To Be Or Not To Be Literary Devices

Shakespeare's "to be or not to be" soliloquoy examines the role of life and death in the tradegy of Hamlet and in the human condition. The use of literary devices emphasizes the fear of uncertainty and mortality. At first, the "to be or not to be" soliloquoy appears to analyze Hamlet's own emotions, however, upon further examination, the universal nature of the messages in Shakespeare's words becomes apparent.

Perhaps one of the most ubiquitous lines in literature, "to be or not to be", remains a provacative question that people can not answer. "To be or not to be", presents an antithesis that juxtaposes life and death, existence and nonexistence. In the context of the play, the soliloquoy not only enhances the theme of mortality and existentialism into the tradegy of Hamlet but also broadens it to a larger scale. Hamlet's earlier soliloquoy "O, that this too too
Through the use of metaphors such as "the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to", Shakespeare discusses existence in general terms and on the level of abstract existence. Personification helps shape the wider perspective through lines such as, "the pale cast of thought" and "native hue of resolution". Such lines, create vivid imagery that describes the abstract images as if they were concrete. The constant use of juxtaposition, "to die" and "to sleep", and "weary life" and "dread of something after death", injects a sense of uncertainty into the tradegy of Hamlet. Hamlet proposes that death is a "chance to dream", but he also questions "what dreams may come". This question foreshadows the conflict within the tradegy of Hamlet. The audience never can know who to trust and what to believe. The characters mark themselves with indecision and deciet. Hamlet explains that "conscience does make