Biblical sources used by William Shakespeare in Hamlet
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19141/1809-2454.kerygma.v19.n1.pe1643Keywords:
Bible, Hamlet, William ShakespeareAbstract
The purpose of this article is to present the biblical sources used by William Shakespeare in his famous tragedy Hamlet. To this end, an analysis was made of the historical and religious context of England where he lived and wrote his play. Although Shakespeare used biblical sources in several of his works, this is most notable in Hamlet. In this study, twenty-one references to biblical verses were identified in the tragedy of the young prince of Denmark, which corroborate the main themes of the play, such as fratricide, revenge and the transience of life. Thus, it is evident that Shakespeare, through these biblical allusions, not only enriched the narrative of Hamlet but also offered a profound and timeless perspective on the existential and moral issues addressed in the play, enabling a reflection on the interaction between literature, spirituality, and the religious contexts of his time.
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