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Religion In Hamlet

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When it comes to things in this world that people fear the most, almost nothing makes mankind quake more than death. Religion itself, one of the core components of society and culture, came about as an explanation for mortality and the afterlife. The classic tragedy Hamlet is no exception, as the stench of murders and ironic demises reek throughout the entirety of the play. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, death is a prevalent subject; Hamlet’s opinion on the topic evolves from a want for the sweet release of death, but tinged with a fear of the afterlife, to a bitter acceptance that death is inevitable and that one cannot control one’s fate. In the very end of his existence, Hamlet dies peacefully because of this knowledge. In the first couple of acts of the play, Hamlet desires to commit suicide instead of being forced …show more content…

As mentioned previously, Hamlet is afraid of the uncertainty of the afterlife. However, he realizes in the later acts of the play that in death, all are equal. “We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table. That’s the end” (4.3.25-28). In this interaction with the king, Hamlet says that maggots will end up eating and overpowering everyone in the end. When people are dead and gone, it doesn’t matter what their status in life was or what they did while alive; they will simply became sustenance for some of the lowest and nastiest creatures in this cruel, cruel world. One could have killed a thousand people or been a saint, but no matter what, he or she will receive the same physical fate. Despite one’s actions in life, the body will eventually be consumed by maggots and turned to dust. Death doesn’t discriminate between the best of the best and the worst of the worst. At this point, Hamlet has learned what happens after death – at least when it comes to one’s

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Hamlet from Hamlet asserts, “To die, to sleep-- No more--and by a sleep to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation.” (Act 3, Sc 1) Hamlet believes that death is the only way out. Death is to be embraced because it is the only way to escape the pain from this world. Death was an eye opener in a different way to Hamlet.

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A person who lives their life to the fullest does not see death as a setback; they have gone through many experiences, and their life has been lived. Hamlet experiences this by saying “Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar” (4.3.34–35). Hamlet accepts that all things die, and everything will turn to dust equally. This shows fear of death, but it also shows acceptance by looking out for the future of the kingdom and making a decision before

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Death seems to be the biggest mystery in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. From the start of the play with the Ghost of Hamlets father appearing to avenge his death, to Hamlet’s most popular “To be or Not to be” soliloquy, and to the plays bloody conclusion; the uncertainty of death seems to always be on our protagonist mind. Death has become a recurring theme throughout this whole play. His thoughts of death range from death in a spiritual matter, the truth and uncertainty in what death may bring, and the question of his own death.

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“To die:—to sleep: No more; and, by a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.” ( Act III, scene1, line 60). Hamlet talked about death in a horrible manor because people wouldn’t let him grief he talked about it a disease and was not suppose to happen that people should live forever. This is an example of how many people deal with the grieving process they may cry , get angry, or accept it but in Hamlets case he rejects it and was

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Hamlet brings up complex questions about life and death, and what it means to live. Josh Hirsh’s book on this soliloquy, The “To be, or not to be’’ Speech: Evidence, Conventional Wisdom, and the Editing of Hamlet, addresses the idea of the Christian prohibition of suicide, although it isn't mentioned explicitly. Committing suicide was considered a sin to Catholic audiences because they believed no one can justify the intentional taking of an innocent human life. In fact, they strongly believed suicide would deprive society of the contribution and activity of an individual, and that it usurped the function of God.

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(5.1.208-18) this quote shows us that Hamlet believes that no matter what one did or were, even the most powerful and honoured person will end up being one with the earth to be used simply as a clay to fix a hole in the wall. Almost all of the characters succumb to death in the end however each death has different causes, for instance, Ophelia’s death is presumed to be a suicide and once Hamlet finds out he declares his undoubted love for her “'Swounds, show me what thou'lt do: / Woo’t drink up eisel? eat a crocodile? I’ll do ’t. / To outface me with leaping in her grave? Be buried quick with her, and so will I” (5.1.275-80) this is one of the fist times Hamlet truly reveals his feelings since feigning madness, even though he never expresses any remorse or responsibility for inadvertently causing her death. When Hamlet finally comes face to face with his plot to avenge his father, it unintentionally leads to the deaths of the rest of the characters, except for Horatio who promises to tell the tragic

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Sent into a downward spiral, Hamlet was dignifiedly insane about this family dilemma, he described it as “O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd, His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God, How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world!” (Hamlet 1.2.133-138). Here, Hamlet describes his wish to disappear or that suicide would not be a sin, explaining how his life is sad and pointless and how his father was a far better king and husband. Contemplating suicide and murder, the unhinged Hamlet took actions necessary to avenge his father’s murder.

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To add on to Hamlet’s stress is the possibility that something might lie “after death”(III.i.79). The fear that whatever comes after death is unknown is one of the many reasons Hamlet does not want to kill himself. Hamlet is sane because some people today still have a fear about how what comes after death is unknown. Hamlet’s behavior begins to change when they prepare to show the play that Hamlet wrote to everyone in the castle. Hamlet acts disrespectful towards his mother once again declining the seat she offered him and sitting next to Ophelia instead.

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548 Words | 3 Pages

In this soliloquy, Hamlet expresses both his fear of death and longing for it. The part I feel a connection to is the fear. Fear of death and what comes after is something that has always been with me, ever since I was a kid. The concept of life after death and what happens to us when we die is a thing I can not wrap my mind around. Are we “travelers” like Hamlet says or are we just going to fade into nothingness?

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817 Words | 4 Pages

The pain that he is experiencing due to his father’s death and his mother’s dalliances can only be resisted by his faith and his belief in better and worse. Hamlet fears a damnation to Hell, and hopes for an easy passage to heaven, yet in a situation that many find hopeless, it is through his faith in God that Hamlet is able to resist the temptations of death. Throughout the play, Shakespeare emphasizes this intense faith that Hamlet possess and how it is a guiding force in many of his choices. Yet lack of faith can be even more telling. “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below;/ Words without thoughts never to heaven go” (Shakespeare,

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175 Words | 1 Pages

Why are we afraid of death? Hamlet realizes that it’s because we don’t know what happens when we die. No one who dies ever returns, so we can not know what happens in the afterlife. Uncertainty in death is a major theme in Hamlet, and is the cause of many of Hamlet’s soliloquies.

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1250 Words | 5 Pages

In the “To be or not to be” soliloquy, Hamlet says, “To die, to sleep/ No more—and by a sleep to say we end/ The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/ That flesh/ is heir to—’tis a consummation/ Devoutly to be wished!”(3.1 61-64) Proving that he is so distraught about taking action against his uncle that he believes that death would be an easier alterative to losing his purity and innocence. He ultimately decides that suicide is not the answer, “With this regard their currents turn awry/ And lose the name of action,” (3.1 88-89) because he cannot take the uncertainty of the afterlife. This entire soliloquy also highlights Hamlets delayed action to his problems.

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2157 Words | 9 Pages

Despite all of this they still ended up reduced to dust just like Yorick. Thanks to this epiphany Hamlet was finally rid of his fear of death and also made him realize the pointlessness of life. Even though death was still shrouded in mystery for him, he at least did not fear it anymore as he realized that it is inevitable and that every man has to face it. This experience, which was closely followed by fighting on top of a corpse, made him undersand that no matter what a man accomplishes in his life, death would ultimately be victorious. There is no man more powerful than

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1156 Words | 5 Pages

When Hamlet encounters his Father death, he becomes obsessed with death itself. He begins to wonder if suicide is the answer to end his suffering. In the play, hamlet says “O, that this too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew”(I.ii.133-138).

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847 Words | 4 Pages

In his soliloquy, he is asking himself whether it is better to live or to die, which he is considering to commit suicide. Also, in the soliloquy, Hamlet states that “Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?” (3.1.84-90). He explains that no one would like to live in an exhausting life, unless they don’t know what is going to happen after they die because they are afraid of what their after life is going to be. Both these quotes prove that the death symbol is always surrounded by Hamlet and he has a hard time to choose between life and

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