Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Sparrow Reference
In class today Mrs. King mentioned that the quote on page 1868 in Act 5 Scene 2 included a Biblical reference. Hamlet says to Horatio, "Not a whit; we defy augury; there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readniess is all; since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes? Let be." This quote not only provides another portrayal of Hamlet as a wordsmith, but also refers to when, in the New Testament, Jesus reassures his disciples that not even a sparrow can fall without God's notice. (Luke 12:6; Matthew 10:29). Why do you all think that Shakespeare alludes to the New Testament here, and what is Hamlet really asserting?
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4 comments:
I think Shakespeare is simply saying that death is inevitable. With a religious undertone, Shakespeare demonstrates a general faith in God, saying that God cares for all beings, and people die when they're supposed to. There's no way to really predict your own time of passing-Shakespeare says this is really in God's hands.
As we discussed in class today, this final speech of Hamlet's marks a turning point in his view of life and death. For the majority of the play, Hamlet fears death. Thus, thoughts of death, suicide, and decay plague his mind as a result of such fear. At this point, however, Hamlet's viewpoint is much more mature, and he embraces death. This serves as a symbol of his character development and how he has changed throughout the course of the play.
I think Shakespeare included this biblical reference to show a change in Hamlet's attitude toward death. He now seems to believe that death is unpredictable, which contrasts with his formerly expressed feelings. He also may be taking some comfort in his beliefs as a way of assuaging his existential angst, because if God notices us, then there must be some meaning in life.
I think that Shakespeare alludes to the new Testament because the question of the Christian faith in English society at the time was incredibly controversial. He alluded to a text dealing with a common issue in a play he wrote for the common people, so everyone would have unerstood the reference and it would have attracted more to see his other players. In other words, he was trying to make an easy reference to keep up his high attendances and thus make more money. Playwriting was a business at the time. Just like one might make a movie today about the issues of abortion. Or a reference to politics. Who knows?
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