Christian McCarthy

GWIC
Dr. Boltwood

A brief history of religion and its influence on Shakespeares writing of Hamlet in the
Elizabethan Era

The Elizabethan Era saw the rise and fall of many kings and queens, as well as religious

culture and power. One of the most prominent playwrights in history, William Shakespeare, lived

and thrived during this time of creativity and political turmoil. While the political spectrum

continuously flipped between good and bad rulers, religion slowly began to expand even more

than it had. Post Henry VIIIs split from the Catholic Church and the creation of the Church of

England, it is probable that many citizens disagreed with many of the changes the country was

forced into through the selfish, heir-obsessed kings actions. Many years later, despite the chaos,

Shakespeare still managed to create impressive works of theater that are still studied

meticulously to this day. Shakespeare could not help but have been influenced by the changing

world around him, and in Hamlet, there are many references and quips to the religious impact in

the late 1500s. However, before Shakespeares Hamlet was even written, there is a lot of history

that should be discussed.

Previously, England was undergoing turmoil due to monstrosities such as the Black

Plague, and a few wars scattered throughout. Religion became a safe haven for many, and it

began to grow and flourish when people were at a loss of hope and feared the worst for

humanity. Religion was the reason that many universities were opened, mostly as secular

colleges at first, but slowly adapted. The monks and nuns were virtuous, but unfortunately,
tainted change was forth and coming. Any construct that grows too rapidly without enough

checks and balances is at risk to fall from grace.

Religion, and its prominent figures, were a force during this era, and The Catholic Church

was not happy with the way England was now commanding itself. With the Church of England

splitting from the Catholic Church, due to Henry VIIIs proposal and rejection for a divorce,

there was much confusion as to which construct was better for the people to be a part of. After

the events of Martin Luther and the start of the Protestant Reformation, many throughout

England began to separate their views from both The Church of England, and the Catholic

Church. While Mary Queen of Scots maintained rule, religion became about power instead of

faith and prayer. She had many killed due to the fact that there was potential disbelief in her

country. After years of horrible rule, being dubbed Bloody Mary, and forcing the rule of

Catholicism, she was beheaded for all her crimes. Later on, with Queen Elizabeth I in power, she

began to aid in the reconstruction of England and cut ties with the Catholic Church. In

Shakespeares England, the following is quoted:

Elizabeth was not willing to run the risk of uniting the great Catholic powers
against her, and she told him so in very clear language. Mr. Secretary, I mean to
have done with this business; I shall listen to the proposals of the French King. I
am not going to be tied any longer to you and your brethren in Christ (Raleigh,
Lee, Onions 5).

Doing this showed a lot of courage on behalf of Queen Elizabeth because splitting from the

Church was like splitting from ones immediate family. She wanted to send a message to the

people that change was on its way for the country, and that England was not going to become

entirely corrupted and controlled by the ways of old. The people in charge of the Church were

seeming to wreck havoc upon the country of England. Mentioned also in Shakespeares England:
The massacre of Huguenots on St. Bartholomews Day in 1572 accentuated the alarm and

resentment caused in England by the Popes interference. The foreign seminaries began presently

to send their missionaries into the country (Raleigh, Lee, Onions 50). Its terrifying that there

massacres on religious days. The Pope was one of the worst influences in the Church, and was

focused on reaping the benefits instead of helping the greater good. All the while that massacres

and greediness plagued the era, a man, John Felton was sent to death for posting Pope Pius Vs

bull against Queen Elizabeth on the doors of the Bishop of Londons palace. It was so serious

because it was an act of treason against the Queen, and no threat could be taken so lightly; John

Felton is considered to be a martyr.

In addition to the above mentioned, politics seemed to try to reconstruct the religion that

became so nefarious because many of the rulers had contradicted each other with the past rulings

in England. The Catholic Church became such a problem that it needed change, and the

following excerpt from Freedom, Corruption and Government in Elizabethan England discusses

what a desired goal to fix it was at the time:

Mr Christopher Hill, in his important book Economic Problems of the Church,

drew our attention to the fundamental, and fatal, breach between the governments
theory and practice in this sphere. The Crown, and its ministers, wanted a
reformed Church with good administration, able bishops, and a learned ministry.
Yet the very government itself was engaged in despoiling the Church of its
wealth, of which only the most glaring example was the pressure upon bishops, or
deans and chapers, to let out their lands to the governing classes at ridiculously
uneconomic rents on long leases in an age of inflation (Hurstfield, 94).

The Catholic Churchs main problem concerned its obsession with money. It seemed as though

there were multiple different ploys to get money from as many people as possible. After the Dark

Ages, the Church was not in a high place of monetary stability after having to help and care for
many of its patrons. Ironically, one of the leading reasons Martin Luther demanded change was

the Churchs use of indulgences. According to the Miriam-Websters Dictionary Online, an

indulgence is a remission of part or all of the temporal and especially purgatorial punishment

that according to Roman Catholicism is due for sins whose eternal punishment has been remitted

and whose guilt has been pardoned (as through the sacrament of reconciliation) (Web, http://

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indulgence). This was the main form of fraudulence for

the Catholic Church, and it was not until the rebirth that a change for the better began its

ascension for the world as a whole.

During this time, the Renaissance had flourished and with it came many great artistic

contributions to the world. It is one of the most prominent and renowned eras in history because

of the great works that came from the period. One of the most important people in the era was

William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was an actor and writer, and he published his works rapidly.

Preceded and influenced briefly by other playwrights like Christopher Marlowe and Robert

Greene, Shakespeare wrote four different varieties of plays: Historical plays, including Henry IV;

Tragedies, including Romeo & Juliet; Comedies, including A Midsummer Nights Dream, and

Romantics, including Pericles. As mentioned in the conclusion of Elizabethan Drama and

Shakespeares Early Plays, When analyzed in accordance with their basic structural movement,

dramas by Kyd, Marlowe, Greene and others provide a background for examining Shakespeares

artistry in his early tragedies and histories and for considering, among other things, the structure

of his plays written earlier than 1596 (Talbert, 323). The plays are still studied and performed in

present day theatre, and continue to receive new theories and theses about most.
 Despite the Renaissance and the spread of artistic and philosophical rebirth, the schism

with religion at the time became greater. Anyone growing up in this tumultuous time would

probably have been fearful of going against either power that they end up remaining neutral in

argument. Although, Elizabeths ascension to the throne did instill a better sense of peace and

future calming, but was certainly not a promise. The country was still not satisfied, and relied on

distractions to keep their minds at ease of the rising conflicts within. Religious influence was

everywhere, whether it be positive or negative, it could barely be escaped.

It was not unlikely for Shakespeare to be influenced by the numerous events that were

taking place around the time that he began to write one of the more prominently studied

tragedies: Hamlet. The play was written around 1599, and this was the start of his latter career

and life. Although studied often, there remains much confusion regarding which of the three

versions of Hamlet is most accurate to exist. There is the good quarto, or the Hamlet that is

usually read and performed, published in 1604; there is the bad quarto, which has a few

significant changes to the scene progression and language, published in 1603. Finally, there is a

Folio, and it includes thirty six of Shakespeares works that were compiled by close friends after

his death; it was published in 1623, seven years following his death. Around the same time as

these publications, the to-be-Puritans were beginning to dislike the way the King was ruling

England, and slowly began to distance themselves further. The Catholic Church maintained its

strain of corruption through officials both politically and theologically, but this allowed for

Shakespeare to have stronger ideas.

The influence of religion on Shakespeare is evident through varied examples throughout

the text of Hamlet. For instance, while Prince Hamlet is speaking with his father, the Ghost, there
is a reference made that could be analyzed as a clever jab at the religious world around

Shakespeare at the time. The passage spoken by the Ghost gives insight: Doomed for a certain

term to walk the night and for the day to fast in fires till the foul crimes in my days past of nature

are burnt and purged away (Arden Shakespeare, 212). It can be inferred that many were fearful

of the unknown regarding death in the Elizabethan Era. With every action being almost damned

by the Church and its officials it is not surprising that Shakespeare had to be careful with his

quips about religion. Purgatory was a serious concern during the main corruption of the Church,

and there were officials selling indulgences to help people eliminate their time in purgatory. It

almost seems as though Shakespeare was sending a warning to the citizens who were to read his

work that purgatory is not a place where one should desire to reside.

Another great usage of religious exemplification is in Act III, Scene III, where King

Claudius is praying. He talks about the sins of his past, and how he feels repentance, but knows

that he cannot go back on what he has done. He states something of particular interest: In the

corrupted currents of this world offense's gilded hand may shove by justice, and oft tis seen the

wicked prize itself buys out the law; but tis not so above (Arden Shakespeare, 330). This

contains a lot of value because it is Shakespeares way of further revealing that there is

corruption to be reprimanded. One can get away with much on earth, especially if that one

maintains a high position of power, a possible reference to many of the rulers, particularly the

then-recent Mary Queen of Scots. Shakespeare uses this to jest to the audience that the rich and

powerful will receive their reckoning at the day of their judgement by the Almighty. Throughout

the monologue we see examples of Claudius going back and forth with himself and God,

something that could be a representation of the country as a whole. This could also be a
representation of politics versus religion, or Church versus State. There are numerous ways to

view the monologue as a whole, but regardless it is one of the most important moments.

Shakespeare was putting forth an effort to emphasize that the people need to be able to ask

forgiveness and understand their sins that have been committed. That in the then-present world, a

priest was not the sole ticket to heaven, nor was purchasing an indulgence. Despite Claudius

having murdered his brother out of selfishness, the audience is able to gather that guilt is felt by

all, and repentance is achievable if one admits fault and vows to change their ways.

Continuing in the same scene is a quick moment of intrigue where Hamlet enters and sees

Claudius praying. Hamlets goal was to kill Claudius, but fears that if he does so while the King

is praying, then the King will be able to achieve total salvation. If Hamlet kills the King, he

avenges his deceased father, but the King may ultimately win and achieve salvation. However, if

Hamlet continues to procrastinate on his plans to avenge his father, the more sins that will be

committed by the King, and the higher chance that an opportunity to strike will be severely

diminished.

Further, one prominent convention often used by Shakespeare was the inclusion of fools

into his plays with roles that range from often recurring to present in one scene. The latter is the

case of the gravediggers in Hamlet. Their role of comedy is portrayed by witty banter and jokes.

For example, the first gravedigger says: What is he that builds stronger than either the mason,

the shipwright, or the carpenter, and the second replies: The gallows-maker, for that frame

outlives a thousand tenants (Arden Shakespeare, 412). While dark, this moment still serves as a

moment for the audience to laugh at the foolishness of the gravediggers. The irony of the
moment is that these men are digging a grave, but continuing to jest at the circumstances:

Ophelia has committed suicide and they are preparing her final resting place.

Their importance, however, is offering up a true moment of question for the audience to

consider: Is she to be buried in a Christian burial when she willfully seeks her own

salvation (Arden Shakespeare, 409-410). As mentioned before, Catholicism was undergoing

much stress during the time that Hamlet was written; indulgences were being sold, and the

Church was corrupt. The importance of Shakespeare including such a scene can be seen as a

reflection of the distaste for the Church, and the performance of deeds that would usually be seen

as uncanny. The line: Well you ha the truth on t? If this had not been a gentlewoman, she

should have been buried out oChristian burial, (Arden Shakespeare, 411) pokes fun at the

influence of the rich during the era. Ophelia should not be given a burial because in traditional

Catholic doctrine, she is destined to reside in Hell, but since she is of a family of wealth and

importance she is allowed the best. All of this coming from two men digging graves was

comedic because these men are seen as peasants, yet they have valid points of argument.

Each of these examples provides better insight as to what Shakespeare might have been

trying to get across to his audiences: that religion is present, but may not be entirely legitimate in

its doctrine. Obviously, Shakespeare was not the only person to create works of drama that poked

fun at the chaotic world around him. Theatre has always been used as a means to educate and

instill a moral feel. While most of Hamlet deals with revenge and tragedy, it also educates the

audience of the importance of knowing how the world is working around you. The high in power

maintain great influence, and if they sin, they can find a means to be saved; this does not always

ensure that they will achieve salvation. Shakespeare did not only put his input on the dastardly
religious craziness in Hamlet, but in many other plays as well. He had to be discreet, and had to

put good reason behind his writing, though.

The history of religion and its role throughout the Elizabethan Era is vast and intricate.

Shakespeare, as well as many other artists, writers and Renaissance collaborators, obviously

were influenced by the events that were taking place during the period, and it is reflected in not

one, but various of their own works. Hamlet by Shakespeare, based on Amleth by Saxo

Grammticus, is an important work of drama that reflects the way Shakespeare saw the world

around him during the late 16th century. Religion and politics were at a constant battle with each

other, and dragged the citizens of England into every debacle without choice. Despite many

efforts of reform and rebirth, England maintained a constant suffering of corruption, selfishness

and great confusion of the overall good. However, this did not stop Shakespeare from present

work after work of both political and theological construct and critique. Shakespeare was a

playwright, first and foremost, but enjoyed his status as an influential man in Elizabethan

England. Whether it be while he was a part of the Lord Chamberlains (under the rule of Queen

Elizabeth I), or The Kings Men (under the rule of King James I), Shakespeare was always doing

something worthwhile for the good of Englands creative side. He even had a building created

with these groups for his plays to be performed in, The Globe Theatre, which exists today.

Shakespeare was both influenced and influential, and despite much chaos from the Crown and

both Churches present, he managed to create beautiful works of drama that allow insight into the

corruption, secrecy, and wonder of the Elizabethan Era; Shakespeare is an important figure to

history, and although we know very little personal information about him, we know that works

such as Hamlet gave the time a better vision of how the world truly was acting. All the
corruption, all the religious and political struggles, and all of the prominent figures created one

of the most important and intriguing times of artistic, political and theological history.
Works Cited:

Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor, eds. 2006: Hamlet, The Arden Shakespeare. 3rd Series.
London: Thomson Learning.

Dean, D. M. Law-making and Society in Late Elizabethan England: The Parliament of

England, 1584-1601. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1996. Print.

Hurstfield, Joel. Freedom, Corruption, and Government in Elizabethan England. Cambridge:

Harvard UP, 1973. Print.

Indulgence. Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.

Raleigh, Walter Alexander, Sidney Lee, and C. T. Onions. Shakespeare's England: An Account
of the Life & Manners of His Age. Vol. 1. Oxford: Clarendon, 1916. Print.

Talbert, Ernest William. Elizabethan Drama and Shakespeare's Early Plays; an Essay in
Historical Criticism. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina, 1963. Print.