Monologues

Hamlet's "To be or not to be" - what was his dilemma, then?
Soliloquy in act 5, scene 5, of William Shakespeare's play entitled Macbeth.

To be or not to be: that is the question;
whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
or to take arms against a sea of troubles
and by opposing, end them?

Read the complete monologue, some comments on it by teachers and students and watch a few YouTube videos by checking out the "To be or not to be" Monologue at the EOI Goya Reading Club , a wonderful project by people in state-run language schools! And a warm thanks to Marta (teacher, 2007-08) for having started all that!

From Mujer Palabra's Página de secundaria (check it out to read a translation and a pacifist version of this monologue!!!).

Do you want to read the whole monologue now?

If you want to learn about Canadian writer Margaret Atwood thinks about Hamlet's brooding, read -- and listen to -- the words she puts in Gertrude's mouth (she's Hamlet's mum's)! Really funny!

Read Hamlet



Macbeth's "Life's but a walking shadow"
Soliloquy in act 5, scene 5, of William Shakespeare's play entitled Macbeth.

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing...

This quote or idea was William Faulkner's inspiration for the title of a novel of his, The Sound and the Fury, an amazing story of which there is a movie version with Yul Bryner.

Read MacBeth
Listen to the play!