My conversation with my self before i get up for work every morning.

i aspire to own a mirror that clean

Our high school teacher asked us to memorize this soliloquy and oh boy 12 years later, I can still recall every line.

Crap i gotta memorize this whole thing by tmr rip

He never blinks...

The most famous speech in the English language... and here I am wondering how the cameraman managed to not get into the shot. I thought the gray bit was him or her, but it's actually a flaw in the mirror.

I had to learn this soliloquy in grade 12 English class. After reciting it my English teacher pulled me aside and asked me if I was alright cause I clearly understood the message of this soliloquy, and I said yes as I explained that I knew it was about Hamlet contemplating suicide. My teacher had me stay after class and said that he believed I had a future in the performing arts and not in the tech field's like I planned. Decided to listen to him over my parents, and I have not regretted that choice since.

you know an actor is doing his job well when you can't breathe in fear of disturbing his moment

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING] 😭 Best verse ever. Had me crying out of sheer emotion.

Kenneth Branagah really speaks the lines as they're supposed to be spoken, or at least closest to. All the other actors I've seen overcomplicate the whole thing. Shakespeare was not a stupid man. He wrote the lines in a way that made their natural reading the way they should be spoken. Speak it as you read it and you will feel the pauses and the emphases at the appropriate moments.

Kenneth Branagh got this "to be or not to be" 100% right. Prince Hamlet is talking to himself, talking to his most inner heart and soul alone and away from all the people of the world. He, himself and the Universe are having this conservation alone. Prince Hamlet is asking if the Universe cares if he lives or die. Words and thoughts are becoming funny to our human brains when talking like this. Only Shakespeare can capture this "taking one's own life" questioning conundrum and Kenneth Branagh delivers it.

Branagh's version of HAMLET is the best movie version, imo. Because it takes 400 year old play & makes it CINEMATIC.

I'll say it right now, Shakespeare is badass.

Well, he nailed that.

I'm too busy being wrapped up in the words themselves to judge his portrayal of Hamlet. I'm a sucker for tormented characters and Hamlet just might be my #1. The fact that he's caught in a massive balancing act between his love life, his family, being in mourning, and a façade of insanity and has a raw moment of clarity, deciding whether or not to end it all, really speaks to my heart. I feel like this soliloquy was his most revealing moment of weakness in the entirety of the play. I can't help but romanticize it and feel the strong need to protect, comfort, console and care for the fictional character that is prince Hamlet.

Going through the comment section to find good use for my Hamlet essay.

imagine you were the guys watching this happen behind the mirror and hamlet just starts ranting crazy shit like this.

From Frankenstein, to Hamlet, to Thor, and everything else in between, every project this man was involved with, in front and or behind the camera, incredible. Kenneth is SEVERELY underrated...

This man is the ultimate Shakespearean - actor, director - the only thing he doesn't do is write it! Any student who thinks he dislikes Shakespeare or finds it difficult need only watch Branagh at work.

I think it's hard to accurately describe how powerful this speech is. We can not do justice to it.

Kenneth Branagh's interpretation of the "to be or not to be" soliloquy captures the essence of what the scene means to Hamlet. Hamlet is debating suicide, which is a dark and melancholic concept with no right or wrong answer, so they made him perform it in a place that represents limbo or purgatory. The (mostly) white and vacant hall is fitting, as it is a clear representation of purgatory, which is the state of limbo where a person has died in a "state of grace", however the person had not been cleansed of all his/her sins, which carries symbolic meaning with Hamlet, he does not have the strength or courage to kill Claudius, but he also wants to achieve justice so his real-world circumstance is also in limbo. Kenneth makes great of camera techniques, when Hamlet is getting closer to the mirror the screen is entirely covered with the reflection. This gives extra metaphorical presence to the situation, Hamlet is considering suicide and is staring intently at himself, it's as if he is trying to convince his reflection to do commit suicide. And since it's his reflection it's also a mirror image of his appearance, so it's reversed and can be interpreted that "his" views are also reversed, so it's more like Hamlet arguing with himself. He is saying to commit suicide, while the reflection is denying him. And when the camera view is entirely covered by the reflection all we see is the reflection pointing the knife at Hamlet and he speaks of the "undiscovered country". And before that point the only thing Hamlet spoke of was the pros of suicide, but the reflection gives him the biggest point against it and points at him with the knife. Then right when he says "of action" we are shown the scene over his left shoulder, while the whole scene was shown over his right. This felt like the camera crossed over the mirror and now we're on the side of the Hamlet who did not want to commit suicide, so we are showed his change in perspective. Despite how unreal that may sound like, if you really watch the video at (time stamp) 3:03, the cross over in perspective feels meaningful and deliberate.

When you finally reach that impossible itch spot on your back 1:14

KB is just great. People tend to forget this. He's got it all. Of course his acting talent is top-notch but his direction puts him up there with the best living directors.

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. To die-to sleep, No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to dream-ay, there's the rub: For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause-there's the respect That makes calamity of so long life. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th'unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovere'd country, from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment With this regard their currents turn awry And lose the name of action.

Kenneth Branagh, the ONLY actor who can play Hamlet. Effortlessly acted with so much energy.

close captions: **looks around room** Cool. LOL.

My teacher asked us to learn the whole monologue by heart in English . We were 14 years old and I still remember it. I am so glad she did so. ❤ (I am from Naples 🇮🇹🌋)

Kenneth Branagh's movie is the best cinematographic adaptation of Hamlet ...seems so real that takes me away

I think this is the best interpretation because in my opinion Hamlet honestly has to sound crazy to suddenly come up with this imaculate monologue. Holy moly.That's just a small part of it though. So Intense, I love it.

I thought I understood this in high school, but I think you have to have lived through some trials and tribulations to really understand. He's hating life, he wants it to be over, but he's scared to die. We'd say he's tired of "adulting" these days. I enjoyed this interpretation. Thanks for posting.

To LIVE or just to EXIST ? That is the question .

That line "for in that sleep of death / what dreams may come?" Goes hard. Crazy how even during Elizabethan/Anglican England, Shakespeare is so openly floating out the idea of oblivion/nothingness after death.

I will always be thankful to my High school English teacher Mr Lawndy for showing this movie in class.

I’ve reached that AHa moment. I’m finally understanding what this means, for Real I got CHILLS. How relevant this is to RIGHT NOW. Shakespeare is a genius

Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet is the most impressive! I feel his pain !

This soliloquy has helped me tremendously with my suicidality

I'm usually not a fan of Shakespeare but god damn this monologue deserves every bit of praise. Timeless.

I love Hamlet's play and more when Kenneth Branagh plays him :)

The most beautiful way to describe fear of death.

Hamlet is my nigga

Branagh is the only actor I've ever seen pulling out decently the ambiguity of this passage. Most people I know seem to think Hamlet is reflecting on whether or not to take his own life, but Branagh here gives me the other possible meaning, "who am I to take my uncle's life, or to deny him such a peaceful and well-earned death?"

I always get goosebumps with this epic soliloquy... literature is life😭😍

Kenneth Branagh, the savior of my teenage years and introduction to Shakespeare. I am forever thankful for the existence of this incredible film.

The fact that he does it infront of a mirror, to memorize and reproduce exactly with expressions, I would say this is underrated from my pov

My favourite. He's detached from himself and coldly watched himself struggling in pain. I feel so much for this.

He makes Shakespeare so easily understood. Amazing

I watched this in middle school and now it’s js such a good movie to me

I’ve been in love with this since high school.

Absolutely brilliant performance. I loved every second of this film.

Famous Play. Famous Actor. Famous Mirror Scene. All in all EPIC. Thank you for posting it.

What acting! Brilliant! Oh my passion for Shakespeare is kindled deeply as if sprung from the ocean's source! To share this passion with those I name friend! My friend! I tell him "To be...or not to be..." And my friend says "To be or not to be. That's the part that always confuses me!" The rest is pissed off silence!

Awesome performing from Branagh as well envolving as convincing it is full of undertones !

I was teased mercilessly as a little girl, for telling my classmates that Kenneth was going to be my husband. What do they know, the plebeians. Kenneth, what happened? We were destined for each other...

This is my favorite performance. He does it so well and you feel every line. Damn.

WOW! I don't think I could have put it better myself!

i remember i had to recite this whole part infront of the class. cant believe i remember all those lines lol

I was an English Lit Honors Student in college. I had an Honors course in SP. This was one of three SP plays we studied. My final thesis was that Hamlet was in fact only feigning madness. My prof disagreed, but he reluctantly gave me an A anyway

Branagh: The greatest living interpreter of Shakespeare.

How I feel when I am deciding whether I should screenshot my crush's snapchat or not.

Now this is brilliance at its prime... when the performance is effortlessly beyond amazing

Shakespeare is relevant in any era and listening to the likes of Branagh, Dench, Blessed and Thompson bring his words to life is bliss.

This is quite simply, sublime. Of all the great readings of this passage, from Olivier to Gielgud to more modern takes, Branagh's is the most human. His has become to the "true" reading for me, with all others acting as a contrast.

one of my favourite versions of this soliloquy ❤

My english teacher showed this to our class because we have to memorize this! Such a great scene.

Oh, to see it in 70 mm on a big cinema screen - that would be glorious.

I remember I had to memorize this 5 years ago for AP English and on the first watch through I was shook that this was Gilderoy Lockhart (this guy is just so talented) 😂💀

This film was clearly a passion project for Kenneth Branagh and boy did he take it for all that its worth... one of the best adaptations of a play!

What an extraordinary film! Brilliant! Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet is a triumph. This is possibly my favourite film, to watched over and over again. Such delicious language. Such profound performances. Sublime.

My favorite part of Hamlet was when he said "it's hammin' time" and then hammed all those other guys

Get thee to a nunnery!

This is the scene.. it played in my last day of the senior high school year. At last period, before the bell had rung... unforgettable.

I am currently reading and watching Hamlet at school. While I am not a big fan of reading the play itself, I must say that I am at awe of this movie! This some of the best acting I have ever seen.

Ok just last month we finished reading Othello, and my english teacher would show us clips from the Othello movie that had Kenneth Branagh as Iago, and now I'm finding out he is playing Hamlet in this movie, so you can understand when I say that all I can think of is him as Iago while watching this.

This gives me chills every time I hear it🔥💯🔥

I love when he gets into the line of uncertainty and horrors of death the creepy song comes on. And even more amazing is the fact that the music is only the voice of other people reinforcing the idea of the dilemma of life and death as a question for all of humanity. Excellent.

Best adaptation of Hamlet. Ever.

I feel like I'd appreciate this a lot more if I didn't have to cram the whole thing into my head within the next 5 days.

I am considering reciting this at a talent show in May. This video helped me get an idea of how to perform.

It's always a joy to come back to this film, it's like his pet project.

I could listen to this for hours

Hamlet: Starts getting into an intense speech Me: ey, wait up! I'm still in the "To be or not to be"!

This is just fantasic...the mirror and men behind. He was just wonderful😎

i have to memorize this by wednesday and today’s sunday, wish me 🍀

To hamster, or not to hamster.. that is the question.

This one was way better than "Hamlet 2 - The Revenge".

The greatest English actor of all time, Kenneth doesn’t take on roles; he owns them.

He nailed it ! Best performance one could ask for !

The character of Hamlet, with all his many words, would be an intense challenge for any actor to convey convincingly. It's one thing to recite the words from memory, but to speak them meaningfully with emotion and feeling - that is the key to connecting with your audience. Hamlet is considering suicide, and I want to feel his pain and confusion. My favorite in this role would have to be Ben Whishaw at the Old Vic.

My mood while studying for finals “To die to sleep no more”

Wow!! What extraordinary lines, almost blew me off!!

Fantastic Kenneth Branagh! 😻 The best!!

outstanding speech technique Sir.

Time to be a killjoy. I'm sure he's a lovely chap and all but Shakespearian actors are more concerned with how they say the words then what the words mean. These are words of passion! "...to end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks the flesh is heir to." I re-read Shakespeare so many times (still nowhere near understanding it) and find new things, like the use of the word 'heir,' gah I can't explain it, but how can I say, I feel the emotion. Feeling overwhelmed, the thousand 'natural' shocks we all feel in life, it's simply, beautiful. Shakespeare truly was a genius and I feel privileged to have read such beauty.

Best quotes before doing it , . Couldn’t describe a suicidal man’s thoughts better than this .

the funniest thing I have noticed after reading some of the comments is how people are trying to be more descriptive (and overall sound more pretentious though they might not mean to) in what they are writing after having watched this clip of the movie. lmao, one guy writes: "no play, no movie, no song can be as moving without a great singer or actor behind it" (or something like this) I bet this guy wouldn't write like this if he hadn't just watched this clip; this is the power a man's (i.e. Shakespeare) work can have. more than 400 years have passed since Shakespeare died, and yet his work can influence us today to such an extent. this is genius.

"There's the rub' I thought that was a modern saying. Surprised it goes back centuries.

Damn, he did that scene good.

His Hamlet is unequalable. It's a blessing to witness.

I watched this in English class and couldn't help but realize how great of an actor this is

Fun fact: the "to be or not to be" line was improvised by Kenneth Branagh