How far is Hamlet dominated by a Christian worldview? Essay

England during the seventeenth unity C was a Christian society and country. each(prenominal) told Children would most certainly have been baptised shortly after pitch and once at a suitable age capable of grounds religion would be taught the essentials of Christian faith. Attendance at church was obligatory failure to do so without a good medical dry land 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 either other religion or telegnostic existence that they did not empathise.The persecution of Jews indoors Elizabethan England meant the state forbade them the rights to ownership of land or to engage in trade. Shakespe are 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 religio ns. inside the pre-Elizabethan period and out front society was crookd hard by the head of state, religion and new theorists ideas.A Theocentric world view stated that everything was circled around immortal, accordingly the Divine Right of Kings , which derived itself from this idea, proclaiming the head of state was put into power c wholeable to the approval and justification of God. This idea generally became associated with the Christian faith during the reincarnation period of the late 16th and early 17th centuries which was spreading cursorily by Europe settling much cultural diversity.The Renaissance was a time of rebirth and massive cultural turmoil. Artists and performers of all kinds deep down westward 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. Shakespeare shows that he was conscious of the feudal world inside which he was raised, continuously questioning every expression of society.Shakespeare would most definitely be considered to be a Renaissance or Modern Man. Aristotelian Tragedy would have had whatever plastic effect upon Shakespeares ideas. He would adopt the idea that every calamity must contain a Tragic Hero, and that this person has a fatal flaw that will lead to his eventual downfall (and death). as well Senecas tragedies which were finally published in England in 1581 would have had some effect upon the panache in which Shakespeare would have composed his contacts.He adopt more ideas including, a supernatural being proposing revenge, characters driven to madness, embedded narratives in spite of appearance the play . etc. Christianity was not just a religion inwardly 16th century England but a political pivot blossom for argument and debate. In 1559 Parliament enacted the Act of Uniformity and the Oath of success. By the introduction of these t wo laws by Henry VII and his successor Elizabeth I ensured the loyalty of their strongest political supporters and in turn condemning roman letters Catholics.The following is an excerpt taken from the Oath of Supremacy published in 1559 I do utterly testify and declare in my sense of right and wrong that the Queens Highness is the only supreme governor of this realm, and of all other her Highnesss dominions and countries, as well in all spiritual or ecclesiastical things or causes, as temporal, and that no irrelevant prince, person, prelate, state or potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence or authority ecclesiastical or spiritual at heart this realm.. This quote fundamentally states the allegiance and sincerity of one towards the Head of State, swearing ones loyalty to them entirely and not to another figure head or person of command. contempt political interventions at heart humanity and society, Shakespeare highlights issues whi ch would then have been disregarded as being evil, much(prenominal) as apparitions and supernatural occurrences. Many examples could be set however ones of relevance are plenty within crossroads. Within Act I, Scene I an apparition of King crossroads appears, which posterior on within the play urges settlement to avenge his death.This would heighten the auditory senses suspense due to the drama involved. Shakespeare surprises both the audience and the characters within the play by introducing a ghost, creating a hugely effective halo of anxiety and fear throughout the scene. Elizabethan people misunders besidesd paranormal existences and this phantom would have heightened their (the audiences) suspicions and fears towards them (the ghosts) furthermore. Many people of Shakespeares time regarded ghosts as the devil himself. The play is very much written in a pro-Christian era and many aspects of Christianity show through. critical points voice comes through however, sceptical of this. Hamlet contemplates the idea of committing suicide within his soliloquy in Act I, Scene II as he cries, O that this also too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed his canon gainst self-slaughter. O God, O God Here Shakespeare shows us that suicide is not favourably looked upon and even seen as an act that would leave you in purgatory (as is King Hamlets), waiting for ones sins to be forgiven and for redemption to commence itself. Quote King Hamlet,I was sent to my account with all the horrible imperfections on my head. O horrible, O horrible, most horrible However it must not be disregarded that Hamlet is first and foremost a play about revenge. Prince Hamlet was beseeched by his stimulate to pursue vengeance for this wrongdoing. An Elizabethan audience would understand the complication involved with the ideas of revenge. Shakespeare uses an allegory within the play, where Denmark represents England regarding v iews on Christian beliefs, such as suicide, death, redemption and paranormal beings . etc.Within the period of Hamlets composition thither were many factors which Shakespeare commented upon by incorporating them within his plays. By understanding the structure of society and the role that Christianity and religion played within Shakespearean England we empathize why within a few scenarios Hamlet was deterred from undertaking certain actions immediately, the murder of Claudius at prayer for example. The audience that viewed this play would also have related to Hamlets actions, his steadiness and calm air with which he performed everything and acted.However to a modern day audience if Hamlet was a person living at present and was to act the direction as Shakespeare intended him to then his actions would be heavily frowned upon by many as no longer do we (a majority not applicable to ghostlike followers ) regard religion as a major factor within our lives. Due to our secular society , despite somewhat of a Christian favouritism in schools for example, we fail to identify (before education) with the way in which Prince Hamlet thinks. We ask the following question, why does Hamlet abide by the conceptual ideas primed(p) down by society?Hamlet had no other filling than to undertake his actions the way he did as Shakespeare, his creator, wrote from influences surrounding him. England like Denmark was a troubled country as it still feared the spread of Roman universality by another incident such as the failed Spanish Armada of 1588. In modern times, spanning over the last two centuries, many wars have been analyse by people and they have come to the realisation that our world too is a world of politics with underlying motives such as a battle of religion.Issues such as feminism regarding Hamlet have allowed respective(a) playwrights such as Heiner Muller, author of Hamletmachine to show the subordination of women within society. He gives a voice to two main char acters, Prince Hamlet and Ophelia, so that they are able to speak their minds within this bizarre production. The oppression and victimization of Ophelia is shown to the audience. Ophelia is allowed to sacrifice moral thoughts and decisions where in turn she can find herself as a person not just a sexual object. She shows this hatred towards the hoary society within which Shakespeare wrote the original Hamlet.Ideas of feminist movements are highlighted within Hamletmachine in contrast to Hamlet, which shows women as objects controlled by men. (Ophelia controlled by her father Polonius. )(Gertrude controlled by her King, Claudius. ) And in turn it seems as though if women disobey their know they face the consequence that destiny presents to them, death. on that point are more things dreamt of in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. What is philosophy? Philosophy is when there are no limits of exploration as to questioning underlying factors which makes this t rigger of life what it is.This is exactly what Hamlet says to Horatio in Act I, Scene VI, There are more things dreamt of in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. What Hamlet is basically saying is never disbelieve. Anything is possible, never oppose, wrongfully rap or demean an object never before witnessed or seen. A modern day audience would understand specific actions after having grasped what the 17th century religious influence within society was like. However the way in which the government intervenes itself regarding religion has greatly changed in that it is now no longer seen as a way to indoctrinate people and influence them.