In Act III, Scene I of a play, “Exeunt King Claudius” & another man; then there’s an entrance & these 6 words are spoken
Wednesday, November 4, 2026’s Final Jeopardy clue came from “Shakespeare”: “In Act III, Scene I of a play, “Exeunt King Claudius” & another man; then there’s an entrance & these 6 words are spoken.” The play is Hamlet, the entrance belongs to Hamlet himself, and the six words are “To be, or not to be.”
What Is “To Be, or Not to Be”?
The answer is “To be, or not to be”, the six words that begin Hamlet’s best-known soliloquy.
They appear in Act III, Scene I after Claudius and Polonius leave the visible stage so they can secretly observe Hamlet’s interaction with Ophelia.
Why King Claudius and Polonius Leave
Claudius has become increasingly concerned about Hamlet’s behavior and wants to determine what is causing it.
Polonius believes Hamlet may be suffering because of his love for Ophelia, so the two men arrange for Hamlet and Ophelia to meet while they watch unseen.
Hamlet Enters Alone
Immediately before Hamlet’s entrance, Polonius announces that he hears him approaching.
The stage direction then has Claudius and Polonius withdraw. Hamlet enters and begins speaking before he is aware of Ophelia’s presence.
The Most Famous Question in Shakespeare
His first words are “To be, or not to be”, followed by “that is the question.”
With that opening, Hamlet begins considering whether existence is worth enduring when life contains so much pain, disappointment and injustice.
Death as Sleep
One of the speech’s central comparisons is between death and sleep.
Hamlet initially imagines death as an end to suffering, but he immediately recognizes a problem: if death is like sleep, there may also be dreams, and no living person can know what those dreams might be.
The Fear of the Unknown
That uncertainty becomes the core of Hamlet’s reasoning.
People tolerate the suffering they know, he suggests, because they fear whatever may come after death. The unknown makes action difficult and contributes to the hesitation that defines much of Hamlet’s character.
What Happens After the Soliloquy
When Hamlet notices Ophelia, the scene shifts from philosophical reflection to an emotionally charged conversation.
Their exchange culminates in Hamlet repeatedly telling her to go to a nunnery. Claudius and Polonius continue watching from concealment.
Claudius Draws an Important Conclusion
Afterward, Claudius decides that Hamlet’s strange behavior is not simply the result of rejected love.
He becomes more convinced that Hamlet poses a danger and begins moving toward a plan to send him away from Denmark.
Why the Final Jeopardy Clue Points to Hamlet
The clue gives contestants a precise sequence of stage directions: Claudius and another man exit, someone enters, and six famous words follow.
In Act III, Scene I of Hamlet, that sequence leads directly to “To be, or not to be”, making it the correct Final Jeopardy response.