Shakespeare + Hamlet | HISTORICAL CONTEXT Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) Queen Elizabeth I: monarch for most of S’s career midst of English Renaissance (1500-165o) Time of national strength & wealth “life is exciting” (prevailing attitude) Age of exploration: world, human nature, art & language Shakespeare + Hamlet | HISTORICAL CONTEXT Relevant, prevailing IDEAS of the time: RELIGION: Questioned value of medieval Christianity: FROM “life = prep for eternal life” TO “everyday life = opp for noble activity & meaning” SELF: Humans have potential for individual development – in control of their own destinies (not “pawns of fate”) VALUES: the ideal Renaissance Man… I am [3] Self-reflective : Shakespeare + Hamlet | H ISTORICAL I’m a [1] talented courtier I examine my nature & the causes of actions CONTEXT& a witty, eloquent [2] (my skill w/ flattery wins courtly favor) conversationalist [4]Poet’s Heart The IDEAL Renaissance Man Shakespeare + Hamlet | HISTORICAL CONTEXT Relevant prevailing IDEAS of the time: WORLDVIEW: “a great chain of being” Accepted Plato’s conception: there is a “proper order” in all things. Harmony when all is in order; Chaos & suffering for all if order is broken SOCIETY: Marriages arranged (for wealth) Women: lower social status than men Rulers = God’s Agents on earth (regicide = heinous crime eliciting ominous signs from heaven) Shakespeare + Hamlet | STYLISTIC C ONTEXT S’s Dramatic Conventions & Techniques: SOLILOQUY – monologue provides insight into thoughts + emotions of character (e.g. reveal true cause of H’s meloncholy/ troubled state, his view of death, + his desire to die) ASIDE – unheard dialogue provides insight into character ALLUSION – indirect reference to est. ch., explore theme, set mood Consider allusions to Mythology (Gk. + Ro.), Ro. history, Bible METADRAMA (metafiction) – chs. call attention to the fact that they are fictional (unlike legends + myths), creates irony used to explore themes, develop character, or heighten tension (COMIC RELIEF) Shakespeare + Hamlet | STYLISTIC CONTEXT S’s Dramatic Conventions & Techniques: THE SUPERNATURAL– used to est. mood, heighten tension, explore theme CONFLICT– tension + struggle between opposing forces or wills (in Hamlet the primary conflict is INTERNAL) MADNESS – real or feigned, was a common dramatic device used to advance plot + heighten tension MOTIFS – recurring symbols + images GARDENS & serpents (the Fall = chaos + disorder) desire for / concepts of DEATH DISEASE & DECAY (a pervasive reminder of human mortality) Shakespeare + Hamlet | STYLISTIC CONTEXT S’s Dramatic Conventions & Techniques: TRAGIC HERO – familiar device, KEY DIFFERENCE: Aristotlean: man of high position brought down by two EQUALLY POWERFUL forces: hamartia + fate The “tragedy” is lack of courage in response to will of Gods Renaissance: humans control individual destiny (not pawns of fate) >> individuals (esp. of high position) are therefore responsible for their own downfall The “tragedy” is the “waste of human potential” Shakespeare + Hamlet | STYLISTIC CONTEXT STRUCTURE: the 5-Act “Template” Typical movement through exposition; rising action; conflict and climax; falling action; and resolution SPOILER ALERT: S ‘s tragedies ALWAYS end with the death of the main character Ironically, he has spent the entire play trying to gain control of a conflict …that he himself has created FYI: the character who delivers the final line is the one who will restore order to the disorder Shakespeare + Hamlet | ANALYTICAL READING Try reading… sdrawckaB No action occurs without antecedent; therefore nothing happens by accident or mistake (David Ball) Trace linear continuity of action from the END to the BEGINNING: Key question: Why does x happen? Consider the series of actions preceding it: Something happens that permits something else to happen… Each “trigger” creates a “heap,” then each “heap” might become a new “trigger” Shakespeare + Hamlet | ANALYTICAL READING Study the “cycle of action” Stasis, intrusion, battle for a new stasis The central conflict emerges from the “intrusion,” what someone wants is hindered by an obstacle The End Hamlet | Focus 2: CHARACTER Examine S ‘s techniques used to portray character &character relationships to audience H may be the most debated character in literature Focus analytical reading on: H, Claudius, Polonius, Gertrude, and Ophelia CONTEXT | The Renaissance Shift from feudalism to nationalism = increased individualism Renaissance = profound changes in the average person’s view of: the universe Declining power / influence of Roman Catholic Church = increased secularization (education & arts) God relationship between God & humanity religion & everyday life government & individual rights CONTEXT| Renaissance Beliefs Humans have potential for development Questioning of traditional (medieval) Christian beliefs: Life is meaningful, an opportunity for noble activity…NOT merely “preparation for eternal life” Heroism is valued: the “Renaissance man” “…a talented courtier, adventurer, fencer, poet, and conversationalist. He was a witty and eloquent gentleman who examined his own nature and the causes of his actions…” CONTEXT | Renaissance Beliefs Preoccupation with the order of things (“great chain of being”: within and among all things—from a grain of sand, to the heavens, to God—there is a complex order): Proper Order = Harmony; Broken Order = Chaos = Suffering Kings were “God’s agents” of Order To kill a King was a heinous crime…and the heavens would show ominous portents if such evil were present Shakespeare’s | Theme & Structure Echoing a contemporary worldview, S’s works revolve around one common thematic idea: disorder In each play, one must consider: how disorder is shown how order is restored what the effect of the new order is Shakespeae & CHARACTER: The CLASSICAL Tragic Hero Aristotle: tragic hero = a man who rose to a high position , then fell from that position (a tragedy) Usually this “fall” results in death or utter desolation (e.g. Oedipus) In classical tragedy, TWO forces seem EQUALLY powerful: hamartia (the “tragic mistake” or “flaw”) fate Shakespeae & CHARACTER: The CLASSICAL Tragic Hero Most tragic heroes However, some are pawns of fate and suject to hamartia tragic heroes clearly cause their own downfall (e.g. Oedipus and his (e.g. Creon’s downfall in parents do everything possible to outwit fate and—ironically—in doing so the very prophecy is fulfilled) Antigone is due to his hubris: he believes his law holds precedence over the gods’ sense of “Right”) Shakespeae & CHARACTER: The RENAISSANCE Tragic Hero The tragic hero retains many of his original traits: privileged, exalted character of high repute who falls from glory into suffering because of a tragic flaw (hamartia) … BUT Renaissance worldview people are in control of their own destinies (NOT “pawns of fate”) The Elizabethan tragic hero is almost always responsible for his own downfall To the Elizabethans the “waste of human potential” is much more tragic than the vagaries of fate Shakespeare | Dialogue Renaissance culture maintained a FORMAL and INFORMAL language for a second-person address (e.g. “you” = formal, “thou” = familiar) Be aware of how various characters (e.g. Hamlet, Claudius, and Gertrude) address one another and in what contexts they use what form of address Shakespeare | Motif Notice how Shakespeare returns to certain themes for emphasis and development: The Garden (& Serpent) Desire for / concept of Death (esp. Hamlet) Images of Disease and Decay Meta-fiction / Meta-drama (when, in lit or drama, characters comment on the state of the art form using its own actions and/or devices—e.g. when the Players arrive in Hamlet) Shakespeare| Ghosts Using a ghost to begin a play was a common dramatic convention Contextually, the existence of ghosts was a matter of great philosophical and theological concern for Shakespeare’s audience Different views of the AFTERLIFE will shape one’s interpretation of the ghost: Shakespeare| Ghosts PROTESTANT VIEW: at death, a soul travels to Heaven OR Hell…and does not return Many Protestant theologians believed that, while a soul could not return, a demon could easily assume any shape or likeness CATHOLIC VIEW: at death, a soul may exist between Heaven and Hell: Many Catholic theologians believed that a soul might be able to return from Limbo or Purgatory Note: Hamlet (and Horatio) are being schooled at [very Protestant] Wittenberg! Shakespeare| Ghosts: Application Read the opening passage of Hamlet (l. Explain how the scene immediately begins to build suspense and establish the tone for the rest of the play. Shakespeare| Girlfriends What do we do with Ophelia? Some (probably mistakenly) have suggested that Ophelia may be as well-rounded and possibly more important than Hamlet himself! What role does she play in Hamlet’s madness? Is Hamlet’s love sincere or merely a game? Why does Ophelia go mad? Note: As the Greek’s considered an individual’s downfall at the hands of the Gods/fate, Shakespeare sympathizes with the downfall of the innocent and powerless at the hands of human manipulators! Shakespeare| Girlfriends Does Ophelia commit suicide or is her death an accident? Eve vs. Mary: Some critics assert that Ophelia’s role is only important as a foil, insomuch as she serves to illustrate the dual nature of women—when she is paired with Gertrude Thus, they are manifestations of Hamlet’s (Shakespeare’s???) warped view of women: at once the seducing temptress AND the innocent and virtuous Shakespeare| Graveyards DEATH: The “great equalizer” or “eternal class distinction”? Contextually, unbaptised persons (incl. babies); suicides; unmarried, pregnant women; and any person who died in a state of mortal sin were NOT ELIGIBLE for “full Christian burial” Shakespeare | Dramatic Conventions Understand the function and purpose of: SOLILOQUY ASIDE ALLUSION SUPERNATURAL MADNESS (whether real or pretend, this was a popular device in Elizabethan drama) CONFLICT TRAGIC HERO / TRAGIC FLAW Reading Shakespeare: Decoding Language 400 years of “static”—caused by changes in language and life—make “translation” challenging Understand nuances related to Shakespeare’s words & wordplay, syntax, and implied stage action Reading Shakespeare: Understanding | Wordplay Be prepared for the pervasive use of figurative language & puns FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: be vigilant for SIMILES and METAPHORS—consider the significance of the comparison as well as its figurative meaning More advanced readers will have fun looking for Shakespeare’s subtle-but-brilliant humor, embedded in his language Reading Shakespeare: Understanding | Syntax BEWARE: Shakespeare often shifts or inverts the “normal” syntax of language (anastrophe) This allows him to emphasize certain elements or rhyme certain words Often, Shakespeare separates basic sentence elements (such as subject/verb or verb/object) Often, Shakespeare employs elision (of letters or words) to keep his blank verse style You may find it necessary to mentally restructure the syntax to determine meaning! Reading Shakespeare: Understanding | I.S.A. Remember: what you are reading was intended to be seen, not just read… Dialogue is written to complement movement, gesture, facial expression Explicit, described “stage direction” is included in the text “implied stage action” (I.S.A.) is NOT: be alert to signals in dialogue or action that reveal I.S.A.