Human existence is characterized by conscious living, universal struggles and dreams, noble endeavors or evil doings, and the search for meaning. These dimensions of human existence, as infinite waves of destiny, are swept by the storms of life. Shakespeare dived into the transcendental depth of human existence, expressing it through his timeless words:
"To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer."
This universal question, as eternal truth, has been answered countless times and will continue to be so as long as humans do not forget their metaphysical essence. What is your answer: "To be, or not to be: that is the question."
Where did this all come from ? How far back does this knowledge go?
Interested in this kind of knowledge?
This Shakespearean dilemma originates from the source of existential thinking and has been a topic of exploration for centuries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LFZehNxIMU
For context and intimations of an answer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_That_All_There_Is%3F
Thank you for sharing it. What a deep and profound expression of human existence! Besides his well-known sayings, Shakespeare's Hamlet, weighing the joys and sorrows of life, might ask himself: Is that all there is?
"To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to enjoy oneself
without consideration for the mean minded
and ignorant. Swim against the tide, and laugh!
Was Shakespeare thinking about Robert Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy when he wrote about Hamlet, the effects of depression on action? The book was published in 1621 so did Shakespeare see copies or was the influence from Shakespeare to Burton?
Thank you for your response. Shakespeare couldn't have read The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton, as he died in 1616, five years before the book's publication in 1621. However, since Hamlet's character is marked by timelessness and modernity, this book could still help individuals who share some melancholic characteristics with Hamlet.
“To be” is my answer—not merely as existence, but as conscious, purposeful becoming.
To be is to embrace the struggle, not in spite of its weight, but because it gives depth to meaning. It is nobler in the mind to suffer, yes—not out of resignation, but because suffering, when borne with awareness and dignity, transforms into wisdom. The storms of life, though fierce, shape the soul like waves shape the shore. “To be” means choosing presence over numbness, engagement over retreat, and meaning over nihilism.
“To not be” may promise silence and release—but it is an escape from the very fire that tempers courage, love, and purpose.
So, in the face of despair, contradiction, and absurdity, I choose to be—not because the path is easy, but because it is real, and within it lies the quiet heroism of continuing.
Amalya,
Such books were usually passed around during this time and it is possible Shakespeare was aware of his general ideas. More than possible! Burton would have been aware of intellectual developments on the continent and equally of the work of others, late contemporaries of Shakespeare. Christopher Marlowe expressed the ideal nature of states and actions, which Shakespeare clearly employed in Hamlet.
But.....
There is another consideration in that Shakespeare's plays always contained contrary or opposed ideas, and in the end (read my first comment again) the preservation of individual will is disastrous for many others causing in the end the collapse, in some measure, of the state. Hamlet's actions caused the death of many, and necessity is another important issue.
Amalya,
While there are a number of evidences and allusions to the matter of Burton-s reading of Shakespeare , the two lived approximate to each other and Burton quoted from Lucrecia written in 1596, Shakespeare's poem. Shakespeare may have had some knowledge of Burton and in the small world of London, frequented by both of course, Shakespeare and he may have spoken, if no more than that. There are resemblances in Hamlet to Shakespeare's views on politics and revenge.
Stanley,
Thank you for your insights. Shakespeare's works have been a lasting contribution not only to literature, but also to philosophy, exploring the existential nature of the human condition and trying to challenge it through wisdom and self-reflection. It's true that his plays reflect some of the themes of the 16th century, but none of the names we know, while having influenced the history of human thought, had the same intellectual and philosophical authority as Shakespeare's works.
As for his famous lines, "To be or not to be," Shakespeare addressed one of the biggest ontological issues. This profound question will retain its significance as long as the human is reflective enough to explore the spheres of one's existence, trying to find meaning, purpose, and ideological direction toward truth.
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