Hamlet: A Modern Character
Hamlet is perhaps one of the most studied characters in literature. He has been a point of fascination for readers and audience for centuries perhaps for his enigmatic character. There is always more to him than what the other character in the story can see and what the audience seem to understand and even the most meticulous readers often feel that there is always more to learn about him. From his speech to his actions, it is quite apparent that there is something he is aware of that others are not, even though he says it in a less important manner. His ability to get into soliloquies and dialogues while changing his character rather effortlessly makes him one of Shakespeare’s most fascinating and impressive achievements. With the fascination that surrounds the character of Hamlet, one of the most outstanding ones is the fact that he seemed to be an individual who lived in the future. The story was written during the Renaissance period at a time where there was not only religious upheavals but also philosophical evolution brought by Galileo. It is for these reasons that some of the actions of Hamlet in the story make him to be regarded as a fictional character of the Renaissance period that makes him the first modern character in fiction.<\/p>
The Modernity of Hamlet
It is quite prudent to note that this seventeenth century play describes the solipsism and rage of an eponymous character who finds himself in a morale-compromising and a corrupt setting. In this play. Shakespeare subverts the conventions of the typical avenger that was often anticipated in the Elizabethan audiences (Bowers, 15). Hamlet is delineated as a modern, pragmatic, renaissance man who not only questions the morality of revenge but is also caught up in the ocentric society and renaissance humanism (Myers, 6). His religious beliefs delay the introspection. The initial scenes of the story show a royal family that is caught in disarray. The disarray in the royal family paints a picture of the corruption that dwells within the medieval Denmark. Hamlet’s character as a modern character is established in the motif of entrapment where “Denmark is a prison” and a corrupt setting from where the character wishes to escape. When he says that “Foul deeds will rise tough all the earth o’erwhelm them to men’s eyes” Hamlet is seen as an individual who faces an internal conflict between two different eras – the vileness that existed in the Elizabethan era, and the education and philosophy of the Renaissance.<\/p>
Hamlet as a Modern Existentialist
Hamlet may be considered a modern character since he anticipates philosophical questions raised by modern philosophers who believed in existentialism. Existentialism is a modern world concept that is founded on the assertion that the individual person is a responsible and free agent who has the ability to determine their own acts and developments out of free will. It is a concept that is often associated with the 19th and 20th century (Hossain, 2370). Existentialism often calls for an individual to accept nothingness and disorder as a means of avoiding the security blanket of delusion. If the blanket of delusion is torn abruptly, one finds themselves in a mora dilemma. In Shakespeare’s story, Hamlet finds himself in this situation. He weighs the morality of the revenge and learns about the adultery and murder that exists in his family. These revelations all shake up the order that existed in his previous life. He is faces with the prospect of choosing between what is morally right or wrong as he contemplates the presumable noble way of avenging the death of his father vis-à-vis his misanthropic perspective of human nature. It is quite apparent that the dilemma in which he finds himself is attributed to the fact that he realizes that whatever the consequences, the responsibility of the action solely lies on him as the architect of the revenge. The main question from Hamlet in the existence of the essence of humanity is “to be or not to be.” The opening line in his soliloquy underscores his conflict whether it is better to live or to die (Hossain, 2373).<\/p>
Hamlet's Critical Thinking and Religious Skepticism
Shakespeare wrote this book when the belief in God and religion was largely widespread. The main religion during this period was extensively although the church was facing upheavals and the religion Shakespeare is widely believed to be Anglican. However, he also had some Catholic affiliations based on textual evidence such as the Old Hamlet’s placement. Hamlet was himself a religious individual but subscribes to both old and new connotations of religion. Shakespeare plays the dichotomy between medieval and new religious views especially in the interaction between the Ghost and Hamlet. The Ghost in the story largely represents the Catholic attributes while Hamlet represents the Protestant Church (Alsaif, 134). Perhaps his religious denomination is largely attributed to the fact that he attended the same university as Martin Luther who led the revolt against the Catholic Church thus the establishment of the Protestant church. As a Protestant, Hamlet did not believe in the purported order, and rationality, as well as the fact that the universe was explainable. He questions most of the religious convictions of the era such as the idea of the rapture in the soliloquy where he states that “death is the undiscovered country, from which no traveler returns.” His skepticism and journey to find himself makes him a modern character. Besides, he was an individual who expressed individualism and expressed passion, self-doubt, lust, and depression, all in one character.<\/p>
The Enduring Enigma: Hamlet as a Modern Character
Hamlet is one of the most studied characters in fiction and literature. This fascination with the character in Shakespeare’s seventeenth century play “Hamlet” is brought by the fact that his character always reveals more than is shown. He is an individual who not only lives through the lenses of the seventeenth century but also through the perspectives of the modern world. It is quite apparent that in his actions and words as well as how he relates to the rest of the characters in the book, Hamlet is an individual who tends to preempt the future. He exudes the philosophies of modern times in his actions such as that of existentialism. He weighs his actions and his need for vengeance against the moral scale to determine his actions. However, his religiosity tends to delay his vengeance. Despite the fact that Hamlet is exceedingly shown to be a religious character, he questions a lot of the religious convictions of the Elizabethan era and shows the values of renaissance humanism. He is skeptical of the assertion that the world is rational and explainable and questions the vileness of the Elizabethan period against the education of the Renaissance. These traits in his personality underscore the fact that he is a modern character.<\/p>
Works Cited
Alsaif, Omar Abdulaziz. "The significance of religion in Hamlet." International Journal of English and Literature 3.6 (2012): 132-135.
Berry, Ralph. Shakespeare and the Awareness of Audience. Routledge, 2015.
Bowers, Fredson Thayer. Elizabethan revenge tragedy, 1587-1642. Princeton University Press, 2015.
Hossain, Md Amir. "The Impact of Existentialism in Shakespeare’s Hamlet." Journal of English Language and Literature 3.3 (2015): 2369-2132.
Myers, Jr. The Elizabethan world picture. Routledge, 2017.
