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How Does Shakespeare Use Biblical Allusions In Hamlet

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William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the tragedy of consequences that stems from evil crimes. The play begins with the appearance of the ghost of King Hamlet, following the sudden marriage of Hamlet’s mother and uncle. On the surface Prince Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, “seems” interested in the state of Denmark and being Hamlet’s new “father”; however, it is apparent that underneath the façade, Claudius is selfish and manipulative. It is later revealed, that Claudius commits an “unnatural” deed of murdering his own brother to satisfy two of his desires: the throne and his need to have Gertrude to himself. Shakespeare uses biblical allusions to illustrate the heinous crime that Claudius commits for his own ambition.
Claudius, being the devious Machiavelli …show more content…

- won to his shameful lust
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen. (1.5.42-45)
The Ghost is referring to the Bible story of The Fall, comparing Claudius to the serpent that had caused the Garden of Eden to be snatched away from Adam and Eve. Claudius, himself, has taken away Old Hamlet’s own Garden of Eden: his throne, his wife, and his own life; without even giving him the opportunity to be forgiven for his sins, thus causing him to be stuck in purgatory for an indefinite amount of time. Additionally, similar to how the serpent had seduced Eve into biting the apple, Claudius had seduced Gertude into marrying …show more content…

During Claudius’ confession he says “O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven, / It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, / A brother’s murder” (3.3.36-38). The “primal eldest curse” is indicative for the very first murder in the bible- a brother kills a brother. Claudius is directly comparing his sin with the very sin, Cain had committed in the bible. Claudius is that he did not commit murder for noble reasons. He did it for “My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen” (3.3.55), but what makes Claudius such a complex character is that he s has a conscience. He reveals this when he says “O, 'tis true! / How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience” (3.1.49-50). With this in mind, it cannot be forgotten that Claudius revokes his decision to ask for forgiveness for his sins. He realizes that if does ask for forgiveness he will have to relinquish his “wicked prizes”. Defeated by this knowledge, he says “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: / Words without thoughts never to heaven go”

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