AO3: Context Flashcards
When was Hamlet written?
1599–1601
Queen Elizabeth’s Decline
Hamlet was written during a time of political uncertainty and fear. Queen Elizabeth I was aging and sick, she had no children, and it was unclear who would inherit her crown when she died. She refused to name a heir, which contributed to a widespread belief that the once-popular queen had become irresponsible in her old age. In Hamlet’s Denmark, just as in England, the royal succession is uncertain. Hamlet captures the contemporary fear that irresponsible rulers and an uncertain succession were destroying the country.
The Body politic
Shakespeare’s contemporaries believed that the health of a kingdom depended upon the well-being of its royal family: in Denmark as in Shakespeare’s England, the royal family is in decline, and the effects are felt in the kingdom as a whole. In Shakespeare’s England, the ruler of the country was also the literal embodiment of the country itself. Hamlet, wishes to kill both Claudius and himself, which would leave Denmark without an heir.
Political ambitions
Elizabeth I’s refusal to name an heir created opportunities for ambitious young noblemen: a further cause of political anxiety in Shakespeare’s England at the time Hamlet was written was the chaos and bloodshed these ambitions could cause. Although James VI of Scotland was a close relative of Elizabeth’s, as a Scot he was a foreigner, and under English law foreigners could not inherit English land: there were rumors that he planned to invade and take the kingdom by force. In 1601 the young Earl of Essex, a favourite of Elizabeth’s, led an attempted rebellion and Elizabeth was forced to execute him. In Hamlet, just as in Shakespeare’s England, there are rumors of a foreign prince, Fortinbras, preparing to invade the kingdom, and a young courtier, Laertes, leads a rebellion. Hamlet also has—or claims to have—political ambitions. Hamlet plays upon its audience’s fear of ambitious young noblemen and the danger they posed to ordinary people when there was not a clear line of inheritance of the throne.
Illegitimate Rule
Claudius’s rise to power through fratricide raises questions about the legitimacy of ruler-ship. Elizabethan audiences, who were highly aware of the importance of rightful succession, would have seen Claudius as a dangerous figure, reflecting fears of disorder when a monarch’s claim to the throne is unclear.
Renaissance Ideas
Hamlet was written during the Renaissance, a period of intellectual and cultural revival across Europe. Renaissance humanism placed a strong emphasis on the potential of human reason, individual agency, and the exploration of complex emotions, which is evident in the character of Hamlet himself.
Hamlet’s Intellectual Nature
Hamlet is a deeply reflective and philosophical character, whose internal debates reflect the Renaissance focus on self-awareness and the questioning of traditional values. His famous soliloquy, “To be, or not to be” (Act 3, Scene 1), captures this introspective and humanist attitude, as he grapples with existential questions about life, death, and moral choice.
Scepticism
Renaissance humanism encouraged scepticism and the questioning of accepted truths, which is mirrored in Hamlet’s sceptical view of appearances versus reality. He constantly questions the motives of others, the nature of the ghost, and the truth of his own emotions
Protestantism and Catholicism
England during Shakespeare’s time was deeply influenced by the Protestant Reformation, which had altered the religious landscape of Europe. England had broken from the Catholic Church under Henry VIII, and tensions between Protestantism and Catholicism continued to influence politics and society throughout Elizabeth I’s reign.
Purgatory and the Ghost
One of the play’s central mysteries is the ghost of Hamlet’s father, who claims to be suffering in purgatory until his murder is avenged. This reference to purgatory aligns with Catholic doctrine, which would have resonated with audiences familiar with the religious debates of the time.
In Protestant England, the existence of purgatory was denied, adding ambiguity to the ghost’s nature. Is the ghost truly a supernatural figure from the afterlife, or is it a manifestation of Hamlet’s psychological turmoil? This ambiguity may reflect the religious uncertainty of the period.
In 1:2 mentioned are made to Wittenberg uni (where Hamlet study), which alludes to protestantism as wittenberg uni was where Marthur Luther went (the founder of protestantism). This casts doubt on the ghost - no purgatory. Reflects the confusion of the time.
Religious context: Revenge and Sin
The religious context also influences the moral questions surrounding revenge in the play. Hamlet struggles with the religious implications of avenging his father’s murder. According to Christian doctrine, revenge is sinful, yet Hamlet feels obligated to follow the ghost’s command. This internal conflict between duty to his father and fear of damnation reveals the tension between the old, honour-based values of revenge and the new Christian ethics that condemn it.
Political Context: The Threat of Political Instability
Elizabethan England, like Denmark in Hamlet, was vulnerable to political instability. Foreign powers, such as Spain, posed threats to English security, and there were fears of internal rebellion. In the play, Denmark is on the verge of war with Norway, and Fortinbras’s eventual takeover of the Danish throne reflects the potential for external forces to exploit a nation’s internal weaknesses.
Political context: Machiavellian Politics
Claudius’s manipulation and deceitful rise to power echoes Machiavellian political strategies. The Discourses on Livy and The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli, popular texts at the time, argued that rulers must be willing to use cunning, manipulation, and even immoral actions to maintain control. Claudius’s political manoeuvring represents this ruthless approach to power.
Revenge Tragedy Tradition
Senecan Influence: Hamlet is part of the revenge tragedy genre, which was highly popular during the Elizabethan era. This genre was heavily influenced by the works of the Roman playwright Seneca, whose plays often involved ghosts, bloody revenge, and moral conflict.
Delays and Soliloquies: One key difference in Hamlet is the hero’s hesitation and introspection. In traditional revenge tragedies, the protagonist is typically single-minded in their pursuit of vengeance. However, Hamlet’s delays, his deep philosophical reflections, and his internal conflict about revenge set him apart from the more straightforward avengers of earlier plays. This psychological complexity reflects the Renaissance interest in human thought and emotions.
Violence and Catharsis: Like other revenge tragedies, Hamlet involves a high level of violence, particularly in the final act, where nearly all the key characters die. This excessive violence serves as a form of catharsis for the audience, providing a resolution to the tragic events. However, Hamlet’s intellectual and moral struggle with the idea of revenge complicates the typical revenge tragedy structure.
Social Hierarchies and Gender Roles
Patriarchy: The world of Hamlet is a strongly patriarchal one, where power is held almost exclusively by men, and women are expected to be obedient and passive. Both Gertrude and Ophelia are subject to the control of the men around them, and their fates reflect the limited roles women could play in society.
Gertrude: Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, is often criticised for her hasty marriage to Claudius, which Hamlet views as a betrayal. Her character reflects contemporary anxieties about women’s sexuality and the importance of maintaining the honour of the family. Some critics argue that Gertrude is more complex, suggesting that she is politically savvy in securing her own position after King Hamlet’s death.
Ophelia: Ophelia’s descent into madness and eventual death can be seen as a result of the patriarchal pressures placed on her by her father Polonius, her brother Laertes, and Hamlet himself. She is used as a pawn in the schemes of the men around her, and her tragic end reflects the limited agency women had in Elizabethan society.
The Great Chain of Being
The Great Chain of Being: This was a widely accepted belief in Shakespeare’s time, which held that everything in the universe had its place in a divinely ordained hierarchy. Kings were believed to be at the top of the human social order, appointed by God, with any disruption to this hierarchy leading to chaos.
Disorder and Restoration: In Hamlet, the murder of King Hamlet by Claudius creates political and moral disorder in Denmark. The nation is described as “rotting,” and Hamlet himself speaks of “time… out of joint.” This disruption of the natural order can only be restored through the death of Claudius and Hamlet, reflecting the Elizabethan belief that stability could only be regained once the rightful order was re-established.
Psychological and Philosophical Influences
Psychoanalytic Interpretations: Later historical developments, especially in psychology, have influenced modern readings of Hamlet. Sigmund Freud’s theory of the Oedipus complex has been applied to Hamlet’s intense feelings of hostility towards Claudius and his disturbed relationship with his mother, Gertrude. According to this theory, Hamlet’s hesitation in killing Claudius may stem from an unconscious identification with him, as Claudius has done what Hamlet unconsciously desires—killed his father and married his mother.
Though Freud’s ideas emerged centuries after the play was written, they offer a lens through which modern audiences can explore Hamlet’s complex psychology.
