HAN LET At~D THJ:£
ft DaNCE
OF' DEA'rH"
SUBNI'l'TED
BY
LINDA KAY RATLIFF
UN0EH 'rH.l£ SUPERVISION OF
DR. HARdY H. TAYLOR
In PiIlrt1al Fulfillment of the Requ1rements for
the Honors Program
Ball state University
May, 1968
ACKNO;,.i LEOO~lENTS
M~a.ny
thanks to Dr. Harry Taylor not only
for his kind help with this thesis but also for
his patience, understanding, and assistance
throughout my college career.
Thanks also to
Mrs. Karann Hawks without whose clerical assistance
this paper could never have been completed.
f~,~e
.1
.3
17
III.
IV.
CJ~0L0SIJNci
• 38
40
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
In many
inst~nces,
the the"'J1E:s in Renai ss~. nce drajl:;;t
reflect Medieval preoccupations,
~ediev~l
content.
Mediev~l
Upon hearing this
im~geTY,
st~tement,
and
the
reader might ask how this could be possible since the
.B.en.issance :8i.nd I'1iddle ages are generally consid€:red to
be two distinct perlo:is
of looking at life.
rill th
distinctly different W4l,.ys
The answer to this Question lies in
our tendency to place cultural periods into specific
ti~e
blocks of
and to assign
~rbitrary
ti~e
limits to
preoccupations and ideas which apparently predominate in
certain periods.
For exa!l1ple, J. Huizing:i. s:i.ys that the lIIiddle Ar?;es
ended toward the close of the fourteenth century and the
B.enaissancl!~ beg ....n at the bep,;inning of the fifteenth century. 1
'rhis time Oilssignment is
and for noting;
contains
and
lit
gener~.l
d~.nger.
intellc~ctual
good. device for
catalop,;in!~
ideas
trends of thou;;:ht, but it allow
.h.fter 4ii..ssigning certain life OiI.tti tudes
forces to the
over again, we beg;in to
1
iii.
aSSU'1e
s~,me
block of tLne over and
thlitt these ... ttl tudes and
J". Huizinga, The 'i'Jilming of the 111ddle Ages (New York:
Anchor Books, 1954) p. 335.
2
forces c~n exist only within that block of time.
is not true.
This
In reality, domin~nt life modes and attitudes
only tend to vUji..ne gr~.dually as new forms
into
COlle
existence, and they often do not disappear.
This ohange
is especially slow when certain preoccupations have deeply
penetr~ted
An
into a cultural period.
example of one Hed1eval preoccupation which shows
up in Renaissance literature is the Medieval preoccupation
with death.
In fact, this Medieval preoccupation not only
occurs in the themes of Renaissance l1terature, but it
dominatel! much of this Ii ter ... ture.
Actu~.lly,
the obsession
with death and its consequences, which is characteristic of
the Middle Ages, doesn't reach its literary climax until
the Renaissance.
I<llri.ny Renaissance works contain this
preoccupation, Which as a theme was so common to life in
the I<Iiddle Ages.
examples of it.
Cert:ain of these works provide striking
Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of these.
One of the central preoccupations throughout
.tiliiunle~
to do with Hamlet's obsessive concern over imaFres
of
.-.,
death, decay, and corruption.
has
CHAPI'ER II
J. Hulzing<ii. incLdes in 'lis bOGk, The
Niddle
Age~!,
:,;, chOii.pte-T
c~lled
i"~ninc;: o~:..the
"The Vision of
J;:~ ... th.
'it
In this chanter he expl[ins the Medieval concern
~oout
from this
'-xpiring
(~oncern.
;,uizingz, 9')ints out th,;;.;.t
th~
of death:
An everlastln~ c~ll of memento ~Grl resounds
tilrOt12'h life. Denis tn,~ C~rthu:sl~in his
0ir,,:c~ of ~ Life 2f. Nobles, exhorts the,:]:
f And -fli:Lengoing to bed lO"t niP'ht, he sh::mld cO:lsider
how, just ~s he now li~s down himself, soon str~nge
hands will lay his bodv in the ~T~ve. t
In e~rlier
times, too, r~li~ion h~d insisted on the constant
thoup:ht of d~ .... t;l, bl.ct tile '(JiOHS tre~.tises of
these a~es onlv r~~ched those who h~1 ~lre~dy
turned 8way frorr the world. Since the thirt~enth
century, the poo~l~r pre~ching of the mendicant
orders h~d rn~de the eternal ~dmonitlon to
rcme"l.ber j.e.th swell into <il sornore chorus rinl'inp"
throu~hout the ~orld.
Towards the fifteenth
centurv, ~ n-ew:!t~li'.ns of i~lCulcji),ting; the ,,.wful
thou~ht into all minds w~s ~dded to the words
of the pre~ cher, n4ifnely, the popul~. r \>Joodcu.t.
~ow these two
~eans of expresEion, sermons and
woodcuts, both addreEsin~ themselves to the
multitude and limited to crude effects, co~ld
only represent ~e&th in a sl~ple and strlkin~
for@. ~ll th~t the ~cdit~tions on de~th o~ tne
mon~s of 70T3 h~d. produc,d, w~s now condens~d
into a vnry primitiv~ im&ge. This vivid imwqe,
continu~lly lmoressed uDon ~ll minds, h~j hurdly
a8Rimil~t~d ~orA than ~ sln~le el~~ent of the
gre<-"t cOI:lplex of ld:,:a~ rel.;; tinQ: to de::t,th, n ...:.wly t
the sens~ of the perish~ole nature of all thin~s.
4
It w00.1d seem, i,;t ti:ues, ~.S if tl1', s:)Ltl of ti:1e
declinirFc l'lid1ile ;i.ge,,,: onl" succe,"deccl in se,~in,R"
de~th un~er this ~~psct.2
The
th~
~bove
~ediev~1
upon the
p~s~~g~
from
h~i~ing~
not
onl~
preoccupgtion witn d6dth, Jut it
~~c~ore
~sfects
of
de~th--the
jisc~sses
~lso
~st~olishes
conc~ntr~.~ion
-1-'
vz18
J~
, ,
,
1.. .L....
,~
The fir'o;t :ilotif' is b:;:·t
lIYlere
-
i~.r8
_no\~:
;';i_ll
2I'oid., 133-139.
.
t!;,.):?~~
ttl'." L".,£::i::; of
' '..•
'I,~
,,:,xi)r:~,~,~:ed
'//]-1')
lj~{
tl': (1ue:3tion:
Otlee filled tr1c
~'t{():rld
5
with th~ir Bolendor? The second motif dwells
on the frL,lltful spectlil.cle of 1-lU""""n bee:'.uty
gone to decay. rhe third is th~ de&th-dance:
de~th dra2ging alon~ men of ~ll conditions
nd --"'0"""8
. -~ .... 3
-.
r
in medieval litcr&ture
~na
wl1elmini2; nu nb',r of irJ.",,;."es
motifs which u;:"tces th:;)'ll
art, and
llf~,
preoccup~tion
~nd
~nd
;owever , it is not their
~rt.
il~port",.nt
which
frO:'1 these three
st(,~'1<lin,q;
in !.<ediev.:;.l
est~blishep
someti~es
~
liter~tu.re,
definite
Dediev~l
concern with
Datholo~ical
the deatn :notif.
Hulzinq:a dern.onstr;:,tec-"! the Medieval obsession wi th the
macabre side of
de~th
as he
pr~sent9
a picture of the
common activity cround the Church of the Innocents at Puris.
every
~spect
of life th2t
activit V could oe
yard.
In
liked to
f~ct,
d~~ll
c~rried
peopl~
~pon
~l~ost
i~~~in~Dle
on in this church's
enjoyej
thin~~
ev~ry
bein~
in
~
life
7r~ve-
graveyard.
hideous:
Nowh~rE; :::;l::;e Were .:11 ti1<
im;.i'-':~:C:. tenrJin\:'.; to
evoke the horror of de~th &sseMoled so strikinvly
~s in the c~urchy~rd of the Innocents ut Paris.
l'her~ 'cne ;lediev;.~1 sOi.ll, fond of ~i r:::lL"iolls
shudd.;;:r, c'J-J.l:J. tH''('':~ itt, r ill of t1"1 e "iorri Dl€.
Above: ~"cll :>ther (;;;::i.nt~-;, t:l;T, rer:1eror",~nce of the
s~ints of th~t soot, and of th~ir bloody iilld
pi tful la~ rtyrdoll, ~'l;> s f1 tte:l to :.:w:,::ke the crude
compas -ion Which w~s d0LT to th~ cpoch. The
fift~~nt~ ~~nturv ~on0ured the Holv Innocents
3 Ibid., 139.
They
6
-i,itn ::-;~~<c:cL~l ~'''ner;;;;ctio::}.
La },i.::: XI:;r2~~;~nt.~.:< to
!t·e,
I)"'1'~A''',(lt
1"" ,:>
(',r i'1()l>--"
J.""""
_t ..1.Jv_.l ....
, (·--·'lc,r~.:,'1
, ..
t >.,-,> c/'l-'rc'~
cr:fct;,.:.l 81I'Ll
rer::; C:':::,:::; t,'?r v 1'1;_,8 prcf i,;'rr'.d to
~ver~ othsr pl~c~ of b.lrl~l.
A bi~hop of P~ris
h<:,i ~, littlt, Of'~:L<"rtl of t~l::; cl'u.rc, l r·icri of
th~~ Inn.oc'~·:lts DU': i'11::0 :'is or;;'v;::-, :".~; ':~ c),.lld not
be l:c,il ~~·-;::r~.
r~l''':'oor ;,~n"
t'le ric", \{~r:,:;
int0rr~d ~itlO~t jiHtl~ctian.
rhev lid nat rest
10(L, f (Jr' t ! co ce_.!.·;;t ;~r,r ;\f;;;,S L'.S ,,::d so cnu.c!l, t~"fent 'I
p"".ri'::~:'s ;L~Ji!y,_':
:c:\. ~'lt of D:J.rL 1 t'l(:r p , t L t
it w~~ n~c~ s~r~, in order to ~~~F roo3, to di7
:J p t:i ;; 0) ,1 ,'; .;,_11 c ~ 11 t F
to :-:1 (J ;::; to :1 e c,
f t e r ~,
V<.::r'i r lor'GGlae.
It VL
;J€li,'!v::.:d t-:_t in t;-tis
e,--lrtd ~. ~;vu_,': bo:i_7 ~'J.' .:: Jcco'n :)·:J::;ed to tho 0)ne in
ninf: C~,;;t;ys.
jKutls ;'."'J~ld. O~JnC'E . ;~::;re: h·~:~. -O~~,·l ;J.p i~l
ch;<..TtL:l- ',;),~:::':;S <;!~_on{,- t](". cloist'::.r:::: :::nclosin,J' tile
;;:roJ,uQ. on tlr·ec.?i:te~:, ..:_'lr! L:y t';2T;:': o))en to tile
eye ;"':T t;lJ).5~_n:i:':, pr";;,,'c'lin::c to ;:11 t,ll:' le~;::-:o(l of
ea'l.~lit:r.
T'll".
Joble ..::;ouclca:).t, ~;~ODZ :Jt:'l'c,r~:, h;:~d
contri :)~teci to the cut1strtlcti8:1 of t~lese Itfine
c:l;i.(rll~~L- ;:) ,[,-':,::8. ,t
under t~'l'; cloi::t-oY's tn;:; ';i~:5:th­
d~nce exhioited its i~~~~s ~n1 its st2nz~s.
Jo
pl",.c(!,:'..",: (),:::tter sLl.ited to t'l',-, 2i('11.;;>1:1 fi;yure of'
qrinnin7 j~~t~, dr~~gin~ GIang Dope ~nd e1peror,
~onk ~n~ f:J01.
The du~~ of berry, who wished to
be b:J.rt e::1 7',] "re ,n::· d tl ',n1 ;::to r'r of th,'; trlr".:~e d_e", d
and thre~ 11v1n~ men c~rved ~t t~0 port~1 of
the ct\llrC~1. A centurl( Ldt:::"·, t'lls I;:xhlbltion of
funer~_L S ' , 001s ',L!f, cor.~!l"ted b" 1:. l::r,~';~~ st~; tUf; of
De.tel, now in tlv' Lou.vr1';, :;;n'l t'le on1v r~rfln~'.nt
of 1 t"_ll.
JUC'] ':las t k ,,.:. pL;~,ce ;.'ihtc": t~;,e P;;;,risi~nI3 of tLe
fift'.::cnt'l ce'ltur"- frecuei!ted tiS Li [~ort of lU.guorious
counterp,.rt of t'le P .. l~,is Ro,c;o;,_l of 178j.
J:.;:{
::.;fter dc;' v , crowds of pea ple w@lked Lmder the,
cloisters, lookln~ ~t t12 fi~ures ~nd re~din~
tne :~LlOl:; v ,~rser;, w:lic.l r~'!lindl';d t~1e11 of 'she
~ppr:Jwchin£ ~nd.
In spite of t~p incessa~t
btlrLl ::::~njex:lU'.I:;j tions 9:;0in::: on tner<:: , i t \';~.'s
... pL:.ol:Lc l:)cl~10:e ;;nd 1':::nd'~2VOiJ.S.
uhops lileI'e
est ... olLsl:':), uefore t~le c'1~rne1-(1o .~t~,SS ;".Dd crostitutes
stroll,!d under t'lt:, cloisters. n fefl ... le reeluse
was Lr..:.nured on one of tnt:' ~:; Lies of the clhl.rch.
£<'r.. irs c",:.me to preiiilc:, <,In'l -oroceEcsions Viene dr~.wn
up there.
A procession of chi1iren only (12,500
stron;~, thinl(s til':=: JjJ.r':r·'lc~r of P:,<.r18) .:;"s:e:~lbled
there, witn t~pers in t~pir h~ndE, to carry an
Innocent to Notre Dli>,'ie and b<-,c[~ to the churchy""rd.
l£ven f?~:c:ts W2rt':: )'1 ve0 t 'l'.:::re.
'ra ~'dch an
extent h~d th~ horr101e ~~CQ.le faTl11~r.4
>
_ _. '
_1.
(.;0""
."'...
c."..
~
'10.
..........,...,.1
c: ; .
!
4 Ibid ., 148-149.
~l
.......
7
Thus, the
t~lree
,;ren~r;»tl
liter~ture,
activl~~
(heath motifs,
~otifs
Huizing~
"Where
in
Churchy~rd
of
ta~
Innocents
expressed ov tile ... rt,
th~
th~rF
sinqlv in
ei1urch,
~re
co~ne
to'2~~~thr::r
in
many 111ustr2tlons
~edl~v~l
liter~ture.
of these.
sos~
filled the Norld?"
~1)~~e,.,red
iow~ver,
appe~rlng
exa:ines
de~th ill~tifs:
it
~s
the
101.nd :oi.ctivity ",roEd
with thinFs macsbre.
of the
aro~nd
~re
?ll thoRe
fhen he
H~~diev,;;:l
~ives
whos~
splend~r
once
some examnles of it as
liter~tur~.
riuizi::1g", tells us
thOPt complil.red to the other two motifs t!lis one
W ..LS
r,e811y
came to pervade all of Christendom in the Middle Ages.
The following verse
illu2tr~te~
this
expressed in twelfth eenturv poetry.
~otif
It is
~p
it was
tr~n8lated
fro~
the L&>ltln: 5
Where is now your qlorv, d&bvlon, where is now
the terrible
i~eoucl1,adnezz~.r, Ct1..nd stronq; D.. r1u8 smd the f".lTIOUS Cyrus?
where is now i'ieg;IJlus, or wf1ere i.1.omulus, or where Bemus?
The rose of vore 1s out ~ n~~e, mere na~es ~re left to U8. 6
Another 1l1us·trill'Cion of thisfJistful de;;:th :'riot1f is
found in thirteenth century ?ransiscan poetry.
hgain it is
8
from
transl~ted
tilt~
ktin:
Sa! where is Solomon, once so noble,
Or SoP.ruson where is he t,',e invincible Chlef,
And fair Abs .... lom of th'3 wonderful f~ce,
Or sweE~t Jon~.th"m, the :nost ami~ble'17
This
~ppe~rs
the~,~e
w~s
v~r'J
f'i:edlev~.l
in the works of such writers
Jenis the Carthusian,
~nd
CO'TI;:1on in
Villon.
Ch~stell~in,
~s
li ter.9.ture ; it
nesch~mp8,
Olivier de la
Gerson,
~£rohe,
.tiowever, this wistful theJle of remembr<iilnce,
no rn ... t ter how often it was llsed, ,J_id not
need of expressing with Violence the
It reminded 11&n of hi:o fr2ilt\7
it did not allow the really
horror of death Which the
~nd.
sfy the l'iedieval
of death.
imp~ct
his impermiO-nence, but
concr~te
Mediev~l
re~l
s~,ti
expression of the
xind demanded.
The
second common death motif did.
This second motif of
dec~vina
hU~Kn
be~utv
~nd
the
putrefying corpse urovided for Medieval man a concrete
and
horrifvin~
on this theG1e.
expression of
In one
V~i;'.V
~is
perish~bilitv.
or Oi1.nother, it rlJ.ns tllroG.R:h
alrilost all of l'ledievlll.l I i t~r ... ture.
th2t tne Medieval mini
He dwelt
oeca~e
liuizinR'~
tells
so oosessed with the
LlS
ide~
of decayin,-,: hU:J",n lif,? t11.i.t de;:;:th often lost its laro,:er
religious
signific~nc~.
of deoay,
forgettin~ th~t
;;len dwelt on :z:rlo>i.phio descrlption
new life was
~upposed
to
sprin~
from death:
Asoetic meditation h~d, in all a~es, dwelt on
dust iIii.nd 'Norms. The treliitises on the oontt>.:71pt of
the world h~d, lon~ Since, evoked ~ll the horrors
of decomposition, but it is onlv towards t~e end
7 Ibid., 139.
9
of thf.: fourteenth century tt1illLt TJlctori~l :;;..rt,
in its turn, seizes upon this motif. fa reader
the horrible det~ils of decomposition, & re~listic
force of ~xpression was required, to which
Daintin~ and sculTJture only ~tt~ined tow~rds 1400.
~~t tile s::',m.e time.,·- ti\O;, motif spre ... d froctl eccl,-'s~laptica1
to Dapul~r literature. Until f~r into th~ sixteenth
centurv, tombs ~re wdorn~d wit~ hideous imsIes
of ~ n~ked corp~e with clenched h~n1s and rigid
fe'?t, f":;.;pinz, mo'_.tf1 f~nd Dowels criillwling with ViOT'llS.
The i~a~in~tion of t~02~ times r~li8hed these
horrors, without ever looking one st~ge f~rther,
to sec; 1'10111 corruption pp,rishes in tts turn, ;.md
flowers grow where it lave
A th~Ught w~lch so stron~ly ~ttaches to the
e~rthlv sid~ of ie~tn can herdlv be called truly
pious. It woula r~th~r see~ a kind of Roa2modic
re~ction ~gainst ~n excessive sensu~lltv.
In
exnio:L tin(2: the ~lorrorf~ <.<wZi.i tin']" ",:11 :1U'1;,.n be,;;uty,
alre~dv lurkin~ oelow the surface of corporeal
ch&rns, these pre~c;1crs of conte~Dt for the world
expr~8S, indeed, ~ v?ry m~t~ri&listic sentiment,
n..,[c(~lv, VUlt ,;;;;11 tJE;;;'Utv ~"nd';ll :'1o.;ppine2;~ ;;re
worthless Dec~use th~y ~re o0und to e:1d soon.
I1.enuY.1ei::;;tion fr)Ut'lcled)nlis,'ust do~s not ~~prinz
from Christi~n wisdom. 3
sensualitv.
th~t
~~n
In
snould
it c10selv reflects the pagan idea
f~ct,
~~ke
the
~08t
re"Joves him fro' t'l12 i,l)'orld.
Celestine<'3 :>t
p~inting
AviQ'~1on.
of
~is
/'ole find
this m.otif
wom~n
8 Ioid., 140-141.
9 Ibid ., 141.
~ll
women
f';7edi')v~1
env~lon~j
The inscrintion Jt the bottom of
Once I was beautiful aoave
de~th
e.xpres~;ed
Now destroved, thls l:"rench
included the body of w dead
her bowels.
v0uth before
t~e
in
p~inting
10
But by de~th I bec~m~ like this,
MV flesh w~s very be~utirul, fresh ~n1 soft,
Now it is alto~ether turned to ~shes.
My bo~v w~s v~ry Dle~8inry ~n~ very nrettv,
I used frequently to dress in silk,
Nm'l I must rip:htlv b~ (]lli te nude.
I was dressed in
~rev
fur
2iniver,
~nd
I lived in ~ ~re~t p~lQce as I wiehed,
clow I a~ lodged in t~ts little coffin.
Ny roon TJf;:;S .;,i01Tl'~cl',:i.t:'; fin,::, t:;,.DcstriT"
N01'i 'IlV g:r:,v':~ is envelo J?d b v cobweos .Iv
In the
inscriotion the
~oove
interested in the motif of
momt'mto mori id eOii.
ide~
~nd
of dcca v
~lso
HOvlever,
bFcomes
The use of
birth.
corpses created this
'r1.ese
s~'leet
~h<2
olltrefyhlP: corpse ;,::,nl] tile
Aediev .. l 1 i teY<', t
ot(~er.
~ixed
fe~~les
is still chiefly
~uthor
with sex, conceptlJn,
in
~ssocl~tion
.lye
i~~~es
of
100:,8, t:lf;::,0 '- / S
of
de~th
':L .. d·c'
iec~~in~
~nj
sensu~litV.
for 01,,;,,
8<~.nce,
will lose thpir lustr~,
Nose ;iijjnd eyel;;.snes, t~le f>.lo'lu.':"''lt mO<:i.t',!'Jill putrefy ••••
He8~illoer,
t~ey
If yOJ. liv(f: YOU':' i.litLlTlJa.l ~L»~> )
Jf which sixty ve~rs is ~ yre~t de~l,
iouroe ..tuty \I<il1 crw.n~e into uvline.;:;s,
.lour :(le:;;tl th into 00 sClr,,: 'rl .., 1:;:;,ly,
And you will on:v ~e in the wsv ~ere below.
If yJ.l h,;;ve n i',.u·""fl ter, ',rOLl~Ii 11 De ;'-' .r::h,,;;1.0N to he,r,
~he ~lll be in r8'lUest ~nd ~sked for,
b.nd t1~:'othcr liil1 LF~;;O"d1dol1';ci by ~ll.ll
se~ento
~ori
is
cOillpl~te17
10Ibi,i., 142.
11 1'0 i
'::1.,
142 •
~one.
Onlv th2
~en~~
of
dec~y
11
aS2oci~tio~
o f' ·
(11 S
a
sens~
1.)<;
of
82X
-. 1 .s
LL,(
2~~
1ec~'r.
Thp
coat8ins only vivid
of porrow for
~
corpse, oecomes
t~~
Norldlv
lORS of
follo~ln~
lines
fro~
one
i~~2es
ssnsl~l
~Dpe~l.
·r1~
J.t1u.s,
idc~:
oeCOTC of this s~ooth foreh~~d,
F~ir h~ir, curving evel~shes,
L ... rg:e sp,;Jce o~~tween th·:~ >!(;":, prettv looks,
l~her<.Z,\ritn I C::;"LF.'::t t>\t:::ost sil:!:1e -Jnes;
~h&t
h~s
Tl}<"t fine str"iiF~1t nose, neither L. r£r~ nor
'rhese tiny "'ars clofHc to th" he;;:d,
The diillpled chi~, well-sh~o~1 bri~ht f~c~,
And those be~utiful v~r~11ton liDS?
s'l1(j'.~_l,
...
The forehe~d wrinkled, h~lr ~rEv,
'rhe e':i'el,,~Si1eS CC':H2 off, l""ck-lustre E'ves •••• 12
body its elf,
th", norror of :l eco"~y)S it i on expr,:,;ss es
~~Fl
were also 82de to
ret~rd
deconDosition of
~
oodv.
fe:<Jtllres of trV';: corpse of Fierre de Luxerr.b')urg wert',
the~
until
a living heretic.
Such
up with paint
burned
wit~
~
pr~servp
upon burhd in one's
12 Ibid ., 143.
n~tiv€
soil
burl~l,
sni
i~nort~~c2
th"tl~n'I'El()
0n~
was
The
t::Jl~ch~~d
h~retlc
ol~c~d
ji:::d abro .. d Nere
12
body.
Dones were then sent home for
Th~
emperors, kings, and oishops had this
even after th
the
church
h~1
'fow,"rds fou.rteen hun·jred,
Dec~~e
th2
and
the~es.
and
three living
h~s
motif is 5s1d to
Edward of {ark,
~en,
is
~ro~p
fou~d
of
h1d~0US
~2ve
tells us,
de~th-d~nce.
~otif,
th~t
of the
in mu.ch Aedieval
r21~ted
dc~~
oriqin~ted
th~
third
This one
the~es.
~Bn,
in
dead
liter~ture,
Three young
who tell
Fr~nce,
~hree
t~e~
of their
but it perv2ded
the ['TrlOle iVledievi.>,l world in one form or another.
HuizinSli: h&:s tel"' followin;:-.; to
At
of
to their bodies
pOint of a whole grouD of conceptions
The death-dance
nect three
noble~en
~,Lrrost
centr~l
a whole
3ui~3inp'@
&~p~bred--the
lotif
and it
it.
~&ny
of :::iu.ffolk ",'1d tIenr'! V were t'1ree ::=,_wh nen. l )
,i;.. rl
~otif
~one
~~&lnst
r01ed
buri~l.
t~~
de~th
S:iJY
:;;OOLlt
the de ..
th-d.~nce:
clos~ of the ~idd1e
,'1iJ;y -oe Sll~:r;!~ri!J.O in
its -lcvlcrn
'T:t~','.ning'.
AqeS the whole vision
t~l(' ;,;ord rn~;tC~bre, in
Of CC)elrse, t:li-:; T'1~:>Y1in()' i:3
of, lana: nrOC'~Sf:. .Jut the ;H;'1ti""~'nt
it e:nuoil:,s, of S<::>;I:ethin",: .QTueSO~1e '. n:l :11..,;.1,
is pr0c1s~1~ tht conception of d~Rth which ~r08e
duriw~ t'n,: l;,st centuri"Os of tlif~j:iddle il.£':es.
the outCO-"l'~
'This Ui7; rrf' 'Nord ~r::':;eir:red in J:<'r~nch in the
fourteent!l centurv, undi:,r t.0'~ forn ln~,\c~ ore~
A 1int~ of tni~' poet Je"m Le F)vre, "Je frs-de fi~~>cc_br'
1:0. d~nce, It whict. ;!!~J.y be Ib.ted 1)76, rem~.ins thle
birth-certificate of th~ word for us.
~owards 1400 the conception of death in ~rt
and 1itcr~ture took ~ s~ectr~l and fant~stlc sh~pe.
A new fwd vivid=.:hudder \,r"f'; ,,,,dd,ed to t:'.c'C cc"reS"t
prini ti v,,; horror of de<'-Jth. 1'1v:1~~:,_c"ore vir-ion
arose fro~ 1eep psvcholo7ic~1 strata of fe~r;
reI i!?:lous tt1'Yl-l[J"} ,t ,,' t once re;'Llced it to ;r ~nelr!ns of
13 Ibid., 144.
13
exhor;iO.tion. _.'-IS ':;ilch it 1,'::;;:S ;·1 '!Te:t CL1.1tuI'<.,1
till in its turn it went o~t of f~shion,
lingerinv on in e pi t",· prlS ~;~{ld ,sYl1001s in vilhi.~e
cemeteries.
The lde~ of the de8th-danc~ is the centr~l point
of ~ whol~ gToup of conn~cted conceptlons. 14
mor~,l
ide~,
The
je~th-d~nce
motif
~&S
found
i~
bec""use of i.tL close connect ton wi ttl the
:not if.
its
'fhe" ;)",'lC'.~ of the Oe ...,d It
~ppe~r~nc~3
in
M~diev~l
W.i:.S
tn~
dr£~a,
~rt
2nd
putr~~f~ction
... cted,
p~inted
Hu(l
art forms:
~,:~ C';11 ':'::;:. it ftill in the stri\{ing: fre:::cores of
the C~~po 2~nto of Pisa. The sculpture of the
porte,l ~fth:~ c'nurch of t}v:~ Innocents OiIt f&'ris,
'llhiCil th.', duke of berr,1 h~d c;';'Tved in 1408, but
which ~li;::; :lot oeen preserved, rp.Dr~'~"ente.d th~ s:;;"m~
subj-ct.
iniutur~ p8intin~ ~nd woodcuts spread it
bro~Jic._·st •••• 'fhe OuJce or burR:undy h<2,d i t
p!~rfoL:led
in hh3 ~cL (\':lon ;,t .L)rU(tes in 1449~
If we could form
an i,~t""; -:>f the effect ~:Jroduced by such GI.. cU;.l1ce,
with v .2;).'0 li"ht~; ~;rd srl;;;,dows ,elidinQ" oveT the
movi.n,2 fL:,'lres, Ii>Je El1()illd no doubt De better
6i:ble to un,JCrst:.l(ldr-h·3 'rJ.orror inspired oy the
suoJ'.=:ct;, t!l""n we <i.re by the l2.id of th~ Di('tures of
Guyot :i;~'rcn,ctnt or Holbein.
The ~oodcuts with which th6 P~risi~n printer,
Guyot M~rc1.~t, ornb~0nt0d the first edition of
th(i; J'i::1S~~ ,-.:_,cE.,bre' in 1485 were, v';;rr proLJ:o:.bl.y,
imi t:~ltTfro1 the rnost ce1ebr~ted of thesE' p~.inted
death-d~fiC~S, n~~e1v, th~t which since 1424,
covered 'i~tlf;~ 'q<;i.lls of the cloi8t~':!r C)f the c>l~;~rchy;J.rd
of t~~ In1oc~nts ~t ~~ris. The stanzas printed by
Marc~~nt W0r~ those written under these ~ural
p-iiiintlt1":U ;ysrh~Js ~(l'E:'ir eVen h~i1 o. . ck to trw lost
poetr~ of Je~n L~ ~evr~, who in his turn seems to
have folla:'~~d. .,.. L... tiYJ. -:lodel.
l'he vwoclcuts of 1485
caYJ. give but ~ f~ebl~ i~pre8sion of the Dainti~~s
of the Innocents, of which they ~re not ~x~ct
copies, as thf" costu'nesorove. To h~_ve "" notion
of the ~ffect of these frescoes, one ~h)~ld
r.s<th,"!r &t tt1e l:lurfi>l Yi8iY1tinCi'f' af the church of La
Ch~ise-Dieu, W~erc the unfinished condition of the
l4 Ibid ., 144.
14
~r~sentiD~
besides
.~
-.,(l'::''!\
. "-'
~.
~r&~~ttc
pict~re
It
rn~lndcd
th~
thut
:.
-"
sensu~l
of th?
sn~ct8tor9
joy CSTI only
~ct
of ths
l~ 3t
~
corpsi;'.
10 t
if s i
11 t::)
:-
of
of
arId's
"
~J'~)t
.w co f r)
The
'~J.
, ': .;,1 i.'--;
I,"
"
1--.I.J
. 5-lL-l-o.
,/
1 5~~.,
I'"'..."'
I'}
16Ibid.
---
, 147.
+-"
,:'I, '::' ~. , ;: -
'. c:.:
~_l
of
:), t.:: i
:::J.~r<-":'·~-".cti\·.):_1 •
~l(;,
:; JcJ,Y
dc', n C '.::
:
1
L
~
"
15
::1:-,i ,~~
:;i:,:
~.'1,J,
'~: ,t'-'
Lift;:J
C:1,:?t
~~l·.-_: G-,; Cl{·OO~lt~.
--'rh,": 1'""c(, J.S 51: co1eu.r(;:l.,.,.: ;->1.,
.rinJ, t:,
..::s v::i=.(oJ i i i ~~'·j'i,,--J •
.:3p02C> f 1L" ~111,
li'ir"liC:1 11c .. 1-'1,,~
t:)I)~(~~l ;;~~-;,
•
'rh<:
r· '1.1"J:)i(it,,'! 0:., .:11 ::;142::;
[:;"1:,)"
,:::.1 c"
';Ch,::: 2!ot z;tretc:-:
..;..!.l·;
Tlh.::r:; i
c;
:1);:'
C'"S
t,) "_~',1.~~~.::;.t.17
J:4
-~' ..~
'1
("_ :~.
~l i
~
.;-(1,"_
w~.
1 r
._'~.':.
-:,:.
J~
:.'.-,
0.'1-~,
rr-: :; 1 ( > 1 - ') c rVe, ":,'
-'l ' Ll c' t:) :-: '('J e 11 ,
r;'l:': ';:; C 1,'- C) i f:L t ':, t l : f"
c.~-, t..) ":J ( t ~:n,
J"::-;i.:" t:,
Sl_~loot:~,
Vo
~
".:.) 'r"',
t,l~ 0 ,;~v i
ies, or
_;.~
'/UU.
L;
1'J--1,:-
J
17 roid ., 147.
18 Io1d ., 148.
l ... ·)i;J
'"1 --:
.:;l,:'r!ll_.
~-=~.r,r:,ci Jl--l~;,
cO
.' ;,'
it
,','J. ',.t",o
:crt for'1s.
-j
;!Y. . t '?
to:e"i\r-'D
,
""'.
-
...... I
'1 l' "T'"
e"
::$
16
hideoQs,
~nd
Obscene.
CHil..l'Tc3 I I I
of trw ext ::nt to lfl'1.1ch th:: "Dii'.nce of De;;;,th ft m.otif--the
w·y of
nedl~v~.l
&t
lookin~
Ii t er;:. tLlrc; 1 S~'l,ctes r ";:;!:.rre
ti:1e pliil.Y
S~IO\\]S:~.
Prince ri;;;
:~llet
~ind
~T;;.dtl<~l
irO'It oeginnlnF" t,) end,
rt:",.llet.
'f;
intt:'lE:ifyin;:r of t'rte de.);;th motif.
i.>ction t::lr )u.;;·10J.t trle entire pLi•.y.
til~
plc.{ .... nd some of
eX<.:4.,:11in'~:
First, let us
~ow
look ,>t
luch of
2
role
jj;s
de~th
?l~vs
the Ghost.
pti.le.
'·l~.rc~ll.u.s.re
H~:.:r.let,
motif
d~nce
I'l'll::
o~comes
in the
only
~~
i,"
filiddl~'
cl'-;:1'
~:leiD.entSt
th,.~
the
we Cl,m
pl~7
;,i.nd
If we
we sec thi;lt I)C..,t\ri
the Ecene opens Horatio,
for
th::';;l)pt!&,r~.'1c:,:
thr~€TI!:"n
of
,pre struck
in th,' pL·/ t;3 first :,;cene th<C': :>:ediev)l 1e",tll-
for,n of tr),,,,:':;'il0st of
rue::1.
'Ii!:;;;i tinCT
'l'lt" .]'10St enters .§'nrl
Alr;'l:.;d,(
~XL~.!flininiT
in the action.
~hen
.clcrnr,.<ydo, and
BV
the prop;res8ion of th8
v";ry first scene of
t'l>'
Ren~isswnce
i3 ObSfESf.d wi ~~h der.... tn in :112 sver'{ thoc.t?'ht
progressiotl 01'
see
deGth--penetr~t9d
t(H'
~i;;.,Tllet t S
foy soectral
L;;ti'l,}r is
de.,th-d,,,,nc8 'TIotlf
aC!,C:S.
'ox;
aDD~rent,
,~pIC'
Trw
~G!J,,'r
of t>l"
",L8
Yltt'lce of
:1~~,t'1-d;::.:1ce
Je~th
in the
fLocin,:r three live
it
\th8
f:trst cOY'.ceived
th~,;host
the;::e,
is not
b:.lt it ::,;lc:o
18
e~rth,
walk the
De~t~
thct
for~
of snlrits or gnosts.
m~de
the~
to
2Dpe~r
has the follo;"in~!
DeCii th
re~llv
could aopear to
The Church
cnc0~ra~e0
~~n
in the
this
~elief
~en.
to
~;oi if
;,.[JOu. t
..... pp~;.i r'3L'. to 'Len 1n t
'.t:
t,f~
~·:ed.ieY .. l
oeli ef
th~t
forl of s pir1 t s :
The p~~L3t3 n~ve ~~ulicl~ ooth t~~g~t Kni ~ritten
th;.<t t,,-o",oo .'~".irits w'iic: 'Tten s'::l!lleti'De '.;e2 ;;,;iJld
he~r oe 8i~ner 2001 or b&d wn~els, or else the
80iJls of t<o::::e ,'1, iC~-l f'i!:;,]er live in everl .. sting
bliss, or in p~rgatory, or in th~ pl~ce of d&~n~d
persons; ; ':~:l, t"1F:t :iiv':-:r::; of tl")''''," ,.lre thoe!"; sou1s
th~t crav~ ~ij ~nd Jeliv~r~nce of men. 1 9
rie continuO"s to tell
:J.S
(lOLl{
to
~ll
STood g"'lOsts froen o:;:.dcrhosts:
PODLsh "iTi ti-::rf tf";,i.C"';:.lS t·') d.isca~rn '·re):):} "'Jirl t s
from 8vil b: four ~eGns.
Pirst, thEY sa; t~~t if
he be ~ 700d s~irit, hF ~ill ht the oe~inning
sO'ne;'('l", t terrify ":en, DU.t ;.;-(1'&..in soon r{'~vi ve ... nei
comfort t.,,,,--.
Seconi, (J·oo3. ~:;nirits do ;>;Dpe,:;.r
under t :10:-' .':)(lC<lP'C! of ;,1 c,:)ve, Oil. ru.;;n, &;, lamb, or
in the ori~~tness and c18~r li~ht of the s~n.
'rhlrdly, ,\,j'.':!'lLUSt note ";;1i.:~tn.er the spirit teiilch
OL.u.;i1t t;:".~ t dotri v.'(r,v fro>! the joctrine of t:le
... postl es, ~j1:i ot:, :cr doc t.orsi't:';::;roYeJ bv t.le
c(~U.r::;nts ccnsu.rc.
l"ourt:-11y, He mLlst t ... ke dil.ii-;ent
need !ilet'!'~r in "ir; \Jor1.~~, ~.h~L'ds, ["nd g!'O~tures,
he do '~'.o(·.- fort: ",XlV h.J.'ilit/, ~c'{nOl{Jl,'dp.;ln9: o:r
conf"'es~;inc of hi:=::si'l::' ~<lJ t)'~niS1TL~ntE or L{~'j;'>.tt"(·r
~'Je t1"':~:,r of'iiu ~n\f 9;r08nii.19', we:pin,,-,
co ,ii)l .... in i:; ,
bO.8 t j, 11.z, t ;-lr,::~ t. enin:!, ~d:,; nder, or b l&ls Dhe,~l '! •
f'or =:;:! t,~· O,:;,tg:iiT -loti rehe;.rsl~ his own ;[lisery,
so li~ewi~- do good snirits t~Lt desire any
help or deliver~nce.20
'
19 L- wjc i'v'~-r
'
(London:
'"
0f
~
1./<:;
,
u
Ghosts "ilnd
1572) p. 102.
•
....h
.;J
20Ibid., 109.
Spiri~s
W~lking
bV Night,
19
Lav~ter
spirits.
th~t
rhen he goea on to say
~,nd
hurtful
tells us how t\1e Church men recognized good
,~ne-nies
t~ev
to the end
~re
"evil angels
untonen; they follow the::, eVerywhere,
may, by appearing in
div~rs
sh~pes,
with-
dr&w them from trQe worshinping of God. u2l
concepts
regardin~
~s
i.J.host wher.. he met i t
Ghost
W,,",S
w~nts
to believe
th~t
~pne~rance
the
g:ood or evil.
the 3host
th~t
~i~ht
~'le
of ghosts explains
w.:. s aDOU t w"lether or not the
\·ihen he meets the Ghost, H;;"c:nlet
he is
~
qood spirit, but he
re~e~ber8
be an evil spirit out to claim his
soul:
d ..calet:
H~~let
Gnost
Angels .::nd l'iinisters of i?'t';;;;ce d.efend us t
BE! tho'-l a I!lJ:::iri t of health or goblin d .... mned,
Bring :'I1 t"1 the~ ",irs fr08 IH:<itVeil or bl~.sts from hell,
rie thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou com'st in such Q auestlon~ble sh~pe
Tndt I will sae~~ to thee. I'll call thee Lamlet,
Klng, flither, roy.d ulime. 0, ansv'Jer me,22
n~eds
wS
som~
t~De
of proof before he
the snirit of his
eventually
arrwn~es
tow .... rd the Ghost
dea~
f~ther.
provides this.
,:~hows
nelps establish the presence of
H~mlet,
The
32mlet's
his f::",milL:;rlty \'lith
Church doctrine concerning spirits
in
c~n
~pne8rln~
Mediev~l
the
~cceDt
pl~V
he
re~ction
Hediev~,jl
to
de~th
~en
wnd
~ttitudes
a rlen.;;;lss ..mce dr"'Co"'ui1...
21Ibid., 109.
York:
22William ShOlikespeare, rl~.mlet, (ed.) Cyrus Hoy (j:~ew
W. '-Ii. Norton & Co., 1963) I, iv, 39-45.
20
After the £jctlon of
of
De~th
a~.mlet
in the form of the Ghost, we shift 1irectlv to
H~~let
trying to convince
th~t
reminding
;~rtrude
~i~
Their urging
of
hUill~n
Queen:
re~ove
mournin~
de~th
for his
from
de~d
and Cl&udius both try to console Haslet by
th~t
everyone
rl~ii:111et
;;;. 8econd !'iediev... l
sn~uld
he
Ills mind--that he stop excessive
father.
~.ppe~ra.nce
is opened by tile
dles--th~t
~ll
to accept his f.,.thcr's
de ... th .·l1otif--the
fr~.dl ty
life is frail.
d:c~th
~nd
intro:luces
inpex-Y'lanence
existence:
Good tl.;;:t:n.let, C"i,st thy nio;hted color off,
And l~t tnine eye look like a friend on DenM~rk.
Do aot for ever with thy vwiled lids
Seek for thv noble f~ther in thp dust.
Tho.), ~{now'st tL, cQc!1IDon--.lll trH.,t lives :nust die,
P:,tS ~,i in>'! t hrolu.'h n;::cture to et~rni ty. 23
• • •
Cl~.udius:
"ris sweet ;;';'::-ld con:iend~"ble in y;)ur n ..,ture, h"'Dllet,
To give these illo~rnin~ duties to your father,
rlut yo~ ~ust know your f~th~r lOQt ~ father,
fh<.;t f;:~tht?r lost, lost his, .in:'; th::o E l-l.rvi vor bou.nd
In fi1i .. l oblig .... tion for sOlne t.::rm
To do ooseq uious sorrow.
DUt to')ers eV1'::r
In oostin~te condolement is ~ course
Of ij.1pious stl;,o~)ornn'-;!;"s.
'Tis u';.111anly gr1lf.
It shows ~ will most incorrect to h.~ven,
A YH'w,rt unfortified, ., ::1i01 inp,-Itit'nt,
An lH1derst,,",-nd lnp:: sLnple .Jrlrt.Hlschooled.
For "/11');•. t L'fe knoli nl ,,-~t be, f>-.nd is"" R c.o;rEl0n
As ~ny the most vulgar thing to sens~,
\'ihy should ilie in .our peeviE'1 O;)Jo~;i ticm
'f ..,ke it to he;;:',rt? :F'le, 'tis & f~!.llt tOH~l~ven,
A f.."ul t ... c;GLins t t;lC?' de~d, ,", Lj.ul t to 11;;;1 ture,
'1'0 reason most ;;; oSdrd, 1,lI'llose CO'll:on t ~l':'le
Is death of fr;<t!l. rs, ",':vl ~\f:w stilln;;:tll cri~d,
From the ~irst corse till he th~t died to-d8~
"This mu::~ O~ so'.
~e pr;;::Y V:Ll t~lrow t·) e;;.:rth
23 Ibid ., I,i1,(;7-73.
21
'rilis tlnpreviiiilin= "iOe~4~(l'i~'nin~{ of us
of ~ f&ther, • • •
AS
The presence of
the Kinq snd
H~1l1et'3
bot t }
De~th
for
~u~en
bacorSB
rev~n
trvin~
An~:
~v~r
C()'l'~",-rd!(~nt
t~,:
to
stron~~r.
form of
t11,!
in
tn~
~ctlon
r~~ove
th0
of rlanlet builds
of it from
th~u.~'ht
their 8UOjcct<;' :n1nd',, the pre:::Cl:1ce of
~·nl
".
withlc
Jeat~
H~~l~t
UnTIl;,. d ;. it')
~ls
de&d
Cl~udi~s'
,,-,11 "loDe sh''-l,ll live
of~y or2in,
~nl vol~~~
t),-::: .f; r .'.l ".' t t ,:, r •
book
~cets
~.~ ,,,: ,]
,.)',1
;'1 e"
v en I :25
kills Polonius.
clos(~
to
()plL~lL;
de .... th
~~nd
~md.
:::us;:)loi~)U8
L~ertes.
Le:ertes, enrlJ;l:ced by Folonius'
of :--;1" fther' s
to Denmark bent first upon killing
He is
H~
dc~d
is
8~i
d~~d
~one;
d. •. :, F<r ..,:::s-.~::rcen turf,
qtone 26
.tot 0i~ l'-JP~l~ ~
l"t hi:,;
~
'1:;
_ J. __ '-'
,-'....
1..-'
,~.. ,
_J'
24 Ibid ., 1,11,86-108.
. - , I,v,102-104 •
2 ./r.;I'
-2.!5..
26~~.,
r - i-"
"' •
ui ok func;:y,al, l'etu.rns
Clau~ius
?onc, lady,
~~~
0.
~ni
lwter
22
Fin~lly,
~ower
the presence of
and oresence of
Je~th
ov~rCo~eG
her,
~nd
sh~
commits
de~th:
Th€re is 9 willow ~rows ask&nt the 6rook
Th.ilt ShOWE: his hJ,~,-r le",ves in tile ;d::.cssv str:~;<;"i.
Th~,rel.~ith L"'.nt. stic ~;;:;rl""1:is did (~h(; :n.~;,j{e
Of crawflowers, ~ettlp~, d~isics, _n1 long ~urples
rh3t liberal shepherds ~ive ~ ~rosser n£se,
dut our cold ~~ids do d~~j men's fingers c~ll t~em.
There on t~e geni~nt oou~hs her crownet weeds
to h~nS, ~n envious sliver bro%e,
do,Jn '~'::;r '.JeBdy tro,:: ie~ ;]1'1(1 "l·:'rself
?ell :i.n til,·; ,::::,:: r.: ins:' oroo~. ,jeT clothes spr:::;;.d wide,
~~'lcl fl1t::r:nc: i'l-li:\:e OJ.while the~' ;Jor,·' <cr lloP,
,~[licl1 ti:"~', ~:;liB ct'h :Ited Stl.i"ccne~3 of old. l«i'c:..d.s,
dE on~ i~c~oQol~ of ~Gr own iistress,
Or li~e ~ crc~tur~ nstiv~ ~ nd in~u~d
0nto th~t ~l~~ect. ~ut lon~ it could not be
'fill th, t herf{< rrnents, he .. vvwi th their drin1{.,
Pulled t:1' Door wretch from h~r ~elodious l~y
To nuddy de~th.27
Cl~mb'rin~
·.~hen
Cloaudi'J.3, fc;;,rL.l of -:::'h"O
1088
of his own life :;.nel
executed:
Kin2::
~s
And, ~nrdE,:1.d, if my lJv':~ thO~l hold'st ;i)t aup,"lt-my gre2t ~ower th2reof Q~V ~iv~ thee sense,
Since yet thy cicatric~ looks r~w an~ red
the J."nis::l s'v'iord, ;.;nd trllT free ~we
P.... y~,~ l1o'-O.,,");~ to ',:'S--t~10:J. cll;;:."st not coldly .Qet
Our soverei~~ process, ~hic~ inDorts ~tfull
.rJ7 lc':;ters conq:ruin.~ to t[;.~t effect
The present de .. i;~l of lianlet.
Do it, ~{lgL",n.d,
For like the hectic in ~y blJod he r~ges,
And thou. must c;J..r':< Elf:.
fill I ~Krl:)W 'tis done,
IIcH've"2r mv '1~.pS, my joys "T~re neter oeilun. 28
~ .. fter
h~~let
escgpos
de~th,
orders the
e~ecutlon
of riosencrantz
and Gul1de:lstem, "'.nd retl;.rns to Den:nIJrk vJ'here LiI.ertes ;;;,.nd
Claudius plot to kill
hl~
in
27 I b i ':!., Iii, vii , 164-181 •
28 Iol.~., IV,iv,55-6S.
~
duel.
In the
l~st
scene of
23
fetlcinctil~<tch.
the pIal! Hamlet iil,nd L..' ertes r:wet for th . .•
ner~,
in one fell swoop
lcilleci
bV
De~th
envelops not onlv
trle poisoned sword .;,·.nd
drink.
~t
st&get
~h~t
the end of
d~mlet
e~amDl~
better
G
of the play?
re~cts
of
Fortinbr~s,
directl" to
two
rtmde by the poisoned
four dead boiies are on the
th~
shortness of life Rnd
t~V'T::=: be
trle ever presence of d eioiLth coul1
sc~ne
the~e
th@n thi!'3 fin".l
overcome by what he sees,
~e~th:
This ouarrv cries on h~voc. 0 proud deQth,
~hat fc~st is tO~4rd in thine etern~l cell
'rh~t thou ;:;0 :wny '-::rinces <Olt '" S!lOt
So bloodi l,e h.:JLst struck ?29
Thus, jQst bv
ex~mininv
a preoccupation with dpath
ch~r~cteristic
of
th~
si211~r
Aiddl~
more closelv akin to the
the uction of
to
th~t
Medi~v~l
action of the play.
ordinary (:liIl()'..i.nt of
sense.
And this
Just
d~~jth
i~~gAry,
mor~
~s
preoccup2tio, with death-"w.l1CP.
th~n
t~ere
is
se~ms
of De <0;. th It
lm~~ery
need~d
to
reve~l
to be
~n
extra-
the
in th· ol;;:W' s action, so trH?re is
like the presence of death in
29 Ibid., V,ii,349-352.
.
-
wa~
Let us consider the
for~5.
wnd corruotion, TIuch
dec~y
Ahich
we notice
a~es.
elernents which rl'!v ... ~l sh'iJrpl v the i"iediev<.;l
motif in its vnriaus
~a~let,
24
then
(u::~.vilv
cO!1centr,::tc:d in one scc'ne devoted .. lmost
totallY to the discus3ion of
de~th--the
gr~ve-y~rd
scen~.
u:iil.m.let abo,J.nds 1'1 p:;;'.ssarres '\,'h 1c h reflect ";i th vi viti
im~gery
til;'~
,1: th-dr:.nce 'Ilotif "",nd some of the ti'1eneE: ,fhich
t,l,~
coene from it:
l",1],;:;11t for the
~bsence
~'ld
of D&,st men
their gre;! tn,,",s s, the putr;:;f .. ction theme 1.;i th i ts vivid
ml~in~
imagery
~n~
scene of
~8ns~~lity
pl~j
~nd
the~e
decay, the
h~m~n
of
passes without some reference to one of
these the-1es.
I"'!; "Lei
in Act II.
..r:Jund
In this
hL:~
~~<iJ.("llet
i s s pe~.ki DIT, to Polon1 us.
in G:;r:ns of death, decay, ;;<YJ.d di sappoint'flent.
'C'i :ss~::.;
i1.'iCfllet links
of human fr.oi:l1ty, w,nd tbis
putref~cti~n
c)~li
but here it
occurs in
in the
His
easily
~
Sl';X,
linkin~c:
h~ve
conc~Dti0n,
of
oH1C1 t'1'"
sensu~litv
with
~edievel
come from
very intense and
cre .. tion
wrltinQ,
eo~plex
form
rl2n~is~~mee:
ri~nlet:
For if
Q,c.;i"·.-l.Q"
Polonius:
H..,8let:
I
;-1 v
th~
~
':~,
s~n
breed
!/'()d kissing
:':11
m~~xot8
in
~
c(i~rrion--H~.ve
dead dog,
'T:)Ll
~_
d~tU;'~hte-rr?
lord.
(,,"1' n.)t ~;J ..,ll( itl the sun. Conception is H
ssincr, Q:lt .., S 'lour d~u:~·hter :J1a.'l coneci ve-friend, l)ok to't.JO
.L,~ t
bl,~
JOlbid., II,11,lgO-184.
25
b~,dnnin,(~
Ag.ain :;1t the
and fertility
wit~
of
.~.ct
decaY and evil.
III Ri'nlet liucs 2;::=nsulOl.li ty
Here the stotc n&ture
of the Mediev~l view of de~th is reflected.)l
In the
children, for this worli is on evil
~vll
A~es,
H~~12t
ur~~s
pl~ce
with
Ophelia to renounce life.
men
"Henunciation
founded on di3 cr USt does not sprin~ fro~ Christi~n wlsdo~." 32
HOil.:nlet
s~,\[s:
Get
to ~ nunnery. ~hy wouldst th0~ be a
:s innf:rs?
I .1m ~i1YS elf ind iff erent
hone1:'t, Oi~ tr,,:,t I c()uld ;rlccuse m.e of such thimrs
thkt it ~~r~ better ~y mother hud not born~ Be: I
~m vary oroud, revenqeful, ambitious, with m6r~
offences ~t ~v beck th9n I hsve thouqhts to put
them in, imagination to give them sh~pe, or time
to act then in. ~h2t should such fellows 68 I
t~=~
breed~:r
o~~
3lCoilip~re the followinq passage fro~ ~~rcus ~urelius'
l<leditations to rg,mlet 's putr'~fliction spe.eches ;;mCi n:)te
the simll~;lties: "How useful, when ro~sted me~ts ~nd
other fooi3 ~rc before V~u, to see them in your ~in1 as
here the di~·~'d ,:n:.1J of ;;:. 1'1 :~;>i, trler/:' the ,ie~d body 0 f 2" bird
or a pig. Or ,,·~~~.in, to thlnk of l<':;;lemi~,-n ~Iine ~;;s t'1U juice
of ~ clust3r of ~r2pes, of ~ purple robe ~s sheep'8 wool
dyed with th~ ~lood of ~ shellfish, und of sexu~l intercourse ~s int~rn21 rubbin~ ~ccoffip~nied by ~ sDas~odic
eJection ·)f ;-;ucu,s. 'il'lL:: uc;c,,;ful oerceptu;iil im' i~';;;S t~l est:: litre t
rhey f!O trJ til, hr:;,'rt of thin~TS '~;;d plel'c', rL"'jt thr'JlYt; them,
so thst '[:)1). :'0:>' thinr''::: f~r wh;""t they cr:~. I'JU must do this
throu~hout lif~; ~hen thln~s appe~r too ~ntlcin~, [trtp
them n.c~\:ed, ,j:"c'trYT thl'"; ~:ytll ·.hich ;1;;;].'(('8 then DToucl. i?or
v.;nlty is ,.~ jk'1"'~ro;J.s:)erv~rtr~r of rte:?Ron, :;2nrl it L, uhen
vou thin~\.i'Jur ~·)r:"occLlD~o.ti')ns:no~t 'IlorthlfThlle th:,t 'TO'J. are
most .:;ntf1n~.11ed. H~rcus .Aurt::1ius, 'rhe Hedi tations, tr<::l.ns.
G. i'l. A. ':';'~~ube (N',;w J_orK::
The 60 ..Jbs-i·'lerrillJ-Jo, 196))
p.
50.
p. 141.
26
do cr,j.l-'Ilirlc"
o'~tv<ef:n.:s,.Tti1 :.tn} he:iv~n?
kn,v~s all; b~lieve none of us.
arr~nt
lie c,re
Go thy
~unnery.33
ways to
If t~Ol dost T~rrv, Itll ~ive ~hee thi~ pl~gue
for thy d01Arry: be thou ;:;!8 chcst~ ~~s ice, ",S
pure U3 ,ono\';, t!~'(');) [''J·lt not ~sc~'peL!c2,ltLTn~'I.
Get t:~d~C to ;. Dunne r'l, f !re>-'iell ••• 3 .
the
s~ount
world 2nd
of
im~~ery
wi~h
th~
of dec0y
i~~~
th~t
infecting ull lifo, t:-L,t :lis
reference~
de~th
corrupti~n
is all
conv,~rs:
sev~ral
~rcsent--e2]eci211y
timBs.
~e
nev~r
the
vivid
~round
lncre~ses.
hi~
tion is ftlle:d with
Dictur~
of utter corrJ 'tian.
3J3h~kespe~re, 11I,i,11)-127.
J4 Ibid ., I11,i,132-134.
35Iold., I1I,iv,45.
36 Ibld., III,lv,166.
3'7Ibi(~., III,iv,65.
38 Ioid., III,iv,95·
J9rbi(!., IV, i1, 24.
putref~ction
uses his
dcc<.c y.
2
~reDtl~
to it.
motif is 0ver
uncle
~nl
prop~r
t~e~e.
name.
27
~T:'l'
t
~~
-, t
It ,ill
,f:.il~,_
I
:If ;
-) -~l r
r
to
to
i11ust~
.;; .::, :;:3
;:"i
;~l
n: ho ,)
J
• ',.', ,
dec~('"
1iter~t~r~
te t ,is
of
~~~
ide~.
~idjle
n~CS.
riddles.
ho::::encr,~"r.tz
t
''',:.r '--,": (~, ~l ~~ :3 S
i.-<.lc:r'.J1.::';
:
40'd - , III,iv, 149-153_
..:!:.£L
:- :.) :; .:~, '{ :: •
tl~:'
"CT""1-'t-i'·~'~inL."1:"·
C:- ') ·~C~ .~; ::;
~s
t r' ij S
:; ,t<-;:i'; c.:::i_ f1 1,
11
'
pL.C2
'Ti'H~i'l
'-.'
I
,
;
,
28
Hi:; 21 ~ t :
,; () t :; , 1: Y' '" 11 ~ (; : t G, b i,.1. t Vrl.1. e r ~,~ t;.~ is e;:ten. J1.
cert;;:,Ll C'J(}voc~,tiO(l of politic :) LT: S ~,.r E, 2: ' en,,; t
:;:o'jr i.·I)C L: \'Ol.1r 0'11' e:i,)~:ror for diet.
'I~e
f""t; .::.,LL..:;r,,,,'t~ro~~ ':,1E<; to f~t us, ~~d ~e f~t
i :J:.lr t· t ·,<.:i DC; "nei ;TOU.r
o,Lc~;elv :::'" f'J:r ><2·~'·Ots.
1 E:·..Ii'l 0:.": r L::. ;) Ll t v;;;;;.rLvl·", sE:rvice--tVio i i 8!H~S ,
l'lL.t t s the end.
but CD .)!1"'; t",,-cle.
ri.itml st :
fh:l~
hit"
t
of tlv
1'l:': t
h~,.t'\ e::t of
fts1 t'i:.:t '1: t''1 f,~cl of
t1'L' :':or:' t
King:
I-i",;TI1':et:
c'iO'S:l:i. "[' 'Oilt
pro'(r~"
to
<.';10~T
'TOLl
hOl; :;;' >::In':'
t .ro!,,"':h th::: R;Jts of
"1;;'1'
qo
l;l,
o'.:~q;::;.·r.
King:
.d,:.;.mlct:
1:1 'v. "1m.
..) ,td thi tLt r to see.
If'(oLJ,r mes :,::el1C);er
fL,'l.l1
C;)t ti~'T(,
,:;'ek him l'th' oth'3'r Dl;ce '(OLlrs€lf.
..:Ji,t, it, in.jef~d, Y'O:1 fin:1 hL;l not "i-t,1.in
thL: ..'.)ntl1, y:')t;., :::iLcll t~02::; hL,~'",c
~)t'j,rE, into tr~e 100'h.,+2
41Ioi('~., I\I,11,3-4.
42ICiC~., IV',iii,16-35.
'lOU
:"0
UG
':;11(,
29
notif ..~re present in t,1is
In
t,~
ill~str~~p
to
o~com~
i1c~:Ein-lv
h~
Do~ition
~~c~bre.
;~i~l:)':Y
t;n~nts
th~
for tb.l.t fr&.1le oiJ.tlives
.:LLd:3 ~:tron:"-:::r t~1~n
Clown:
Ay, tell
Other:
H_rry, now I cun tell.
Clown:
To' t.
~ss
first of
occunied
••••
(;A
Clown:
th~
le~th
clowns
builds s~ron~er tn~n eitner
snir;'I!1'i'-";tlt, or ti1t:': c,~roent('r'?
Other:
or
Other:
At
whicn
t~o
tt~t
t:le
'In;:: ·:!loYJs-:t~;.t:t:r,
a th).:S;;'\;l . '.
scene the
~r~v~y~rd
cOM~o~pl;ce
Clown:
~h~t i~
the _1,: SO"-~,
Other:
of th·;
o~~~in~
th-
E:c~~ne.
i"
m".[,on,
;,it
S"",lpl'lright,
c:~r~~)'~nt,:;r?
I
~~
th~t,
cannot
~nd
unjoke.
t~ll.
Culgel th~ brains no ~ore ~bout it, for your dull
will not ~~nd nis p2ce with 02~tinv. ~~d ~h~n
yoJ..
~re::.,:;~':::'d
l'h~.'!
(~c:)U_S'"c:
t!~i,:
(1:J.E'stion next, so.'y '<..t. p;r.,ve·-:n~.ker'.
l.,:"c;ts till doomsd<.iV. Go, fJ:et
fetC!lile ~. stoup of llauor.43
h~) ;:lc::-;:'~'S
t~l!~if In, . :K!
de i~ singin~ ~OQut it ~s
43Ibid., v,1,35-54.
30
ri~illlet
and
Hor~tio
~opro~ch
It 13 here
him.
skull im",u:e is introduced, Lmi fy1nO" the
t~e
grave,
s~ull,
stcrtin~
~
discussion
tll'J 1'fl :;ct upon
they reflect
the
U0011
t~[(:
w~ich
','ihol~'
th~·t
the
~li;e us,~:
involves
ion
sever~l
of
fr;::dl tiT of munkind :;.;. nd the
putref~ction
theAe:
H~'.;Jll<?t:
I'h~.Lt :;kull hfd:i:, tonc'ue in it, ~m:i cOI).li '''ln2:
once.
H).' tile kr::~vi!': jO"Jlf: 1 t to the .iTro:.1nd., ;3.8 if
'twer',; G,; i'l t 8 jawbonf;, tiw.t did th;~ first PlUrder!
This mi~lt b~ the p~t~ of ~ politicikn, ~0ich this
.. 8S '.llY'!" 0 '':IT',%ICr-, es; on(', til" t ~\rould circumvent God,
mL;h t i. t (10t?
Hor.atio:
i{~Jn1et:
Or ()C ~ cQu.rtl;:-r, which ccnl.ld P,~,y 'Good !llOrrOvT,
sweet; J_')r,ll
EOH ccost t,lOU, sweet lord '?'
'fhis
might; ,)t:; -,.e LorJ .3uch-a-one, tlu;;.t pr4tlscci mv Lord
Such-' -·0;1" t ','lOr::::e, Hhen 'a went to be@" 1 t, rn1.g:·::1t
it not'?
Hor .. tio:
i-<r,
1!
lord.
lU;.mlet:
'i:l;;, :3'en so, :iilud 1'1:)\-1 my L&ildy worm's, ch~.DlesE, ~nd
knocK'd ~o~ut thr ~8Zzarj with II sexton's spade.
Here's
fine r~v:)l~tion, ~n we h~d ths trick to seeit. Jid
th~se i)O~:~~, co~t ~o rnor·~ the brerli?-? out to Rl~.y =-.t
log~,;ts :iltr~ tned J'!in'':):iiche to t"lln~{ on't.· 4
de~th
cre." t·e:" ,nd the hur:&n 11 ni t
Ther,:!' <:;
'Nh1ch it d estrovs:
.-'·_~10tlv,r.
.~hvn .... v not trl.';; to'"
~her~ be ~is nuiddlties now,
c:.,.s':~'3, ~is tenures, ~nd hi~ tricks?
a 1 ;;<iv,,,r ", r '[
his
'l
44~.
r , 'd
/.~
n
"J:~-:~
3•
th::; skull of
his oull1ets,
~hy d063 he
31
Buffer tlisl1i"d \:(H"Ve no~Y to knock hin ; b·).Jt t':f: [3Cene
wi tl1 c,. dtrty s;'!ovel, ~i(1"1 ,:i11 not tell hl:n of (11s
action of o~tterf? Hu~l
T~is fellow mi~~t b~ in's
ti~e ~ ~re, t
oUJ~r of 12nd, with ~is Et~tUt.s, nis
rt'lcogni zanc~ s, ;11 s fine;s, ~1i:" dou.bl (; V,:ll~c"H"rs ,'Ii is
r~cov':rit~,:'.
IS~;lL:; t:l"';' fine of r-:-i~ fineS, ~~.nd t~lt';
recover.V afliE. recoveries, to h;;ve (tis fine~
p.,te 1'.111 of ftn:: dirt'? ..~ill :1is V::uchf'rs VOLlCrl
~11m 113 ,;,,:)r~~ of his pirch .. ses, hlnd ,:1:)u.ble ones
t:l~n the len~th Fnd bre;;,dth of ~. p;;;;ir of indentures?
v2ry C)(lV~;V·"'.';Cf::f: of ilis lLnds will ,~c"Tcel/ lie
in ttli' "ox, I." rdnucct t'~i • inheritor hi!llSelf h~:tVt~ no
too,
l~he
'il.j,
•ftlorp~
• ,
I. ...
';
illlOl.COil.Ore.
r~e
5
~ttref~ctton
t~~~e
like its ,:(;i1v 1 counte rD" rt.
n;; ;"fIlet
"Lll.!.
t·,
Clown
(I L;CLJ.2:3
becomes
In
t:H~
~ore
follo~\JinJl'
the rott i':1Q'
~n~
vivid
hWll:·n
more
sP",ech
body:
Clown:
~~ltn, if 'a be ~ot rotten before '& die--as we
n.&lVe 1Wn1 pocky corses nm\T-OiI.-davs tn<i:.t \'iill SCLrce
nold tilt'" l.v1n'T, in-- 'i:) 10\:111 1,,:'t;,·:)u BOrrie cigllt year
or niH;; 'T.~. r. ~ t:;;;.:lner .Hll 1;.;, 3t you nin~:; ye~r.
H..unlet:
Clown:
,~;I,r,
i. r', ni r:: hide is 80 t:, r1".e:1 \Ill th n1 :'0 tr. de
th,,;,t f ~'.;:1. Ll ;~e(~p out i;~ti~r a '~Te:t w;'lile; ,,'nd 'lOU
w;d.ter 1 C;
~o or",,' (j,ec~, y~r of '{r)uT where'sen de;.;,d Dod y.
Here I ~~ ,.
~J. Ll nc,v: ,i:"l t i l lien \',")~~ j t til' f; ..' rt~1 t\lree
~.nd t;. n t"::;;:·.rs. 4b
sk~ll
enSJ~S 8not~er 1cdl~v',l
Clown:
Tl1is S!",.'~la s;{t;.ll, ;':ir,
the kin~ts jaster.
45.J2L.
1" "d ,
46 Ib i d., V, i , 144-153 •
ie:t~-1~nce
vi;;?E-',
tn.e~e
i~
r~flected--
sir, 1.oricic t s s\:',lll,
32
.ci.....:nlet:
This?
Clown:
th~t.
E'en
AL.as, pJor ioric,d
I ;cnel'J ;'li'n, Hor",-tl0·--~ fello>-.' of
infinite jest, of lOSt. cxcelll~ntf,,,,nc7.
.re';
hath oore
3e on hi3 o~c~ ~ thous~nd tim~2, ~nd now how kbhorred
in lily i'];;,'?-:lm,tiol1 it isl
1'11 ')':Ige rises ,",.t it. were
:'1unp: those lips t~l.c.t I [LV':': kissed I ~nOTN not »OH oft.
dhere oe y~ur qibes ~ow, v~~r ~~n~Qls, J~~r ~0nYs,
,r'JL~r fl":.,:i·:es of ~"l~rriuen1~ thc,t ~'I;Jre \iJont to S(;;t t'H:'
table on '~rear? Not one now to ~ock vour own
g-rinntng'? ~uit€ c~-;f~'J-L-;ll'n? Sow c:~~t V:')~~ t ) ' i , r 1.:dy's
C:'lz'J.of~r, ,:,n:-: t :;11 1'];;;1', lot ,",,";1' TF lnt;:"l inC'l t'lick, to
i-i•• ,·ilet:
t
;:-
C',"" ·(,··""t cr.".,,·
i{
,~c
"~.r 1 ,"
,'to
r
·~or'). t'"'l' ~,J'Ut"'->"'j ~J'"r~: '):1'S.A;'~"il;C1' 47'"'' , . '
t: ,.:'
:Ol' q
cr"l'
.;1
l""~Tor
..... •......
1.. :"
'
,_"
"._,
'$.'-_
,d-_~
.
', . .
'~'14
-'-I '.,
,'to
;'J!::.• •
t
J.
rlor;~t i 0:
!'~(
f",shion it th'
rlor~tlo:
E'en so.
Hor;;.tio:::!:'~D
li,,:nlet:
rth '?
To
..illY,};,",'
so, ny lord.
O'Cl;,
t
'0
not hl
~iLcx·c'1:'l.,~~r
till.
'c:';
u~;;;:.::
(~i:-l<tiot1
t
fi;l~l
.,[to
,.")1;,,(
tr, c"'!
it
;:::t,y:;
!''?tJ.r:1., ~::or·ti'll
n:)bl,::~ j;;,: t of
'~l"::<'
:1"1'::
o~m'S-',lole'?
i
Hor~ti.o:
rt~~ltt:
47
No,
f~1th,
not
Ibi(l., V,1,lY)-173.
,jot,
ui).t to
~,
llow flit
tl :it), '
JJ
Ale:x,;>.n4~:,r
::1t':,:1, cl.l:.;~{. n::;~:rd" . S o',lri.• :1., _cl'~x:,,()5.:~r
ri',ti.rn;---,t, t,,,) i'J.st; tl"'~'luct i:: ':~ rt"l; of (~ rt;'l ~-;e
,'l~_~Ct; lo~;:a.; ;~ '-1::1 ~7'~"/ of tb.; t
~_C):.:~··
~',:::'::' ,-.:-, ~ t ~ Yl<: ~-~~.S
c,JYlvtrtc';d Tti ''It t~l''-'':l (Jot ::"":':YC
J.""r-bzr:-':,l?
,'l:i. ~" :~ :c: t ':)P
h) 1; t'J '(:0:":: L 1 '.Jl n:' ";. J : i
(), ~.t:_.t t>; i~ :,-, ~~~'-C'-l '\i~'--:-~.c·n .{:.~~ct t',-!
:-:')rl:.-l
,,) h.) ,.<1:J 'C;c'. tc : ) ' i c ,11. t' .,,;. r,':; J 1 t h,.~.;' i:lt: r
Ju:-t"
{~,'!r>
,.,·ctt:)l1 of'
i-i~.:..:..l'~t
is
itl
t i)
'~r,,,occ,'-()i':,d
;"it~,
,~.,?::"th
F"rt of this
ilis
rL '11 c't
to
thin~
~bout
~il1in~
~is
~(]cle;
out there is
~:)r~
to it
l'h1:::: ciiscov("ry
world
~s
an
«unw~~ied
g~rlen"
48 I 0 i c1., V, i , 174-192 •
c~uEin~
hl~
to wish for oblivion.
34
~1s
thrJugh
rem~1n
personal
~live
to
b~
~
citu~ti~n
p~rt
in
of 1t:
"th1s too t::>o ;:;011:3 f1es:l ';.feJul'i
Th~w, ~nd resol¥~ its~lf 1nto ~ dew,
Or tzu;,t th~:::verL ,,:tin£ h.c.,d n:)t fix~~d
~:;h,t
0,
e~ists
the evil wnich
~lolt,
dis Canon '~_inst self-sl~u~hter.
0 ~od, God
dov: v'e:.<.r'{, st .. l(', fL'·.t, :rvl unprof1t:;;.ole
Seen to m~ ;;,'.11 the us~s of ~'lis IJorldl
Fie orrlt, ah, fie, 'tis ~n unwe?ded ~~rden
Thst'-rm"s to s('ed.I'hi"ltYE: T:i 'l'{ ;; n r ] r~TOSS in rl', ture
P08ses it ",lerel;.
'l'n.;t it Sh)'J.l:~l CO>:le t t ) t~lis,
3ut tva l'1onth2 de~,d, !1<:I(, not :">:) ,flUCf), not two.
So~xeellent ~, ":iYJ.', t}v't [lr:E'S to tl.--tis
hVgerton to ;;, 8li:tyr, so 10vL1'" t'J my (lot11:;r,
Th~t ~e mi7ht not beteem the xinds of h~_ven
Visi t 'leI' f:.ce too r:Ju.<hL;'.
~ie~van;) :1':1 e&crth,
l';ust :c rell1e'lber~' d(~y, 3H:! vL)uld ;1;;d1P: on him
=8 if increase of ~~ce~ite ~~1 ~rown
.6y \;'il1~<t it f , i crt, ·.·.lJ ,Tf,t, 0:ithi'~ i.' !l1onth-L~t m~ not thin\ on't.
!r~ilty, thv n~~e is woman-.1-1.. little f[l:)nth,
or er,:~ those i3 ' lOes {';ere old
~ith ~hlch sh~ foLlowed ~y poor f~ther's uodv
.Li~e ~Hobe, ;... 11 te_rs, H:1.V ~::~;e, ev:.;n she--
o
~~
(Jod"
De:· st ttl t
~AJ;.<.l:1t~:~
iii··-'c~~)~rse
OI~
r(~.t<_-s·:)n
1 Jywe~r--~,wrric~ci ylJith ml' u.ncle,
/iy f;~tbe::" S oroth(:r, '='J,t no "lore li'~e 1l,i' fOOlther
Th~n I to dercules.
~ithin a Tonth,
~re v~t the s~lt of ~03t unri
teous te~rs
H~-id ic:ft th!':' flL;,::=:hin;c in lu~r «(,;;;11<;;1 ,::;Ires,
She ~~rri~d. 0, most wick~~ speed, to post
~ith such d~xterit7 to incestuous sheets!
It is aot, nor it c&~not com~ to ~aod.
~~Ollld
"~ut-
...J
l1,,;,ve(Dllrr_~;d
'01''''' _.J' \.r " ".. l "
.....,.
~
."
",,~;
r +,<.
-for I
_ -'k_' __,
_"
V
' _. . . . -, .
,'1"1"-'-
'l,)l'",j_
··n'IT t-o'-.o' , ...
\...<
'..
.....
~ .... -: ~ LA
•
L+-9
This f'lrst saliloclU.," is')ur fiJEt It'dicr-,tion th'.t
vi"r!ich refer- to his t "lDU-'!:::lts of u.licide.
ri~~let
t~lk8
to Polonius
~nd
to die:
4~
~Ioid.,
I,ii,129-158.
tallp him
Lii<ter in ttl:'
cle~rly
th~t
~a
pl~y
wants
35
rl~~let:
Into TI! ~r~vc? •• iou cannot t~ke fron me
",nvtbi:l'; t:,~~t I \';111 r~or":, f.\'illtrvclv p,; rt ,vitt181-except ~i lif~, exceot ~v life, excppt my life. 50
.. 'nd of ht', orec;:;nt vtew of
th~
1:jor11 :··S evil ;"'.nd.
:nf'~,niYJ.;.!less.
I hkve of l&te--out wherefore I know not-- lest
mv ~irth, for~on~ ~ll C~St02 of ~xercis~s; afri
indeed it ~oes EO heaviLy with my Jls~ositlon, th~t
this goodlv fr~~e t~l~ e~rth see~s to m~ ~ 2terile
pro~ontorv, thi~ ~ost excellent canopy th~ dir,
look \;'Oll, tDis or""v<. 0 ''tr-h£n:~irl'"'' firmament., tl1b'l
mwjestic~l roof frettEd with ·olden flr~, ~~y it
;;',9':e"'.retil nothimr 'S:J 'lL Jilt a. foul .;.;.nc} ptE'cilt;;lt
cnn~r~~ation of v~oors.
~h~t k piece of work is
mien, il'TW :1OCJ1:-:: in re:c'son, !l,)W i1:1f1n1 te in f.;.cu.j~ties,
in fors ; nd'10vini)', ,1Olii3XDress ".n0 ;;i'niriiiiole ~Ln
~ction, ho;" 1ik;;, :;;"} 'iw?;f'l in <i[~pr~nension, .'l:)L·J liK(~
,,", J"Ol~~:
thE O~&uty of tr~cc, ~"0Tlc1, the p~'~r;."J:OC1 of
~.nim ... ls.
"'-''lJ. vet to 'n~', i'm;".t is tv.:is Quintess';(lce
of dust'? ,':,:1 df;l i.C':'htE not ~h~, n,)r "l<:m.::··n neih<~r,
thouph O~T .'lour smilin' i'J'J. se:-~ to s;;,~y so.51
~ll
we
h~,-vt';
;";~lr,;,,,,,d.l
out th&t it
desire for
:U2cu.::::sed thp first soli lO(1tJ.Y ·c,.r4():)inted
reve~lei rl8~let's
d2~th.
disrrust with life
rh~t ~lilonuv
soliloQuy contains an even
reflects the
stron~er
50 Ibid., 1I,11,204-21J.
51 Ibld.., II,1i,285-298.
d~~.tn
~nd
kin~
wish.
his
of
In f .. ct,
keeps him from suicide is
~fter de~tn.
w~nts
de
th:;,;.t de;;;,th :Jlight
holc~
th~
pe~ce
so:':w
of
fe~r
30m~thin~
(oblivion)
for,:~
~nd ~e
worse
is
~fr~id
of consciousness:
~o oe, or not to b0, th0t is th~ o~estion:
Jhether 'tis notler in t~2 mind to suffer
The slings und ~rrOW8 of outr~aeous fortune,
Or to t~k3 ~rms ~~~inst ~ sea of troaDles,
And bv op~08in~ e~d th~~. 10 die, to sleep-No more; ~nd 0; ~ ~leep to s:v we end
'fhe hr;;,;rtl.,chf> ",n't the t rl01..u:::".n::l n;;?,tur,c:l ~~-nocl<::s
rh~t flesh ip heir to.
'Tis a consum~tion
Devoutly to De ,., i :c;r1ed--to die, to sl~~p--
,.~lee'9,
1'0
For in
r)-.rch:<.nce to ,lr.'='il_"",
We h~ve
~leFp
of
the:':'e's ':",he rub;
;,c'r
~av come
off this mort~l coil
iL1. •.,t give us p"u.se--t· lore t s the respect
'rh<k,t 0'",Xes c~:,l~.':itv of :~o loner life.
i")r 'i'l:l'J TfT'JLllc1 >:',)T t"lc: \":,li08 ~'_n..d :',corns of til(lle,
~hen
th~t
de~t~ ~h~t
dre~~s
8huffl~d
l'h' 0 t)nressor' f, ;';rOJ:1';" ,::;h~' 'c;rou::l '!~;.n' 2 c')ntu~nely,
'l'he p~AngS of de:"f)is,,,,d love, tht<:: laltf'S del ... y,
The insolence of office, and the BDurns
'rh~t
})cti"Elt Jleri t of ttl' um'lorthy t,"{es,
~jhen
(He;
(lLns':.:lf!li;,'(,t
nt-~
ClJ.ietLls
i'i:.:;J.;:€
Jith ~ b~re o~dkin? ~~) w~~ld f?rdels oe~r,
fa grunt ~,nl swc~t ~nder ~ weary life,
bU,t th<::.t the dn;~d of-o:J'net~:in:?:: .,fter 1e<t r1,
l'he al1c1.1 ~~crJverec'~ co I).n t ref, f1'ol"1 who~>:~ b )Urn
~O tr~v~ller returnE, puzzl~s th~ ~ill,
~nd ~~k8S US r<tn~1' b~~r thoce 111s we h~ve
I'h;o;l,n fly to ot(>:!rs th, t1~e ':cnovJ not of?
Thus conscience ioes m~~e cow~rds of us ~ll;
And th;J,s th",,:: n;-"~i ve h~H~ of re:·:~olu t ion
Is sicklied o'er witn the ~21e c~st 6f th~uRht,
And 8nterpri ses of 9:re: t D1 tc/:' ,Jc[iCl r'loment
.~ith '::;11"'; I':o;;:r:"rd th,:"ir (~J.rr~;nt:
turn;,wry
.rl.nd lose th·,,· l1i:lle of ;,ct ion. 52
of hip
const~nt
brooding for
~-:.'Jr;;:
. -:..nd
.
dewt~
,:.<.Ll
wisn
~ip
occ~s'")n",
s')~rJly
'lU]],
~3
he
"!.nn,
ol~r!1es
ill~ction:
:'h i
-;f0r'<:
r~oV-:=:'lr~e!
52-21:....-.
I "d , I11,1,56-88.
,,:,:
i'l,-:::i~,Qe,
'Nhst is
to
';E,n,
,
"
,1lS
37
If
(li8
cllicf
~oc>i
... ncl:IL r{et of his ti::le
tie but to sleep ~nj feed? A beast, no ~ore.
~ure he th&t ill~dd us with 8JCn 10rg~ discourse,
Lookin~ 0efore ~1d ~ft~r, g~ve us not
Th:;{t c ..l.p""bili tv ",'1 ' , 700.1 ik~' re,,~son
1'0 fas t-, in iJ,:: un..lseri.
,;m'f, t<rhether it be
;:.ieBtL·l ')blivion, or SOi'i,e cr~~,ven :::~cru:ole
Jf thinkinv too orecis 0 17 on t~' event-A t~'lJ)J,ht w"ich, ~u",rt~rerl, h".. t'clout :)n,:~ D;,~rt v.:'lSjf)ffi
And ever three p~rts
Iii 11/ yet I I i v ' :; t J
5,~ ',' f
.::iltlo, I
to
'''::0
t
h53'':
c,;',U,3'~,
co~~rd--I
'
'rh is t >1 i
:_~i',!ill,
do not ~now
r1 q 's t 0:1:) , ,
~.nd
str·:':nl::rth,
'>'lc1 :nc:,!"ins,
t.
1 of
der.:th .... nc) desiriD!:e Oblivion.
renunci~t10n
of life
of the _ ediev81
b~~ed
on
pr~occup~tion
5JlbiC:o, IV,iv,31-46.
ti~e
.l'l.ccordin,~
dis~ust
with
conteTpl
tin~
to HUlzi:r'£',!, V:is
1s
de~th.
~nother
aspect
COaC1QElan~.
~irst,
occupied with
deat~
extr~ille
of the
for~s
from thp
~nd
th~t
writin~3
"1or~i!.
i
"ct
lO::.:t
co~ccr~ed
with
je~th.
,:.1
Hui7in~u
preocc~p~tion
this
for""}
~re~tl~
of
.
1
"-1-'".
~~d
re~ch2d
other
3)
in.-:t;, nee.
4·0
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aurelius, N~rcu.s.
The ~'ledi t ... tions. Tr~nsliii.ted with an
introduction and notes by G. M. A. Grube. New York:
The Boobs-Merrill Co., 1963.
Br ... dley, A.
c..
ShliO.kespe ..re~n 'l'rliO.p-:edy.
1903.
London:
&'rrison, G. B. Shitkespe:il.re t s I'i:ajor PlliJ.ys. New York:
R.arcourt, Br&ce, ... nd 'Horld, Inc., 1948.
Huizinga, J. The wjjj.ning of the iV;idd.le Ages. Ne1t( York:
Anchor Books, 1954.
Knight, G. W. 'rhe Wheel of Fire.
London: Methuen &: Co.
1930.
Lavater, Lewis.
Of Ghosts .1>:.nd Spirits W:itlklng 1)y Night.
London: 1572.
Lovejoy, arthu.T o. The Gre~.t Ch_.in of Being.
Harvard Uni v-::rsi ty Press, 1936.
Plato.
.boston:
Tl:'_e Bepublic. Tr ... nsloii.ted by \</. H. D. ROUSE~.
The New American Library, 1956.
New York:
Shakespeiii.re, ~H11i"lm. Hamlet. £ .. ld, 1.1.. C., (ed.).
New York: d~pleton-Cent~ry-Crofts, 1946.
Shakespe..,re, ,ji lli;;w:,.
Hoy, Cyru3, (ed.)
RoiI.mlet. Norton Crl ticlOll Edt tions.
New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1963.
Spencer, Hazelton. The Art and Llfe of Willi~m
New iork: .d;· rcourt .t3r~.ce and Co., 1940.
Spencer, rheoior~. Shfii<.kesp,:;~re •.md the
New York:
Collier Books, 1966.
Spurgeon, C~roline. §hakespear~'s
Tells Us.
C<iii.mbridge, 1935.
N~ture
Sh~kesDeare.
of
'tillson, J. D.-f1:at :-Iappens in Hliiitmlet.
Unlversity Press, 1959.
1~<a.n.
---
Ima~ery ~nd ~hat
Wilson, J. D. The 3ssential Shakespeare.
Cambridge Universlty Press, 1932.
•
It
London:
New York:
Cambridge