The Religious Confusion of "Hamlet"

Hamlet is a play about a young man grappling with a massive loss and a change in thinking within his life. After returning home to Denmark for his fathers’ funeral, Prince Hamlet quickly learned of the true nature of his fathers passing. It is revealed that Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, murdered his own brother for the throne and happily married the queen, who was once his sister-in-law. Overcome with anger, Hamlet vows to exact revenge for his late father and begins on a downward spiral that would be his undoing. Many things can be observed about this play, but the most compelling one is what the definition of a true sinner is. Through the teaching of his country, his family, and the shift in religion occurring in Europe at the time, it is no wonder how much he struggles to understand his morals and feels confused towards his faith. He strives to live life in a pure hearted way but everyone around him that claims to be God-fearing seems to forget all religious teachings in favor of power. Therefore, it can be assumed Hamlet's understanding of religion, and experience with faith, played a bigger part in his chaotic emotions than explicitly stated. 

Using context clues within the play it can be assumed that Hamlet takes place in the 1500s. Considering the time period, this is perfect evidence for Hamlet's conflict between knowing what’s justified and what’s morally wrong. “In the 1500s, much of Europe was fighting wars with each other in the name of religion or for the sake of their kings,” (Reach the World 1). This clearly presents that for a young man during this time, religion was not black and white. There were opposing ideas which would open Hamlet up to a whole new world that rewrites what he was taught to believe in growing up. Religious confusion is not a foreign feeling to a young man attempting to create his own identity. “An identity crisis is a developmental event that involves a person questioning their sense of self or place in the world,” (Cherry 1). This is a perfectly reasonable factor that could contribute to Hamlet’s declining faith in humanity and apparent lack of action. If Hamlet is led to believe that his family believes in the lord, while also knowing his father died at the hands of his uncle for political advancement, that would completely destroy any faith in the church he would have once had. The now King Claudius earned that title through murder and deception, while claiming to be a righteous man. Upon finding out that his fathers death was not of natural cause, Hamlet grows enraged and untrusting of everyone around him. Prayers and blessings would all be meaningless and hypocritical to a once faithful Hamlet. Although religious persecution was rampant in medieval Europe, there were other religious groups stirring the pot. 

During the 1500s, this was when the protestant faith reached its peak for spreading their word. They challenged what was widely believed and even would publicly oppose the instated church. Before Hamlet's father passed it was said Hamlet was going to be attending the University of Wittenberg, a historically protestant institution and where one of the leaders of the Protestant reformation, Martin Luther, attended. This means that hamlet would have been at one of the main centers for religious conflict at the time. As Hamlet descends into a more philosophical state, his contemplations lead him to denounce classical marriage dynamics as he tells Ophelia to “get thee to a nunnery”. He also swears himself to revenge, forgoing any kind of traditional future he would have had planned for himself at the time. A lot of Hamlet's monologues towards his mother and uncle mimic those of a protestant at the time. He would preach of inherent corruption in humanity and begin to take on a more minimalist and cynical outlook. Eventually reaching the conclusion that humans bring greed and evil to otherwise pure things. “Luther argued that the church had to be reformed. He believed that individuals could be saved only by personal faith in Jesus Christ and the grace of God. He thought the Catholic Church’s practices focusing on works (such as pilgrimages, the sale of indulgences to obtain forgiveness, and prayers addressed to saints) were immoral”, (Harvey 3). This only further suggests the idea that Shakespeare was implying Hamlet's struggle with religious identity. Protestant values harped on the elimination of human interference between God and oneself. Hamlet mentions in the play that he feels as though death is the most pure a human can be, alluding to him contemplating suicide and setting in motion the lack of regard he has for his life and others. This would resonate strongly with Hamlet who still clearly believed in God, but blamed humans for succumbing to sinful temptation while still galavanting as pure people.  Attributing some of his spiral to the conflict between his habitual Christianity and the new lens of perspective that Protestants preached, this would explain to Hamlet the lack of immorality his family demonstrated. 

The play ends with Hamlet as a shell of his former self. He has been responsible for multiple deaths who became colletarel in his plan to kill his uncle. The last act consists of a duel set in motion by Claudius. With Hamlet being one of the duelists, Claudius hopes Hamlet will die in the duel after putting poison on the sword of Hamlet's opponent. He also disguises poison as a glass of wine hoping to offer it to Hamlet at some point to ensure his death. Unfortunately, Hamlet's mother ends up falling victim to the trick and dies suddenly from the effects. At this point, Hamlet has also been cut by the poisoned blade and can now clearly see his uncles murderous intentions. Knowing his end is near, Hamlet stabs Claudius with the laced sword and forces the poison that killed his mother down Claudius's throat. As he reflected on all the destruction he had caused, Hamlet passes away knowing he avenged his father. The moral dilemma of vengence and peace is one that is harped on constantly in this play. Characters that demonstrate traditonally sinful behavior are seen praying and quoting God when it seems beneficial for them. Hamlet however very strongly believes in God. Often looking to the sky while he questions the peril around him. By the end of the story he embraces death and somewhat believes that he has become one of the humans that succumbs to sin. Ultimately Hamlet felt justified in his actions as it was vengeance for his late father. Whether Hamlet is truly justified is up for interpretation, but it is definitely safe to say that the religious landscape at the time along with his own family's hypocritical actions created the perfect storm to further Hamlet's identity crisis.

CITATIONS

Robb S. Harvey (with special thanks to Mark DeVries and Stuart Gordon). Protestant reformation. Protestant Reformation. https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1064/protestant-reformation. Accessed 2 November 2022

The Dutch Trading Empire (no date) The Dutch Trading Empire | Reach the World. Available at: https://www.reachtheworld.org/teresas-journey-netherlands/journal/dutch-trading-empire (Accessed: November 2, 2022).

Cherry, Kendra. What Is an Identity Crisis? (2022, February 17). Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-an-identity-crisis-2795948