Hamlet – Acte III, scène 1,
Shakespeare

Hamlet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare and published in 1603. The story takes place in Denmark. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet saw his father’s ghost which told him that he had been killing by his brother, Claudius. Hamlet is sad and decided to make people think he is crazy, to give him time to think about what he will do. During that scene, Hamlet thinks to be alone but he is listened by Polonius and Claudius. In that soliloquy which is one of the most famous of Theatre History, Hamlet meditates on life’s suffering and about what he has to do: “To be or not to be”. Firstly, we will talk about Hamlet’s dilemma. Secondly, we’ll study the death’s temptation and then, we will work on the choice to be.

I. Hamlet’s dilemma

II. The death’s temptation

III. The choice to be

I. Hamlet’s dilemma

a. Hamlet, a loose man

He is a young boy who is student in Wittenberg’s university. He is also the King of Denmark’s son: King Hamlet who was killed by his brother Claudius. Now, Claudius replaces him on the throne. Moreover, he married Hamlet’s mother in less than two months of the King’s death. Hamlet is so sad of having loose his father and above all to see his uncle on the throne with his mother. The young boy is loose. In addition to that, he had seen his father’s ghost which told him that he was killed by his own brother: he wants to take revenge and asks his son to do it. Hamlet, who is a rational boy, sees all the things he was sure called into question. Indeed, he would never think that his uncle was able to kill someone and he sees his father’s ghost, which seems to be unreal. Hamlet has loosed his bearings and feels alone.

b. “To be or not to be, that is the question”

Contrary to what is generally thinking by people, Hamlet is not asking him about live or dead. He wants to know if he has to accept his fate or if he must revenge his father. “To be or not to be” is a