Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, is a tale that has stood the test of time due to its relevance to modern times and the near-perfect presentation of the themes of the story. Although many sections and passages can capture the spirit of Shakespeare's tales, none does it better than Hamlet's famous soliloquy to Ophelia. In the opening lines, Hamlet says: To be or not to be: that is the question: Is it nobler in the spirit to suffer the slings and arrows of scandalous fortune, Or to take up arms against a sea of troubles, And to oppose at the end? them? To die, to sleep- (3.1.138)In other words, Hamlet begins by wondering whether it is better to be alive or dead. As pessimistic as his question may seem, it can be considered reasonable given that his life, at this point, is solely dedicated to killing Claudius and avenging his father. Next, Hamlet reiterates his initial statement but uses more poetic language and details. First, by asking whether a person's decision to experience profound unhappiness is the noblest choice. Next, Hamlet presents death as an alternative by declaring it as an end, which is not the case with the first option. To deduce which choice Hamlet is currently relying on, one need only look at the metaphors used to describe the two options. Initially, life is depicted as slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune. This suggests that life's misfortunes are both constant and severe, given that arrows and slings were often fired into dams. This is further reinforced when the fortune is described as scandalous, thus ruling out the idea of ​​a slight dam. In contrast, death is compared to concepts that humans associate with peace, such as the ocean or sleep. Hamlet also describes Death as an in... middle of paper ... few authority figures for the operation and Hamlet never told anyone about his plan to murder Claudius. Fortunately for them, they succeeded, which means that taking justice into their own hands is an alternative. In other words, Claudius' murder is Hamlet's most justified murder. Having drawn numerous parallels with modern times, we may still wonder what to make of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The answer is simpler than you might expect: learn from what the story of Hamlet offers. If a society does not learn from the past, that society is doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again, a fate worthy of the terrible outcome that Hamlet thought death would bring. Put simply, Hamlet's themes of manipulation, power, and revenge are best used as a cautionary tale for those who choose to venture through life..