Christian Morals versus Barbaric Customs in Hamlet Essay -- Shakespear

Christian Morals versus Barbaric Customs in village critical point, by William Shakespeare, is a tragical play set in Denmark during the early seventeenth century. It was written at the same time the Bible was being translated by King James. Like the Bible, Hamlet is full of problems that all humans experience. These problems are best seen through the internal struggle of Prince Hamlet. The source of Hamlets internal struggle, which is the direct contrast of his Christian education versus Denmarks roughshod customs, is developed throughout the play through the use of imagery, characterization, and theme. Imagery is used to show how Hamlets Christian morals differ from Denmarks customs. Ay, marry, ist But to my mind,-though I am indigene here, And to the manner born,-it is a custom More honourd in the breach than the observance. This heavy-headed revel east and west Makes us traducd and taxd of other nations They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase prim er coat our addition and, indeed, it takes From our achievements, though performd at height, The pith and marrow of our attribute. (I,iv,13-22) Hamlet is referring to Denmarks custom of drinking alcohol just to get drunk. Claudius is whimsically toasting to Denmark while Hamlet tells Horatio that Denmark is known as a country of drunkards. For this reason Hamlet is not proud of his origins. Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent steamed me so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abused but know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy fathers purport Now wears his crown. (I,v,35) King Hamlet is telling his son that his murderer is wearing the Kings crown. Shakespear... ...6. Boklund, Gunnar. Hamlet. Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ Princeton University Press, 1965. Epstein, Norrie. One of Destinys Casualties. Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of The Friendly Shakespeare A well Painless to the Best of the Bard. new(a) York Viking Penguin, 1993. p. 332-34. Gooch, Bryan N. S. Review of The Shapes of Revenge Victimization, Vengeance, and Vindictiveness in Shakespeare. Early Modern Literary Studies 4.1 (May, 1998) 5.1-6 http//purl.oclc.org/emls/04-1/rev_goo6.html. Jorgensen, Paul A. Hamlet. William Shakespeare the Tragedies. Boston Twayne Publ., 1985. N. pag. http//www.freehomepages.com/hamlet/other/jorg-hamlet.html Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. T. J. B. Spencer. New York Penguin, 1996.