Religion In Hamlet

Words: 952
Pages: 4
Open Document
In the duration of the sixteenth century, much of Europe had begun to have extreme changes in their way of worship. In the beginning of the century, the German monk Martin Luther began the division from the Roman Catholic system. As many religious followers began the transition into the Protestant belief, many became conflicted as to their beliefs and the effects on their afterlife. Through the use of religious context, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet shows the religious and moral changes occurring in the sixteenth century. With the use of a moral dilemma, Shakespeare shows the transition of Roman Catholic to Protestant occurring in Europe. With the use of the character of the ghost, Shakespeare is able to show a major belief difference between …show more content…
During the play, Hamlet contemplates between seeking revenge as he is destined to do due to his position of royalty in Demark and the religious belief of divine justice. As Hamlet’s father’s ghost appears to him and proclaims his murder, the ghost exclaims that Hamlet “art thou to revenge” (Shakespeare 1.5.12). Due to Hamlet’s position of the prince of Demark, traditionally Hamlet is forced to seek revenge for the murder of his father. Although it is traditional for Hamlet to avenge his father’s murder, both Roman Catholic and Protestant religious views go against the act of revenge. Through the royal tradition, Hamlet must “Revenge [the kings] foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.25). Alternatively, if Hamlet gets revenge for his father’s murder, Hamlet would be going directly against his religious views. As learned through religious teachings, Hamlet would have been taught that revenge is not for humans to take. Rather, God will deliver the recompense and divine justice will be used. In the duration of the play, Hamlet is constantly torn between the tradition of seeking revenge for his father and the religious belief that god will deliver …show more content…
Shakespeare’s Hamlet allows the representation of the skepticism given to contemporary religion and the idealistic view of humanism. Through Hamlet’s struggle with the transition in beliefs and the capacity for one to defy religious views and to make one’s own decisions, contemporary audiences could appertain the religious struggles of Hamlet into their own
Show More

Related Documents: Religion In Hamlet

Essay On Religion In Hamlet

plays is Hamlet, where the protagonist of the story strives to avenge his father’s death. In the beginning, we are told that Hamlet mourns over the death of his father. One day, Hamlet encounters the ghost of his late father and he is told to avenge his death by killing Claudius. Throughout the play, Hamlet receives numerous opportunities to fulfill his father’s wish. However, Hamlet seems to be hesitant each time when it comes to the point of killing him. Being from a University, Hamlet is a very…

Words 617 - Pages 3

Quotes About Religion In Hamlet

Religion in Hamlet Alexis Korbey | March 8, 2016 | AP Literature | Mrs. DeFelice The Christian religion mandates several things, both within and outside of the ten Commandments: thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not covet, and you should forgive those who have wronged you no matter how heinous their crimes. In the time of Hamlet, religion is very important to the people. However, throughout the duration of the play, several characters do things that would be considered…

Words 1445 - Pages 6

We Sang In Hushed Voices And Hamlet

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, portraying the theme of identity. Similarly, both works reveal societal expectations that Jockel and Hamlet experience despite their gender and religious differences. While the lives of Helena Jockel and Shakespeare’s characters are contrasting, they share the experience of grief. Surviving the Holocaust, Jockel reminisces and grieves her loved ones who have died, including her mother, most of her siblings, and her students. Much like Jockel, Hamlet lost a major figure…

Words 1738 - Pages 7

Similarities Between Hamlet And Oedipus

Religion can change a person’s whole perspective on life and fate can control one’s actions. Hamlet and Oedipus are prime examples of characters affected and motivated by their religion. Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Sophocles’ Oedipus The King have very similar storylines. The protagonists in each play, Hamlet and Oedipus, are both royalty, which entails a lot about their personality. A king or prince is usually benevolent, assertive, noble, and honorable. Both Hamlet and Oedipus are mistreated by their…

Words 794 - Pages 4

Quarto In Hamlet

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there are several textual differences between the First Folio and Second Quarto texts, which often affect the reading of a character or the play. One example of this phenomenon is in Hamlet’s first soliloquy. After being confronted by the Ghost of his father and hearing about the circumstances of King Hamlet’s murder, Prince Hamlet laments his own existence. He says that he wishes he could “melt” (Q2, 1.2.129), and then bemoans “Or that the Everlasting had not fixed…

Words 1688 - Pages 7

Examples Of Figurative Language In Hamlet

“Hamlet”, is a tragedy written by the famous poet Shakespeare. It is one of the most iconic plays to date, and is often written about by scholars. It is often discussed in American classrooms, and reenacted in movies. “Hamlet” is considered influential by many. This is due to Hamlet’s complex ideologies, and the dramatic nature of the play. Son of the King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude, Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. After Hamlet’s father dies, his uncle, Claudius marries Queen Gertrude and takes…

Words 1229 - Pages 5

Hamlet's Atheistic Religion

evidences provided in this paper, lays a solid framework for the role that religion has to play in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. According to the evidences, Shakespeare’s Hamlet wouldn’t make any sense in an atheistic society. Atheistic means not believing in God. By looking at every character’s deeds with a religious base would prove enough evidence to reject the play in an atheistic society. Firstly, the known Protagonist, Hamlet wouldn’t have any problem with his uncle marrying his mother after his father’s…

Words 225 - Pages 1

HAMLET EXAM essay corruption

EXPLORE PARTICULAR IDEAS OR VALUES WHICH SEEP INTO THE READER’S CONSCIOUSNESS AND STAY THERE”. DISCUSS THIS VEIWPOINT IN RELATION TO YOUR SET TEXT’S EXPLORATION OF HAMLET (CORRUPTION). The very purpose of any text is influencing human thought and perspectives on both their existence and the world around them. Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy, Hamlet, proves this point through its exploration of how the experience of corruption can have major negative implications on social structure and as well as an individual’s…

Words 1004 - Pages 5

Deception And Deception In Hamlet

” (Hamlet Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 57-61). A part of the famous monologue of Prince Hamlet during Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, where the main protagonist of the story, young Prince Hamlet, is debating whether or not he should kill himself to end his misery and torment. In the play, he decides not to commit suicide because it is not a part of the Catholic religion and will be damned to Hell if he does. In the end, he gets revenge on the king, his uncle Claudius, for killing his father, King Hamlet, and…

Words 617 - Pages 3

What Is Over-Thinking In Hamlet

their goals and succeed in life. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet cannot achieve his goals unless he acts on impulse since his tragic flaw is over-thinking. The main reason Hamlet overanalyzes each of his actions before he can proceed with them is due to his religious morality. Hamlet greatly values his religious beliefs and he lets them affect him by either permitting or preventing him from certain aspects of life. Making decisions is difficult for Hamlet since he does not know if he should…

Words 1577 - Pages 7