Soliloquy Analysis
The metaphor of sleep is introduced fairly early in the soliloquy as Hamlet ponders "to die: to sleep; / no more; and by a sleep to say we end / the heart-ache" (3.3.60-62). He admits to not knowing "what dreams may come" (3.3.66) when we venture into the "undiscover'd country" of death (3.3.79). The concrete imagery of the "whips and scorns of time" that relate to the negative experiences of life contrast with the vague description of "something after death" to further elaborate on Hamlet's uncertainty of what really comes after death (3.3.70-78).
Hamlet appeals to ethos in the very beginning of the speech with the famous line "To be or not to be: that is the question:" (3.3.56). This acts almost as a concession between both sides of his divided mind: the passionate and emotional side of his mind that wishes to end his life and the logical side that wants to make sure death would actually be a better choice. This line is him admitting that he does not know what will happen after life, and therefore builds his validity as a speaker because no "traveler returns" from death (3.3.80). This admission builds ethos in the beginning and allows him to effectively discuss the ramifications of each side of the dilemma he is facing, which leads into the logos of his soliloquy.
Hamlet is a very thoughtful, and therefore logical, character. He first muses that "to die" is "to sleep" and therefore "perchance to dream" (3.3.64-65). He is sequencing what he believes happens to a human when we "[shuffle] of this mortal coil", and attempts to logically think through the situation, which doesn't work out because he almost unintentionally brings his emotions into the discussion (3.3.67).
Emotionally charged words like "whips" (3.3.70) and "oppressor" (3.3.71) provide pathos and thus support Hamlet's emotional beliefs by painting life as an unconquerable struggle, a "sea of troubles" even (3.3.59).
The thoughtful, longing tone of the soliloquy emphasizes Hamlet's internal struggle and this is achieved mostly through his diction. To live means certain "calamity" (3.3.69) while to die assures "the dread of something after death" (3.3.78). The negative word choices attached to both sides of the dilemma help reinforce Hamlets distress.
Hamlet utilizes two main metaphors throughout this soliloquy: death as a long sleep and life as a troublesome sea voyage. The sleep metaphor is quite obvious as Hamlet continually addresses that "to die" is "to sleep" (3.3.64), but the metaphor of water can be less obvious. It is mentioned first in the fourth line of the soliloquy when he says that life is "to take arms against a sea of troubles" (3.3.59) and is then brought full circle near the end of the speech when Hamlet states "with this regard their currents turn awry" (3.3.86), meaning that people are typically sailing along the rough waves of life and reach an impasse where they have the choice to end it, but the currents of life carry them away from death towards more turmoil. In addition, there is a complexity to be noted about the symbol of water being used in the context of death. To give in to the water in this situation is dying when submersion in water resembles baptism and therefore is typically connected with rebirth.
Life on earth: "whips and scorns of time" (3.3.70) "pangs of despis'd love" (3.3.72) "grunt and sweat" (3.3.77) etc
Afterlife: "end / the heart-ache" (3.3.61-62) "To sleep: perchance to dream" (3.3.65) "the dread of something after death" (3.3.78)
Death: "his quietus make / With a bare bodkin" (3.3.75-76) "undiscovr'd country" (3.3.79)
Humans/thinking: "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer" (3.3.57) "thus conscience does make cowards of us all" (3.3.83)
Line 77-78 is one opposition as Hamlet goes from looking down upon the "grunt and sweat under a weary life" to considering "the dread of something after death" (3.3.77-78). Another place where he wobbles back and forth is lines 64-65. "To die; to sleep" obviously paints death as an attractive option, but it is followed by "perchance to dream" where Hamlet considers the possibility that the "dreams" of death are worse than his present condition (3.3.64-65).
The philosophical question Hamlet is zeroing in on is what really comes after we die? As he said, no one has actually returned from death to tell what it is like, so how can we be sure of anything about it? The only thing that we know for sure is our current position in life, and this, he determines, is what drives humans to avoid death solely because of the fear of the unknown.
Mis En Scene
The Kenneth Branagh version is composed almost entirely of diegetic sound (except for the very subtle non-diegetic music that begins about halfway through the scene). This exemplifies how alone Hamlet is by only having the sound of his voice be heard. It takes place in a large room where no one else is which is important to depict Hamlets alone-ness. The only two important props are the dagger and the mirror. The dagger in his right hand shows just how easily Hamlet could end his life. It illustrates that the real struggle is a mental one, and that he is oh so close to ending it all. The mirror is an interesting prop that brings up the idea of Hamlet discussing the idea with himself. The over the shoulder shot of Hamlet allows for an intimate look at the passionate and logical sides of Hamlet having a conversation.
I would like to begin by saying the Laurence Olivier version is extremely creepy. The setting is atop a tall tower above a cliff and Hamlet is standing on the edge. There is the diegetic sound of Hamlet speaking, but also a non-diegetic voiceover of what we assume is Hamlet's thoughts. This adds to the internal discussion I referenced earlier and depicts it quite well. The camera angle is a full body shot that allows for the actor's movements to be seen which is important in showing his indecision in killing himself.
In the Mel Gibson version, Hamlet is walking around a sort of catacombs and looking upon the graves of others. The only sound in the scene is Hamlet's voice which, as earlier stated, is to highlight the solitude of his pondering. Both of these decisions add to the closeness to death that Hamlet is experiencing. He could easily end his life, and showing symbols of death around him only emphasizes his indecision. interestingly, there are some further away camera angles in this clip which probably serves to display the deathly setting.
In the Ethan Hawke version, at first there is only non-diegetic voiceover. It shows a man walking through the aisles of a video store looking around and the voice is presumably his thoughts. Then, as stated above, the character chimes in almost as if in discussion with the original voiceover. The modern setting adds a humorous complexity to the speech; typically choosing a movie to rent is an unimportant and easy choice, but in this case the man is pondering the very essence of life and death. He is wearing modern clothes to emphasize the fact that this is not a representation of the literal play, but rather an allusion.
The Kenneth Branagh version is most effective in portraying my soliloquy. I am an extremely philosophical man and this scene captured my puzzlement and concentration most accurately. The emotional side of me is constantly nagging that if I cannot deal with the troubles of life that I should simply end it all, but my logical side always stares back at me and makes me question what exactly that death entails. This is perfectly symbolized through the over the should shot of me in the mirror. Although this version depicts the point Hamlet is trying to get across best, it could improve. I think that as a viewer the scene becomes monotonous because the camera angle is constant the entire scene. Yes, it is important to include the over-the-shoulder shot, but it does not need to be the whole clip. I think that if the director decided to include some close-ups of Hamlet it would provide for a change in viewpoint while preserving the intimacy of the shot. Also, I would not have included any music in this scene. I find it cheesy and I think it would be more effective to have no non-diegetic sound, that way Hamlet can be depicted as entirely alone with his own thoughts.
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