Beyond the Brink: A Reconsideration of Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" Soliloquy

Abstract

Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" soliloquy in William Shakespeare's Hamlet is arguably the most famous and analyzed passage in Western literature. Generations of scholars have interpreted it as a contemplation of suicide, a lament on the burdens of life. This paper argues for a more nuanced reading, one that recognizes the soliloquy as a rich exploration of existential themes that transcends a simple death wish.