Morality, Revenge and Religion Flashcards
Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 2- The trust between Horatio and Hamlet established very early on
“If you have hitherto concealed this sight let it be tenable in your silence still”
Ghost, Act 1, Scene 5- Hamlets father was unable to confess his sins before he died, religion very important is introduced, doesn’t want Hamlet to hurt mother, shows that their is honour for Gertrude
“No reckoning made but sent to my account with all my imperfections on my head”.. “A couch for luxury and damned incest”… “Taint not thy mind nor let thy soul contrive against thy mother aught”
Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2- talking of actor, how he is able to make his emotions an art form, realisation that his own emotions are doing nothing to revenge his fathers death
“Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect, a broken voice… and all for nothing”
Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1- scared of the unknown, imagery of Fathers ghost, scared of the consequences of suicide
“For in that sleep of death what dreams may come”
Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 2 makes reference to Rozencrantz as as “sponge”, Rozencrantz asks if he has done so and Hamlet states
“Ay sir- that soaks up the king’s countenance, his rewards, his authorities… when he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you and, sponge, you shall be dry again”
Man 2, Act 5, Scene 1, normal people think of the court as corrupt as nobles are treated in higher status and can escape the teachings of religion (don’t take ones own life) as they are high in the hierarchy
“If this had not been a gentlewoman she should have been buried out o’Christian burial”
Priest, Act 5, Scene 1, aware that she is not worthy of a holy burial due to the implication her death was a suicide, but still carries on with burial, the idea of religion is undermined
“she should in ground unsanctified been lodged…flints and pebbles should be thrown on her”
Horatio,Act 1 Scene 1, horatio speaks about the ghost.
the conjunction shows tension.
“and then it started like a guilty thing upon a fearful summons”
Ghost act 1 scene 5, The ghost tells Hamlet that if he ever loved him he would take revenge on claudius.
“revenge his foul and most unnatural murder’’
Morality
Hamlets contemplation of suicide
During Elizabethan era, there were stigmas against suicide due to religion (it was a sin)
“To be or not be”
“The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles”
Morality
The ghost and purgatory- king hamlets ghost asks for remembrance and revenge. But purgatory was never mentioned in Hamlet (it was denied by Protestants as it was a catholic doctrine) despite the ghost clearly implying he has returned from there.
“Doomed for a certain term to walk to night”
Morality
Hamlet serves as a motif for morality through revenge.
His soliloquise marks his internal struggle between avenging his father and suicide.
“To be or not to be”
Morality
Hamlet’s procrastination- hamlet doesn’t want to commit violence without certainty of its righteousness.
“Thus conscience does make cowards of us all”
Morality
Hamlet’s procrastination has a contrary to Laertes and Claudius.
Laertes acts immediately to avenge his fathers death.
Laertes gets mixed up in Claudius’ schemes to kill hamlet.
Morality- the play and inaction
The play can argue that inaction can be used for a morally correct response despite hamlets critics for it,
