Examine Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56-89). Traditional views of the play would have you believe he thinks he's alone and is being introspective; others, that he knows he's being watched, and is thus directing his soliloquy at Claudius. There's evidence to be found for either side but, ultimately, it's up to the reader to decide. If Hamlet thinks he's alone on stage then soliloquy means one thing; if he knows he’s being watched, it means something else entirely, because now he's performing for an audience.

So, based on what you know so far in the play, and feel that you can solidly support from the text of the soliloquy itself and from lines taken from the greater context of the play:

a) Prove that Hamlet either thinks he's alone, or knows he's being watched.

b) Discuss how the meaning and mood of the soliloquy fits/supports your answer to a) above.

c) In addition, you must make a detailed comment on at least one classmate’s posting, agreeing, disagreeing, or taking the discussion in a different direction. Making references to life, movies, other things you’ve read, etc. are fair game, as long as they’re relevant. NB: Build your comment right into the bottom of your blog posting, rather than using the comment feature in Blogger. (It makes it easier for marking...)

Your blog posting needs to be at least 500 words in length (that’s the equivalent of two pages, typed/double spaced).

Take no prisoners.

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Does he know there watching or does he not know?

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s work of genius. Someone can read the play a different way or have different emotion while reading the play and get something completely different then the person beside them. So it is not surprised that Shakespeare leaves us questioning some things. One question revolves around the famous “To be or not to be speech”. Does Hamlet know he is being watched? I believed he does know he is being watched.
First, Hamlet is seen as a trickster in this play, but I also believe he is a very smart character. Hamlet knew right away that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were sent to watch him. He is also very careful throughout the play. Hamlet did not get revenge on Claudius when he learned he killed his father because he thought it might be a trap. Instead he tricked Claudius to prove it was true. This leads me think that Hamlet would not be dumb enough or let his guard down enough to let this happen. I believe Hamlet is playing one of his tricks.
Throughout the plan Hamlet has shown that he loves Ophelia. He wrote her love letters and went to her room for comfort when he was a mess even though she had stopped answering and seeing him. But now he is saying “I did love you once” (III.i.115), meaning he no longer loves her. I don’t believe that is true. Yes, you can say that Hamlet is going through loss and need for revenge or that he wants to protect the women he loves but I do not think that is true. Nothing has changed since he broken into her room a mess. He loved her and didn’t care to protect her then, why would he now? He doesn't, he is just playing a game because he knows he is being watched. One of the love letter Hamlet wrote says “Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love. O dear Ophelia, I Am ill at these numbers. I have not art to reckon my groans. But that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu.” (11.ii.115-121). This letter is Hamlet telling Ophelia to trust him. Now he is saying “You should have not believed me” (III.i.117). I believe Hamlet is saying “don’t believe what I am saying right now” not “don’t ever trust me” because he wants Ophelie to know that he is in the middle of one of his tricks.                 
The line that makes me believe Hamlet knows he being watched the most is “Where’s your father?” (III.i.130-131). I believe this line clearly shows that Hamlet knows he is being watched. Do you really think Hamlet cares if Polonius is at home? No. He is asking because he believes that Polonius is watching him. Like I said earlier, Hamlet is a smart character and he is also a trickster. He figured out he was being watched but he is not just going to tell Ophelia that or go looking for Polonius and Claudius, he is going to play a trick on them and that is exactly what he is doing.
The fact that Hamlet knows he was being watched changes the mood of the soliloquy. Like Rachel said, Hamlet is not actually suicidal, he wants others to believe that he is crazy. Hamlet doesn’t answer his questions or talk about his own emotions and experiences. Its almost like he is interviewing someone, maybe someone like Claudius who he believes is listening. I believe if Hamlet was talking to himself the speech would be more personal. It would include more of Hamlet’s emotions and experiences, whether he should live through his tragic life of kill himself. The speech is about life or death in general, not Hamlet’s life or death.

Comment to Jessie
You said that “Soft you now, The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons, Be all my sins remember’d” (III.i.88-90) makes it seem like he is warning her about all the cruelty he is about to unleash on her. I agree with this but then you said that he wouldn't say that if he knew Claudius was watching because it gives away his plan. I don’t think it does. He is willingly telling Claudius and Ophelia that he is sorry for breaking Ophelia heart not giving away his plan. There is many reason Hamlet, or anyone could be sorry for breaking peoples heart other than because someone is listening. He is simply just letting her down softly, which happens in most break ups, it does not give his plan away.
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  1. Unknown26 March 2014 at 19:16

    I agree with you saying that he is being watched. but Jesse does make a good point as to if Hamlet does know that Claudius is watching he is willing to make it seem like he is hurting Ophelia so he does not give up his plan on to murdering him. It could go both ways, it depends on how to reader looks at it, i understand where you are coming from as to if Hamlet knew he was watching he is going to give up his plan by saying something that might allow Claudius to catch on to the hints he is giving Ophelia.

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