Hamlet

In Act III, Hamlet delivers one of the best-known soliloquies in all of Shakespearean literature. Hamlet enters the scene alone after Polonius and Claudius plot with Ophelia to secretly observe a meeting between her and Hamlet. In his soliloquy, Hamlet reflects on his choice of life or death revealing his suffering on earth, his fear of life after death, as well as the ironic simplicity of a departure from earth. In the beginning of his …

…fully come to except that fact yet. Hamlet’s fear of death continues throughout the rest of the play. He makes numerous excuses when it comes to killing Claudius, for it is Hamlet that is afraid to die. He finally realizes that everyone is subject to the same ending and that he can not escape it. The main purpose of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy is to set up this fear.