<P> The text of the Second Quarto (Q2) is considered the earliest version of the play . In Q2 the whole nunnery scene including' To be' takes place later in the play than in Q1 where it occurs directly after Claudius and Polonius have planned it and the addition of "Soft you now", suggesting that Hamlet has not (or is feigning having not) seen Ophelia thus far during his speech . </P> <P> To be, or not to be, that is the question, Whether tis nobler in the minde to suffer The slings and arrowes of outragious fortune, Or to take Armes again in a sea of troubles, And by opposing, end them, to die to sleepe No more, and by a sleepe, to say we end The hart - ache, and the thousand naturall shocks That flesh is heire to; tis a consumation Deuoutly to be wisht to die to sleepe, To sleepe, perchance to dreame, I there's the rub, For in that sleepe of death what dreames may come When we haue shuffled off this mortall coyle Must giue vs pause, there's the respect That makes calamitie of so long life: For who would beare the whips and scorns of time, Th'oppressors wrong, the proude mans contumly, The pangs of despiz'd loue, the lawes delay, The insolence of office, and the spurnes That patient merrit of the'vnworthy takes, When he himselfe might his quietas make With a bare bodkin; who would fardels beare, To grunt and sweat vnder a wearie life, But that the dread of something after death, The vndiscouer'd country, from whose borne No trauiler returnes, puzzels the will, And makes vs rather beare those ills we haue, Then flie to others we know not of . Thus conscience dooes make cowards, And thus the natiue hiew of resolution Is sickled ore with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment, With this regard theyr currents turne awry, And loose the name of action . Soft you now, The faire Ophelia, Nimph in thy orizons Be all my sinnes remembred . </P> <P> Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, published by Isaac Jaggard and Ed Blount in 1623 and better known as the "First Folio", includes an edition of Hamlet largely similar to the Second Quarto . The differences in' To be' are mostly typographic, with increased punctuation and capitalization . </P> <P> To be, or not to be, that is the Question: Whether' tis Nobler in the mind to suffer The Slings and Arrows of outragious Fortune, Or to take Armes against a Sea of troubles, And by opposing end them: to dye, to sleep No more; and by a sleep, to say we end The Heart - ake, and the thousand Naturall shockes That Flesh is heyre too?' Tis a consummation Deuoutly to be wish'd . To dye to sleepe, To sleep, perchance to Dream; I, there's the rub, For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come, When we haue shufflel'd off this mortall coile, Must giue us pause . There's the respect That makes Calamity of long life: For who would beare the Whips and Scornes of time, The Oppressors wrong, the poore mans Contumely, The pangs of dispriz'd Loue, the Lawes delay, The insolence of Office, and the Spurnes That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himselfe might his Quietus make With a bare Bodkin? Who would these Fardles beare To grunt and sweat vnder a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The vndiscouered Countrey, from whose Borne No Traueller returnes, Puzels the will, And makes vs rather beare those illes we haue, Then flye to others that we know not of . Thus Conscience does make Cowards of vs all, And thus the Natiue hew of Resolution Is sicklied o're, with the pale cast of Thought, And enterprizes of great pith and moment, With this regard their Currants turne away, And loose the name of Action . Soft you now, The faire Ophelia? Nimph, in thy Orizons Be all my sinnes remembred . </P>

Hamlet's soliloquy to be or not to be summary