Robert's

Robert Albertini
AP English A block
Ms. Poole
12/9/03
Battling Entropy

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a play in which the central conflict results from a disruption in social order. The Elizabethan philosophy of divinely established social order is referred to as the Great Chain of Being. It is evident that Shakespeare adhered to this prevalent philosophy of the English Renaissance, since a great number of his works revolve around the theme of social disorganization. Hamlet portrays how alterations and inversions at any level of the Great Chain of Being yields a definite formula for chaos.

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The Elizabethan emphasis placed on order ranged from standardizing grammar and spelling to firmly establishing a social hierarchy. The concept of rank was so emphatic that even members of the animal and plant kingdoms were ranked against each other, as were metallic elements. Social order was perceived as crucial for maintaining a functioning society. It was believed that significant political and religious figures had been provided their status from the most high authority, God. The argument behind this thought being that God, in complete control of all matters, would only allow the most qualified of individuals to be in a position of authority above His people. This is where the Elizabethan school of thought deviates from the humanistic movement of the Renaissance. Humanism is a distinctly secular philosophy that stressed individualism, independence, and freedom from predestination. The Elizabethans, however, remained faithful to the Christian philosophy and incorporated God at the highest point of their natural hierarchy, providing for a very unique point of view during the Renaissance. God was seen as necessary for order, and order was seen as necessary for human existence. English Renaissance thinker Sir Walter Raleigh’s formula for social success included “paying duty to one unquestioned code; to undo the work of Babel, and knit together in a single community the scattered efforts of mankind towards order and reason.” He implies that establishing and adhering to order is the only way to have a functional society and bring about any human progress. Along with this idea, it was believed that a man could achieve happiness in accepting his birth-given status, whereas the individual who coveted or strived for a place in the social hierarchy which he was not born into was a delinquent. Shakespeare drew much from this aspect of English Renaissance beliefs. Hence, Shakespeare repetitively associated hubris and ambition with his evil-driven characters. In Hamlet, Shakespeare dwells on the concept of how the disarrangement of natural social order inhibits human beings’ ability to exist in harmony.
The most obvious and consequential of social disarrangements in Hamlet is Claudius’ murder of King Hamlet. The ghost of the king appears to Prince Hamlet and describes his murder as “most foul, strange, and unnatural” (I:v 28). Here, “unnatural” is referring to the disruption of the natural social order, which is believed to be divinely established. In the Great Chain of Being, the king falls directly underneath God. With the king removed from the hierarchy, the Great Chain is broken and God is disconnected from his earthly control over the people. Thus, chaos is able to ensue in this setting. Fully aware of the potential harsh consequences, the ghost implores Hamlet, “If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not,” with “it” referring to the disruption of order (I:v 81). Again, “nature” is used to describe the divinely instilled order. The king implies that if any of this divine order exists in Hamlet, the prince is obligated to restore natural order. The effects of the disarrangement are immediate. Even before the ghost confronts Hamlet about his murder, Marcellus is able to make the conclusion that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (I:iv 90). His assumption is accurate and also prophetic. At the beginning of the play, Denmark is saturated in grief over a dead king, who “most unnaturally” had his life taken away from him. As the play progresses, a new threat enters Denmark from the north. Because the king has been replaced by a man who was not divinely designated for leadership, Denmark is susceptible to chaos. Shakespeare proves this with the invasion of Denmark by the treacherous Fortinbras of Norway. The invasion is allowed to take place only as a result of Claudius’ lack of perspicacity and failure to take action against the Norwegian forces. As the Norwegians invade, Claudius shows himself to be a rather incompetent king, further reinforcing the idea that he does not belong in such a position of power.
Hamlet also portrays how the upset of natural order within a family unit causes the gradual decay of the family. Although the scenarios in the play are extreme, involving murder and revenge, the point of disorder yielding chaos within a family is still clearly made. The causes of this disorder are the murder of King Hamlet, the short-lived sincerity of Gertrude, and the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude. Firstly, the patriarch of the family, the providing and authoritative figure, is removed to create an unstable family unit. Second, Hamlet observes how his mother “within a month... married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (I:ii 153). He criticizes his mother for her display of a short-lived grief for her deceased husband. This observation causes Hamlet to question the integrity and sincerity of his parents’ marriage vows, which puts into question the legitimacy of the family unit as a whole. Thirdly, Hamlet recognizes that the marriage of his uncle to his mother is strictly uncouth. He even goes so far as to equate it to incest, which is one of the most deviant actions from natural family order. Furthermore, Hamlet refuses to acknowledge his new legal father as his father, referring to him as “no more like my father than I to Hercules” (I:ii 153). Thus, the father-son bond is virtually nonexistent in this family, further establishing a chaotic, dysfunctional family unit. The family becomes very detached, which is shown through Claudius’ decision to spy on Hamlet via his friends rather than to confront him in person. Appalled by the drastic changes in family affairs, Hamlet wishes “that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter” (I:ii 131). The disorder that results from these three factors is enough to make Hamlet contemplate suicide. The disarrangement of the family’s natural regulation begins his descent into a state of emotional chaos.
Disorder serves to be both an internal and external source of antagonism throughout the play. Although Hamlet is charged with the task of reestablishing order, his tragic flaw of hesitation prevents him from accomplishing this goal. The final irony of this tragic play is that order is never restored to Denmark, since the legacy of king Hamlet is destroyed with Fortinbras’ conquest of Denmark. Shakespeare, like many other great minds of the English Renaissance, believed that the disruption of divinely established natural social order, as outlined by the Great Chain of Being, was something to be abhorred and avoided at all costs, for its consequences may be devastating and irreversible.

Works Cited

Raleigh, Sir Walter. “Style.” Encyclopedia of the Self. http://encyclopediaindex.com/b/style10.htm> 12/8/03.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. W W Norton & Company, Inc., New York. 1992.

Hamlet essay

2007-05-12

15:44:13 Hamlet essay

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