Hamlet, Part 4: Comparing and Contrasting Interpretations
Question 10 • *HSA 26-27 English IV A -IC
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Hamlet: To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and, by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.
Answer
A
The actor playing Hamlet shouts his lines to the audience while wildly gesturing with his hands.
B
The actor playing Hamlet speaks slowly and deliberately, weighing the meaning of every word as he goes along.
C
The actor playing Hamlet cries to himself as he tearfully speaks the lines to himself.
D
The actor playing Hamlet sings the lines, adding an impromptu melody to the soliloquy.
Explanation
Hamlet is reflecting on life, death, and the uncertainty of what comes after death. Phrases like “that is the question” and “Must give us pause” suggest careful thought, so speaking slowly and deliberately best conveys the meaning. Shouting, crying, or singing would distract from the soliloquy’s thoughtful, questioning tone.
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