USING SCRIPTURE AS A WEAPON in Hamlet 1.2

In his book, Hamlet in Purgatory, Stephen Greenblatt shows how the English government and church took the protestant view that the fate of the dead can’t be changed by prayers of the living; they encouraged briefer mourning, in harmony with Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 38:17-21. Mourn the dead, but don’t forget to live.

Yet Hamlet’s mourning is an embarrassment to Gertrude, who deprived her son of the throne by marrying Claudius. She fears he might be putting on a show of grief as a quiet tantrum for not being made king. Hamlet denies that it is merely show.

Claudius turns helpful biblical advice into aggressive insults against Hamlet’s manhood and faith. He fears that Hamlet’s mourning may contain a hint of rebellion against his having usurped the throne meant for the prince, since Claudius used an improper or “incestuous” marriage to achieve his ends.

Both Gertrude and Claudius turn the good advice of scripture into a weapon against Hamlet to justify their own questionable actions. Shakespeare was keenly aware that even the best of insights in scripture can be abused, including by kings and queens.

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[Originally posted around the week of 6/25/18
on LinkedIn]
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Links to a description of my book project:
On LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/eJGBtqV
On this blog: https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2017/05/hamlets-bible-my-book-project-im.html
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#Shakespeare #Bible #Hamlet #Literature #LiteraryCriticism #Drama #Theatre #EarlyModern #religion #Renaissance #EnglishLiterature
#purgatory #reformation