To Be or Not to Be

Hamlet''s "To be or not to be" soliloquy is quoted more often than any other passage in Shakespeare. It is arguably the most famous speech in the Western world - though few of us can remember much about it. This book carefully unpacks the individual words, phrases and sentences of Hamlet''s soliloquy in order to reveal how and why it has achieved its remarkable hold on our culture. Hamlet''s speech asks us to ask some of the most serious questions there are regarding knowledge and existence. In it, Shakespeare also expands the limits of the English language. Douglas Bruster therefore reads Hamlet''s famous speech in "slow motion" to highlight its material, philosophical and cultural meaning and its resonance for generations of actors, playgoers and readers.

Product details

• Authors: Douglas Bruster
• Assisted by: Ewan Fernie (Editor), Simon Palfrey (Editor)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 15.02.2007
• EAN: 9780826489975
• ISBN: 978-0-8264-8997-5
• No. of pages: 128
• Series: Shakespeare Now!; Shakespeare Now!
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; English, LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama, PERFORMING ARTS / Theater / General, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / General, Theatre Studies, Literary studies: c 1600 to c 1800, Shakespeare Studies & Criticism, Literary studies: plays and playwrights, Relating to Shakespeare / Shakespearean