“To Be, Or Not To Be” story behind the most iconic Quote.

Jason
2 min readOct 26, 2023

--

Photo by Sarah Dao

let’s talk about one of the most famous lines ever dropped in the history of the English language. You’ve probably heard it, but what does it really mean? I’m talking about "To be, or not to be: that is the question." Yeah, it’s straight from Shakespeare’s play "Hamlet," and it’s got more going on than you might think.

So, let's break it down in a way that even Shakespeare himself would nod to.

First of all, who was this Shakespeare dude, and why should we care? William Shakespeare was a rockstar playwright back in the late 16th century, and people still can’t get enough of his stuff. "Hamlet" is one of his most famous plays, and the "To be or not to be" line is from there.

Now, let's dive into the quote. It's all about a dude named Hamlet who's going through a tough time. His life is basically one big soap opera. He's wondering whether it's better to exist (to be) and deal with all the crazy stuff life throws at you, or just call it quits (not to be) and avoid the whole mess. In other words, it's like asking if it's better to face your problems or run from them.

This quote has got layers, man. It's like Hamlet is saying, "Hey, life can be a real rollercoaster, and sometimes it's tempting to throw in the towel, but there's something intriguing about the challenge of facing it head-on."

This line isn't just some fancy-schmancy Shakespearean mumbo-jumbo. It's a universal thing that everyone can relate to. We all have moments when we're like, "Should I stick it out and deal with the drama, or should I take the easy way out?"

The quote is iconic because it captures the essence of the human struggle. It's about the choices we make, the paths we take, and the dilemmas we face. Shakespeare's way of putting it may sound fancy, but the concept is as real as it gets.

So next time you hear someone drop that "To be or not to be" line, remember it's not just Shakespeare showing off his vocabulary skills. It's about life's biggest question: do we ride the waves, or do we bail out and avoid the storm? Shakespeare's saying, "That's the real deal, my friends."

--

--