The Great Chain of Being in Hamlet - 1106 Words

The main concept of the Great Chain of Being is that every existing thing in the universe has its â€Å"place† in an outlined hierarchical order. Where it is placed depends on the amount of spirit and importance in society it has. The chain commences at God and progresses downward to angelic beings, kings, princes, nobles, regular humans, animals, plants, and many other objects of nature. According to this theory, all existing things have their specific function in the universe, and causing any kind of disorder on the higher links of this chain courts disaster. In Hamlet, Shakespeare dwells on the idea of a disheveled natural social order which restrains human beings’ ability to live peacefully. The society presented in this play is a society†¦show more content†¦Fortinbras is threatening Denmark with vicious attack; the throne is stolen from its rightful owner; incest is being committed on the throne, and Denmark is being viewed as an appallingly weak monarchy . As the disturbance of the Great Chain of Being begins, it only shows signs of getting worse. The fact that Old Hamlet and Claudius are royal opposites does not help anything either. Old Hamlet is known as â€Å"a ‘majestical’ king and a great soldier†, and Claudius is known as â€Å"a smiling, creeping, serpent† (Wilson 58,44), while Old Hamlet’s â€Å"wisdom and human understanding† is contrasted with the depravities of Claudius, â€Å"murderer and usurper† (States 94,98). These profound divergences between Old Hamlet and Claudius are certainly dooming for Denmark’s Great Chain as they induce calamity. Speaking of the disaster-prone Denmark that is presented in this play, Hamlet, the beloved main character, is a magnificent representation of the dysfunction that lies among the Great Chain of Being. Hamlet shows signs of having immense depression, suicidal thoughts, and considerations of fleeing Denmark. When someone wants to escape the country after a leader’s death, it is pretty obvious that something is tousled. After Claudius calls him a coward for being upset over Old Hamlet’s death and Gertrude basically forces him toShow MoreRelatedGender Roles In Shakespeares Ophelia And Hamlet1258 Words   |  6 Pagesdefies these gender norms by creating characters in Hamlet, both male and female, that do not seem to be able to apply reasoning to their abilities and enforces the concepts of gender roles by writing Ophelia as a quiet and subordinate woman. The Great Chain of Being dictates that logic and reasoning are the defining factors that separate animals from humans. However, both Ophelia and Hamlet, two of the leading characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, seem to comply with the idea of reasoning, and thusRead MoreUpsetting the Social Order during Hamlet Created Disruption Essay1259 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s mind, the evidence being the recurring theme of the disorgan ization in social order. The disruption of social order, as described by the Great Chain of Being, was to be avoided, because the consequences would be destructive. The conflicts that arise throughout â€Å"Hamlet† are due to a disturbance in the Concept of Order, resulting in a disrupted social hierarchy. The most apparent violation of the Concept of Order in â€Å"Hamlet† is the murder of King Hamlet by his brother, Claudius. TheRead MoreEssay Applying Platos Allegory of the Cave1649 Words   |  7 PagesApplying Platos Allegory of the Cave to Oedipus Rex, Hamlet,and Thomas Becket Plato was one of the greatest philosophers of all time. He is recognized all over the world as one of the greatest minds of all time. Knowledge is required under compulsion has not hold on the mind.(Durant 24). Platos dialogues are the fruit of a rare mind; but the could not have kept their perennial freshness if they had not somehow succeeded in expressing he problems and the convictions that are common to PlatosRead MoreAnalysis Of Prince Hamlet By William Shakespeare1517 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"man is born free; but everywhere he lives in chains†. This suggests humankind is only free at the moment of birth and thereafter they live their lives chained down by forces working to hold them back from being who they truly are. Every man and women are shaped not by their freedoms, but by their limitations. This is evident in all types of literature and from observation of the world we live in now. However, I have chosen to analyze Prince Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespe are, Winston Smith in 1984Read MoreThe Importance Of Natural Language In Hamlet In William Shakespeares Hamlet737 Words   |  3 Pageshave? In Early Modern England this question was not one of politics and militaries, but of a natural social order. The Great Chain of Being Places a King above his country; if the king becomes corrupted so does the state and in turn, the natural world will become diseased and rank. Shakespeare’s use natural language in hamlet indicates an adherence to The Great Chain of Being. The corruption of the natural world is a metaphor for the corruption of the state by the perverse actions of ClaudiusRead MoreHamlet And Twelfth Night Comparison Essay957 Words   |  4 Pagestragedies to comedies. Of them, Hamlet and Twelfth Night are perfect examples of both. A comparison between them could be of interest because their common points demonstrate that, however differing their genres are, Shakespeare’s plays essentially illustrate what it is to be human[1] . [2] Hamlet and Twelfth Night could both be compared through instances of body imagery, critical thought and social integration. In the first place, when it comes to body imagery in Hamlet and Twelfth Night, the firstRead MoreRomeo And Juliet Literary Analysis1388 Words   |  6 Pageswarning to Queen Elizabeth (Bearman). One can understand William Shakespeare’s ideas for his plays by exploring his influences for Romeo and Juliet, MacBeth, and Hamlet. Shakespeare wrote many plays, one of his more famous one being Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare used many sources to create his famous play Romeo and Juliet, one source being a poem named titled Romeus and Juliet (Weller). Romeus and Juliet was published about two years before Shakespeare was born (Weller). In Brooke’s article it statesRead MoreThe Importance of Maintaining Moral Order as it Relates to Hamlet by William Shakespeares765 Words   |  4 PagesImportance of Maintaining Moral Order as it Relates to Hamlet by William Shakespeares Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. (Hamlet. 1.4, l.90) In every society a distinctive hierarchy or organization of power exists. In the Shakespearean world, life is kept constant through the maintenance of the Great Chain of Being or moral order. Any disruption in this chain is believed to cause chaos in society. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, Denmark is thrown into chaos by the reckless actionsRead MoreCompare And Contrast Hamlet And Twelfth Night1162 Words   |  5 PagesFrom Hilarity to Tragedy in Shakespeare: How Hamlet and Twelfth Night Compare By Zawadi Bunzigiye William Shakespeare wrote plays covering the breadth of human experience. They seem to have transcended the restraints of age because of the universal themes that they contain. His body of his work is comprised of genres of plays varying from tragedies to comedies. Of them, Hamlet and Twelfth Night are perfect examples of both. A comparison between them would be of interest because their common pointsRead MoreEssay Ambivalence and Death in Shakespeares Hamlet1200 Words   |  5 Pagesplay’s themes and messages; those being ambivalence and how people are one and the same in the end of life. Hamlet speaks in an eccentric riddle form but there are underlying messages communicated through Hamlet’s craziness and Claudius’ confusion. The ideas are conversed through Claudius and Hamlet and convey the morals of the drama, Hamlet. Shakespeare also takes the liberty in this section to show how diverse and opposite the characters of Claudius and Hamlet are by differen tiating their literary