Claudius is guilty by three counts: homicide, fratricide and regicide (Sparknotes message board). This would perhaps make a modern audience far less sympathetic to the newly crowned King. A modern audience would not be as tied down with the strong beliefs that Religion put on an Elizabethan society, and therefore the ability to either agree or disagree that it is Hamlet’s primary duty is to avenge his father’s murder would be easier to decide upon. An Elizabethan audience would be aware of Henry VIII’s marriage to his brother’s sister and therefore the society would be wary of the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude. They would be aware of the effects Henry’s marriage had on both the country and the church and due to this a large majority of them may be uncomfortable with the situation in the play which could lead to mirror that of Elizabethan England. This shows the conflict between not only the world that Hamlet lives in, but also England in the1600’s. Shakespeare wrote his play in what could be referred to as an unstable society, and his writing reflects this, showing a ‘rotten’ Denmark.
Prince Hamlet finds himself in a difficult situation. In Shakespearean times the audience would have understood how much a ghost in purgatory would suffer which would affect their reaction to this scene, however there would have been both Catholics and Protestants in the audience who would not share the same views. The Catholics believed that purgatory was where those who died without confessing their sins burnt away. The Protestants would be more suspicious of the ghost, perhaps viewing him as an agent sent by the devil to tempt Hamlet, as the new protestant religion abolished the notion of purgatory. The different religious beliefs in society came after Henry VIII founded the Church of England. An audience watching “Hamlet” in today’s society would most definitely share more than two religions, some people having very little, if any, religious beliefs, whilst others would have very strong beliefs. Therefore the reaction to this scene would vary, as it would for the original Elizabethan audiences Shakespeare wrote for.
Hamlet recognises the problem that the Ghost causes; is he to believe what it says or question its reliability, as some members of the audience would do? Because of these confused thoughts, Hamlet decides it is necessary to prove the King’s guilt and plans to do so through the Player’s public performance. In doing this he hopes to trap Claudius, confirming that what the Ghost has said is true and confirming to himself that the obligation lies with his father.
Hamlet delays killing the King and even though he walks in on Claudius in prayer, a prime opportunity to fulfil his duty, he cannot bring himself to commit the murder. Here, Hamlet is being constrained once again by his religious beliefs. Because Claudius is praying Hamlet believes that, if he were to kill him, Claudius would go to Heaven and not Hell. He may also be uncomfortable with the morality of murdering a King, his religious beliefs still overpowering the promise he made to his father’s spirit.
Until the 1930’s many critics viewed Hamlet as a tragic hero and believed that the play became a tragedy because it took Hamlet so long to act on his revenge. Wilson Knight however, believed that William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” was an “Embassy of Death”, the ghost causing the events of the play and not Hamlet.
Through my reading of “Hamlet” I believe that Hamlet is influenced strongly by his religious beliefs and obligation to God which obstruct his actions throughout the play. In Act one scene two, Hamlet expresses the desire to commit suicide yet holds respect for the ideals of the church. He also expresses that God had made a law against suicide ‘that the Everlasting had not fixed / His canon against self slaughter’. The ‘canon’ refers to the law of God, and relates to a sense of Hamlet’s feeling of personal duty to ‘the Everlasting’, God.
Hamlet is not the only son whose duty it is to avenge his father’s death in this, one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies; it is also the motivation behind Fortinbras’ and Laertes’ actions. However, Laertes’ revenge occurs very speedily in comparison to Hamlet’s and Fortinbras’. The theme of revenge still plays a major role in many modern films and plays. The genre of Westerns in particular use this Elizabethan routed motif of a troubled hero as a starting point for their plots, which shows the endurance of a revenge tragedy.
Although the duties that I have discussed so far seem to be the most obvious that Hamlet has to face, there are other obligations that Hamlet, being a Prince, must face. Robert Reed Jr. points out that ‘there are instances within the play that show Hamlet is not independent of his duty’. This statement refers to Hamlet’s association with Ophelia, daughter of Polonius and sister to Laertes. Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia is constrained because of their social standings. Hamlet is a young man, and as a young man he acts ‘fashionably’ as Laertes warns his sister in Act one scene three. He also warns his sister that Hamlet’s affection should be taken as the mood of the moment, ‘not permanent’. Because Hamlet is a Prince he is obliged to marry ‘in the interest of the state’ (Cambridge Student Guide) and therefore, even if he does feel true affection for Ophelia, he would be unable to marry her as by doing so the country would gain nothing. Laertes points this out to his sister, reminding her that ‘his will is not his own’. This shows that Hamlet’s first duty is to his country and state, rather that to his personal happiness.
The end of the play shows Hamlet dying, fulfilling his two conflicting duties. He fulfils the obligation to avenge his father’s murder by Killing Claudius; also, by killing Claudius the King, he is purging the corrupt from the monarchy. Just before Hamlet dies at the end of the play he asks his true friend Horatio to tell the people of Denmark his "cause aright", he wants everybody to know that his murder of their King was an act of justice, and not one of personal vengeance.
Hamlet has been asked to do something that is to all intents and purposes, against his nature. He does not come across as an ardent character, and believes in reasoning and thinking, as he is taught at Wittenberg. This reasoning of mind is something that modern day audience members may be able to relate to, whist a large number of people in an Elizabethan audience would not have been educated as Hamlet was. Additionally, Hamlet’s emotional state after his mother marries his father’s brother can not help with the decision he is forced into making. Therefore, it is not only Hamlet’s duties and obligations that hold him back; it is also his state of mind. After his father dies hamlet must surely feel that there is nobody there for him, especially as he feels his mother has betrayed him. Being a Christian, Hamlet’s religion tells him to believe in forgiveness and not revenge. The duty of avenging his father's death completely converts his character, and he uses the pretence of madness in order to undergo the task.
William Shakespeare’s play presents a situation whereby it is not merely conflicting duties and obligation that constrain Hamlet and prevent him from leading a happy and carefree life; his own character, the way he thinks, and his religious beliefs also play a major role in the progression of the play.
Bibliography
Cambridge Student Guide
Revenge in ‘Hamlet’
Belsey, K
Webliography
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