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Just as an aside, Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy is an internal debate with himself over the merits of dying to avoid the pain that is inevitable in life, or the need to live through the pain so that a more noble death may be made in attempting to combat the evil that is done in life.

Hamlet suspects the treachery of his uncle in murdering his father so that the uncle could get both his father’s crown and his father’s wife.  He is stricken with grief mourning his father. Trying to live with such a secret suspicion is driving him mad with the need to put up a pretense until it is proven one way or the other.  It causes Hamlet to suspect everyone.  He feels he can’t even trust his own mother or his friends and at times cannot even trust himself.

He essentially says, what if death brings unending nightmares to the one going to their eternal sleep, if so, how could death be a release from pain? Ah, but it is the spectre of what might be that gives one pause in seeking to end their own life.  And if death does not provide a release, how might living and fighting be any worse?  At least by living one might avenge and resist the wrongs done among the living that they cannot once they have surrendered to death.
To be…is to live, even under the weight of misfortune.  (suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles)
Not to be…is to die surrendering into the unknown that may very well turn out to be an eternal nightmare. (to die, to sleep perchance to dream, aye there’s the rub! For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause?)
Hamlet poses some very profound questions and is dealing with such emotional weight under injustices, he cannot help but seek ways to steady himself.  To make sure he is not just behaving rashly, but must feign deference and wear the mask of lies he hates until he has confirmed what he fears to be true, and can take action against it.  Even his friends as used as pawns against him.