--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: \"To be or not to be is\" [by William…" description: "\"\"To be or not to be is\" [by William Shakespeare] beyond anything I can comprehend. I understand it on a superficial level, but the depth of it just bog..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/al-pacino-1656_be-or-not-to-be_to-be-or-not-to-be-is-by-william-shakesp_754157.jpg" --- # "To be or not to be is" \[by William Shakespeare\] beyond… ![“"To be or not to be is" [by William Shakespeare] beyond anything I can comprehend. I understand it on a superficial level, but the depth of it just boggles my mind. I think it's probably the greatest of all speeches ever written.” quote by Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/al-pacino-1656_be-or-not-to-be_to-be-or-not-to-be-is-by-william-shakesp_754157.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/al-pacino-1656_be-or-not-to-be_to-be-or-not-to-be-is-by-william-shakesp_754157.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/al-pacino-1656_be-or-not-to-be_to-be-or-not-to-be-is-by-william-shakesp_754157.jpg) > “"To be or not to be is" \[by William Shakespeare\] beyond anything I can comprehend. I understand it on a superficial level, but the depth of it just boggles my mind. I think it's probably the greatest of all speeches ever written.” [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The existential dilemma of existence versus non‑existence, a profound philosophical conflict. **In simple terms:** Contemplating life and death is deeply complex. Key Takeaway Reflect on the value of existence. Themes existentialism identity choice Mood thoughtful serious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - theatre studies - philosophy class - personal journaling Key Concepts philosophy human condition literature Questions to Reflect On - How do you define “being” in your life? - What does “not being” mean to you? A Different Perspective Interpretations vary; some find it over‑dramatic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be or not to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-or-not-to-be/) [Depth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depth/) [Greatest Speeches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-speeches-3608365/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Shakespeare Comprehend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare-comprehend-5860893/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speeches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speeches/) [Speeches Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speeches-written-3727298/) [Superficial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-shakespeare/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [At some point early on, I realized that three of the greatest speeches ever delivered were by Winston Churchill, and they were written and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/at-some-point-early-on-i-realized-that-three-of-the-greatest-speeches/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) > [Anybody who makes speeches written by someone else is just a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-strummer/anybody-who-makes-speeches-written-by-someone-else-is-just-a-robot/) [Joe Strummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-strummer/) > [Believe me, those great death bed speeches are written ahead of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-simon/believe-me-those-great-death-bed-speeches-are-written-ahead-of-time/) [Scott Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-simon/) > [A new report claims that William Shakespeare was a marijuana user and may have been high when he wrote some of his plays. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/a-new-report-claims-that-william-shakespeare-was-a-marijuana-user-and/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [Many years ago, in the late '70s, I toured colleges along the East Coast and I presented a kind of show where I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/many-years-ago-in-the-late-70s-i-toured-colleges-along-the-east-coast/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [To take arms against a sea of troubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-take-arms-against-a-sea-of-troubles/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [For in that sleep of death what dreams may come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/for-in-that-sleep-of-death-what-dreams-may-come/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To die: - to sleep: No more; and, by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-die-to-sleep-no-more-and-by-a-sleep-to-say-we-end-the-heart-ache/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To be or not to be is not the question. The question is whether you can transcend these notions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/to-be-or-not-to-be-is-not-the-question-the-question-is-whether-you/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [My favorite play is Hamlet. It was my first love when it comes to Shakespeare, and I've read it and seen it performed more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-doescher/my-favorite-play-is-hamlet-it-was-my-first-love-when-it-comes-to/) [Ian Doescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-doescher/) > [“To be or not to be, that is the choice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-choice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nymph-in-thy-orisons-be-all-my-sins-remembered/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer The Slings and Arrows of outrageous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question-whether-tis-nobler-in-the-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It upsets women to be, or not to be, stared at hungrily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/it-upsets-women-to-be-or-not-to-be-stared-at-hungrily/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The question is not "To be or not to be," it is what we should be until we are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-question-is-not-to-be-or-not-to-be-it-is-what-we-should-be-until/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## More by Al Pacino > [Take a look at Israel's history and you would know who the terrorist is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/take-a-look-at-israel-s-history-and-you-would-know-who-the-terrorist/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Failure's relative. I've always felt, even early on, if I lose the freedom to fail, something's not right about that. It's how you treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/failure-s-relative-i-ve-always-felt-even-early-on-if-i-lose-the/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Who speaks of triumph? To endure is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/who-speaks-of-triumph-to-endure-is-everything/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Opinions I have about anything are in my personal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/opinions-i-have-about-anything-are-in-my-personal-life/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [The fruit falls off the tree. You don't shake it off before it's ready to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/the-fruit-falls-off-the-tree-you-don-t-shake-it-off-before-it-s-ready/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [“Attica! Attica! Attica!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/attica-attica-attica/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I always had this thing, when I was younger especially, I didn't want to do movies that much. I found they took a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-always-had-this-thing-when-i-was-younger-especially-i-didn-t-want/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [There has been a lot of self-doubt and unwelcome events in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/there-has-been-a-lot-of-self-doubt-and-unwelcome-events-in-my-life/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [ I think what you see \[in Salome the play backstage\] is an artist having this fit of temperament. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-think-what-you-see-in-salome-the-play-backstage-is-an-artist-having/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [ When \[Julia Marie Pacino\] was 5 or 6 years old, we were in an Italian restaurant, and these people came by the table and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/when-julia-marie-pacino-was-5-or-6-years-old-we-were-in-an-italian/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I went to Performing Arts because that was the only school that would accept me. My scholastic level was not very high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-went-to-performing-arts-because-that-was-the-only-school-that-would/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [My first language was shy. Its only by having been thrust into the limelight that I have learned to cope with my shyness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/my-first-language-was-shy-its-only-by-having-been-thrust-into-the/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [When I was younger, there was the sex thing. That's par for the course.When you're a movie star, it went with it. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/when-i-was-younger-there-was-the-sex-thing-that-s-par-for-the-course/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [An actor with too much money will usually find a way to get rid of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/an-actor-with-too-much-money-will-usually-find-a-way-to-get-rid-of-it/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I'm an actor, not a star. Stars are people who live in Hollywood and have heart-shaped swimming pools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-m-an-actor-not-a-star-stars-are-people-who-live-in-hollywood-and/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) [Explore all 219 Al Pacino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) ## More Be or not to be quotes > [The question is not "To be or not to be," it is what we should be until we are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-question-is-not-to-be-or-not-to-be-it-is-what-we-should-be-until/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [It upsets women to be, or not to be, stared at hungrily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/it-upsets-women-to-be-or-not-to-be-stared-at-hungrily/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer The Slings and Arrows of outrageous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-question-whether-tis-nobler-in-the-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nymph-in-thy-orisons-be-all-my-sins-remembered/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“To be or not to be, that is the choice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-choice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My favorite play is Hamlet. It was my first love when it comes to Shakespeare, and I've read it and seen it performed more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-doescher/my-favorite-play-is-hamlet-it-was-my-first-love-when-it-comes-to/) [Ian Doescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-doescher/) > [To be or not to be is not the question. The question is whether you can transcend these notions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/to-be-or-not-to-be-is-not-the-question-the-question-is-whether-you/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [To die: - to sleep: No more; and, by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-die-to-sleep-no-more-and-by-a-sleep-to-say-we-end-the-heart-ache/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [For in that sleep of death what dreams may come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/for-in-that-sleep-of-death-what-dreams-may-come/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To take arms against a sea of troubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-take-arms-against-a-sea-of-troubles/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is slicked o'er with the pale cast of thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thus-conscience-does-make-cowards-of-us-all-and-thus-the-native-hue/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Listen to me: a family man is never a real family man. An assassin is never entirely assassin. They play a role, you understand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/listen-to-me-a-family-man-is-never-a-real-family-man-an-assassin-is/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [To die, to sleep - To sleep, perchance to dream - ay, there's the rub, For in this sleep of death what dreams may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-die-to-sleep-to-sleep-perchance-to-dream-ay-there-s-the-rub-for-in-3/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To be, or not to be: what a question!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-or-not-to-be-what-a-question/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything necessarily is or is not, and will be or will not be; but one cannot divide and say that one or the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/everything-necessarily-is-or-is-not-and-will-be-or-will-not-be-but/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) [Browse all 17 Be or not to be quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-or-not-to-be/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "\"To be or not to be is\" [by William Shakespeare] beyond anything I can comprehend. 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