To Be or Not To Be. . . (Hamlet Post #3) (Blog Post #15)

1. SOLILOQUY ANALYSIS: 

Imagery that refers to the uncertainty of death: 

"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" (3.1.66-73)
This quote by Hamlet is his ponderance of death. Since death is better than living by far, he wonders why people do not commit suicide to quickly end their suffering and concludes that "the rub" (aka "the catch") is our uncertainty in death. This leads to our hesitation and fear of the afterlife which, for all that is know, may be worse than life itself. Hamlet concludes that it is this uncertainty that prolongs our suffering in life.

Imagery that refers to the negative experiences of life: 

"The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" (3.1.60) 

"To die, to sleep...to end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to" (3.1.62-64)
"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" (3.1.70-76)

Hamlet considers a range of worldly sufferings and questions why we should live through this when a simple solution is readily available at hand. In his list, he includes wrongs others have inflicted upon us, luckless events, and the continual heartache the living is subject to. He tries to reason that, with these negative experiences, death should be much easier than life.

Appeals: 

o Ethos: Appeal to the character of the speaker
"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."
Here hamlet questions his own character; he weighs his bravery and realizes that thought has condemned his previous resolution to kill himself to cowardice. In this, he decides that man is inherently courageous enough to carry out any action but hesitation and prolonged thought stunts action.

o Pathos: Appeal to the emotions or interest of the audience 

"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

With a bare bodkin?" (3.1.70-79)

This is Hamlet's questioning of the audience, asking who would rather bear the burdens of life than seek the peace found only in death. He appeals to the audience by creating a list of relatable sufferings through which the audience may draw connections between Hamlet and themselves, sympathizing with his character and his predicament.

o Logos: Appeal to logic  

"Who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscovered country from whose bourn

No traveler returns" (3.1.79-83)

Confused as to why men do not simply kill themselves, Hamlet reasons that, logically, the only reason for our perseverance in life is our "dread of something after death" (3.1.81). Rather than our dread of death itself, Hamlet has concluded that men are turned weak instead by their fear of an afterlife and the possibility that this afterlife may be worse than their current condition.

Literary Devices:

Paradox: The prevalent paradox throughout his soliloquy is the weighing of life and death. It is paradoxical that Hamlet, while living, should so ardently pursue death. Driving to death by life itself, he is also driven from death by the fear of what may follow. 

Parallelism:  Hamlet compares life and death, repeating the phrase "To..." as in "to live....to sleep....to die....to dream...." to emphasize the active doing each action requires.

Synecdoche: Hamlet uses synecdoche is used to generalize Hamlet's pessimistic view on life as he uses recent events as an umbrella over a spectrum of unfortunate events.

Tone: Hamlet's tone throughout his soliloquy is predominantly contemplative as he riddles out the paradox of life. However, at certain moments, he becomes more emotional (especially when considering all the sufferings of life) and the tone shifts to frustrated or melancholy. Still, by the end of his soliloquy, Hamlet has shifted back to a pensive and contemplative tone as he ponders the meaning of life versus the gains of death. 

Diction: The diction used is very specific and carefully selected. An example of this diction in use is when Hamlet interchanges "sleep" with "death". This develops a peaceful outlook as well as Hamlet's yearning for death, establishing death not as a morbid tragedy but a reprieve from life.

Metaphor: The two primary metaphors Hamlet uses are comparing death to sleep and the afterlife to an unknown world from which "no traveler returns". This establishes a peaceful view of death but also a mysterious and terribly shrouded vision of the afterlife.

Evidence of the following comparisons: life on earth, afterlife, death, humans, thinking. 

When Hamlet lists all the worldly ailments that befall the human race, he compares them to the safe haven that would be found in death. Drawing from this, he continues to state that this sanctuary is not permanent but rather uncertain as we do not know what will follow (aka the afterlife). He questions the purpose of humans in living and wonders why suffers do not simply end their suffering but concludes that it is our thought that restrains us from doing this very deed. The more we think upon an issue, the more "cowardly" our resolution becomes. 

Identify at least three oppositions present in the arguments Hamlet makes. 

1. Hamlet wants to escape the suffering of life but hesitates, considering if it is nobler to suffer than it is to simply die.

2. Many people suffer yet do not simply end their suffering: This is because, though they do not fear death itself, they fear the afterlife and it is this uncertainty that stumps them.

3. Though Hamlet thinks of death as sleep, this sleep comes with its own dreams, some of which may be worse than those offered by reality.

What eternal philosophical questions does Hamlet ponder? 

Hamlet ponders whether is is nobler to suffer through life as others do or to take it upon himself to end his suffering early. He also wonders why more people do not take this course of action as it is, to him, the easy solution.

What conclusions does Hamlet draw? 

During his soliloquy, Hamlet concludes that it is our fear of the unknown- the suffering beyond life on Earth- that restrains our will to end our worldly suffering.

2. ACTING ANALYSIS 

In LAWRENCE OLIVER's delivery of Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy, music is the leading mis en scene component. In the beginning of the scene, the music is very suspenseful as the camera winds up a spiral staircase, speeding up as it ascends until it pans to the sky. From there it zooms down and we see a view of a toiling sea with Hamlet standing at the edge of a cliff or outcrop overlooking the waves. The costume is very specific to the time-period and includes the full ensemble worn by the men of Shakespeare’s time. The music here is slower paced as the camera zooms into his mind, showing his brain to emphasize the mental rather than physical struggle taking place. To make his speech itself stand out amidst the rest of the scene, the music abruptly stops when he begins speaking. However, though we hear his voice, throughout much of his soliloquy, Hamlet is not verbally speaking; instead we are hearing his thoughts speak. His eyes are closed and he speaks at a slow and measured pace, with a contemplative tone that is not deeply emotional. At the end of the scene, after he has dropped the sword into the ocean, Hamlet stands, turns, and walks into a fog at the edge of the screen and descends into the fog as the music restarts. The use of music and visual effects establishes the mood of the piece as it begins sharp and suspenseful but fades into contemplative mystery.

The beginning of this version of Hamlet’s soliloquy begins with MEL GIBSON (Hamlet) walking down a flight of stairs. Here lighting is very important as it visually shows Hamlet descending from light and into darkness as he sinks into the depths of his darkest thoughts. There is no music and the only sound is that of Hamlet’s footsteps occasionally breaking the silence. His soliloquy begins gradually as he whispers, “to be or not to be…that is the question”. He speaks slightly faster than Olivier had but this does not seem rushed, it simply matches up with his body movement throughout his speech. He is also more emotional and ranges from morose towards the situation to frustrated at himself as he wanders through the morgue. The setting itself is another important aspect of mis en scene. It is only fitting that Hamlet be contemplating death in a place of the dead; this juxtaposes Hamlet’s own life with the stillness of those around him.

In ETHAN HAWKE’s portrayal, Hamlet is seen wandering through the aisles of a local Blockbuster with a knitted cap upon his head. It had been the director’s choice to modernize the setting while maintaining the traditional plot. However, this effect is not as efficient as the others had been in exposing the serious nature of this soliloquy. Though his verbal delivery is thoughtful, the setting detracts from the severity of the scene—for after all, he is contemplating suicide. The music present throughout the scene is grave and very low which fuels a mood somewhat contradictory to that established by the setting. Throughout the scene, the camera occasionally pans to a movie screen on which a war movie is playing. Explosions blast the air and the scene is of chaos and destruction; this may go to show Hamlet’s mental state as it contrasts with his outer physical control.

The dominant mis en scene component in KENNETH BRANAGH's “To be or not to be” soliloquy is the setting. Hamlet stands in front of a mirror in a stately room within the castle rather than outside or in another depressing setting as had been portrayed in Olivier and Gibson’s scenes. The room is clean and very bright, with white as the most prevalent color; the effect of this is in highlighting Hamlet’s dark mourning attire as well as the figuratively darkened state of his mind as he delivers his soliloquy. He speaks towards his reflection which lends a somewhat literal effect of self-reflection to the scene as well as establishing the internal struggle rather than the external as the camera focuses on Hamlet confronting himself rather than another character. Throughout the scene, he interacts with no one aside from his reflection, drawing a sword at it at one point. After he begins to speak, music gradually begins-- one note at a time-- and adds to the intensity of this pivotal scene. Hamlet’s voice fades towards the end of his soliloquy though he stands still, observing his reflection, when Ophelia enters the room and ends the scene.

OPHELIA:

O Hamlet, to whom I had been so close, he now stands speaking as if to air, swearing to himself, and contemplating eternal rest. He looks into a mirrored wall and brandishes a sword, I do hope he means no harm. However his tone suggests quite the alternative. How bright and clean this castle seems, struck quite against his grieving robes and darkened mind. May his plague pass by him soon, the grief tearing at his soul strikes daggers at my own. I cannot stand this sickly spirit, this madness that has possessed his bright mind. He quiets, near the end of his speech. Aware is he that I stand beyond these doors? Silent shall I stay? Nay, I will join him.

The one element of mis en scene this portrayal of Hamlet lacked is music. Though the few notes played encourage a grave mood, sound could have more effectively been utilized to set Hamlet’s mental state. He is conflicted, frustrated, and depressed- such emotions cannot be conveyed through only a few notes. Were the music varied, the mood of the scene would have shifted with his tone as Hamlet progressed through these various emotions through the duration of his speech. His speech itself was very emotional as well as contemplative and this could have only been further enhance by the presence of slightly more music. The lighting could also have been varied for effect. Throughout the scene, the setting and lighting remain static and unchanging though it is obvious to the audience that Hamlet has morphed through numerous emotional phases just in the course of his speech. Were the setting varied to mirror these progressions, his growth would have been more highlighted as the audience could visually observe his mental development throughout the soliloquy.