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Perspectives Of Hamlet During The Elizabethan Era

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Perspectives of Hamlet during the Elizabethan Era
By: Aanshi Gandhi
One of the many beautiful aspects of art is that it gets perceived in many unique ways depending on the viewer’s cultural, political and social views and standpoints. Literature experiences different interpretations all the time and authors use this to their advantage to create a piece of work which remains evergreen. Shakespeare evidently utilises this technique in his most intriguing, and fascinating literary piece, Hamlet. Stuck in a tricky dilemma, the protagonist, Hamlet, must decide to avenge his father’s death by murdering the guilty one or to remain silent. Out of the many famous soliloquies of Hamlet, the climactic speech focuses on committing the physical deed of …show more content…

How stand I then,
That have a father killed, a mother stained,
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep—while, to my shame, I see
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? Oh, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! (IV. iv. 31-66).
This passage could be taken in various ways with differing cultural, political, and social values and beliefs held in diverse audiences of varying beliefs such as those in the Elizabethan era. To begin, while hearing the passage by Hamlet, the cultural viewpoints of the audience in the Elizabethan era would be mutual, and sympathetic. During the Elizabethan times, honour, and reputation of one, and their family was the biggest priority. This precedence was especially elevated for a son with a wrongfully deceased father (Revenge). Therefore, with Hamlet deciding to actually seek revenge of his father’s murder; it would have been an example of him defending his family along with his father’s honour which would be a commendable act. In the speech Hamlet says, “When honor’s at the stake. How stand I then / That have a father killed, a mother stained,” (IV. iv. 56-57). Hamlet compares the Norwegian army’s dedication to fight in defence of their honour without a reason, to

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