Evaluate the dramatic impact of the supernatural Essay

Shakespeares hamlet, tells the story of the prince of Denmark, a headstrong and ablaze young man, who is seeking revenge for the murder of his father. He achieves this but tragically loses his own life in the process. The hearing of Shakespeares time would pick up been newly deemed Protestant, as Hamlet makes reference to a touch in Purgatory, is never clear whether or not Shakespeare follows a particular apparitional line, however the consultation would certainly bugger off been familiar with the concept. The protestant beliefs differed puny from those of the Roman Catholics.The only drastic changes cosmos the Protestants acceptance of divorce, and exclusion of the belief in Purgatory I am thy fathers spirit, Doomed for a certain marches to walk the night, And for the day confined to fast in fires Till the puckish crimes d whizz in my days of nature Are burnt and purged outdoor(a) (1. 5. 9-13) Whilst the existence of the ghost is a common belief in Elizabethan England, and evidence for the existence of an afterlife, he speaks of his confinement in what can be assumed to purgatory or hell.Purgatory is represented as being the state amongst heaven and hell in which tainted souls are purged of their crimes and sent, in a state of purity to heaven. This belief is a uniquely Catholic integrity. merely recently, the Pope has stated that Purgatory is a state of mind kinda than a physical place, and whilst a person is in that state of mind, repenting of their sins, they will be allowed to enter heaven upon death. This reflects upon a change in the nature of the Catholic perform building as well as a laxity in the structure of sacred education.Religion in Shakespeares England was a such(prenominal) to a greater extent prominent part of life than it is in comparison with today. The multicultural nation we live in now was then dominated by the chosen religion of the monarch. At this point the religion was Protestantism. As Elizabeth the first base w as on the throne. Whilst being a protestant, Elizabeth was recorded as being unspecific of Catholic beliefs. This adjustment to a protestant life would still gain left some remnants of Catholicism in its path.Redemption and the state of the interminable soul after death was one of the master(prenominal) beliefs of the Catholic Church and the Protestant faith, however to less of an extent and this is reflected as it is one of the main themes in Hamlet. This manifests itself in several ways. For example, it is Hamlets belief in the afterlife and desire to act as ultimate judge is what girdle his hand as Claudius unwittingly tries to pray in the church A villain kills my father, and for that I his sole do this same villain distribute To heavenClaudius, as he appeared to be praying, would invite died in a state of grace with god and gone to purgatory or heaven rather than hell, which is where Hamlet would much prefer Claudius spent eternity. This is in line with the religious bel iefs of the time. Therefore to the audience of the time, hell would have been a much more(prenominal) real and present threat than today. As attendance at church was mandatory and punishable by time in the stocks, the majority of the audience would be familiar with the concept. The heat of hell is another concept the audience would have been familiar with is the heat of hell.Shakespeare makes reference to this in act one scene five, and it is also a point of reference in the tidings And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 1342) At this point in history, the bible was first being translated from Latin into English. So religion reached the British public on bargain on new levels. In Hamlet, the fires and sulphur of hell are3 referred to initially by the ghost When I to sulphrous and tormenting flames Must render up myself (1. 5. 2-3)Whether the ghost of older Hamlet is residing in hell or Purgatory is an issue which Shakespe are leaves open and unresolved. This leaves the Shakespearean audience with the question of whether there was a hope of redemption for senescent Hamlet, and in relation themselves. The ghost uses a great deal of apocalyptical imagery, heightening the dramatic impact of his words on the advanced(a) and contextual audience Oh horrible, oh horrible, most horrible If thou hast nature in thee publicise it not Let not the royal bed of Denmark be A couch for luxury and damned incest (1. 5. 80-84).The relationship between Claudius and Gertrude would have been seen as incest n Shakespeares time, whilst it would be more acceptable today. This declaration is seen orgasm from the mouth of the ghost. To a contextual audience, this would greatly increase the sense of urgency, and destine incest as being against god. This shows the audience of Shakespeares time was outlying(prenominal) more greatly affected by the supernatural, religion and the afterlife than today. As today, our discreti on of religious teaching is far less comprehensive than this, and applies to a far smaller proportion of society.Shakespeares accuracy regarding religious beliefs of the time would have had a far larger impact on the audiences of the time, as these beliefs straightway related to their lives. These beliefs were taken a great deal more severely by the majority of the country. Evidence for this is that the clergy, in the social hierarchy was bite to the nobility the church was often consulted in parliamentary matters. In counterpoint to today, where the church, still an influential force, is influential over far fewer people. To a modern audience, Hamlet offers an insight into the mindset of the 1600s audience.This interest in the afterlife, and the duality between life and death occurs in more than one of his plays. Macbeth for example is fully aware of the apocalyptic consequences of murdering the king, placed there by god. Today, the divine right of kings is less of an issue as we live in a country run by an elected parliament ground on a voting system involving universal suffrage. A similarity between the Shakespearean audiences perception and a modern audiences perception of Hamlet is the human fascination with death and the afterlife.Shakespeare clearly shows the Roman Catholic perception of death, one of the few acceptable at the time. This would have relevance to a much smaller percentage of the modern audience. or else than appeal to the darker side of a Roman Catholic belief, Hamlet tempts the scrutinizing and growing, almost pagan darkness in society. The ghost of Old Hamlet is the most vivid appearance of the supernatural directly influencing the play. It is a critical issue whether or not the ghost is the past king of Denmark.