Hamlet "To Be Or Not To Be" soliloquy

[cosmicku]

make it last 4mins, and breath in deep and exhale the question as you contemplate the many potential consequences and ask the question in every word

[DaveMcDevitt]

Not looking for suggestions for improvement. I posted this for fun and I don’t really care if it is not perfect.

[sport12345678]

this is a comedy , right?

[assassin801]

Hey, just out of curiousity was this memorized, or read? really well done either way :)

[DaveMcDevitt]

I memorized it. My dad asked the same thing. By the way I was looking off camera he thought maybe I was reading it.

[hustla4life1000]

0:21 - 0:34 and 0:50 -1:08 really helped

[DaveMcDevitt]

Glad to be of service:)

[hustla4life1000]

thanks 0:21 - 0:34 and 0:50 - 1:08

[2222abrar2222]

really nice!

[DrZaius75]

Good job!

[Killuminatismd]

I memorized part of this speech with your help ty.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Always happy to help! I did this for fun and I am amazed at how many students have used this posting to help. Best of luck!

[Mgorms1994]

I was studying with this til i realized i could play Snake... damn lol

[DaveMcDevitt]

@Mgorms1994

Great!

[Skrewed4Now]

I loved Polonius. Not that he applies to this speech, but he was hilarious. "Oh, I am slain!" Such a laid back realization.

[soccerdude33333]

i literally watched this video over 50 times and it really helped me memorize for school!  Thanks alot dude!

[DaveMcDevitt]

@soccerdude33333

Glad I could help!

[ThatMathGuy7318]

Come on guys...Do you think Shakespeare would want us fighting over what he meant at a particular part? No...That's not why he wrote anything. Interpret his work in your own mind, for your own personal gain, but don't get mad at someone else because their interpretation might be different. That's just silly. Just enjoy this masterpiece for what it is

[DaveMcDevitt]

@ThatMathGuy7318 Nicely written!

[IngvardM]

@ThatMathGuy7318

Sure, mate, but you can't really enjoy the play without understanding all the riddles in it! Hamlet reading this soliloquy to himself makes no sense at all, i mean, how else the king understands that he's not mad and wants to avenge his father? "madness in great ones shall not unwatched go" he sais after Hamlet exits (to watch means to kill in Claudius language). Also, this particular soliloquy is very much different from all other by it's style, mark it.

[IngvardM]

next you'll tell us, that Ophelia drowned herself, Hamlet sees his fathers ghost and Horatio is Hamlets friend...

[Actor99]

@ThatMathGuy7318 Actually pretty much everything known about Shakespeares writing goes against what you just said, you can play an intention a million different ways, but the text means one thing, and there is one way to do it properly as written. It can sound a million different ways but if what your saying isn't right then the rest of the text is moot. This guy wasn't bad, I'll just say he didn't actually act it, he more just found a rhythm and followed it, poeticizing the text poorly.

[wrocker57]

I have to say this in class tomorrow. I memorized it, and you helped me. Thanks :)!

[DaveMcDevitt]

You are very welcome...glad I could help!

[IngvardM]

OMG, how many people dont understand the meaning of "to be or not to be".

First of all - it's not a soliloquy, but a part of dialog between Hamlet and Ophelia.

In it, Hamlet tries to hint that he's not insane, but has to look like one to survive Claudius. He probably says "soft you now" to him self when he sees that Ophelia is too dumb to understand him.

Second, the "to be or not to be" is a quote of Omar Hayam, so Shakespeare could not write it as a question. "To be, or not to be– " no"?" here

[DaveMcDevitt]

Have you ever heard of someone doing something for fun??? I am not a Shakespeare expert and I have never claimed to be. If it pains your ears so much don't watch it.

[MrCardinal05]

@IngvardM actually it is a monolouge and he is talking to himself

[BrighamHB]

@IngvardM I don't think I've ever seen an interpretation of Hamlet where this is part of a dialogue between him and Ophelia. In some productions the nunnery scene is before, or it's implied that Ophelia is onstage and overhears without Hamlet knowing, but never is it part of the dialogue. I've seen several stage and film productions and I've never seen this speech as part of the dialogue. What you've said is just one interpretation, and not a very widely accepted one at that.

[IngvardM]

@BrighamHB

POLONIUS:

I hear him coming: let's withdraw, my lord.

[Exeunt King and Polonius.] Enter HAMLET.

And next - try reading hamlet before commenting!

[BrighamHB]

@IngvardM Try reading my comment before replying! ;) I've studied this play many times, and while Shakespeare remained ambiguous as to whether or not Ophelia was meant to be onstage, the common interpretation is that Hamlet is not talking to her directly. Yes, many productions show that Ophelia overhears his speech, but like I said that's just one interpretation. By the way you put your comment, it seems like you think your interpretation is the only correct one.

[DaveMcDevitt]

@IngvardM See ThatMathGuy 7318's comment.

[MasqueradeCookie]

Thank you! It really helped me to learn it by heart... Well, my mothertongue is German- I had to read it about ten times to understand everything...

[DaveMcDevitt]

Ich bin froh, dass ich helfen konnte. Ich habe nie bemerkt, wenn ich diese, wie viele Menschen ich helfen würde, gebucht. Viel Glück, Dave. Ich habe Google Translate, diesen Text ins Deutsche zu übersetzen.

[gearsgamer1]

Thanks Dave this is really helping me to remember the Hamlet soliloquy , thanks for posting this :)

[DaveMcDevitt]

Estoy contento de haber podido ayudar. Nunca me di cuenta cuando me envió este cuántas personas me ayuda. Buena suerte, Dave. He utilizado Google Translate para traducir este texto al español.

[DaveMcDevitt]

I am glad I was able to help. I never realized when I posted this how many people I would help. Good luck, Dave.

[wowza191]

Wow! Truly amazing, I can remember up to 0:56 :)

[kennaynayTV]

I'm sooooo excited! Im doing this for my school play, and I thought it would be really hard but I'm having so much fun with it! I just thought I'd see other people's take on it. Well done :)

[DaveMcDevitt]

Are you actually playing Hamlet or are you doing the soliloquy in some other play? Thanks for the comment.

[kennaynayTV]

@DaveMcDevitt  Im doing the soliloguy in "Shakespere in Love...and War" wich its basically a bunch of scenes from the most famous of Shakespere's plays.

[ThePopsicleAddict]

Gahhh, you're so fast! I've been practicing this for four hours and have only memorized the first ten lines thus far....I don't know how people can memorize things so well. It's definitely not one of my strong points :/

[Jemmer1000]

oh dear

[DaveMcDevitt]

Not sure what you mean:)

[tiba666]

i dont know hamlet only it have be written where i live lol

[ILOVENYC12345]

this helped me so much thank you

i'm only in 8th grade and we have to memorize and recite this to my english teacher.

all i did was read it while listening to this and it made it so easy thanks

[DaveMcDevitt]

Hello, I am glad I was able to help. Did you share your process with your classmates and teacher? When I posted this I never realized how many students would use this to help with their memorization. Take care and best of luck.

[xXTeagano7Xx]

This helped me so much! I needed to figure out a way to portray the emotion and you did a great job. I'm going to use this to help me memorize this for my English class! Thank you so much!

[umpire74]

@ 1:05 isn't it suppose to be "When he himself might take his quietus make with a bare bodkin?" I need to know because my english teacher is making us memorize this. On the paper he gave us it says "When he himself might take his quietus make with a bare bodkin?" but you say "When he himself is quietus make of a bare bodkin?" WHICH IS RIGHT?? PLEASE HELP PLEASE HELP!!

P.S. Thank you so much for making this video, you have the best on YouTube!!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Hello! Thank you for noticing my error. I put an annotation on the video. I actually left out the word "might"

Good luck!

[SilentInAction]

@umpire74 When he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin.

[yanoviP]

Thank you! I'm using this to help me memorize for English class!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Cool! Glad I was able to help. Good luck!

[penkacik]

I like how you said "perchance to dream"

[DaveMcDevitt]

thanks!

[penkacik]

amazing.

[PhantomRaia7]

This is really good! :) I liked how you changed the tempo of your vioce to match with the speed of the Hamlet's thoughts as they raced from his mind to mouth it really encaptured the mood of this piece. As WickedSoul said it IS a soliloquy and soliloquy's are inhearently the character speaking to him/herself (and to give the audience some idea of what they are thinking) so not looking directly at anyone is kind of the point. Good job, keep it up! :)

[DaveMcDevitt]

Wow! thank you for the kind words.

[Zacho1217]

I really enjoyed it, very nice for just doing it for fun

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thanks.

[gagermel1234]

little bit too fast. these are real deep thoughts from hamlet and i think he wouldnt speak that fast. but still good dramatization. sry for my english im german.

[DaveMcDevitt]

I know...I was just doing it for fun.

[gagermel1234]

dont be unapologetic about that =) its still good !

[WickedSoulXD]

Wow, this is very impressive. Instead of showing the whole body like others did, you saved yourself trouble of limited space, or awkward gestures. Instead of distracting the audience, it allows for the concentrate on your expressions and your words. It's also cool that you did not look straight into the camera, you gaze off into some distance, "Hamlet's not speaking to the audience, he's speaking to himself" was the impression you gave me, and that it is good, because he was a lonely guy.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Wow! Thank you.

[LesMisFan76]

@Tommieb86: Hamlet might be talking to himself in the play, but if this speech is internalised too much, it becomes as boring as hell.

As to this thing about Americans doing Shakespeare? My Shakespeare tutor reckons they're better at it than some English actors, due to their energy and he's studied Shakespeare for 20 years, so he knows what he's talking about.

@Dave: Given that you haven't trained, that wasn't bad at all. :)

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you very much. I have been getting many mixed reviews since I put this up. I know I said some words wrong and my inflection needs some work. One nice thing that came out of this, that I never planned, was that I have helped a lot of students who are learning this.

[DanceGavinDancee]

great job man!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thanks

[recorcholis007]

=) . I love hamlet!

[7horianfiddler]

you r great!!! favorited!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you!

[Tommieb86]

You're emphasising many of the wrong words. Hamlet is talking to himself here, really think about what you're saying and perform accordingly.

[DaveMcDevitt]

I know...I am not trying to master it. I just did this for fun.

[Dcavolli]

Ignore that tommie guy.. He is what you call an internet troll... XD

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thanks! The negative comments just float out of my head. As you know, I did this for fun...nothing else. I am not a trained Shakespearean actor and don't claim to be.

[b00i00d]

Quite good. But still feels artificial. Try to live the text, forget that you're speaking a language of 400 years ago and breathe the character!

[Paddehj]

A good job but to be perfectly honest you Americans just dont really get it..

[EnchantedSilence]

I don't think it has anything to do with being American.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Hello, was comment directed at me? I am from Southern California and I just posted this for fun. I have no formal training.

[mxblum]

Not at all--apparently the person listed above my comment, Paddehj, had made an obnoxious comment and then deleted it about how us Americans (I'm a New Yorker transplanted to Virginia) just don't understand their great Bard, so now my comment doesn't make much sense out of context. I thought your soliloquy was quite good.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Actually, I was born and raised in Southern California.

[MrCardinal05]

@mxblum speak for yourself because i know what it means not trying to be rude though

[mxblum]

@MrCardinal05 I was replying sarcastically to an idiot whose comment was later removed, so mine seemed strange out of context.

[srslayerz]

you look like shakespeare!

[Paddehj]

He looks nothing like shakespeare you dipshit =/

[srslayerz]

anger issues?

[cangriman0101]

THANK YOU!

[SeanyZombie]

Thank you, this has helped me alot.

[Dasquirt011]

I am another student you have recently helped, thanks!

[skowronki2]

this helped me memorize it, thanks

[bokicmoki]

Great help! Thank you.

[Fatman6666]

What a creepy looking dude.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Hamlet went huts so that is the nicest thing you could say. Thank you!

[lavoajh21]

I have to memorize and recite this in a class, and I've been looking for a video that gives an example of how its supposed to go. This is the best one I've seen so far. Nice job.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Happy to help

[python911]

Perfect. Finally someone who doesn't perform as if Hamlet is about to shoot himself in the face. It's a contemplative speech. Hamlet disregards his idea of suicide as he wonders about what death really is, and the fears of what is beyond life.

Well done mate. I presume you've performed with a theatre before?

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you. I know I mispronounced some words. Believe me I have had many negative comments as well. Actually this is the only Shakespeare I have memorized. It would be great to do it on stage some day.

[garcia5263]

Dude this helped me so much to memorize the soliloquy for school!!!

[DaveMcDevitt]

I just posted this for fun. It was never my intention to help students but so many have thanked me for my version. It is great that it has become a teaching tool.

[Tyron427]

this guy's a tool

[DaveMcDevitt]

Didn't your mom ever teach that if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all?

[Cheririna]

Thank You very much! I learned this by heart at school in Moscow in 1980 . You look so thoughtful - What was for fun?

[DaveMcDevitt]

I was teaching 4th grade many years ago and I challenged one of my students to memorize this soliloquy so I thought I better do it as well.

[exie88]

wow. that is awesome. i absolutly loved it~

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you!

[CandidRefreshment]

good but too fast

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thanks. I hear that often.

[itsxabigail]

thank you! did you do this from memory?

[DaveMcDevitt]

Yes, my dad thought I wrote it on big cards but I did do it from memory.

[TeachersPet2009]

thank you! i am watching this multiple times so that i might get 'a B or not a B' on my quiz...

[DaveMcDevitt]

Best of luck:)

[Loveiseverthing]

thank you for the video it is helping me a lot

[DaveMcDevitt]

Happy to help!

[alapadma]

wow.

you have incredible face!

:)

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you very much. That may be the nicest thing anyone has written on here:)

[MonkeyMike96]

haha ya me too i put this guys voice on my ipod so i could memorize this

[Loveiseverthing]

jajajja i see we both have to do the same thing.

[AppleInfused]

Ahh, greatly done. Well portrayed.

[Piecrab]

I love this soliloquy. You do it quite good. I've memorized it for my english class. Hamlet is awesome.

Nice beard, by the way :P

[mausistaus]

great passion, my friend!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you!

[poisongirl130]

i have to learn this for my english class and you where a really good help...thank you very much i love how you acted it so passionate and so great...i love it thank you...

[DaveMcDevitt]

Happy to help:)

[mikemosocw]

'despised love' do you mean disprized love?

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you for pointing out my inarticulation. Isn't it great that we can go on You Tube and address peoples mistakes.

I did this for FUN! I really never intended for it to be perfect and I never thought I would ever reach the 20,000 mark.

Dave

[mikemosocw]

another thing, don't you think the soliloquy would have more of an impact had you looked ocassionally in to the camera?

thank you for your magnanimous reaction to my contradiction...by the way, how long did it take you to grow that beard?

[DaveMcDevitt]

Being that it is a soliloquy I thought it best not to look directly into the camera. I would have to guess the beard was three weeks old.

By the way, go to my You Tube page and check out my "Why" monologue. This is one I wrote.

Take care.

[deathtotubez]

If you watch any movie on hamlet they dont look into the camera i dont know why just saying

[PhGebara]

Both of them are possibilities.

[mikemosocw]

i don't think so...'despised love' makes no sense.

[PhGebara]

It changes from edition to edition. Believe me. =P

[codenamecassandra]

i had to memorize that for school, and you really helped me get the phrasing right ^.^

[DaveMcDevitt]

I am glad I was able to help.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Check rpmblues on You Tube. His version is amazing.

[exquisitewoo]

..well im not a pro but..

i just saw like a good one before

n u said it a lil too fast..

n u have this flustered kind of aura around you..

[DaveMcDevitt]

I just did it for fun so I won't disagree. Go to my page and check out my "Why" Monologue.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Check rpmblues on You Tube. His version is amazing.

[GreyEyesCrying]

you sir, are talented. very well delivered.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you very much!

[JohanHelenius]

Impressive.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thanks!

[ebonyprincess4]

really good!! better than kline... and others i've heard.... you sound natural!! shakespeare would have been proud!!

[robtjha]

Dave, Behave, behave... I find your behavior... exemplary!

I'm cruising the 'net today, looking at headlines about sleep apnea and longevity. One headline says " Study: To sleep better, perchance to live longer " and I quickly found myself wanting to re-read the great soliloquy. With a quick google search, I was rewarded with a link to your fine rendition - delivered with immense style and such a fine respect to the author.

Thank you Sir!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Wow! Thank you for the kind words!

[jakkie6]

Stop acting. BEHAVE.

[DaveMcDevitt]

What is that supposed to mean...behave?

To act or not to act...that is the question. Have you ever done anything just for fun? Go to my site and check out my Why monologue!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Okay, now I get it. Stop acting as in don't "act" like Hamlet and behave as in behave as if I am Hamlet. I hear you!

[Quiznozsubs44]

Absolutely classic my friend...flawless preformance and you have this charisma about your voice that draws the audience in...brilliant

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you:)

[AllNamesAreTakenFFS]

Nice video, really! And nice to see youre a person who actually gives response on your comments. Please keep on the good work!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you. I'm sure if I got thousands of comments I couldn't keep up, but I get one nice comment a week with one lousy one thrown in to keep me on my toes. Take care, Dave

[elfman5150]

Great job man! Very inspiring! Are you in drama by chance? If not, then you really should be

[warcraftsucks123]

Hey, just wanted your professional opinion on something. Who do you think would make a better king, Hamlet or Claudius, and why?

[DaveMcDevitt]

I really don't know Shakespeare. I just did this soliloquy for fun. I have never actually studied Shakespeare.

[lethaldon]

Superb, mindblowing, awsome, all these words shed a dim sparkle with the outstanding work of yours

I wanted to say thank you cas this video wil help me a lot in my soliloquy competetion and also wanted to ask.....how long did u take to learn that

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thank you!

I learned "To Be Or Not To Be" 15 years ago so I don't remember how long it took. I am not great at memorizing lines so I use a technique that works for me.

I try to put action in to the lines and make them more visual. For example, for the line, "Or to take arms against a sea of troubles", I would visualize myself holding a plastic arm and pounding it into the ocean waves. Works well for Shakespeare but can work for any script.

Best of luck!

[4ofSpades4]

good job...very well done

[kwanseemun]

good job...much much better than Kenneth Branagh in the film production

[DaveMcDevitt]

Wow! Thank you.

[felbuch]

I must agree with you on that one!

[EuroTrashers]

You might want to slow the tempus a little down to increase the effect of the drama. Nevertheless, I think you've nailed at awfully well :)

[DaveMcDevitt]

You hit the most common comment...and I agree.

[warcraftsucks123]

Great job. I have around a week to memorize it, and I've got up to just after 'his mortal coil'. But this video will help, thanks.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Let me know how it goes. Note that I accidentally left out the word MIGHT in the line, "When he himself might his quietus make"

Good luck!

[warcraftsucks123]

Thanks. I aced it. There was one point where I stumbled on "oppressors wrong", but it went over well. I just need to work on my speaking in front of an audience skills. Anyways, thanks for this vid, cheers.

[treehugger02084]

yeah this is totally helpful, for last minute studying, or any type. THANKS!!!!!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Although I never expected...this has become a nice study guide.

Good luck!

[colimence]

This will surely help me on my english speech Thanks!

[DaveMcDevitt]

Let me know how it goes. Note that I accidentally left out the word MIGHT in the line, "When he himself might his quietus make"

Good luck!

[colimence]

Thanks ALOT! My speech went pretty well! I got 100%!!! You relly helped me ALOT!

[DaveMcDevitt]

I am glad I was able to help.

[ricwendlandt]

by far the best i have herd,

[DaveMcDevitt]

Thanks!

[kewlguy0189]

thank you i did my sililoquy today i got it right i was the only one that went up all that studing really paid off thank you again

[kewlguy0189]

i will be sure to let you know how it goes i think i have watched your video about itleast 60 or 80 times i finally have it memorized its a little rusty but i believe i can get it its due tomm

[DaveMcDevitt]

Best of luck!

[kewlguy0189]

thank you very much i also have to memorize this for my english class it seems everybody has to lol =)

[DaveMcDevitt]

I hope I was able to help. Let me know how it goes.

[tsbski]

Thanks! Helped me memorize it for english.

[DaveMcDevitt]

Happy to be of help.