“Conscience does make cowards of us all; and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought”
This compare-and-contrast resource presents seven versions of the ‘To be, or not to be’ soliloquy from Act III Scene I of Hamlet. In this critical scene, Hamlet contemplates philosophical questions about the meaning of one’s life in the face of tragedy, considering his own torment after the revelation of his father’s alleged murder.
Performances date from 1980 to 2016 and include Paapa Essiedu in a bold recontextualisation of Shakespeare’s drama, from Denmark to Africa, as well as a critically acclaimed performance by Maxine Peake in a gender-neutral reimagining of the iconic role.
Read our Compare and Contrast Guide for a list of questions and tasks to support your students as they watch multiple versions of key scenes and speeches available on DT+.