A Christian Reading of Hamlet
In a famous article, "The Christian Tragic Hero," Poet W. H. Auden defines a Christian tragic hero according to the Judeo-Christian view that all people are moral agents and own responsibility for their actions. One of his examples is Macbeth, who listens to the witches and is tempted to commit a crime that he knows is wrong. Auden says that the audience's response to Macbeth's fall is, "What a pity it was this way when it might have been otherwise." This contrasts with the pagan tragic hero, like Oedipus, who is bound by fate. Because Oedipus can do nothing about his ancestry, the audience's response is, "What a pity it had to happen this way." 1
Just as Macbeth's tragedy begins when he begins to heed the witches, Hamlet's tragedy begins by a similar action. This action is one which Hamlet knows is wrong because it was forbidden by the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures--he heeds the advice of a ghost. When he first encounters the ghost he says he will follow it because of it looks like his late father--even if it "brings blasts from hell":
Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou com'st in such a questionable shape,
That I will speak to thee.2
Later, as he considers a course of action, he again recognizes that he could be falling for the bait of a devilish trap, but he does not care. He has been tempted to seek revenge. He has listened to the ghost.
The spirit I have seen
May be a devil; and the devil hath power
T'assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps
Out of my weakness and my melancholy,
As he is very potent with such...
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...which Shakespeare used.
Online Bible verse links are for the Authorized ("King James") Version since there is no free online version of the Geneva Bible. The Authorized version was published in 1611, the same year Shakespeare's last play was produced.
The following link includes some of the notes from the Geneva Bible. Those listed for I Samuel 28:11 and 28:14 illustrate the interpretation of the "Ghost of Samuel" incident: http://www.reformed.org/documents/geneva/1samuel.html.
5. The ghost in another play of Shakespeare's is more explicit. In Julius Caesar, 4.3.319, Brutus specifically asks the Ghost of Caesar, "Speak to me what thou art." The ghost replies, "Thy evil spirit, Brutus."
6. Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy, ed. J.R. Mulryne (New York: Hill and Wang, 1970) 3.13.1 note. This Elizabethan work tells a story similar to that of Hamlet.
The Vietnam War was the longest war in America's history of involvement. Twenty years of hell, land mines, cross-fire, and death. Vietnam was divided by the Geneva Accord. The north being communist run by Ho Chi Minh. The south being anti-Communist run by Ngo Dinh Diem. Before Vietnam was separated, it was run by France. France had ruled most of Indochina since the late 1800s. The Vietnamese were unhappy with the way the French were controlling, therefore, many of them took refuge in China. When in China, they began to follow the lead of Ho Chi Minh, who wanted to model the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence as that of the U.S. version. In the 1940s, Japan had taken over Vietnam which upset Ho Chi Minh and his revolutionaries when they had returned a year later.
Nauret, Rick. “In new study, video games not tied to violence in youth”. psychcentral.com. 15 Nov 2013.
In act I, scene i we are introduced to the Ghost of Hamlet's slain father. The reader may be more inclined to believe that Hamlet's madness is in fact true if he himself was the only one to view the Ghost. However, there were actually three individuals to whitness the Ghost. Hamlet's sane and trustworthy friend Horatio says "Before my God, I might not this believe/ without the sensible and true avouch/ of mine own eyes" (I. i . 55-57). It was a warning from Horatio that gave Prince Hamlet to fabricate his madness to more easily work out his plan of revenge. Horatio warns Hamlet, "... And there assume some other horrible form/ which might deprive your sovereignty of reason,/ and draw you into madness? Think of it " (I. iv. 72-74). Hamlet respected and adamantly listened to his father, so when the Ghost told him "but howsomeever thou pursues this act,/ taint not thy mind." (I. v. 83-84). Hamlet would surely listen and obey these wishes of his father from beyond the grave.
Hamlet grants himself the opportunity to momentarily direct himself, yet it remains unknown as to whether he directs a representation of truth or a falsity. He exemplifies madness so well, as the sight of "a damned ghost" (77) insanely induces his imagination and comfortably transforms his identity to one of lunacy. This role he acquires is one he portrays so explicitly well as an actor that he easily utilizes it as the foundation for his players. He instructs the players:
The allegation that videogames cause violent behavior in children has been present as long as videogames themselves. Some researchers said that the Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, was one intense gamer. “Seung-Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech Shooter was seen by his roomates as odd because he never joined them in video games.”(Beresin) This debate will continue to go on in this country as long as there are horrific crimes that occur. There is much written in the research regarding this issue, and many differing views. The research that is presented in the next few paragraphs supports the theory that it is not the graphic video games that produce aggressive behavior, but other factors in a child’s life that create violent actions.
All throughout the play Hamlet mourns the loss of his father, especially since his father is appearing to him as a ghostly figure telling him to avenge his death, and throughout the play it sets the stage and shows us how he is plotting to get back at the assassinator. Such an instance where the ghost appears to Hamlet is when Hamlet and his mother are in her bedchamber where the ghost will make his last appearance. Hamlet tells his mother to look where the ghost appears but she cannot see it because he is the only one who that has the ability to see him.
Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The Norton Introduction to Literature. Eds. Alison Booth, and Kelly J. Mays. Tenth. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2011. 1024-1129. Print.
Due to the availability of news and media in today’s technologically advanced society, many people are aware of the violent acts that are committed every day all throughout the world. In addition, the technological advances of today’s society have continued to fuel one of the most successful industries of the present day: the video game industry. Many people have been eager to blame the video game industry for the violent acts that are committed throughout the world because the video game industry has continued to target an audience that seemingly craves an increasing amount of violence, and they criticize the video game industry for its complete lack of restrictions on the sale of violent video games to teenagers. However, although some experts believe that playing violent video games may perpetuate a violent disposition in a teenager, it has been demonstrated that
The Vietnam War has gone down in United Sates history as one of the longest conflicts the country has faced. This prolonged war was not only costly in economic standards but also in American lives. In a time when the cold war turned hot disputes erupted in the various areas in Vietnam. Along with its southern allies, otherwise known as the Viet Cong, Northern Vietnam raged war against South Vietnam. With its main ally, the United States continued to fight to “save” South Vietnam from turning into an entirely communist country. While the war continued it became increasingly unpopular in the United States. With media advancing and increasing, the people of the United States could comprehend the war in ways never seen before.
At first, Hamlet sees the ghost of his dead father and vows to avenge his death. “Christianity forbids followers to seek out spirits for advice or communication” (Ja) Hamlet has his faith tested because he is unsure about what his father is telling him. If the truth is that Claudius is the one who murdered Hamlet’s father then Hamlet will need to commit murder himself in order to fulfill his promise to his father’s ghost. “Hamlet, after the shock of his discoveries, becomes virtually another person and re-evaluates the situation in accordance with his religious views. Perhaps the ghost is just an illusion or mental disorder making him imagine this tale, and the murder of his father is illusory because he is not able to accept this kind of marriage and he wants to justify his crimes.” (****) Hamlet wrestles with his feelings and decides he must arrange for Claudius to admit to the murder instead of murdering Claudius himself. He is aware of the moral dilemma he finds himself in, if he kills Claudius then he, Hamlet may go to hell. If he refuses to kill Claudius then his father may be sent to hell. Hamlet knows from his religious background that murd...
Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.
"Violent Video Games and Young People." Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Medical School, Oct. 2010. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.
The appearance of the ghost to Hamlet caused him much confusion. He, at first, regards the ghost as questionable. Hamlet doesn't know if he should listen to the ghost. If this is the ghost of king Hamlet, then hamlet is obligated to listen to the ghost. This is the beginning of Hamlet's problems.
In recent years, many technological advancements have led to a new form of entertainment for society. One of the soaring forms of this entertainment is video games. While the sale of games continue to rise at a drastic rate, game designers and the media focus the public's attention on violent video games, since it seems to currently be to the more attractive type of game, not only among the public, but the gaming industries as well. As these games become increasingly popular, there has been an abundance of researchers and health officials that say that such games result in increased violence among juveniles. Many believe that violent video games cause behavioral problems and therefore increase crime rate and violence among youth; however, research has shown that some of these studies are inaccurate because they do not effectively measure aggression and that these games can contribute in a positive way.
A common motif in Shakespeare’s many plays is the supernatural element, to which Hamlet , with the presence of a ghost, is no exception. The story of Hamlet, the young prince of Denmark, is one of tragedy, revenge, deception, and ghosts. Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural element helps give a definition to the play by being the catalyst of the tragedy that brings upon Hamlet’s untimely demise. The ghost that appears at the beginning of the play could possibly be a satanic figure that causes Hamlet to engage in the terrible acts and endanger his soul. The supernatural element incorporated into the play is used as an instigator, a mentor, as well as mediation for the actions of the protagonist that ultimately end in tragedy, with the loss of multiple lives, as well as suscept Hamlet’s soul to hell. Shakespeare’s portrayal of the ghostly apparition causes a reader to question whether the ghost is a demonic force on the basis of its diction, conduct towards others as well as Hamlet, and it’s motive to kill.