How far is Hamlet dominated by a Christian worldview? Does its Worldview have any relevance for a modern day audience?

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‘There are more things dreamt of in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy’

How far is Hamlet dominated by a Christian worldview? Does its Worldview have any relevance for a modern day audience?

England during the 17th century was a Christian society and country.  All Children would most certainly have been baptised shortly after birth and once at a suitable age capable of understanding religion would be taught the essentials of Christian faith.  Attendance at church was compulsory; failure to do so without a good medical reason or otherwise would lead to a hefty fine.  During the 16th century in England those of Christian faith subsequently despised other races against that of Protestantism, and any other religion or paranormal existence that they did not understand.  The persecution of Jews within Elizabethan England meant the state forbade them the rights to ownership of land or to engage in trade.

Shakespeare showed an incredible understanding and knowledge of issues and crises of his time, introducing burning issues of today into his deeply Christian country that showed an inability of understanding and respecting other faiths and religions.

Within the pre-Elizabethan period and onwards society was influenced heavily by the head of state, religion and new theoretician’s ideas.  A Theocentric world view stated that everything was circled around God, hence the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ , which derived itself from this idea, proclaiming the head of state was put into power due to the approval and justification of God.   This idea generally became associated with the Christian faith during the Renaissance period of the late 16th and early 17th centuries which was spreading rapidly through Europe settling much cultural diversity.  

The Renaissance was a time of rebirth and massive cultural turmoil. Artists and performers of all kinds within Western Europe became more aware of the classical past and the world beyond the narrow boundaries of medieval mysticism and religion. Poetry and writing was nonetheless influenced heavily by the general acceptance to new ideas.

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Shakespeare shows that he was conscious of the feudal world within which he was raised, continuously questioning every aspect of society.  Shakespeare would most definitely be considered to be a ‘Renaissance’ or ‘Modern Man’.  Aristotelian Tragedy would have had some impressionable effect upon Shakespeare’s ideas. He would adopt the idea that every tragedy must contain a ‘Tragic Hero’, and that this person has a fatal flaw that will lead to his eventual downfall (and death). Also Seneca’s tragedies which were finally published in England in 1581 would have had some effect upon the way in which Shakespeare would have composed ...

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