William Shakespeare 's Hamlet - Hamlet Religion And The Self

The Ghost in Hamlet cleared out the event that Hamlet was uncertain of. The spirit clarified the death of King Hamlet, and caused Hamlet to perform his evil deeds. The Ghost’s request to avenge him caused the death of Hamlet’s family, friends, and eventually himself; therefore, the spirit can be viewed as evil because it failed the four tests that was set by Lewes Lavater and the Church.

The Ghost in Hamlet is a widely controversial topic with arguments determining whether the Ghost is a “goblin damn’d” or a “spirit of health.” (1.4.40) “‘A spirit of health’ is one, which comes from heaven with charitable intentions, and ‘a goblin damn’d’ is one, which comes from Hell with wicked intentions.” The Ghost only has two appearances in the play and is a symbol for uncertainty, yet it is important as it catalyses the play into action and also Hamlet into madness. The Ghost in Hamlet is an evil spirit returning to revenge his killer Claudius; which is a questionable action for a Catholic person leading the audience to believe that the Ghost is evil. He pressures Hamlet into revenging Claudius while destroying Hamlet’s

that it was on death that the soul either went to Heaven or Hell, thus

Hamlet questions the true intentions of the ghost and whether it be “a spirit of health or goblin damn’d,” (1.4.669). The Ghost enlightens the Prince of the treason committed by his uncle Claudius, which Hamlet doubts the legitimacy for an instance. According to “Hamlet’s Precarious Emotional Balance,” “Hamlet conceives a way out of his uncertainty, a way to make certain that he has not, because of his melancholy, simply hallucinated the ghost's revelations or been tricked by an evil spirit,” (Lidz). Hamlet develops a scheme to “catch the conscience of the king” by staging a play that depicts the murder of King Hamlet precisely (2.2.581).

The number and variety of religion has so many numerous beliefs and religious practices that people have a hard time to decide exactly on one religion. The main religion that people know and believe is Christianity which practices the belief that there is a god and Jesus Christ. Religion is not really about demanding and making rules on people for what they should do. It is more of different people believing in what they want and then what they want to do with it. Religion is a common thing that is known around the world and to many people. It is also a common reference that people use in books, for example in Hamlet. Religion is an important concept to know on understanding Hamlet better because of the power of their kings, how people based there beliefs on signs and symbols, and the certain symbols that they would use.

 It is a commonplace to refer to Hamlet’s “dilemma” and a critical problem to explain in what this dilemma consists. A natural way to come to terms with the problem is obviously through the character that forces the dilemma upon Hamlet, that is to say, the Ghost. This is a particularly attractive approach, since it promises to bring the findings of modern research into Elizabethan

Hamlet is insure of whether the ghost is good or evil. This is evident when the ghost appears and Hamlet questions him repeatedly while contrasting ideas of good and evil. Hamlet asks the ghost if it is "a spirit of health, or goblin damned," whether it "bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell" and if its "intents [are] wicked or charitable." This repetition of questions emphasises Hamlet's uncertainty about the ghost and highlights his fear that it may be a dishonest and evil spirit trying to damn Hamlet to hell by getting him to commit murder, and so Hamlet struggles to undertake his duty to avenge his father's death.

This belief relates to the play because the Ghost of Hamlet’s father decides to visit Denmark and makes everyone question his visitation. Clark states that ghosts appear to “obtain revenge”, although this appears to be true as to the reason Hamlet’s father’s Ghost appears, it is not the actual reason. The Ghost is there to ask Hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (Shakespeare 57). In other words, the Ghost is not there to seek revenge physically, but to have Hamlet seek revenge on Claudius for killing him. The Ghost makes his visitation to specifically ask Hamlet to seek revenge on his murderer; however, he does not force Hamlet to seek revenge. Since the ghost does not force Hamlet to seek revenge he appears to the audience that he is a good ghost because he does not hurt anyone and does not appear violet. Therefore, because the Ghost has not been physical this situation allows the audience to become aware that he is a good ghost.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is widely regarded as one of the greatest tragedies in English literature. Written near the turn of the 17th century, there were new branches of Christianity appearing and the traditional Roman Catholic hold on power was waning, throwing the whole of Europe was in religious chaos. Nonetheless, the existence of a supreme being known as God was recognized in any branches, and strict adherence to religion was necessary for all the people of that age. It is important to examine the historical setting to fully understand some of the play’s subtler connotations. The protagonist of the play, Hamlet, is one of the most famous tragic heroes in existence, but the character’s fatal flaw is that he does not believe in God

Faith can be defined as a set of religious doctrines. Religious faith is staying loyal to these doctrines. Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare at an uncertain date between 1599 and 1602. So, has the Hamlet demonstrated religious faith? It is known that William Shakespeare did not follow any one religion.

The images created by Old Hamlet’s speech coincide with Catholic beliefs about Purgatory and what purpose it serves. Another fact which also lends credibility to Catholicism’s supposed importance in the context of the play is that of the “revenge tragedy” and its origins in Catholic nations. The revenge tragedy as a narrative construct has its roots in Spanish and Italian literature, with Spain and Italy playing the parts of strongly Catholic nations at this period in time. Also noteworthy is the possibility of viewing Hamlet’s apparent reluctance to take revenge and kill Claudius as an internal struggle resulting from a paradox created by the Catholic faith. While it is universally accepted that a Catholic’s duty is to God above all else, it is stated in the New

The Christian religion mandates a multitude of things, both within and outside of the ten Commandments. Among them: thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not covet, that one should forgive those who have wronged them no matter how heinous their crimes. Hamlet is set during a time when religion is important to most people, including the main characters. Regardless, throughout the duration of the play, they all do things that are against their faith, and their actions often lead them to a disastrous end. As in just about every work of literature, there is no story if there is not at least a single person that dared to defy the laws set in place by a higher or divine power. However, this is not the only reason why religion

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is one of the most famous tragedies William Shakespeare has ever written. Found throughout Shakespeare’s tragedy are many religious references. According to Peter Milward, the author of Shakespeare's Christianity: The Protestant and Catholic Poetics of Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and Hamlet, “From a purely religious point of view, which is more than just biblical, Hamlet is rich in homiletic material of all kinds, reflecting almost every aspect of the religious situation in a deeply religious age” (Milward 9). These pieces of religious literature are crucial to the plot of Hamlet. The religious elements found in this tragedy provide the plot, allusions, and foreshadowing.

To start with, the ghost heavily influences the development of a few characters in the play which includes Hamlet and his friends. In the opening act, Hamlet’s friends encounter the ghost of the former king while standing guard on the wall of the castle. They are the first and only characters besides Hamlet that the ghost influences. They are also the only ones besides Hamlet that can see the ghost. This furthers the story by sending Hamlet’s friends on a mission to tell him of his father’s return. From the beginning of the play Hamlet is already depressed and down after being called home from school to return to Denmark to witness the funeral of his father. Following the funeral Hamlet meets up with his friends where they tell him of his father’s ghost. Immediately, this sparks Hamlet’s interest and he wishes to hear more of his father. ‘The king my father!/For God’s love, let me hear.” (1.2.192-95 Hamlet) Here Shakespeare shows Hamlet’s interest in the matter

Hamlet and Laertes contemplate religious consequences in different ways. Throughout the play Hamlet worries about the religious consequence of his actions, while Laertes does not worry himself with the issue. In the beginning of the play during a soliloquy in which Hamlet is criticizing his miserable situation, he exclaims that “ O that this too too solid flesh would met,/ Thaw and resolve itself into a dew,/ Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/ His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter. O God! O God!”(1.2.131-134). Although Hamlet has these suicidal thoughts, he recognizes that to act on them would be an act against God, and therefore he cannot act against them due to his moral code. Shakespeare uses this recognition to exemplify Hamlet’s