This quote comes from Shakespeare's "Hamlet". Specifically, it is part of a longer monologue where Hamlet considers committing suicide. As this is literature, it is completely subjective and can mean different things to different people. However, the generally accepted explanation is...
"To sleep" is a metaphor for death. Hamlet wants to die, to end his sufferings and be at peace. But "the rub" (the downside, the catch, etc) is that he might dream. "Dream", here, means some sort of afterlife or consciousness after death.
Hamlet's fear is of the unknown. You can't know what will happen to you after you die, so you can't know if it would be better or worse than your life right now. The implication is that Hamlet would gladly kill himself if he were guaranteed a "dreamless sleep," nonexistence or at least unconsciousness after death. However, given the possibility of life after death, Hamlet chooses the evil he knows (life) over the evil he does not (death).
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This quote comes from Shakespeare's "Hamlet". Specifically, it is part of a longer monologue where Hamlet considers committing suicide. As this is literature, it is completely subjective and can mean different things to different people. However, the generally accepted explanation is...
"To sleep" is a metaphor for death. Hamlet wants to die, to end his sufferings and be at peace. But "the rub" (the downside, the catch, etc) is that he might dream. "Dream", here, means some sort of afterlife or consciousness after death.
Hamlet's fear is of the unknown. You can't know what will happen to you after you die, so you can't know if it would be better or worse than your life right now. The implication is that Hamlet would gladly kill himself if he were guaranteed a "dreamless sleep," nonexistence or at least unconsciousness after death. However, given the possibility of life after death, Hamlet chooses the evil he knows (life) over the evil he does not (death).
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Sleep Perchance To Dream
Perchance To Dream
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What does: “To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there's the rub:” mean?
sleep perchance dream ay rub mean: https://tinyurl.im/e/what-does-to-sleep-perchance-...