I continue to follow up my commentary and exploration of symbols with research into Hamlet‘s contexts. Here are the questions I am attempting to answer.
Transcendence: Does Roman Catholic or Protestant theology determine how you read the play?
Hierarchy: What were the key debates in political theory at the time about how to handle an unjust king or tyrant? Relatedly, how did one determine which kings were tyrants?
Ethics: What kind of action did classical and Christian models of heroism recommend to people in Hamlet’s situation?
Sanctions: Correspondingly, what were the benefits or disadvantages that accompanied classical and Christian heroism?
Succession: How does Shakespeare alter the source from which he takes the play’s central plot?
My template for contextual questions requires me to investigate theology/religion, politics, more significant historical worldviews, and sources.
Experiments in Criticism 