In this line from Hamlet’s soliloquy, Shakespeare has Hamlet contemplating the choice of being or non-being:
“To be or not to be, that is the question.”
Hamlet considers whether to continue his life of misery or to end it all in death:
“…To suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to fight against a sea of troubles,
And end them by fighting? To die, to sleep…”
Hamlet is not sure of what happens after death:
“…To sleep! Perhaps to dream. Yes, there’s the catch,
For what dreams may come in that sleep of death,
When we have left this life on earth…”
Hamlet is caught between a rock and a hard place, to put it in modern terms:
“…Who would bear these burdens
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
Except that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose borders
No traveler returns, puzzles the mind…”
Hamlet was on the spiritual healing journey weighing the choices he saw ahead of him and he saw suffering as the outcome in either choice of “to be or not to be:”
“…And makes us bear those problems we have
Rather than fly to others that we don’t know about?
In this way, a conscience can make cowards of us all…”
I have to say that Hamlet definitely needed to change the channel. If he chose to change the channel, his soliloquy would sound more like:
“…Why do I have to avenge my father’s death?
It happened, it’s over and I’m OK.
What do I need to move on?
What can I learn from this?”
Nah! I don’t think that will make for good drama. I’ll stick to being a blogger on the spiritual healing journey and I’ll let Shakespeare be the dramatist.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Any act of “being” , also involves hardship- that is the duality of life.
Interesting how much wisom can be found in the thoughst of the Bard.
Yes, no need to mess with that which is so beautiful in it’s description of this leg of the journey.
Haha!!
You are so wise dear sister.
I love Shakespeare’s plays and Hamlet is so beautiful….
Its such an existential statement isnt it…. To be or not to be…
Shakespeare articulates the sense of hopelessness so well…
My favourite lines from hamlet….
“There are more things in heaven and earth Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philososphy”
And of course “This above all. To thine own self be true”
Call me a romantic but Romeo and Juliet has always had a place in my heart too.
Much love gracious friend,
M
Dear Seeker,
Thank you for your wise words:
“Any act of “being” , also involves hardship…”
When we can focus on “being” and yet give space for hardship and not struggle against it, is the secret of life.
Peaceful Cheers.
Hello Mark,
Yes Shakespeare was a great master and the gift of his words still inspires.
I agree, out of the darkness comes the light; we need to experience the depths of the soul’s angst and witness the alchemy of our pain, for there is the precious jewel of the truth of our love.
Thank you for you insightful comment.
Peaceful Cheers.
Hello Maithri,
“This above all. To thine own self be true” These words spoken by a father to his son are the most important words that anyone can ever live his life by, and the other part of the precept, ” Thou cans’t not be false to any man…” are words that are pivotal to the spiritual healing journey.
Yes, Romeo and Juliet is one of favorites too; love is irresistible especially when filled with drama.
Peaceful Cheers.
Humans ask unlimted questions precisely because deep within their subconscious mind, they realize they have access to unlimited answers.
Well said Liara! It is a great spiritual practice, Self- Inquiry; therein lies all the answers.
Peaceful journey!
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