Hamlet Act III.1

     Hamlet's soliloquy, which has become one of the most inspirational and famous in the history of British Literature, explains to the reader of the warring battle that is going on inside of Hamlet. "To be, or not to be, that is the question..." (III.1.56), is arguably the most world renowned quote in British Literature and, honestly, in literature itself. This says it all for Hamlet Jr. Hamlet here is talking about life, whether to let it be, or whether to let it not be. Hamlet seems to be contemplating suicide. Now, at the moment that Hamlet is reciting his famous soliloquy, the King; whose name is Claudius, and who is also the uncle of young Hamlet;and the Queen; whose name is Gertrude, and who is also young Hamlet's mother, are spynig on Hamlet Jr. trying to find out his source of madness. The reader knows that Hamlet is not necessarily going "crazy", but he is rather concocting a plan to avenge his father's death through the death of his uncle, the King, who killed Hamlet's father in order to gain the crown. So, the question is therefore, did Hamlet know that his mother and uncle were spying on him, or did he not. He most certainly did! Hamlet knows that the King and Queen are under suspicion of his madness, and they are trying to find out what is the source of his craziness. Hamlet, trying to give off the wrong idea of his "melancholy", wants his mother and his uncle to think that he is truly contemplating suicide. Why would he want to kill himself when he is so focused on the task that is at hand; to kill his uncle? Hamlet his quite aware of the presence of his uncle and his mother while he is giving his "speech." One can easily believe that he is giving this particular speech in order that the Queen and King might think that his thought of suicide is really the reason for his melancholy and madness.