Hamlet's famous soliloquy is actually an internalized conflict between the old world and the new one. Hamlet is struggling to figure out whether he should use his mind (and consequently words) to overcome Claudius, or whether he should resort to vengeful violence. "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 …showed first 75 words of 535 total…

…showed last 75 words of 535 total…the subsequent confession of Claudius. In both scenes where Hamlet is "acting" he fails to be drawn out of his shell. In fact, he kills the director Polonius in the final scene. Hamlet himself is more successful as a director, note the fact that he does get Claudius to confess. However, being aware of the danger facing him, he also realizes that he will have to leave for England as a result of his actions.