| “To be, or not to be: that is the question:” This opening line MOST LIKELY is referring to________.A) whether to or not one’s dreams or deepest visions actually happen or notB) whether to continue to live or not; that is the doubt I have to solveC) whether or not a person is sane or connected with reality | “a” is a fair interepretation, but most of the speech really concerns “b” |
| “Whether ’tis nobler in the mind …”The above line can be paraphrased asA) whether it shows a nobler mindB) whether the mind has higher thoughts C) whether one thinks of himself as an aristocrat | A) Whether it shows a nobler mind to suffer outrageous fortune… |
| A “sling” in line 3 isA) an arrow holder or bowB) whatever it is that casts a stoneC) what holds a broken arm | B) whatever casts the stone; a medieval implement |
| “The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,”In this line, fortune is loosely personified as someone who isA)..openly defiantB)..happily richC)..a storyteller or outlandish tales | A) Fortune is defiant to anyone who is suffering his wrath–he is throwing stones and arrows at his victims–which Hamlet really means to be all of mankind (anyone who lives this human life) |
| When Hamlet says, “And by opposing end them,” we can interpret this to meanA)..that is is quite simple to end one’s troubles throughout life, if the opposer possesses the necessary perseverance and gritB) One can either endure the “slings and arrows” of what is unfair or deeply troublesome throughout life (not fighting them), or then he may end his troubles taking them on directly, thus facing a sudden death or suicide. | B) is the better answer: Hamlet is pondering whether or not to battle what is troublesome or deeply unfair about life. One can either put up with all of it, living in misery, or fight it—and so face death, possibly by suicide. |
| “Sea of troubles” is a metaphor that comparesA) the great amount of troubles that every person typically experiences in life to a vast seaB) a war on land to a war out at seaC) an upset, roiled ocean to an upset stomach | A) Having a sea of troubles means that your troubles are vast–seemingly as huge as an ocean. But there is NO literal ocean or sea in this metaphor; it is purely figurative language. |
| “To die: to sleep;No more;”These lines indicate that Hamlet is speaking about____________. A) the body decays rapidly after deathB) after death it is a certainty that there will be no afterlifeC) death is nothing more than a sleep; they are quite comparable in nature | C) death is nothing more than a sleep; Hamlet is comparing their similarity |
| “’tis a consummationDevoutly to be wish’d.”These lines suggestA) that the “sleep of death” is a conclusion for which we might well prayB) that the “sleep of death” comes only to the devout or religiousC) that the “sleep of death” is only for the delusional, who are wishful thinkers. | A) that the “sleep of death” is a conclusion for which we might well pray. The sleep of death is compared to a kind of eternal silence–this is the “consummation” or ending after death. |
| Hamlet says, “When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,” Here he is referring toA) that death brings new responsibilities; there is no “shuffling,” (just as Claudius said in his confession) before GodB) that, in death, there is a separation of the human soul from the bodyC) that we leave the earth and all of its mortals when we die. | B) that, in death, there is a separation of the human soul from the body |
| “For in that sleep of death what dreams may comeWhen we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause: there’s the respectThat makes calamity of so long life;”In the third line of this passage, “there’s the respect” is referring to the overall idea thatA) we consider carefully–and respectfully–what happens in the sleep of death, and so endure life’s hardships.B) shuffling off our mortal bodies gives us the opportunity to cleanse our souls and develop a newfound respect for God. | A) we consider carefully–and respectfully–what happens in the sleep of death, and so endure life’s hardships. |
| “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,”The “whips and scorns of time” refers toA) the way life, metaphorically, is like a speedy chariot, whipping by us at high speed, although we can perceive its approach; the chariot driver would be like someone who would beckon to us and would like to stop for us, but is in too much of a hurry. B) the way life, metaphorically, is like a boxer, who hits us with punches and jabs and pokes and other blows which cause us pain and great discomfort; he also may mock or ridicule or jeer us (the “scorns”) | B) the way life is like a boxer; it is whipping us with punches; but the “scorns” are also his verbal insults. |
| “The insolence of office” refers to ____________. A) the excessive power of those who hold political offices, such as PoloniusB) the frequently cramped quarters in many places of workC) the insolent or arrogant or rude behavior of anyone who is in a position of authority | C) the insolent or arrogant or rude behavior of anyone who is in a position of authority |
| “and the spurnsThat patient merit of the unworthy takes”This line is referring to A) the patience that is necessary to earn respectful positions after being in lowly onesb) the contempt that deserving people must patiently endure from less worthy persons | b) the contempt that deserving people must patiently endure from less worthy persons |
| “When he himself might his quietus makeWith a bare bodkin?”Hamlet is here referring to what? A) how a man could quietly free himself of all life’s severe difficulties with a mere daggerB) how he plans to stab himself if he cannot find a way to kill Claudius | A) how a man could quietly free himself by suicide with a dagger |
| “The undiscover’d country from whose bournNo traveller returns,””Bourn” in these lines meansA) purgatoryB) hell or underworldC) boundary or confines | C) boundary or confines |
| “And thus the native hue of resolutionIs sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,”The gist of these lines is better said to beA) over the natural color of determination there is thrown the pale and sickly tinge of anxious reflection. B) our resolution to overcome diseased thoughts is often improved with determined thoughts, which are so firm it it seems they are cast into molds. | A) over the natural color of determination there is thrown the pale and sickly tinge of anxious reflection. |
Hamlet: To Be or Not To Be
August 6, 2019