Paul Adrian Fried / HAMLET'S BIBLE

ON THE 12TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS IN CHURCHES OF SHAKESPEARE’S TIME, JANUARY 5, here are the scriptures congregations would have heard: In Psalm 5, David again assumes that God is vengeful and will come to his aid [1]. In Romans 4 we hear of works vs. faith, and again, of circumcision of the heart, a topic repeated in church every day since the Feast of the Circumcision [2]. (How does a character in a play outwardly manifest inner change?) Genesis 7 and 8 continue the Noah tale, referenced in at least two Shakespeare plays [3]. In Gen 7, the flood comes, 40 days and nights of rain. In Gen 8, rains stop, floods subside; all on the ark are saved. From December 30 (Paul’s shipwreck, with echoes of Pericles ) [4], to January 4-5, we get perils on water, a theme in many Shakespeare plays in which the sea features prominently [5]. Shakespeare had many sources for his plays, but the scriptures stories read in church that involved water – Noah, Moses parting the Red Sea, Jonah, Jesus walking on w...

[Detail from painting of the Transfiguration, by Raphael] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Hamlet’s meeting with the ghost in act 1, scenes 4-5, there is a dark and ironic variation on the Transfiguration, as told in the gospels (Mt 17:1–, Mk 9:2–, Lk 9:28–): Gospels: Jesus goes up on a mountain with three disciples: James, Peter, and the beloved John. Hamlet: the prince initially gets news of the ghost from three: Marcellus, Bernardo, and beloved friend Horatio. - All three, plus Hamlet, speak of Hamlet keeping watch with them that night, like Jesus with James, Peter, and the beloved John. Later, perhaps for dramatic efficiency's sake, Bernardo does not join them for the watch, so Hamlet goes to meet the ghost with only two, Horatio and Marcellus. Gospels: Jesus is transfigured in light and speaks with Elijah and Moses. Hamlet wears black and is darkly transfigured toward madness and revenge after speaking with the ghost who claims to be h...