History of London around 1600 CE
Old London was a large metropolis with courtiers, merchants, artisans, harlot, and even beggars. It was this notice of London in 1600 that formed Shakespeare’s vision. He described it as the beginning of early modern English culture. Moreover, the city developed economically, which stimulated the attraction of merchants from other countries. In this way, the people of London at the time could observe on the streets absolutely all segments of the population, including spies and thieves. Moreover, the city’s economy improved, and personalities began to use plumbing for their own needs (Salkeld 41). Shakespeare appreciated the benefits of London despite the negative aspects of the town started to develop.
Plot Overview for Hamlet
The dramatic events in Shakespeare’s tragedy unfold within the stone walls of the royal castle at Elsinore. The plot tells of Hamlet, a Danish prince seeking revenge for his father’s death that was killed in his sleep by his brother Claudius, who married the widow and seized the throne. The protagonist is constantly surrounded by hypocrisy and suffers to find the truth and awaken the conscience of those who are willing to serve the tyrant. Hamlet sees an alarming sign of the times in all events. He calls Denmark a prison as he feels a hostage to life’s circumstances (Verma 75). He had to go through many difficulties, pretend to be insane; lost his beloved, and his former friends did not understand him. The tragedy ends with universal death: Hamlet’s father’s unfaithful wife, Gertrude, the Prince’s rebellious villain, King Claudius, and Prince, who dies from a poisoned wound.
Theme
The tragedy of Hamlet addresses eternal problems: the incompatibility of lofty ideals and dreams with reality, the mismatch between the goals and the means of achieving them, and the role of the individual in history. Furthermore, the central theme is the mystery of life and death, which constantly worries Hamlet. ‘To be or not to be?’ — is the famous question he asks in the monologue (Kuczynski 32). Hamlet does not fully understand what life is and what awaits outside of it. The hero constantly searches for an answer and does not realize how one stab of a dagger can forever erase a person’s entire world of feelings and experiences. At the tomb of the buffoon Yorick, Hamlet ponders where earthly glory goes: the pride of courtiers, the vanity of servants, the military prowess of generals, the beauty of society ladies. He also ponders how insignificant people in society are in their pursuit of self-interest.
Hamlet and the Modern World
On the one hand, Hamlet was a Renaissance hero, but on the other hand, Shakespeare’s tragedy is timeless and relevant. It raises the theme of choice, which stands before every person in the modern world. The main character is experiencing those problems that concern many generations. He understands that man is a perfect commitment and ornament of all living things. At the same time, he becomes convinced that instincts are the main engine of behavior, and the moral concept of honor and duty are not always respected. Some manage to find a balance between good and evil, but they are few and far between. Hamlet’s words and monologues force everyone to think about the meaning of human life, about deeds and memory. ‘How and for what does a man live in this world?’ — he asks such a question. Finding no answer, he redirects it to us, those who have to live in the problem-ridden, urbanized XXI century.
Works Cited
Kuczynski, Michael. ‘Hamlet and Our Problems.’ New Orleans Review, vol. 42, 2016, pp. 27–43.
Salkeld, Duncan. Shakespeare and London. Oxford University Press, 2018.
Verma, Anjali. ‘Hamlet: Shakespeare’s Masterpiece in Our Times.’ Language in India, vol. 16, no. 7, 2016, pp. 73–79.