context

History of the Danes - Saxo Gramaticus

• prince of Denmark - Amleth

• similarities in story with murder, madness, Polonius death, sent to England and killing the king

• only difference is that Amleth survives and becomes king while Hamlet is also killed

• etymology of Amleth - “fool” or “trickster”

Elizabethan England and monarchy

• Elizabeth had no direct heir which created anxiety around succession - Claudius on the throne mirrors the uncertainty in society about who would inherit the crown

• Claudius’ rise to power raised questions about legitimacy of ruler-ship - audience would’ve seen him as a dangerous figure who reflects the fears of disorder that accompany illegitimacy

renaissance and humanism

• renaissance humanism places a strong emphasis on human reason, individual agency and the exploration of complex emotions - all explored by Hamlet

• Hamlet is a reflective and philosophical character - internal debates reflect the Renaissance focus of self-awareness and questioning (e.g. ‘to be or not to be’)

• encouraged scepticism and questioning of accepted truth - mirrored in Hamlet’s sceptical view of appearance vs reality (always questions motives of others, nature of ghost and truth of his own emotions)

reformation and religious conflict

• England was heavily influenced by the protestant reformation

• religious tension continued to influence politics and society

• ghost claims to be in purgatory until the murder is avenged - aligns with catholic doctrine

• existence of purgatory was denied by protestants - added to ambiguity of ghost

• Hamlet struggles with the religious implications of murder - revenge is sinful yet he feels duty to his father (internal conflict reveals tensions between old and new christian ethics)

politics

• Elizabethan England like Denmark was vulnerable to political instability → foreign powers threatened security and fears of internal rebellion

• Claudius manipulation and deceitful rise to power echoes Machiavellian political strategies - rulers must be willing to use cunning, manipulation and immoral actions to maintain control (e.g. murder and sending Hamlet away)

revenge tragedy traditions

• genre was influenced by Seneca whose plays involved ghosts, blood, revenge and moral conflict

• in traditional revenge tragedies the protagonist is single-minded in pursuit - Hamlet delays and has deep reflections and internal conflict (soliloquys) → his psychological complexity reflects renaissance ideas about emotion

• involves a high level of violence which serves as a form of catharsis for the audience (provides a resolution to tragic events)

• Hamlet’s intellectual and moral struggle with revenge complicates typical revenge tragedy structures

social hierarchies

• strongly patriarchal world where power is held exclusively by men - Gertrude and Ophelia are subject to the control of men

• Getrude reflects contemporary anxieties about women’s sexuality and the importance of maintaining honour of the family - she may be securing her position after the king’s death

• Ophelia’s madness and death can be seen as result of patriarchal pressures placed on her by her father and brother and Hamlet - she is used as a pawn in schemes and lacks agency

great chain of being

• accepted belief that everything in the universe has its place in a divinely ordained hierarchy - kings at the top with God

• disruption to the hierarchy leads to chaos

• murder of king creates political and moral disorder - can only be restored through the death of Claudius →reflects Elizabethan belief that stability is only regained once the rightful order is re-established

psychological and philosophical influences

• Freud’s Oedipus complex theory has been applied to Hamlet’s hostility towards Claudius and relationship with Gertrude - Hamlet’s hesitation stems from unconscious identification with killing his father and marrying his mother

• Ophelia displays potential Electra complex through madness after her father’s death - overwhelmed by desire so abruptly terminates into insanity

tragic hero

• Hamlet’s hamartia is avenging his father’s murder which causes a chain reaction of destruction leading to his own death

• isolated by his intellectual capacity and melancholy - he is transformed from an admired royal to a desperate figure (reversal of fortune)

• moves from doubt to a deeper understanding of life and death - acceptance of fate in final act

• his delays and errors bring about death of all other characters