Meditation 9 - Comparing Everyman and Hamlet
Title/Subject: Comparing Everyman and Hamlet
I can see a few similarities between Hamlet and Everyman. I feel that Hamlet does have a few instances where there are obvious morals that the audience is at least supposed to recognize – the speech Polonius gives Laertes before he set sail is full of advice that would have been relevant then and could still be seen as relevant today – clothes are important to make a good impression, borrowing and lending money are both bad ideas, etc. Hamlet also gives kind of backwards advice to Ophelia when he is insulting her in Act 3, Scene 2 and Ophelia gets advice about Hamlet from her father and Laertes. I realize that it’s not necessarily advice from God, like the morality plays might have been seen as, but there are still morals portrayed throughout the play.
I also find a similarity in Everyman and Hamlet being deserted. Everyman is deserted by Kindred, Cousin, etc. while Hamlet is betrayed by his mother, Ophelia is brainwashed into not wanting to be with him, even his friends Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are won over by opposing forces.
The plays are obviously different, but would a morality play have drawn as big of an audience as Shakespeare’s plays did during his time? Probably not. Maybe this is almost a updated version of a convoluted morality play.
posted by Anonymous @ 6:14 PM
4 Comments:
I agree with most of what you said but I believe Polonius's speech is not meant to be taken seriously the rhyming makes him sound silly he is rather a bafoon as is shown when he tries to explain Ophelia and Hamlets encounter and cannot get to the point.
The advice Polonius gives is trite.It seems unlikely that Shakespheare would want us to take him seriously after act 2 scene 2.QUEEN GERTRUDE
More matter, with less art.
LORD POLONIUS
Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true 'tis pity;
And pity 'tis 'tis true: a foolish figure;
But farewell it, for I will use no art.
Mad let us grant him, then: and now remains
That we find out the cause of this effect,
Or rather say, the cause of this defect,
For this effect defective comes by cause:
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus. Perpend.
I have a daughter--have while she is mine--
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this: now gather, and surmise.
I agree with most of the things you said in fact most people make the comparison between Rosencrantz and Guilderstern's betrayal to the leaving of the virtues in Everyman. So you're pointing out of their betrayal makes perfect sense. Also you point out the other instances of betrayal to use as examples for a reasonable hypothesis, maybe just maybe Shakespeare got his influence from a morality plays and made something of one which, as you say, was more convoluted in order to be more readily consumed by the masses.
the best comparison you made by far was the one dealing with desertion. kudos.
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