Context Flashcards
What was the significance of people’s external appearance?
Your external appearance was believed to be an indicator of what lay beneath, goodness or evil.
What was people’s opinions of makeup?
Women were looked down on for their vanity and their practice of face-painting was seen as a disguise to deceive men.
What did Shakespeare’s villan’s mostly feature?
They often had some of the Seven Deadly Sins (pride, envy, gluttony, lechery, wrath, sloth and avarice). Claudius is guilty of envy, gluttony and lechery.
What was the significance of ghosts?
They were believed to be a symbol that something ominous was about to happen.
What was the general opinion surrounding suicide?
It was self-murder and therefore counter to god’s will. Suicides were not permitted to be buried in the hallowed ground of church-yards, as their souls had gone to hell. It showed the victim was of ‘unsound mind’ and they had fallen into the sin of despair.
What were the colours black and white associated with?
Black was the colour of death and the devil, associated with grief. White was the colour of purity and goodness. An absence of light meant a symbolic return to chaos and descent into hell or the grave.
What was the belief surrounding sex before marriage?
Security of society and peace of men’s mind was dependent upon a woman’s virginity before marriage. Inheritance was passed down the male line and so men needed to be sure that their son was their own and not someone else’s bastard. A man’s reputation would be destroyed by an unfaithful wife.
What was the stereotype of women?
They were weak and disloyal, shown by Eve betraying her husband and mankind when she allowed herself to be seduced by a smooth-talking serpent, with which Claudius can be compared.
How does Hamlet draw on this stereotype?
When announcing “frailty, thy name is woman”.
What was the situation for women at the time?
They were possessions, there was a patriarchal society. They were financially dependent on their fathers, to whom they owed obedience and domestic labour until they were handed over to the rule of their husbands. Ophelia had no option but to obey her father’s and brother’s commands. Women could only rise through their association with men and their rank, hence Gertrude’s need to secure her status as queen by marrying the next King.
Who did people believe the King was chosen by?
God. If the wrong King was on the throne (Claudius) then it would result in chaos.
Why was there uncertainty surrounding the Monarchy at the time?
There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the throne since Queen Elizabeth had no heir. There was instability within the country.
