Context Flashcards
In what year was Hamlet written?
Between 1599-1602
In what year was Hamlet first performed?
1609
Who was the character of Polonius arguably based upon?
Lord Burghley - The Queen’s chief minister who often spied on his children.
How long was the official mourning period for a King?
1 year
How is Mary Queen of Scots marriage reflected in Hamlet?
Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary Queen of Scots, was murdered at Kirk O’Field, Edinburgh in 1567. Shockingly soon afterwards, Mary married Lord Boathwell, the chief suspect in the murder investigation. This was part of the reason for Mary’s deposition from the Scottish throne and the accession (attainment of power) of her one year old son James V.
How would Hamlet’s melancholy have been perceived by physicians?
Elizabethan’s believed that the human body was made up of four main elements, called humors: phlegm, blood, yellow bile and black bile. Hamlet seems to be suffering from what Elizabethan’s referred to as “melancholy”, a feeling associated with too much “black bile” in the body.
Where does Hamlet take place?
Denmark
What was Denmark like at the time of Hamlet?
It was a largely protestant nation at the time of the play’s composition.
Why does the ghost pose a religious problem for Hamlet?
Protestantism didn’t believe in purgatory. Hamlet is hesitant to accept the ghost’s claims that he is tormented until his life’s crimes are “purged away.”
Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon married Henry VIII after first of all marrying his brother, Arthur (Prince of Wales). Arthur should have been King after their Father died, but he died before his Father, making Henry next in line for the throne. Henry then married Arthur’s widow, Catherine of Aragon after she got a divorce.
What is the relevance of Wittenberg?
The German city of Wittenberg was the birth place of the reformation - the Protestant movement for the reform of the Catholic church.
How do Claudius and Old Hamlet reflect Cain and Abel in the Bible?
Cain and Abel were the first and second sons of Adam and Eve. While Cain was a farmer, Abel was a skilled shepherd who took care of the family’s animals. One day Cain and Abel made sacrifices to the Lord to worship and thank him. Cain bought some of the produce from the land while Abel bought the first born of his sheep. God showed favour to Abel’s sacrifice because it was an offering that came from the best Abel had to give. This made Cain very angry and jealous; he lured his brother Abel into the fields and killed him with a rock. The Lord consequently called to Cain asking what happened and after Cain lies about killing his brother, God punishes him. This very much reflects Claudius killing his brother Old Hamlet, out of jealousy that he is the King, and then lies and denies that it was him who killed him, even to Hamlet, who then makes it his mission to try and punish him.
How long would the play take to be performed?
4.5-5 hours
How many lines does Hamlet have?
1,530
What monarchs did Hamlet write plays for?
Elizabeth I (ruled 1558 - 1603) and James I (ruled 1603-1625).
