Since the publication of William Shakespeare‘s play ‘Hamlet' there have been many different interpretations to approach the text. The following paper focuses on the historical context of the play. Shakespeare lived in a time full of change and rearrangement of perspectives and beliefs. The drama is a genre that was the main source of entertainment in Shakespeare‘s time. Shakespeare´s plays can be divided into three groups: the historical plays that focus on the narration of events in the English monarchy, his comedies and his tragedies. The last two, as they are fictive, are the direct outcome of Shakespeare´s personal perception of his time. One of the characteristics of tragedies is the rise and downfall of a tragic hero, who can either have good intentions as Hamlet or who can be the evil part of the play right from the beginning like Richard III or Macbeth. A tragic hero with good intentions, however, becomes even more tragic: Hamlet tries to set all the things right that seem wrong in his kingdom, but he fails and becomes the victim of his own actions. A hero that seems to look for his place in court, as it has been actively rearranged by his uncle Claudius. Into his great mourning for his father, who has recently died, a ghost appears and tells him to revenge his murder. Hamlet finds himself in a situation full of insecurity and uncertainty, as he can not even be sure about the ghost‘s identity.
Shakespeare lived from 1564-1616, a time that we call the Renaissance Age. Even though art and music seemed to focus on the values of the ancient world, we can find many major discoveries in philosophy and science that changed the whole perspective people had on the world and on humanity. This paper tries to reveal what influence this new world-picture and the existence of man had on Shakespeare‘s writing, especially on his longest play ‘Hamlet‘.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Renaissance world-picture
2.1. Definition of the term "world-picture"
2.2. Renaissance world-picture
3. Hamlet – a tragic hero of his time
3.1. The appearance of the ghost
3.2. Hamlet´s place in court
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
5.1. Primary Literature
5.2. Secondary literature
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the influence of the shifting Renaissance worldview, particularly the Copernican revolution, on William Shakespeare’s tragedy "Hamlet". The primary research objective is to analyze how the transition from a geocentric to a heliocentric universe contributed to the prevailing atmosphere of anxiety, uncertainty, and despair in the play.
- The transition from medieval geocentric perspectives to heliocentric models.
- The psychological and social impact of a "shattered" world-picture on human identity.
- The representation of uncertainty through supernatural elements like the ghost.
- The role of political turmoil and the rearrangement of court structures as mirrors of cosmic disorder.
- Hamlet as a personification of Renaissance-era existential despair.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2. Hamlet´s place in court
Hamlet has just returned to Denmark from his studies in Wittenberg. He finds his whole world shattered. Nothing seems as it used to be. After his father´s death, his mother has married Claudius, who is king of Denmark now, regardless of Hamlet´s right to inherit the throne from his father. These facts also affect Hamlet´s own position in court. He used to be the son whose perspective it was to inherit the throne one day and become king of Denmark himself. Now he is the betrayed one, whose mother does not seem to be mourning about her husband´s death anymore, even though it was only some months ago that he died. Hamlet´s own 'universe', the court, has lost its order, its structure and he himself has lost his place in this order. His mother seems like a stranger to him, as she is not willing to share his mourning.
Claudius himself expresses the change in the order in court: "Our sometime sister, now our queen" (1.2.8) he says in regard to Gertrude. He even admits that the memory of his brother´s death is still fresh: "The memory be green, and that it us befitted/ to bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom/ to be contracted in one brow of woe“ (1.2.2-4). Referring to Hamlet he states: "But now my cousin Hamlet, and my son - " (1.2.65). Identities have been changed, relationships are not clear to define anymore. Claudius has taken an active part in rearranging positions in the kingdom. His evil action is what caused this uncertain and doubtful atmosphere.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the research focus, situating Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" within the historical context of the Renaissance, a time of major scientific and social change.
2. Renaissance world-picture: This section defines the concept of a "world-picture" and explores the shift from a medieval geocentric universe to the heliocentric theory proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus.
3. Hamlet – a tragic hero of his time: This main part analyzes the play as a reflection of its time, examining how the themes of the ghost’s appearance and the chaos in the Danish court mirror contemporary existential anxiety.
4. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that Hamlet serves as a perfect mirror for the despair and identity crises caused by the collapse of the traditional, hierarchical worldview.
5. Bibliography: This section lists the primary and secondary sources utilized for the research and analysis within the paper.
Keywords
William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Renaissance, Copernicus, Heliocentrism, World-picture, Tragic hero, Existentialism, Uncertainty, Elizabethan era, Philosophical shift, Human identity, Court politics, Literary criticism, Scientific revolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper explores the relationship between the shifting scientific and philosophical worldview of the Renaissance and the existential themes presented in William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet".
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The central themes include the transition from a geocentric to a heliocentric universe, the psychological impact of this paradigm shift, and how these changes are reflected in the character of Hamlet and the political environment of the play.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to demonstrate how the scientific upheaval of the Renaissance created a cultural atmosphere of uncertainty that Shakespeare effectively captured in the despair and disorientation of his tragic protagonist.
Which scientific method is applied in this analysis?
The work employs a qualitative, historical-literary analysis, linking primary text citations from "Hamlet" with historical and philosophical secondary sources regarding the Copernican revolution.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section investigates the definition of "world-picture," the historical transition caused by Copernicus, the symbolic role of the ghost, and the displacement of Hamlet within his own social and political sphere.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Renaissance, Shakespeare, Hamlet, Heliocentrism, existential despair, and the changing worldview of the early 17th century.
How does the author define the "world-picture" in the Renaissance context?
It is defined as the collective knowledge of the world and humanity's position within it, which was fundamentally shattered by the move away from the belief that Earth was the center of the universe.
What role does the appearance of the ghost play in the author's argument?
The ghost serves as a catalyst for anxiety and reflects the uncertainty regarding the truth and reality of the world, mirroring how the society of that time felt about their changing perception of the universe.
- Quote paper
- Antonia Lilie (Author), 2011, The existence of man in Renaissance philosophy and its influence on Shakespeare‘s "Hamlet", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/182016
