ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -"To be, or not to be” is the opening phrase of a speech given by Prince Hamlet in the so-called “nunnery scene” of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1. In the speech, Hamlet contemplates death and suicide, weighing the pain and unfairness of life against the alternative, which might be worse.

Detailed explanation-2: -To be or not to be Hamlet is in a state of shock and grief as he has discovered that his father has been murdered by his uncle. Throughout this soliloquy, which happens at the start of Act 3 Scene 1, he thinks about whether he should face life’s hardships head on or end them by dying.

Detailed explanation-3: -Hamlet is basically contemplating suicide on and off throughout his soliloquies. In this soliloquy, he compares death to a little sleep, which he thinks wouldn’t be so bad.

Detailed explanation-4: -"To Be or Not to Be": Meaning and Analysis 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.

Detailed explanation-5: -Hamlet seriously contemplates suicide, but decides against it, mainly because it is a mortal sin against God. Hamlet continues to say that most of humanity would commit suicide and escape the hardships of life, but do not because they are unsure of what awaits them in the after life.