Death is something that all must face at some time or another or in one way or another. It is the ultimate equalizer in that in death the king is brought to the level of the peasant. The concept and theme of death whether it be its inevitability, power to bring one into the realization of truth, or ability to provide justice is a major and prevailing theme in the works of Hamlet, Dante's Inferno, and The Death of Ivan Ilych. By observing the role of death and the way it is portrayed in each work, one may be able to draw some conclusions about what the author believes not only about death, but also about life in the world we live in.
             In Hamlet the theme of death is very prevalent in different ways. Hamlet, after his own father's death, seems to be constantly thinking about and obsessing over the concept of death. The concept of life after death arises with the introduction of the ghost, Hamlet's dead father. Shakespeare also introduces this theme with Hamlet's thoughts about suicide. He wonders if it is better to simply die and forget all the pain and suffering in this world or to live and endure it. He yearns for death but is afraid of what will happen to him after death. This may show Shakespeare's possible belief in an afterlife of some kind or his own questions about what really happens after death. The physical aspect of death also arises quite often as Hamlet ponders it. In the cases of Yorick's skull and Polonius' body he expresses his thoughts of the inevitability of death no matter who a person is or claims to be. He speaks of the decay of the body and how all men are reduced to mere food for the worms as they turn to dust. This may reveal Shakespeare's own thoughts about the equality of all men in a simple world. People get so wrapped up in getting somewhere in this life but in the end they will all die and everything they've worked for will fade away. Death wil...