The Elizabethan World View Notes #1
 To fully understand the play, we must put hamlet in the
context of the Elizabethan world & theatre.
 Despite England’s most glorious age of exploration, cultural
& artistic explosion, and political victory (the Renaissance),
Eliza bethans still possessed a common concept of the
macrocosm & microcosm (more medieval based ideology)
 Despite religious upheaval (Martin Luther) and changing
science (Copernican theory), people did not change overnight
 Belief in a Ptolemaic world = Universe is Earth Centered
 Belief in the “Chain or Being” = everything connected to
god-every aspect of heaven & earth connected
“A place for everything & everything in its place.”
 Man came between the angels & beasts & was considered the
microcosm of creation, reflecting in miniature the macrocosm
of the larger universe.
 With this ideology comes sense and security, as well as
natural hierarchy, for on every level there were infinite
subdivisions
(ie. eagles among birds, king, among men)
 These principles would have been an integral part of Hamlet
& Hortio’s philosophy, they were still medieval men, though
begin to question the world within a Renaissance mind
 Any violation of any part of the chain of being was a
destructive act that could impair the whole—or set the
universe AGOG!
 No wonder Hamlet is so cynical, depressed, suspicious, and
angry
 A sense of uncertainty influences many of Shakespeare’s
plays, especially Hamlet
 Consider:
 Suddenly a sun-based solar system
 A female leader (who was protestant)
 A religious reformation
 A political upheaval
In 1547 from Henry VIII, to Edward VI, to “
Bloody Mary,” to Elizabeth in 1558…
While reading this play, consider all of the uncertainty
in Hamlet’s world!
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References to the stars/universe
Politics of the play
Hamlets questioning mind— his “Detective work”
The idea of Hamlet’s madness (crazy)
The Analytical Breakdown of Hamlet, Act 1 Notes #2
Act I, Sc.1:
Play begins with a question, during the cloak of darkness, with
talk of impending war, and the appearance of a ghost… More
questions and rapid dialogue add to a foreboding mood
 King Hamlet is dead
 King Fortinbras is dead- Norway threatens attack in both
cases, the uncle, not son, becomes King
Act I, Sc. 2:
We first meet Claudias, look carefully to his first speech—we
begin to see his true, double-faced nature
 Wow what a huge contrast to the previous scene!
 Note Hamlet’s first line and the cynical & melancholy
attitude that follows
 Note Hamlet’s first soliloquy, his true feelings
Soliloquies usually function as dramatic irony
 Scene changes mood w/entrance of Hamlet’s friends—note
strong bond between Hamlets & Horatio,
 Their dialogue, called stichomythia, (a technique in which
actors deliver speech in alternating lines)  This emphasizes
the importance of the information being delivered – w/news
of ghost, Hamlet is momentarily not so sad, they plan to
watch again tonight in secrecy
 The suspense built is so exciting!
Act I, Sc.3:
Intimate family conversation between Polonius and his 2 children,
Laertes & Ophelia- characterization of all
 Yet another contrasting scene! (How does he do it?)
 We learn important Family dynamics we’ll come back to, as
this scene foreshadows what will happen to each
 Laertes warns Ophelia about Hamlet, *most due to his own
treatment of women, not Hamlet’s behavior, and he reminds
her of their “ place”
 Did you notice how she calls him on this & suddenly he feels
the need to leave “ O! fear me not. I stay too long.
 Polonius’ substance-less “precepts” (advice) show how little
control he has over Laertes, while also backing Ophelia’s
comment on his character.
 Note: Hamlet wants to go back to school, Laertes wants to go
back to Paris to party!
Treatment of Women:
- Both father & brother attempt to control Ophelia
- She meets the expectation of the day & obeys her
father He does not seem to care about her feelings!
- Ophelia (& Hamlet) stand out as idealists
Act I, Sc. 4:
Cold, dark, ghost watch contrasted with the party (Claudius’s
excesses)
 Hamlet begins to pontificate on why a fault or another person
can ruin a good person…Here is Hamlet seeking truth…t’will
happen again!
 Ghost appears, gesturing to Hamlet to come, like good
friends, they try to physically restrain him, but, despite
possible danger he breaks away & follows (more clues about
character)
 SOMETHING IS ROTTEN INDEED…
Act 1, Sc. 5: suspense of entire Act leading to this scene
 finally no change of mood for this scene
 We learn the real reason for King hamlet’s death & what
Hamlet must do to seek revenge (though it will not come
easily and without questioning), & finally why he must do so
 Hamlet’s 2nd soliloquy filled w anger, excitement, &
resolution – he vows revenge & condemns Claudius for
making him do so… his father’s last words ring in his ears
“remember me”!
 Note Hamlet’s change in mind when friends re-enter & his
refusal to tell then what happened – he only tells horatio, a
true confident that the ghost was “honest”
 Both Hamlet & freaky omniscient ghost force Horatio &
Marcellus to swear by the sword not to tell
Time is out of joint indeed…
PONDER BEFORE ACT II
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How will Hamlet take revenge? Can he trust the ghost?
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What do all the refernces stars/heavens, darkness,
questions, and contrasting images and mood tell us?
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How cam Hamlet be compared and contrasted to
Horatio, Laertes & Prince Fortinbras?
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Is Hamlet in love Ophelia? Will she really obey?
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How will Hamlet continue to act?
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Will the family dynamics (in Polonius & Claudius’
families) become more inept?
THE MANY FACES OF HAMLET, notes #3
GHOST STORY
 Ghosts accepted as part of older Catholic beliefs—purgatory
 Adds suspenseful & scary element
 Consider use of stage—trap door, ascends from hell
 Consider how people react to the ghost (characters and
audience)
DETECTIVE STORY
 Hamlet is often accused of being a man of inaction, but is he
really? Why is he so careful & methodical? What does this
show us about his character?
 LOTS of spying is going on! By whom? When? Why?
What is the result of all this?
 When does the detective work end? Why?
REVENGE STORY
 Why MUST Hamlet seek revenge? Laertes? Fortinbras?
 Revenge was not allowed by the Church and church-goers
were not “allowed” to watch these types of play, though this
did not really stop people from watching these highly popular
plays
 However, revenge tales that ended in the death of the person
who seeks revenge were acceptable…
 What is your perception of revenge? Is revenge ever
acceptable? Why or why not?
COMING TO AGE
 On top of all the terrible things that happen in Hamlet’s life,
he is also coming to a point in his life when he must become
and independent adult
 How does one find her/his life’s path in the face of adversity?
 Consider the Rites of Passage Archetype (innocence, trials,
descents into darkness, heroic feats, mentors, and
achievement of knowledge) – Does Hamlet ever “achieve
knowledge? Does he “come to age”?
FAMILY DYNAMICS
 What role does family play here?
 Is family the driving force behind all of the action? Why or
why not?
 How does the family structure parallel the social hierarchy of
the times?
 How much does your own family influence your life?
 What type of sacrifices would you be willing to make for
your family? Do Hamlet’s sacrifices seem unreasonable?