More than 400 years after it was written, To be or not to be that is the question remains one of the most legendary and thought-provoking soliloquys in the world. To be or not to be is a metaphysical question that does not question life or death but the very meaning of existentialism. This form of rhetoric is an antithesis, whereby Shakespeare questions both life and death within the same phrase. His suicidal contemplation forcesHamletto debate between the essence of life and death: the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, versusend the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flash is heir to.Hamletis tempted by death, and expresses this desire by the use of metonymies: To die, to sleep perch ance to dream . However, his use of infinitive verbs shows thatHamletunderstands the permanency of his actions. Shakespeares overuse of the word to further demonstrates thatHamletis indecisive. Shakespeare uses five em-dashes in the first nine line, to emphasize Hamlets indecision, but then the tone of the soliloquy speeds up corresponding toHamlets descent into confusion/insanity.Life toHamletis an ongoing war, and in his war the opponent is death. However,Hamletis uncertain of death as illustrated by the metaphor: an undiscovered country, from which no traveler returns. His inner turmoil is further highlighted by Shakespeares use of water as a metaphor for the unknown: against a sea of troubles and their currents turn awry. In factthere is no loss of metaphorical language inHamlets monologue, and Shakespeares use of parallel structure provides the reader with an image ofHamlets melancholic confusion between his temporal existence and his non-existence.Hamlets confusion is further exacerbated by t he fact that man often chooses life over death: When he himself might his quietus make/ With a bare bokin?Hamletis tortured by his over-analysis, yet he concludes that thus conscience does make cowards of us all.Hamletis not agonized by his fear of death, but by his inability to act based on that fear, thus makingHamlethis own best critic.
Knowledge and Understanding: ___First or second sentence is the topic sentence argument (assertion) ___No more than one sentence summary ___Higher level thinking: are you asserting an idea that someone who read it wouldnt already know? Appreciation of Writers Choices: ___Quoted material chosen to emphasize authors unique voice and selection of detail ___Commentary demonstrates and awareness of the connection between style and meaning ___Commentary includes references to the literary elements Organization: ___Properly integrated quotes ___Sentences all provide evidence, interpretation, or connections between evidence and claim ___Limited formulaic phrasing (the author uses metaphor to; one of the ways the theme is shown is, etc.) ___Argument should progress and develop through the paragraph: no repetition/redundancy Language: ___Less than four grammar and usage errors in out of class writing ___Less than three forms of be (was, is, were, have been, are, etc.)