Hamlet Context

Queen Elizabeth I

Hamlet is written at the end of her reign when fear of who would succeed her was great (She was seen as a good monarch like Old Hamlet). She had no children and refused to elect an heir leaving people in Britain uneasy.

King James VI

The successor of Elizabeth. Son of Mary Queen of Scots, also from Scotland. Fear of an "outsider" taking over the England relevant to Hamlet as Fortinbras (Norwegian) invades and takes over Denmark.

Reformation

A religious movement away from Catholicism to Protestantism, spearheaded by Martin Luther and nationalised by King Henry VIII.
Hamlet struggles with deciding which to follow - Old Hamlet is Catholic (demonstrated by his purgatory state), whereas Hamlet is living in a protestant world (goes to the university of Wittenberg which is central to the protestant movement - where Martin Luther went).

Shakespeare's father is rumoured to still have practised Catholicism under Protestant rule (there's documentation of him refusing to go to the protestant church services) and it's unknown what Shakespeare practiced.

Primogeniture

The inheritance of the throne normally being the first born son. In Hamlet, Claudius takes the throne and primogeniture is not followed. This is because Hamlet is deemed unfit to rule.

Body Politic

The nation seen like a body, all the parts (people) are needed for it to work. The head of the body is the king and seen as divinely elected by God. It's the king's job to protect the rest of the body.

Divine right of a King

King seen as chosen from God, this means they are not subject to earthly authority. Claudius is king and this way of thinking could excuse the murder of his brother by earthly judgement as he is elected by God as King making he less of an evil character than you think.

Hamnet

Son of Shakespeare who died aged 11. Hamlet and Hamnet were interchangeable names in the Elizabethan era due to the lack of fixed spelling. So it's likely it was written as a way of grieving his son. Emphasises the cathartic process the play provides.

Original sources

Saxo Grammaticus - Amleth
Main differences:
Amleth is not named after his father.
There's a reason for Amleth's feigned madness as his father dies when he's young and uses it for his revenge plan - this also accounts for the delay in revenge.

Suicide

Seen as a mortal sin by the church. So you go straight to hell if you commit it. Explains the gravediggers scepticism at the Christian funeral for Ophelia.

Tragic hero

A person of high status who's actions have far reaching consequence. Often make errors in judgement, have a distorted sense of reality and die at the end once realising their errors. Hamlet takes the role of a tragic hero although fails as a revenger.

Revenge Tragedy

Play which causes deep sorrow, filled with malice. Used to confront difficult themes and human emotion. Hamlet can be interpreted through both 17th century and modern definition. However a modern definition seems more aligned with Shakespeare's intent - process of catharsis, use of soliloquys as the action

Shakespeare's experience of players growing up

Shakespeare's father was mayor of Stratford-upon-Avon, this meant any players who wanted to perform their had to perform in his court first. This meant Shakespeare grew up seeing players perform and set up regularly in his father's court. Links to Hamlet's excitement, curiosity and understanding surrounding theatre when the players arrive.

The four humours

Sanguine - charming
Cholic - Anger (Laertes)
Phlegmatic - Fearful (Claudius)
Melancholic - Depressed (Hamlet, Ophelia)
All must be balanced to be healthy. Different characters represent different humoral traits.

Role of a widow

Widows were expected to remain unmarried in the Elizabethan era - Gertrude is very quick to remarry.
However marrying your brother-in-law wouldn't have been uncommon (e.g. Henry VIII marrying Catherine of Aragon)

Senecan Influence

Features of a ghost, bloody deeds, high rhetoric are all influences from Senecan revenge tragedies used by Shakespeare in Hamlet.

Theatrical Conventions

Doubling: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Three sons
Meta-Theatre: Play within a play
Soliloquy: main form of action in the play depicts Hamlet's studious character not made to be a revenger

Influence of the Court

The practice of manipulation and spying reflects a traditional court. Relates to characters of Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern