Renaissance Ideals in Shakespeare's Hamlet
Shakespeare is referred to as a Renaissance writer, specifically an Elizabethan poet and playwright. Through his many works he displays the Renaissance thought and concerns, and Hamlet is no exception. Through Hamlet's contemplation of death, his character is solidly connected to the ideals of the Renaissance. The Renaissance is considered a period of rebirth for culture and learning. It is traditionally identified at the period of European history that closes the Middle Ages, spanning from the 14th to the mid-17th centuries. Considered the beginning of the modern world, the Renaissance period experienced a rebirth of ancient Greek philosophies, and a renewed interest in classical art forms and sensitivities. Many artists began to explore and expand the work done in the classical age, concentrating on the human form and the depiction of ancient mythologies. Mathematics was also of extreme importance at the time, often considered to have potential to reveal profound and universal truths. One particularly interesting philosophical movement is referred to as Renaissance Humanism. This movement concentrated on exploring Man's place in nature, considering mankind as a part of nature as opposed to the Medieval culture that conside
Typically Renaissance thinking, it can be seen ass a departure from the orthodox Christian belief in an afterlife which is clearly set out, where one can expect to end up in heaven, purgatory, or hell. The idea of death during the Renaissance was still one of trepidation, but not because of divine retribution, but because it is wildly unknown and uncharted territory. But that the dread of something after death,The undiscovered country, from whose bournNo traveler returns, puzzles the willAnd makes us rather bear those ills we have,Than fly to others we know not of. This certainly made sense since the medical knowledge of the day could not explain the horrible plagues that wiped out entire populations, or other such tragic events. Whether Hamlet can make a difference is skillfully ambiguous in this play. Hamlet's death at the end of the play ensures that, though Hamlet will inevitably answer all of his metaphysical questions by entering the realm of the dead himself, he is unable to provide any comfort or information to the audience. Though there are many other ways in which Hamlet reflects the ideals of the Renaissance, the concept and consideration of death are prominent throughout the work. There always seems to be something more to him lurking beneath the surface. The difference he made in the physical world, though radical, may only be the very beginning of the events to unfold in the afterlife. red man apart from nature, considering him privileged and removed from the base considerations of animals. For example, after killing Polonius and disposing of the remains, Hamlet rather cryptically informs Claudius about the nature of both dead and living matter:Hamlet: A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a King, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm. Hamlet has essentially been uprooted from his life, which he found safe and comfortable to deal with some serious psychological issues all alone. One such archaic belief that was left behind in the previous centuries was the sense that tragedies, both personal and widespread, were great punishments for sins. Another scene where death is considered in a typically Renaissance way is in the famous graveyard scene.
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,
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