phrase
To Be, or Not to Be
The opening line of Hamlet's soliloquy on whether life is worth living.
Origin
Spoken by Hamlet in Act III, Scene 1 of Hamlet. It's the most famous opening of any speech in English literature — a meditation on suicide, action, and the fear of what comes after death.
Modern usage
Quoted, parodied, and tattooed everywhere. Used as the template for any 'should I or shouldn't I' joke ('to commit or not to commit').
Tags
existential
soliloquy