A Christian Reading of Hamlet Essay - 1379 Words

A Christian Reading of Hamlet In a famous article, The Christian Tragic Hero, Poet W. H. Auden defines a Christian tragic hero according to the Judeo-Christian view that all people are moral agents and own responsibility for their actions. One of his examples is Macbeth, who listens to the witches and is tempted to commit a crime that he knows is wrong. Auden says that the audiences response to Macbeths fall is, What a pity it was this way when it might have been otherwise. This contrasts with the pagan tragic hero, like Oedipus, who is bound by fate. Because Oedipus can do nothing about his ancestry, the audiences response is, What a pity it had to happen this way. 1 Just as Macbeths tragedy begins when he†¦show more content†¦Indeed, he is echoing the well-known Bible warning: For Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light. Therefore it is not great thing though his ministers transform themselves, as though they were the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. (II Corinthians 11:14,15)4 Hamlet expresses a moral awareness here, just as Macbeth did when admitted to himself and his wife that murder was wrong. Hamlet is admitting that he could be deceived. He goes on in the above soliloquy, though, to justify himself saying he will use The Murder of Gonzago play to see whether or not the ghost is lying. The Geneva Bible on Ghosts Shakespeares England was patriotically Protestant. From a Protestant perspective there is even more than just the possibility of deception. The Bible prohibits any consultation with the dead. Let none be found among you that...asketh counsel of the dead...because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) Just as Hamlet acknowledges in the above quotation, the result of consulting the dead is being cast out--being damned. The tragedy of King Saul in the Bible illustrates this. Saul, the first King of Israel, has turned his back on God, but he is still looking for advice before going to battle against the Philistines. He goes a medium andShow MoreRelatedChristianity in Shakespears Hamlet1148 Words   |  5 Pageslives their life. Christianity plays a strong role throughout Hamlet by William Shakespeare. When reading the play one must think of the controversies of the time when Shakespeare writes the play. Reformation and Renaissance opinions are reflected throughout. Shakespeare deals with very controversial attitudes and religious questions dealing with death, the existence of purgatory, morality, murder, suicide and marriage in his play Hamlet. It is obvious throughout the play that Hamlet’s life is guidedRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Suicide And Selfhood Essay1365 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"This above all, to thine own self be true† (Shakespeare 1.3.78)--suicide and selfh ood: two issues that Hamlet ruminates on throughout Hamlet. Shakespeare reveals the connection between these two ideas through his references to Christianity throughout the play. By juxtaposing characters’ treatment of suicide and murder--two equally grave sins in a world governed by Christian morals--Shakespeare presents suicide as the greater sin because it represents something worse: the annihilation of the selfRead MoreHamlet Essay Holly Silm1491 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Hamlet Essay Holly Silm ‘Explore how time and place are used in Shakespeare’s Hamlet to shape the audience’s understanding of corruption’ The attribution of universality to a particular text is a prerogative of literary criticism that is fraught with the responsibility of contriving reconciliatory persuasions in preservation of the fundamental textual integrity of that text. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet has inspired diverse interpretations regarding its authorial preoccupations, structure andRead MoreHamlet As A Comedy, Witness The Dark Humor1477 Words   |  6 PagesWhile Hamlet is considered a tragedy the humor that is displayed can change it from a tragedy to a tragi-comedy. Hamlet has been called one of William Shakespeare’s greatest works (Draudt, 85). Death is sad but the dark humor gives it a different satire to the event. The language of the play is used to create comedy with wit that is meant to be pleasing to the audience and define what kind of characters are in the play. Hamlet the person plays many parts the clown, the fool and the madman. HamletRead More Death and Suicide in Hamlet by Will iam Shakespeare1100 Words   |  5 Pagesoccurs in a soliloquy in Hamlet, where the crown prince of Denmark acknowledges the option of suicide to end his agony. Hamlet’s contemplation of pros and cons between life and death in Shakespeare’s highly acclaimed tragedy unveils to the reader profound insight on Hamlet’s character and personality, the links between thought and action, and the ambiguities of life. After the death of his father, Hamlet falls into a state of depression. Mourning in bitter sorrow, Hamlet reacts negatively to theRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Hamlet 1406 Words   |  6 PagesAs one of the most famous and world-renowned works, Hamlet has been remade countless of times both on stage and on screen. In 2009 a modernized rendition of the brilliant play starring David Tennant as the Prince of Denmark, with Patrick Stewart as Claudius, and Penny Downie as Gertrude was released to the big screen. Set in early modern times, the clothes of this movie may have been updated, however the language remained loyal to the original text. With the significant length of this interpretationRead MoreImagery of Disease in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay1574 Words   |  7 PagesImagery of Disease in Hamlet by William Shakespeare The disease imagery in Hamlet serves to constantly remind the reader of the initial problem in the play: King Hamlets poisoning by his brother. After hearing his father graphically describe the murder, it is constantly on Hamlets mind. For this reason, many of the images that Hamlet creates in the play are connected with disease and poison. The literal poisoning becomes symbolic of the rest of the events of the play. Remember that poisoningRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare Essay1453 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet by William Shakespeare explores many aspects of mankind--death, betrayal, love, and mourning. Out of these, the most prominent theme in this play is death in the form of suicide. The main character, Hamlet, finds himself questioning the quality of life and the uncertainty of the afterlife once he discovers news of his father s death and the corruption in the kingdom that follows. Ophelia, Hamlet’s lover, is found dead later in the plot and is presumed to have committed suicide. In Hamlet’sRead MoreLiterary Criticisms of Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pages This essay will discuss several literary criticisms of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. After skimming through several articles, I ended up with four peer-reviewed journal articles, each a different critical perspectives of the play: feminist, psychoanalytical/freudian, moral, and new historicism. My previous studies of Hamlet, as well as my rereading of the play this semester, has collectively given me a general knowledge of the text. My familiarity of the play made it easier for me to decipherRead MoreWhy Does Hamlet Delay His Revenge? Essay742 Words   |  3 Pages `Hamlet is no doubt one of the greatest literary works ever written. William Shakespeare presents in it complexity of human nature and examination of human behavior. After reading this drama one of the main questions we have to ask is ` Why does Hamlet delay?. Why does he wait so long before taking revenge on Claudius for killing his father? While answering the question about postponement we have to take under consideration few aspects. First of all let us start with probably