It is overlooked that Shakespeare turned four of the most boring words in the English language into the most famous line in world theatre, "To be or not to be". How can something so abstract resonate across so many cultures and eras? Some say the answer is simple: "to be!" Rather than asking questions about existence which are unanswerable, we should simply embrace life, and put one foot in front of another.

The question continues to haunt many, myself included. Its importance lies in the unknown 'why'. This question has haunted philosophers since long before Socrates. Some ask the question, while others argue that since there is no answer, there is no point in asking.

Sometimes we do senseless things, truly terrible things for no apparent reason or benefit. And we run round in despair asking "Why?! Why?!" Human beings are the only animal that can be irrationally cruel. Human beings are the only animals that can perform spectacular acts of violence both on themselves and on other people.

Perhaps this is connected to the fact that humans are the only animals that can doubt their own existence. Sometimes humans may do wonderful or dreadful things just to prove we are here.

Hamlet's dilemma embodies this struggle. But not directly, enigmatically, like a ghost around the dark corridors of Elsinore.