Final answer:
Hamlet's attitude toward life in the soliloquy is 'pessimistic and despairing' as he reflects on death and the enduring hardships of life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The words that best describe Hamlet's attitude toward life, based on the given section of the soliloquy, "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause. There's the respect that makes calamity of so long life," are pessimistic and despairing. Hamlet's reflection on the uncertainty of what comes after death—"what dreams may come"—suggests a deep existential dread. The phrase "must give us pause" implies a hesitation to end one's life because of the fear of the unknown in death, while "the respect that makes calamity of so long life" speaks to the endurance of suffering as preferable to the mystery of death. This illustrates a profound sense of despair and a pessimistic view on the value of life when weighed against the fear and uncertainty of death.