shakespeare uses the metaphor slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing death?to die. This quote is used to define what hamlet is going through to kill his uncle or to commit suicide as it would be cowardly not too do either. The saying slings and arrows of outrageous fortune is defining that hamlet is being missiled with the mental tormention of killing his incestious uncle which causes his insanity. The rest of the quote is basically explaining that hamlet is battling the thoughts of suicide. The line “and opposing death?to die” is I believe is that not inflicting death to Claudius will forcibly make him kill him selve.

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 troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we