Hamlet Act 4 Scene 4

Believe it or not, there was actually a time when people would go to a theatre to watch a play instead of going on Netflix, shocking, right? As a result, it was of the upmost importance for Shakespeare to be able to please both the lower class and first class audience that attended his plays through various relatable events. Hamlet’s speech in Act 4 Scene 4 accomplished exactly that. Hamlet, a play by William Shakespeare, was originally performed in 1602 at the Globe Theatre by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. The original Hamlet performance was astounding to the Elizabethan audience because it focused on their current economic, cultural, and social customs by portraying the hardships of war, traditional war formalities, and Hamlet’s intent to kill

“The imminent death of twenty thousand men, / That for a fantasy and trick of fame / Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot / Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, / Which is not tomb enough and continent / To hide the slain?” (Shakespeare, 4.4. 63-68). The Norwegian army going into battle for a low valued piece of land results in the Elizabethan audience witnessing the economic hardships associated with war. The Elizabethan audience would’ve automatically understood the significance of a nation going to war even if there is nothing to gain economically, since that is what England has done in the past. An example being, Eighty Years’ War, which was occurring at the time this play was performed. The weaponry used in these battles and the soldier’s lives cost more than the land they are fighting for. However, the battle has to occur because the winner would receive both power and honour, an imminent cultural aspect at the time, which ties into the next

England during Elizabethan era followed Christianity, which meant that the audience in the Globe Theatre were almost all Christians. In Hamlet’s rant he subliminally mentions his intent to kill King Claudius for revenge, “I do not know / Why yet I live to say ‘This thing’s to do.’ / Sith I have cause and will and strength and means / To do’t” (4.4. 46-50). This would have caused a social ethical dilemma for the audience because of their personal opinion of Christian Doctrine and the Honor Code. One can be certain that some of the audience were grunting, while others were cheering of Hamlet’s choice. The Christian audience would be strict believers in Christian moral values. However, they would have also understood Hamlet’s reasoning to avenge his father’s death, which would be in line with the Honour Code and bring back respect to the family name. Shakespeare created this dilemma in the play specifically to stir a reaction from the audience because back then plays were made with the sole purpose to be played live with no recording in front of an audience. This would result in the Elizabethan audience socially discussing with peers and thinking about the play, even after it was over in order to solve the dilemmas, since they could not simply watch a recording and analyse it. All of this talk would make more people want to view the play in order