Paul Adrian Fried / HAMLET'S BIBLE

Christianity's central mysteries & teachings in Hamlet 1.1: INCARNATION : Marcellus speaks of “ that season... / Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated.” The conception & birth of Christ claims God is not distant, but one like & among us (Emmanuel as "God-with-us," Mt1:22-23). TEACHINGS : Horatio says, “A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye,” which alludes to Mt 7:1-5 & Lk 6:41: take the plank from our own eye before taking the mote of dust from a neighbor’s eye; judge not that you be not judged. [P.S. The idea that we should judge ourselves before judging others is an extension of the second of two of the laws that Jesus identified as most important (love god, and love neighbor as self, or do unto others as you'd have them do unto you). The scripture passage that contains this "mote in the eye" reference also contains the "measure for measure" reference, a favorite of Shakespeare's, which became the title of ...

In the Luke 24:13-35 Emmaus story: (1) Mentor and fearless leader Jesus is crucified. (2) Two troubled disciples head to Emmaus (D to E); (3) A stranger joins them, cheers them, explains scripture; in other words, the stranger does for them a number of the things Jesus had done. (4) they recognize the stranger as Jesus in breaking of bread (one of two main elements at table at the Last Supper, the other being wine). This is not unlike stories from older Greek tales, where Zeus and Hermes, in disguise, are welcomed as guests in the humble home of Baucis and Philemon. The basic idea is that gods or supernatural beings share a meal with mortals. In Hamlet, (1) Mentor and fearless leader King Hamlet is murdered. (2) Two troubled Danes (Hamlet and Horatio) head to Elsinore (D to E). (3) A stranger/gravedigger cheers them with wit (in other words, does for Hamlet the kinds of foolery that Yorick had once done),      and explains death & decay (a secular versio...

THANK YOU to all who've read my posts on SHAKESPEARE, HAMLET, & THE BIBLE this past year! Below: Key posts, articles, & links in case you missed any, or if you’re newly arrived to the party. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HAMLET'S BIBLE: My Book Project  https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2017/05/hamlets-bible-my-book-project-im.html THE GHOST OF JONAH HAUNTS HAMLET https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-ghost-of-jonah-haunts-hamlet.html EMMAUS in Hamlet https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2018/05/emmaus-in-hamlet-in-emmaus-story-1.html EMMAUS in MERCHANT OF VENICE https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2019/01/emmaus-in-merchant-of-venice-in.html THE GHOST OF LAZARUS HAUNTS HAMLET https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-ghost-of-lazarus-haunts-hamlet.html HAMLET, "FELL SERGEANT DEATH" & MT 5:23-26 https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2018/02/hamlet-fell-sergeant-death-matt-523-26.html VALENTINE & CLAUDIUS in H...

EMMAUS IN MERCHANT OF VENICE In THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, one can find a surprising variation on EMMAUS: The biblical tale of the disciples on the road to Emmaus is structured like this: 1. A mentor (Jesus) suffers (crucifixion & death). 2. Disciples on the road are troubled by all of this. 3. They meet a stranger they do not recognize who comforts them and explains things (scripture). 4. A physical sign (breaking bread) reveals the stranger’s identity (Jesus). In Merchant of Venice, a twist: 1. Mentor Antonio suffers apparent financial losses & threat of death (many scholars view him as a Christ-figure). 2. Bassiano & Gratiano are troubled and go to Venice (to save Antonio with Portia’s money). 3. They meet a stranger (Portia disguised) who explains mercy, salvation, & law to the court, and saves Antonio. 4. Bassanio & Gratiano reluctantly give their wedding rings as signs of gratitude, breaking their ring-vows instead of bread. Physical signs (ri...