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“To be or not to be, that is the question” – arguably one of the most famous
literary quotes of all time, it raises the question of action against inaction; a
dilemma that undoubtedly torments Hamlet. Should Hamlet avenge his father’s
Shakespeare was born in 1564 at a time when England was ruled by Queen
Catholic family which would have guided his beliefs and attitudes towards life
Hamlet, a popular revenge tragedy, was written a few years after the attack of
the Spanish armada, at a time when England was experiencing political and
creative triggers for Hamlet and as the play had social relevance at the time it
was first produced it was guaranteed a lot of attention. It’s thought that there is
[1]
a “tantalizing link” between the death of Hamnet, Shakespeare’s eleven
year old son, and the writing of Hamlet five years later. Freud describes how “in
1
Studying Shakespeare: A Guide to the Plays by Laurie E. Maguire
“it is not implausible that it took years for the trauma of his
son’s death fully to erupt in Shakespeare’s work or that it
was triggered by an accidental conjunction of names” [2]
As in Stratford during that time the records show that Hamlet and Hamnet were
interchangeable names. The story of Hamlet, its references to the loss of a father
and purgatory can be directly associated with the death of Hamnet. Hamnet died
at a time when England was a Protestant state and was not able to have a
Catholic burial, therefore, according to the Catholic faith would not be fit to enter
the kingdom of heaven; “Shakespeare believed that as his son was denied
[2]
his last rights he was condemned to everlasting damnation.” I believe
it’s this dilemma that is at the heart of the play; Shakespeare wanted to illustrate
the need for people to be concerned with Catholic issues such as purgatory; he
believes that the political state of the country had restricted people’s ability to
into the conflicting conscience of Hamlet; this allows him to assert strong
Catholic values and gives him the opportunity to develop people’s understanding
Shakespeare’s use of Catholic symbolism and the parallels between the play and
Protestant rule which would support the notion the Shakespeare was Catholic.
The introduction of the ghost is Hamlet’s first point of conflict; upon hearing the
Ghost’s conviction Hamlet swears to avenge the death of his father “Now to my
doubts the credibility of the Ghost “The spirit that I have seen may be the
devil, and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape”[Act 2 Scene 2 – 551
2
How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt. Norton. 430 pp
supposed death, is able to test the conscience of the King “The play’s the
thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king”[Act 2 Scene 2 – 557 - 558].
considers the possibility that the ghost is evil; he is concerned that the ghost
may be trying to deceive him to damnation. Hamlet at this point is torn between
his desire for revenge which urges him to do as the ghost says and to kill
Claudius and his conscience or religious background which tells him that ghosts
are evil and that murder is wrong. This is an example of Shakespeare trying to
Hamlet observes Claudius throughout the re-enactment of the play; looking for
signs of guilt.
He tests the credibility of the ghost’s exposition before he can justly take the life
of his uncle. After noticing Claudius’ distress at the play “Give me some light.
Away!”[Act 3 Scene 2 - 244] Hamlet is convinced that the ghost speaks the truth “I’ll
take the ghost’s word for a thousand points.”[Act 3 Scene 2 – 260 - 261] and
therefore in his own mind justified for killing the king. With this revelation Hamlet
goes to find the King whom he finds praying at his private chapel. Realising that
killing Claudius at this point would send him straight to heaven “A villain kills
my father, and for that, I his sole son do this same villain send to
heaven.”[Act 3 Scene 3 - 76 - 78] and that this is no sort of justice, Hamlet is again torn
between his need for revenge and his conscience. He is ready to take his
revenge but delays in fear of sending his uncle to heaven which would not be the
justice he wants. Hamlet decides to wait until Claudius is in the act of committing
a sin because only then can he guarantee him being sent to hell.
The above paragraphs illustrate points of conflict for Hamlet, showing how he is
torn between his desire for revenge and his conscience. Each point gives support
to the notion that Hamlet’s conscience is a factor in his delay for retribution and
that he considers the religious implications of his actions. I believe that Hamlet’s
delay in response could also be attributed to the fact that murder is out of
remorseful, “Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!” [Act 3 Scene 4],
which shows he does not take the act of murder lightly. Also I believe that he is
Many critics have written about the significance of Hamlet’s delay and to what
extent it can be associated to the religious theme running throughout the play.
There are many articles written on how Hamlet is a victim of his own self
deception; how that Hamlet’s conscience and morality stop him from acting to
avenge his father. John Lawlor asserts that Hamlet “never penetrates his
desire for revenge; that there is something restricting his actions. Furthermore
he notes that to seek revenge is to “forfeit the role of God’s minister ... and
T.McAlindon supports John’s first assertion stating that “the Prince’s moral,
3
John Lawlor, Tragic Sense in Shakespeare (London: Chatto & Windus, 1960) p. 73
4
Ribner, Patterns in Shakespearian Tragedy, p. 79
notion that Hamlet finds himself a victim of self deception and that he attacks
impairing his ability to act the avenger and therefore contributes to his downfall.
Catherine Belsey supports Lawlor’s second assertion stating that he “sees the
implications of his actions and that “Hamlet’s ethics are more subtle than
John Lawlor’s second assertion John S. Wilks highlighted in his journal that “The
founded as they were in the Old and New Testament.”[7] which reinforces
the notion that the ghost’s command will lead to Hamlet’s damnation.
All of the above critics would agree with the essay statement given that they
how “the most tolerable sort of revenge is for those wrongs which there
death is the only sort of justice. Bacon does not consider Hamlet’s conscience.
Furthermore Freud argues that Hamlet’s delay is a result of the Oedipus complex;
his unresolved incestuous feelings towards his mother” [9]; that his
5
T. McAlindon, Shakespeare and Decorum (London: Macmillan, 1973), p. 61
6
Catherine Belsey, The Case of Hamlet’s Conscience, p. 137
7
John S Wilks, The Discourse of Reason: Justice and the Erroneous Conscience in Hamlet,
p120
8
Francis Bacon, “essays from 1625” as highlighted in Hamlet, Cambridge School Edition,
p. 253
9
Hamlet, Cambridge Press, Second Edition, 2004
incestuous feelings are driving his need to defeat Claudius rather than a need for
revenge.
When grieving people are likely to do things they would otherwise not do, and
will question their actions. I will take the view that the ghost is a mere
credibility of the ghost; this could be seen to represent the psychological conflict
between what Hamlet knew to be ‘right’ – Christianity, morality and all that
entails, with his desire for justice. Each point of conflict furthers Hamlet’s
desolation until his final conflict which resulted in everyone dying. John Lawlor
overcome, with accepting that it is a suitable form of justice, given that Hamlet
believes Claudius murdered his father. It is perhaps only after Hamlet kills
Polonius, thinking he was Claudius, that Hamlet’s guilt overcomes any religious
considerations. It is however, I believe the point of the death of all the main
England to protect their religion that he ends with “The sight is dismal, and
our affairs from England come too late.” [Act 5 Scene 2 – 246 - 347] Or rather ‘affairs
Although Bacon and Freud both provide compelling arguments, neither seem to
overcome the fact that Hamlet does demonstrate a conflict within conscience at
several of the points within the play which I have addressed. My in-depth
essay statement. It is for this reason and the above paragraph that I agree with
the suggestion that Hamlet is torn between his conscience which tells him that
murderous retribution is morally wrong, and his emotional need for revenge.
Bibliography
Primary Source
- Shakespeare, William (2005). Hamlet. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
- Spark Notes
- York Notes
Secondary Sources
- Studying Shakespeare: A Guide to the Plays by Laurie E. Maguire
- John Lawlor, Tragic Sense in Shakespeare (London: Chatto & Windus, 1960)
p. 73