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1、论 文 专 用 纸装订线.“To Be or Not To Be ”and Its Tragic FactorsAuthor: Supervisor:(College of Foreign Lauguages, 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。Abstract: Shakespeare achieves the artistic maturity in Hamlet through his brilliant depiction of

2、 the heros struggle with two opposing forces: moral integrity and the need to avenge his fathers murder. In this thesis, the meaning of the famous monologue in Act 3 Scene 1 will be reanalyzed. Through the deep understanding and reanalysis of the meaning of the monologue and the content of the whole

3、 drama, we can see the drama is not to prove that Hamlet is weighing the gain and loss of the “self-slaughter”, but is to ponder over the question of humans life and death. Life and death is not only shown in the famous monologue “To be, or not be”, but it also runs through the whole drama. From the

4、 very beginning of Act 1 to the end of the drama, the eternal subjecttragedy of life and death runs through it. By analyzing the traditional opinions and the literal meaning, we can find the central meaning of the monologue, but through the drama, we can also find that Hamlet cant make decision and

5、cant fix up how to do between his speech and action, we also cant find the evidence to conclude that Hamlet wants to commit suicide. Hamlet has strong tragedy consciousness, he is the most important character of the drama. And he is unique！This thesis wants to give a new analysis of “to be or not to

6、 be” and its tragic factors.Key words: drama tragedy monologue“生存或是死亡”及其相关悲剧因素第 1 页论 文 专 用 纸.装订线.摘要:在哈姆雷特这部作品中莎士比亚通过对英雄的挣扎的精彩描述达到了艺术性的成熟，他涉及两个对立面: 道德的诚实和为父亲报仇的需要。在这份论文中第一幕 3 第三场的著名独白的意思在将被重新分析。后面还将介绍莎士比亚的研究员关于独白或哈姆雷特的传统观点。通过对独白的逐字意思和整体戏曲的内容深刻的理解和重新分析, 我们能看到戏剧不是证明哈姆雷特在斟酌衡量自戮的得与失，而是在思考人类生与死的疑问，生与死不仅仅战

7、展示在著名的对白“生存，或是死亡” ，它也贯穿了整个戏剧全文。从戏剧的第一幕一开始直到戏剧的结束，这个永恒的主题生存与死亡的悲剧贯穿其中。通过对历史观点和字面意思的分析，我们能够发现这段独白的中心意思，但贯穿整部戏剧，我们也可以发现哈姆雷特总是无法下决心和决定如何在言语和行动间去做，而且我们也无法发现证据证明哈姆雷特想要自杀，哈姆雷特具有强烈的悲剧意识，他是这部戏剧中最重要的部分，他是独一无二的！这篇论文将给我们汇总关于“生存，或是死亡”的分析和与之相关的悲剧因素。关键词：戏剧 悲剧 独白 1.IntroductionTragedy is an endless form of drama, m

8、any people had written this kind of story. In the old days, people always thought Shakespeares Hamlet is a revolutionary start from contemporary revenge tragedies, which tend to dramatize acts on stage and emphasize the heros dilemma rather than the depiction of bloody deeds.The dramatists talent is

9、 also evident in his transformation of the plays literary sources. The Ur-Hamlet, or “original Hamlet”, is a lost play that scholars believe was written merely decades before Shakespeares Hamlet, providing much of the dramatic context for the later tragedy. From these sources Shakespeare created Ham

10、let, a unique rich and complex literary work that continues to delight both readers and audiences with its meanings and interpretations. “Question drama” generally means the dramas created by Ibsen and his followers at the beginning第 2页论 文 专 用 纸.装订线of the 20th century. They often treat the social, p

11、sychological problems with the tactics of realism. Actually, as far back as the end of the 19th century, F. S. Boas used this word “question drama” in the book of Shakespeare and His Predecessors for describing the four dramas that Shakespeare created between 1590 and 1604: Hamlet, Troilus and Cress

12、ida, Alls Well that Ends Well and Measure for Measure. In Boas view, these dramas all involve the unreal society, the psychology of the morbid state and complicated and delicate conscience problems. F. S. Boas felt that, we go along a dim one side road that people never step on in advance, then when

13、 we have no sense of great rejoicing or great sorrow at the end of the road; for there are no satisfactory answers to the questions put forwards in the drama, we only feel being touched heavily, immersing among them for a long time, at a loss to lose. We should admit that these four dramas are rathe

14、r different from Shakespeares other dramas. Boas did not go into details. This text receives inspirations from” Question drama”, and aims at proving Hamlet to be a tragedy deducting humans life and death.2. The Background of the Whole Drama The drama begins like this: About two months ago, the old k

15、ing suddenly dies, his younger brother mounts the throne; in a month, the former queen marries the new king. Hamlet is called back to Denmark palace from his school. For his fathers unexpected death and his mothers quick remarriage, the young prince finds how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable see

16、m to him (Zhu Shenghao, 2001). It is obvious that Hamlet lets the readers firstly pay attention to the death of the old king and his death reason; the sin of poisoning the old king starts a calamity and becomes the pushing factor of the whole drama. It pushes the story to the entanglement conflict a

17、nd wakes up Hamlet to concern about human life and its fortune. As to this, Greece tragic scholar Jituo points out clearly that the appearance of the ghost in Act 1 offers the background to the whole drama; in other words, it is the logic and motive center of the whole drama. (Yang Zhouhan, 1981). H

18、e further points out, the real foundational structure .of the tragedy is just here regarding this tragedy as the common customs tragedy, we are using the第 3 页 论 文 专 用 纸.装订线wrong focus; the correct focus is to put the whole plot on the background of natural and God, because this is the background the

19、 dramatist offers. (Yang Zhouhan, 1981)3. New Reanalysis of the Famous Monologue “To Be, or Not To Be”The most famous monologue in the drama of Hamlet is the part beginning with the words to be or not to be, that is the question (Zhu Shenghao, 2001). Many researchers on Shakespeare especially like t

20、his drama and pay more attention to this piece of monologue. Naturally, there are a lot of comments on it with various understandings. And there are also many quarrels about its complicated meaning. In this thesis, I want to show the reanalysis of this monologue.3.1 Traditional opinions of the monol

21、ogueThe part of Hamlets famous monologue, which begins “To be, or not to be” has been considered as revealing his thoughts of suicide for decades. It is perhaps the most famous monologue in literature. Hamlets moral and mental anguish is at its height in this monologue, which is the emotional center

22、piece of the play. Hamlets father, the old king, has died. His mother, the queen, has married within a month of the Kings passing, an act that has disturbed young Hamlet in and of it. To make it .worse, she has married the old Kings brother, Hamlets uncle, who is now the new King of Denmark. As Haml

23、ets despair deepens, he learns (through the appearance of a ghost of his dead father) that the old king was murdered by the new one. Hamlets growing awareness of the betrayal of his mother and evil of Claudius leads to a deepening depression and madness. For a long time, some researchers consider th

24、is piece of monologue as Hamlet is weighing the pros and cons of “committing suicide”. At the beginning of the 20th century, the authoritative reviewer Buleideli points out in Shakespeares tragedy, among the monologue, what Hamlet thinks is thoroughly not the responsibility he bears; he is weighing

25、the pros and cons of committing suicide. (Zhang Guoqiang, 1992) The former Soviet Union commentator Moluozuofu thinks that, Hamlet germinates the intention to commit suicide again; but the person is a mature man when germinating this intention again. (Zhu Fuyang, 1997) Liang Shiqiu says in第 4 页 论 文

26、专 用 纸.the annotation when translating this drama that Hamlet is bent on committing suicide in this section of monologue, and it has already been shown in the monologue of Act 1 Scene 2. (Liang Shiqiu, 1995) Li Funing holds the similar view to this piece of monologue. Originally, he has indicated tha

27、t the monologue is probing the question of life and death, and pointing out the contradictions between the thought and action. (Li Funing, 1987) But in the concrete explanation he says, Hamlet is waiting for the arrival of the night anxiously during this period of jobless time, his mood is heavier;

28、he thinks of death is an outlet, but he doesnt make a decision to commit suicide; he is considering the gain and loss of life and death. (Li Funing, 1987)3.2 Literal meaning of the monologueIt seems that considering this monologue as the statement “weigh pros and cons of commit suicide” would not co

29、me from other place of the drama, and the literal meaning of the language and a few words in the monologue may influence it. But, can we judge that he is weighing the pros and cons of committing suicide according to the words “To be, or not to be”, when he himself might his quietus make with a bare

30、bodkin (Zhu Shenghao, 2001)? If we have a good understanding of the content of the 装订线.whole drama and context, and confirm the linguistic context of monologue, its literal meaning should be more apparent. “To be” means “to exist”, and “not to be” means promptly “to die”, which clearly points out th

31、e theme of the whole monologue. The question “To be, or not to be” means to live -“to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”, or to die “to take arms against a sea of troubles” (means the revenging action that he will take). As space is limited, this thesis does not continue doing the a

32、nnotation of words and expressions.What is worth pointing out especially is Hamlet always uses the appellations of “we”, “he”, “who” in this monologue. It is clearly that he is making a general reference to all the people. However, he stands at the positions of people and mankind, speaking in everyb

33、odys capacity as “we”. His deep thoughts about life have already surmounted individuals. It assumes the interrogation and sighs when第 5 页 论 文 专 用 纸.we face these problems: the meaning of life, the pain of life, and the apprehension of death, the contradiction between thought and action, and so on.3.

34、3 The new analysis of the monologue3.3.1 Contradiction between hamlets speech (monologue) and actionThe famous monologue beginning with “To be, or not to be”, appears at Hamlet Act 3 Scene 1. At this time, Hamlet has pretended to be mad for about two months, stirring the Denmark palace It seems that

35、 he takes advantage of pretending to be mad to paralyze his uncle, who is now the new king and has married his mother, the former queen Gertrude. In order to strive for time to realize the revenge words he has promised to his fathers ghost. But, his attention is not absorbed, and he doesnt take acti

36、on even after stalling for a long time. Just at the end of last scene (Act 2, Scene 2), he introspects and feels guilty alone: “That I, the son of a dear father murdered, prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, must like 装订线.a whore unpack my heart with words, and fall a-cursing like a very drab;

37、 A stallion! Fie up ont! Foh! ” It happens that at this moment, there is a troupe of players coming to the palace, so he determines to take advantage of playing on a play to sound out his uncle and verify what the ghost told him. We can say this is the first time that he takes action towards revengi

38、ng since he pretends to be mad. On that very day, though the catch mouse drama has been prepared on the previous day and will be on play in several hours, but he will conduct how to play concretely in the following Scene 2 and tell his friend Horatio whom he trusts to keep a close watch on his uncle

39、 when playing the plot relevant to his fathers death. At the ordinary time, he begins to ponder again when he is alone, talking to himself. This piece of monologue could be regarded as a typical example for thinking hard since his pretending to be mad. It is directly relevant to the action that he w

40、ill take or even that is caused by it. Therefore, we can see the contradiction between his speech and action; but the focus, which he thinks deeply, is the question of life and death making people puzzled in life.3.3.2 Lack of evidence to conclude Hamlet wants to commit suicide from the monologue 第

41、6 页 论 文 专 用 纸.As for linking this section of monologue (Act 3 Scene1) with that monologue of (Act 1 Scene 2), it seems lack of evidence to use “self-slaughter” mentioned in that monologue (Act 1 Scene 2) to link Hamlet bent on committing suicide (Liang Shiqiu, 1995) or germinate the intention to com

42、mit suicide again (Zhu Fuyang, 1997). At the beginning of that monologue (Act 1 Scene 2), Hamlet says: “O, that this too solid flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew, or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon gainst self-slaughter.” (Zhu Shenghao, 2001) But, looking at the transf

43、ormation of the two scenes, that monologue (Act 1 Scene 2) is connected closely after Hamlet going to the court. Hamlet uses pun to express his dissatisfaction to face the king. Now, the king and queen leave the court, and Hamlet is alone. These words mentioned above break out at first. Clearly it i

44、ndicates that he goes to the court against his own will, accompanied with the king and queen helplessly, and feels an unbearable pain; instead of enduring hardship or torture in that kind of occasion, it is really not so good as to be 装订线 .dead without this physique. Hamlet does not intend to commit

45、 suicide absolutely, but complains that it is impossible to commit suicide, because of the law formed by God. Since impossible to go and commit suicide, then how to germinate the intention to commit suicide (Zhu Fuyang, 1997) constantly?3.3.3 New opinions of the monologueIn order to conclude the rea

46、l meaning of this monologue, it is key to clarify the exact time it appears and whether Hamlet takes action before this monologue and what action he will take after it.Buleideli also notices this key problem and especially indicates it in an explanatory note, the position of the monologue To be, or

47、not to be and the position of the plot Hamlet meeting Ophelia in the drama seem that Shakespeare fixes the two positions after a long consideration; because in the first quarto, they both happen before the players arrival not after it, and Shakespeare arranges the play in play. (Zhang Guoqiang, 1992

48、) After the arrival of the players, Hamlets famous monologue appears, followed the plot of meeting Ophelia. Why, “after considering”, does Shakespeare do the change of the positions around this monologue on purpose? Because just after the players arrival, Hamlet has a 第 7 页 论 文 专 用 纸.brainwave and decides to perform on a similar play about his fathers dea