Eucharistic Allusions in Hamlet
Scholars have noticed many allusions in Hamlet to Eucharist and the mass (and argue whether they are more Protestant or Catholic). Here are a few:
[Image: David Tennant and Patrick Stewart in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Hamlet directed by Gregory Doran, 2008. Image from RSC (here), cropped. Fair use.]
1.5.84: The ghost says he was poisoned by his brother and died “Unhous'led,” meaning not having received Eucharist in the Last Rites.
1.5.98: He says “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me.” This recalls Jesus at the Last Supper: “Do this in memory of me.”
2.1.56-8: Polonius loses his train of thought and curses (“by the Mass”): “...what
was I about to say? By the Mass, I was about to say something.”
This would have been considered blasphemous. Polonius uses this curse again in 3.2.408.
2.2.555: When Polonius indicates he will give the players the kind of lodging he feels they deserve, Hamlet replies, “God’s bodykins, man! Much better!”
Some sources claim that “God’s bodykins” means “Christ’s little bodies,” meaning perhaps Eucharist, or all who receive it, or "God's dear body" (OED),
or pin, or dagger.
Others believe it refers to the nails used in the crucifixion.
[Consider: Protestants might prefer for "God's bodykins" to refer to daggers or the nails of the crucifixion, to avoid the implications of a possibly Catholic Shakespeare.]
4.3.20-35: Hamlet says Polonius is “at supper,” “Not where he eats, but where he is eaten.” This description fits not only Polonius, but also Jesus in the Eucharist ("Take and eat; this is my body"). Hamlet continues:
“A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king and eat of the fish that hath fed of that Worm.”
When asked by Claudius, “What dost thou mean by this?” Hamlet replies:
“Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar.”
Again, one might view Eucharist as a king (Jesus) going “progress through the guts of a beggar.”
5.1.184-7: The gravedigger tells of how Yorick once poured a flagon of Rhenish wine on his head. I have argued before that in this tale of poured wine, Hamlet recognizes the connection of the gravedigger to his beloved Yorick, as the disciples on the road to Emmaus recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread.
5.2.240-1: Hamlet apologizes to Laertes and asks for pardon, saying the fault was his madness. This takes place before what scholars call the “Black Mass” of Claudius. In the English church service, there was always a general confession before the “Mass” or communion service. So Hamlet’s confession of wrong to Laertes follows this pattern.
5.2.291 Claudius says he will throw a “union” or (later) pearl (5.2.306) into the cup of wine he called a "chalice" (a word associated with the mass) in 4.7.183.
The image of the white pearl held over the cup
recalls the image of the white host or wafer of bread held over the cup.
But in Claudius' hands, this is called a “Black Mass” because in this case, it is not a religious ritual, and Claudius means to poison Hamlet.
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Disclaimer: If and when I quote or paraphrase bible passages or mention religion in many of my blog posts, I do not intend to promote any religion over another, nor am I attempting to promote religious belief in general; only to point out how the Bible and religion may have influenced Shakespeare, his plays, and his age.
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Thanks for reading!
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My current project is a book tentatively titled Hamlet’s Bible, about biblical allusions and plot echoes in Hamlet.
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https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2019/12/top-20-hamlet-bible-posts.html
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