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What's the meaning of the phrase 'To be or not to be, that is the question'?

Shakespeare's line 'to be or not to be' is usually interpreted as meaning is it better to live or to die?

What's the origin of the phrase 'To be or not to be, that is the question'?

To be or not to be is probably the best-known line from all drama or literature. Certainly, if anyone is asked to quote a line of Shakespeare this is the one that first comes to mind for most people. It is, of course, from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, 1602 (Shakespeare's actual title is - The tragedie of Hamlet, prince of Denmarke):

HAMLET:
To be, or not to be: 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 die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
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;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
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? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
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,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.--Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

What Hamlet is musing on is the comparison between the pain of life, which he sees as inevitable ( the sea of troubles - the slings and arrows - the heart-ache - the thousand natural shocks) and the fear of the uncertainty of death and of possible damnation of suicide.

Hamlet's dilemma is that although he is dissatisfied with life and lists its many torments, he is unsure what death may bring (the dread of something after death). He can't be sure what death has in store; it may be sleep but in perchance to dream he is speculating that it is perhaps an experience worse than life. Death is called the undiscover'd country from which no traveller returns. In saying that Hamlet is acknowledging that, not only does each living person discover death for themselves, as no one can return from it to describe it, but also that suicide is a one-way ticket. If you get the judgment call wrong, there's no way back.

The whole speech is tinged with the Christian prohibition of suicide, although it isn't mentioned explicitly. The dread of something after death would have been well understood by a Tudor audience to mean the fires of Hell.

The speech is a subtle and profound examining of what is more crudely expressed in the phrase out of the frying pan into the fire. - in essence 'life is bad, but death might be worse'.

See other phrases and sayings from Shakespeare.

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'To be, or not to be, that is the question' - the meaning and origin of this phrase

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Shakespeare's line 'to be or not to be' is usually interpreted as meaning is it better to live or to die? To be or not to be is probably the best-known line from all drama or literature. Certainly, if anyone is asked to quote a line of Shakespeare this is the one that first comes to mind for most people.

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Most famous plays written by Shakespeare

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Most famous plays written by Shakespeare

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by Team A

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1605

What's it about?
A Scottish lord is persuaded to commit brutal murder by his wife, who promptly gets all guilty about it.

Why's it so good?
Short, thrilling and charged with the supernatural, this dark tragedy about the consequences of a Scottish lord's terrible lust for power is probably Shakespeare's most 'modern' and accessible play.
© Ellie Kurtz

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Shakespeare's best plays of all time - as voted for by you

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To mark the anniversary of his death, we asked you to rank all of William Shakespeare's plays in order of greatness. Here's how the top ten turned out

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by Team B

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While his actual date of birth remains a mystery, the official celebration of playwright and poet William Shakespeare's birthday is held on April 23, coinciding with St George's Day.
A lot has changed since the Elizabethan era, not least the attitude to Shakespeare's works, which have only grown more popular over time.

He's the most adapted author in any language, with over 400 feature-length on-screen versions of his plays.

To mark the occasion, here are 14 of the best film adaptations that will reignite your love for the Bard.

14. The Merchant Of Venice (2004)

Set in 16th century Italy, this tale of retribution, redemption and love stars Jeremy Irons as the titular merchant and Al Pacino as the story's tragic hero, Jewish moneylender Shylock.

The performances are resoundingly great, but it's Al Pacino who carries the film with an intense performance that makes Shylock both a villain and a strangely sympathetic character.

13. Hamlet (1990)

Franco Zeffirelli's cinematic tragedy sees Mel Gibson portray the eponymous Danish prince seeking vengeance.

It's not the best of the many Hamlet adaptations but Gibson breathes life into the role, making it more entertaining than you'd expect.

12. Macbeth (2015)

Not only is Justin Kurzel's film visually stunning, but it also captures the brutal, passionate and tragic spirit of Shakespeare's Scottish play.

Fassbender and Cotillard are mesmerising as the central couple consumed by ambition and psychosis.

11. Much Ado About Nothing (2013)

Shakepeare's famous comedy gets the rom-com treatment in Joss Whedon's charmingly joyful black and white adaptation.

Featuring a host of Whedon regulars including Amy Acker, Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof and Clark Gregg, this modern day Much Ado reinvents the play for a new generation.

10. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Starring a baby-faced Leo DiCarprio and Claire Danes as the young star-crossed lovers, Romeo + Juliet is everything you'd expect a Baz Luhrmann production to be.

Bold, flamboyant and in-your-face, with an unconventional punk aesthetic that shouldn't work as well as it does.

9. Julius Caesar (1953)

Marlon Brando is a ferocious on-screen presence in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's intelligent, emotional and dramatic adaptation of Shakespeare's play based on Roman history.

An absolute classic that's just as watchable over 60 years later.

8. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Kenneth Branagh's second Shakespeare adaptation is a witty delight from start to finish.

With an all-star cast including Emma Thompson, Kate Beckinsale, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Keanu Reeves and, of course, Branagh himself, you'll be powerless to resist its lively charm.

7. Hamlet (1996)

Another of Branagh's adaptations, Hamlet is a sweeping and lavish unabridged saga that faithfully follows the original text.

It's theatrical, multi-layered and vividly detailed, wearing its director's love of the source material firmly on its sleeve.

6. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Purists might have something to say about the high placement this The Taming Of The Shrew reimagining, but there's no denying its fun, romantic and wide-reaching teen appeal.

Heath Ledger is utterly charming as so-called bad boy Patrick, while Julia Stiles brings a veiled emotion to her shrew-like Kat.

10 Things is not only a great Shakespeare adaptation but a brilliant 90s rom-com too.

5. Romeo And Juliet (1968)

The 1968 version of Shakespeare's ultimate tragedy was lauded by critics, won two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes and a BAFTA.

Proof that you can't beat a classic.

4. Richard III (1995)

British treasure Ian McKellen steps into the shoes of usurper Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as he plots to undermine his rivals and claim the throne.

Set in the 1930s, Richard III is an intense and relentless adaptation about a ruthless, Machiavellian dictator.

Over 400 years since Shakespeare wrote the play and such themes still resonate.

3. Henry V (1989)

Powerful and stirring, the first Shakespeare adaptation directed by Kenneth Branagh is without a doubt his best.

Paul Scofield, Emma Thompson, Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench and Ian Holm star alongside Branagh, who attacks the title role with such enthusiasm you'd think he was King Henry reincarnate.

2. Ran (1985)

Akira Kurosawa's Japanese retelling of King Lear is the very definition of epic.

Following an aging 16th century warlord who abdicates and divides his kingdom between his three sons, Ran is cemented in film history as one of the finest Shakespeare adaptations to date.

It's a violent, harrowing and timeless tale that deserves the title of cinematic masterpiece.

1. West Side Story (1961)

Winner of 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, West Side Story is perhaps the most iconic, most celebrated and most widely adored Shakespeare adaptation to grace the big screen.

Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer are the two lovers caught up in a Hell's Kitchen turf-war between the Sharks and the Jets.

Dazzling dancing, doomed love and Leonard Bernstein's spectacular score make this romantic musical tragedy an accessible and memorable adaptation you'll happily revisit year after year.

MORE: 10 films to watch after you've just been dumped

MORE: Why The End Of The F***ing World is the best show you'll watch all year

MORE: 8 movies that perfectly portray the grief of losing a loved one

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Brush up on the Bard: 14 of the best Shakespeare film adaptations

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While his actual date of birth remains a mystery, the official celebration of playwright and poet William Shakespeare's birthday is held on April 23, coinciding with St George's Day. A lot has changed since the Elizabethan era, not least the attitude to Shakespeare's works, which have only grown more popular over time.

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by Team C

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by Team D

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by Team E

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You probably quote Shakespeare daily. Maybe he used many of the phrases from the period, and because he was the one putting them on paper, he became their "inventor"? Just a thought without diminishing his excellent work Methinks I am smarter now. Thank you Digg! Alison! Robby Weinbaum 大好きな曲だあ-😄