Hamlet, in my opinion is one of the most famous plays in the world, if not the most famous, this monologue brings us the famous eternalized sentence that we all know: "To be or not to be, that is the question", was written between 1599 and 1601 by William Shakespeare in the first scene of the third act in this important play eternalized in history.

This play served as the basis for several Freudian studies and is currently among the most analyzed and interpreted works in the history of world literature. The beautiful words that are so widely used in various cultural works such as novels, movies, music, and so recognizable, having a deep philosophical background, will be our object of study in this article.

Getting to know Shakespeare William and the phrase "To be or not to be, that is the question"

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, on April 23, 1564. His father John Shakespeare was a great merchant, and his mother's name was Mary Arden, the daughter of a successful landowner. Shakespeare was considered to be a great English playwright who produced several works or tragedies that have been immortalized such as "Hamlet", "Othello", "Macbeth", and "Romeo and Juliet",His brilliant works and all his art are divided into 3 (three) phases that portray a great maturity of this talented writer.

The first phase (1590 to 1602), where he wrote plays such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, considered to be joyful works or comedies. In the second phase (1603-1610), he wrote bitter comedies such as Othello. In the last phase, his works such as The Tempest (1611) were considered less tragic. Shakespeare also presented us with some remarkable phrases, clearly showing the beauty of his dramaturgy and his respected poetry.

• "It is easier to get what you want with a smile than at the point of a sword."
• "Passion increases in proportion to the obstacles that stand in its way."
• "Men of few words are the best."
• "Crying over past misfortunes is the surest way to attract others."
• "Having an ungrateful child is more painful than the bite of a snake!"

The play "Hamlet" and "To be or not to be, that is the question

Hamlet and the play "Hamlet" carried all the values imposed in the European Renaissance, and being an important monologue called by many an ostensibly philosophical work, it shows us a character called Hamlet as the prince of Denmark, who carried a range of despair and loneliness, with a certain content full of enigmas in this tragedy described by Shakespeare.

The sentence in question, "To be or not to be, that is the question," brings us the idea that Hamlet wanted to sleep and dream, but wonders if the dream of death is not a dream like the others, but somehow rebels against his fate, with a great sense of pity displayed. This dramatic story shows us an encounter with the ghost of his father who cries out for revenge against his own murder at the hands of his brother.

Skakespeare brings us famous reflections in the Prince's sentence, such as his drama of conscience and all the anguish in which he was living as a result of his great doubt: to avenge his father or not! Is this then the great question?

A possible analysis on: "To be or not to be, that is the question

I will quote here just a small passage from the monologue that brings us some important elements to try to understand what Shakespeare wanted to tell us: "To be or not to be, this is the question: is it nobler in our spirit to suffer the stones and arrows with which Fortune, enraged, shoots us, or to rise up against a sea of provocations ...." When I read "Not to be" it is something that I think is impossible for many.But the intriguing question is this: Not to be how? Not to be what? Not to be in what way?

If we try to analyze carefully, we can already say that it is not as simple as we imagine, because the fact that I "am not" can be linked to factors that I may not agree with because many people only have an idea of something like: not happy, not cool, not fulfilled, and so on, but if I am in this world and I live fighting and winning all the time the accept this expression in my viewis unfeasible, since I defend the idea that I won't be only the day I'm no longer part of this world and won't be able to produce anything.

I think that this issue raised in Hamlet, where he asks himself about existing and how to live with integrity and honesty brings us with it the importance of knowing ourselves and fighting for our rights, because we "are" opinion makers and have responsibilities to follow.

Final considerations

"To be or not to be" represents an important question, but when we read it, it can be related to several aspects of our lives, such as the search for happiness, for self-knowledge, a fact that is so complex to seek today amidst so many difficulties we have been going through. A more contemporary interpretation tells us that "to be or not to be" is linked to thinking and acting in the face of events in order to be happy, what to know in order to have a full life.

I defend the idea that everything that brings us fear. It is very true that what delights us is at the same time what repels us, because most of the time everything brings us closer to ourselves. We need, therefore, to be more attentive every day, because we are moved daily to new experiences and expectations, always looking for a direction.

So, in such a simple way, it is clear to say that TO BE or not TO BE, is not a matter of choice, but of a brilliant decision made with great responsibility.

References

//www.culturagenial.com/ser-ou-nao-ser-eis-a-questao/ - //jornaldebarretos.com.br/artigos/ser-or-nao-ser-eis-a-questao/ - //www.filosofiacienciaarte.org - //www.itiman.eu - //www.paulus.com.br

This article was written by Cláudio Néris B. Ferndes ( [email protected]), art educator, art therapist, student of Neuropsychopedagogy and Clinical Psychoanalysis.

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