that it wouldve been better if my mother had never given birth to me. Oh, woe is me, T have seen what I have seen, see what I see! While another pain is inflicted by the wrongs of others. To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer. That is the question. Of these we told him, And there did seem in him a kind of joy To hear of it. From his thought process, it becomes clear. Oh, that's all too true! "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. But wait, here is the beautiful Ophelia! In this way, the heartache and shocks will come to an end. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns . Tis most true,And he beseeched me to entreat your MajestiesTo hear and see the matter. The glass of fashion and the mould of form. 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! Im as good as the next man, and yet I could accuse myself of such horrible crimes that it wouldve been better if my mother had never given birth to me. Madam, as it happened, we crossed paths with some actors on the way here. Through this soliloquy, readers can know a lot about Hamlets overall character. Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind. Goodbye. He is in such a critical juncture that it seems death is more rewarding than all the things happening with him for the turn of fortune. Madam, as it happened, we crossed paths with some actors on the way here. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. 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. Wheres your father? Go to a convent. Actions of great urgency and importance get thrown off course because of this sort of thinking, and they cease to be actions at all. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time. 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 The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, . Just before committing suicide or yielding to death wholeheartedly, such thoughts appear in a persons mind. Those situations not only make his mind bruised but also make him vulnerable to the upcoming arrows. Must make us stop and think: there's the thing. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded. Is it nobler to suffer through all the terrible things fate throws at you, or to fight off your troubles, and, in doing so, end them completely? There, my lord. Believe none of us. Aesop is encased in a block of ice and pressing a button: op-press (oppressor). If she cant find the source of his madness, send him to England or confine him wherever you think best. I say, we will have no more marriages. Because who would bear all the trials and tribulations of timethe oppression of the powerful, the insults from arrogant men, the pangs of unrequited love, the slowness of justice, the disrespect of people in office, and the general abuse of good people by badwhen you could just settle all your debts using nothing more than an unsheathed dagger? The overall soliloquy is in blank verse as the text does not have a rhyming scheme. For this reason, the quote has become a specimen for understanding how Shakespeare thought. According to him, dying is like sleeping. Explore To be, or not to be1 Context2 Full Soliloquy3 Summary4 Structure5 Literary Devices6 Detailed Analysis7 Historical Context8 Notable Usage9 FAQs10 Similar Quotes. It also contains a metaphor. Dear Gertrude, please go as well. 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! fool no where but in s own house. And can you by no drift of conference Get from him why he puts on this confusion, Grating so harshly all his days of quiet With turbulent and dangerous lunacy? He is torn between life and death, action and inaction. That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty. I did love you once. He does confess he feels himself distracted. To think about life in this way makes the speakers mind wearier than before. And I know all about you women and your make-up. Dont believe any of us. - J. M. Kelly: Roman Litigation. Director Laurence Olivier Writers William Shakespeare (by) Laurence Olivier (uncredited) Stars Laurence Olivier Jean Simmons John Laurie See production, box office & company info Watch on HBO Max with Prime Video Channels That patient merit of th'unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make. B. rhetorical question. Haply the seas and countries different With variable objects shall expel This something-settled matter in his heart, Whereon his brains still beating puts him thus From fashion of himself. In Hamlets case, his aware mind makes him confused regarding the happenings after death. I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. My lord, do as you please. 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, Theres something in his soul Oer which his melancholy sits on brood, And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose Will be some danger which for to prevent, I have in quick determination Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England For the demand of our neglected tribute. 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 despis'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 Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all. How To Follow Along; Writing a Flink Python Table API Program; Executing a Flink Python Table API Program Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs. You dont have to tell us what Lord Hamlet said. Dont believe any of us. For this reason, he is going through a mental crisis regarding which path to choose. Not knowing a solid answer, he makes a coward of himself. Hamlet's disappointment with the state of affairs in his life currently is best shown in his soliloquy To be or not to be, wherein he clearly addresses the issue of living in a corrupt world and the consequences of it. 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? Beauty, may you forgive all my sins in your prayers. 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 . 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. That patient merit of th unworthy takes. Therefore, he has to bear the ills of life throughout the journey than flying to the unknown regions of death. Who would fardels bear, 85 To grunt and sweat under a weary life, They are about the court, And, as I think, they have already order This night to play before him. Benedict Cumberbatch performed Hamlet at the Barbican Centre in London in 2015. For example, political columnist Mona Charen expressed the opinion that . While not being refers to death and inaction. And the two of you havent been able to figure out why hes acting so oddly. God. For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither. It is considered the earliest version of the play. Through this soliloquy, readers can know a lot about Hamlets overall character. No, it wasnt me. Beautiful gifts lose their value when the givers turn out to be unkind. Im arrogant, vengeful, ambitious, and have more criminal desires than I have thoughts or imagination to fit them inor time in which to commit them. That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should, Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with, Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner, transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the. These are antithesis and aporia. Good gentlemen, give him a further edge, And drive his purpose on to these delights.