Paul Adrian Fried / HAMLET'S BIBLE

In this series of posts on Jacob and Hamlet, I’ve suggested that in Shakespeare’s play, certain elements in the text and its themes are either allusions to the biblical Jacob-Esau tales, or show an influence of those tales on Shakespeare’s development of the play. [1] These include - Laertes’ use of the phrase, “double blessing” ( see part 1 ); - the possibility that Laertes is an Esau figure, while Hamlet and Ophelia might be viewed as Jacob figures ( see part 1 ); - the idea of poetic justice in Hamlet as in part influenced by its presence in the Jacob tales ( see part 2 ); - the importance of maternal approval for marriage, not only for Jacob, but also for Ophelia and Hamlet, with Gertrude’s voice of approval ( see part 3 ). The impulse of some might be to take Laertes’ phrase, “double blessing” (1.3.57-59) and consult Naseeb Shaheen’s “Biblical References in Shakespeare’s Plays” (1999) as authoritative, or even as the last word. But Shaheen is of very limited help, even m...

Themes of marriage and maternal approval have some interesting connections when comparing the biblical Jacob tales with Shakespeare’s Hamlet: [1] Jacob’s mother plays a key role in favoring him for the birthright (Genesis 25:19-27), but also helping him deceive his father (Genesis 27:1-40). It is extremely important that Jacob receives encouragement and permission from his mother - who had coddled him, favored him - to go and seek a bride (Genesis 27:41-45) when his brother Esau is angry after learning that Jacob has deceived his father and received the birthright/blessing that Esau had expected. This permission and encouragement from Rebekah helps open a gap between mother and son that Freud and others would say is healthy. Queen Gertrude acts in similar motherly ways toward Ophelia as well as toward her son Hamlet. Ophelia’s mother is absent (like Hamlet's father; she is a feminine mirror image of Hamlet); like the ghost and Claudius, Polonius is a dysfunctional fathe...

In addition to Laertes’ “double blessing” remark (1.3.58), which points to the biblical Jacob story ( as noted in a previous post ) [1], note how in both Hamlet and the biblical Jacob tale, “purposes mistook” fall on the “inventor’s heads” (Horatio in (5.2.426-427)): What goes around comes around. A perennial theme. As Shakespeare develops this theme richly, echoing biblical themes, we are right to ask if Shakespeare was influenced by the Jacob story - besides a myriad of others, including biblical teachings. [2] DECEIVER BECOMES DECEIVED IN THE JACOB TALES (Gen 25-33): 1.a. By pretending to be his brother, Jacob deceives his father to obtain the birthright. - Later, his father-in-law Laban deceives Jacob on the wedding night, substituting the older sister Leah for the agreed-upon bride of Rachel. [3] 1.b. Jacob who struggles with sibling rivalry is later burdened with two wives, sisters who struggle with sibling-rivalry. IN HAMLET : 2.a. Hamlet tries to deceive the court, pretending...

LAERTES: …But here my father comes. A double blessing is a double grace. Occasion smiles upon a second leave. (1.3.57-59) This is a curious statement by Laertes before receiving advice from his father Polonius, with his father’s blessing, before he returns to France. Naseeb Shaheen believes the relevant biblical allusions here might be Isaiah 40:2, “Double grace, whereas she deserved double punishment,” and Ecclus. 26:15, “A shamefast and faithful woman is a double grace.” (542) [1] But this seems an example of how scholars like Shaheen and his predecessors [2] often prefer searching for words and phrases, rather than considering biblical tales and plots. So instead of asking, Where in the Bible we find the words, ‘Double blessing’ or ‘Double grace,’ scholars of Shakespeare and the Bible might do better to ask, In what biblical tale does a son receive a double (or second) blessing from a father? [3] One place is in the tales of Jacob and Esau, twins for whom there is c...