Religion, God and the Divine Right of Kings

"O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, / Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! / Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd / His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!" (Act 1, Scene 2)

Hamlet laments his existence and wishes for death but acknowledges that suicide is forbidden by divine law ("canon" referring to church law). This reveals his internal conflict—his personal despair clashes with religious doctrine, reinforcing the theme of moral paralysis.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." (Act 1, Scene 4)

This metaphorical statement by Marcellus suggests that Denmark is morally and politically decayed, which ties into the idea that the king (a supposed divine figure) is corrupt. It aligns with the idea that a nation's stability is linked to the legitimacy of its ruler.

"There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, / Rough-hew them how we will." (Act 5, Scene 2)

Hamlet acknowledges the presence of divine will in human affairs. Despite human attempts to control their own destiny, divine intervention ultimately determines the course of events, reflecting the Renaissance tension between free will and predestination.

"The spirit that I have seen / May be the devil: and the devil hath power / To assume a pleasing shape." (Act 2, Scene 2)

Hamlet questions whether the Ghost is truly his father’s spirit or a demonic trick. This moment showcases his religious uncertainty, linking to Protestant concerns about purgatory and Catholic beliefs in ghosts.

"But to persevere / In obstinate condolement is a course / Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief: / It shows a will most incorrect to heaven." (Act 1, Scene 2)

Claudius criticizes Hamlet’s prolonged mourning, suggesting that excessive grief is against divine will. His rhetoric attempts to justify his own rule and uphold the belief that kingship is sanctioned by God.

"Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; / And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven." (Act 3, Scene 3)

Hamlet hesitates to kill Claudius while he is praying, fearing that this would send him to heaven instead of hell. This passage reveals Hamlet’s deep concern with religious justice and damnation, complicating his quest for revenge.

"Not a whit, we defy augury: there is special providence in the fall of a sparrow." (Act 5, Scene 2)

Hamlet refers to the biblical idea that God is aware of even a sparrow’s fall (Matthew 10:29), implying his acceptance of fate. This marks a shift in his character—from indecision to a belief in divine order.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1818 Lectures on Shakespeare)

• "Hamlet is obliged to act on the spur of the moment; but the moment is past, and he remains puzzled, undecided, and sceptical."

• Coleridge sees Hamlet’s religious and philosophical overthinking as a tragic flaw that prevents decisive action. His doubts about suicide ("the Everlasting had not fix’d / His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter") highlight this inner paralysis.

Stephen Greenblatt (Hamlet in Purgatory, 2001)

• "Shakespeare evokes the doctrine of purgatory only to place it under extreme pressure, exposing the anxieties and contradictions that surround it."

• Greenblatt argues that the Ghost’s reference to suffering in "sulphurous and tormenting flames" (Act 1, Scene 5) mirrors Catholic beliefs, but Hamlet’s skepticism reflects Protestant doubt.

E. M. W. Tillyard (Shakespeare’s History Plays, 1944)

• "The whole of Shakespeare’s work assumes the validity of the divine order in the state: when that order is broken, chaos follows."

• Tillyard argues that Claudius’s unlawful rule disrupts the natural, divinely sanctioned order, causing the corruption and decay seen in Denmark ("Something is rotten in the state of Denmark").

A. C. Bradley (Shakespearean Tragedy, 1904)

• "Hamlet is unable to carry out the sacred duty, imposed by divine authority, of punishing an evil man by death."

• Bradley suggests that Hamlet struggles with the morality of revenge, torn between human agency and divine will. His acceptance of fate ("There’s a divinity that shapes our ends") in Act 5 shows his final reconciliation with God’s plan.

William Hazlitt (Characters of Shakespeare’s Plays, 1817)

• "It is we who are Hamlet. This play is full of the doubts and perplexities of a mind deeply meditative, caught between faith and reason."

• Hazlitt argues that Hamlet’s internal conflict between religious faith and rational skepticism is what makes him relatable to modern audiences. His uncertainty about the Ghost ("The spirit that I have seen / May be the devil") embodies this tension.