How does Shakespeare characterise Hamlet to reflect the philosophical concerns of the play?
Shakespeare characterises Hamlet as a man immobilised by the melancholy over his father’s death, mother’s betrayal and the corruption in Denmark. It is in Hamlet’s melancholy that Shakespeare reflects the philosophical concerns of the play: Hamlet’s melancholy is exacerbated by his inability to mediate between the two conflicting notions of Renaissance Humanism and traditional Christian values that plagued the Elizabethan era.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy (Act 1 Scene 2) is a dramatic representation of his conscience, opening with a dejected tone as he contemplates suicide: “O that this too too solid flesh would melt,/ Thaw and resolve itself into a dew”. Shakespeare confronts the audience with an image of the physical form of the human body as it decays and melts, portraying the extent of Hamlet’s melancholy over his father’s death and mother’s betrayal. It is in his contemplation of suicide that the traditional Christian values of the Elizabethan era are introduced: Hamlet desires death to escape his grief, however, his Christian values condemn suicide: “Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/ His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter”. Following this, the tone of the soliloquy …show more content…
Here Shakespeare introduces the philosophical concerns of the play: Hamlet’s melancholy is exacerbated by his inability to mediate between the two conflicting notions of Renaissance Humanism and traditional Christian values which prevent him from taking action and drives him to ponder his
Shakespeare characterises Hamlet as a man immobilised by the melancholy over his father’s death, mother’s betrayal and the corruption in Denmark. It is in Hamlet’s melancholy that Shakespeare reflects the philosophical concerns of the play: Hamlet’s melancholy is exacerbated by his inability to mediate between the two conflicting notions of Renaissance Humanism and traditional Christian values that plagued the Elizabethan era.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy (Act 1 Scene 2) is a dramatic representation of his conscience, opening with a dejected tone as he contemplates suicide: “O that this too too solid flesh would melt,/ Thaw and resolve itself into a dew”. Shakespeare confronts the audience with an image of the physical form of the human body as it decays and melts, portraying the extent of Hamlet’s melancholy over his father’s death and mother’s betrayal. It is in his contemplation of suicide that the traditional Christian values of the Elizabethan era are introduced: Hamlet desires death to escape his grief, however, his Christian values condemn suicide: “Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/ His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter”. Following this, the tone of the soliloquy …show more content…
Here Shakespeare introduces the philosophical concerns of the play: Hamlet’s melancholy is exacerbated by his inability to mediate between the two conflicting notions of Renaissance Humanism and traditional Christian values which prevent him from taking action and drives him to ponder his