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PERFORMINGHAMLET‘sRELIGIOUSALLEGORY
ByJohnHudson
Introduction
Allegoryhaslongbeenusedinliteraryworkstocommunicatehiddenmeanings.Itis
thereforenotsurprisingtofindallegoriesbeingemployedontheEnglishRenaissance
stage.TheseincludetheplaysofJohnLylyandRobertWilson,Jonson’smasques,plus
theallegoriesinGorbudocandotherentertainmentsrecommendingtotheQueenthat
sheshouldmarry.AllegorysolvingwasacommonsubjectofconversationatCourt,1and
asElizabethI’scousin,SirJohnHarington,remarkedintheintroductiontohis
translationofOrlandoFurioso(1591),the“sweetnessoftheverse”isnotwherethe
underlyingmeaningofatextistobefound,sothoseof“strongerstomachs”shouldlook
beneaththesurfaceto“digesttheallegory.”2
Itisunfortunatetherefore,thattheallegoriesinShakespearenotonlyhavereceived
littleattentionfrommodernliterarycriticsbutthat‐‐‐withtheexceptionofonesmall
experimentaltheatercompanywhichspecializesintranslatingthemintoperformance‐‐
theyarealmostneverperformedexplicitlyon‐stage.Thelasttimetheywere
systematicallyinvestigatedwasinthe1930swhenprominentscholarssuchasG.Wilson
Knight3triedtoshowthatthe3,000religiousreferencesintheplayscreateda
consistentChristologicalallegory—andfailed.Itisnowclearwhy.Recentidentifications
ofShakespeareanallegoriesincludePatriciaParker’sidentificationofPyramusand
ThisbeinAMidsummerNight’sDreamasacomicallegoryofJesusandtheChurch,ina
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parodyoftheApocalypsewhichallgoeswrong.4Thereisalsothe“impiousparody”
identifiedbySteveSohmerinJuliusCaesar,inwhichthehistoricaldetailsofCaesar’s
deathareturnedintoacomicparodyofthedeathofChrist.5Theseallegoriesdonot
reflecttraditionalChristiandoctrine,andscholarsnearlyacenturyagoweretherefore
unabletoapprehendthemwithintheconstraintsoftheirworldview.Theyarerather,a
parodyofChristiandoctrineandappeartobewrittenfromanon‐Christianperspective.
ThisarticlewillexaminehowtheallegoriesworkinHamletanddiscussanattemptbyan
experimentalShakespearecompany,theDarkLadyPlayers,todepictthemon‐stagefor
amodernaudience.GabrielHarveynotedthatthe“wisersort”amongcontemporary
ElizabethanaudienceswouldfindmuchofinterestinHamlet.6Howeverforamodern
audiencenotusedtothinkingaboutplaycomposition,andlackingthebackground
knowledgeofaneducatedElizabethan,substantialdramaturgicalworkisrequiredto
createaproductioninwhichtheseallegoriescanbeunderstood.
TheSourcesForHamlet
Towardstheendofthe19thcenturyagroupofscholarssuggestedthatShakespeare’s
HamletwasbasedonaplaybyThomasKyd.ThishassurvivedonlyinGerman,andhas
beenretranslatedbackintoEnglishasFratricidePunished.7Drawingonhistoriessuchas
thoseofSaxo‐GrammaticusandBelleforest,theUr‐Hamletasitisknown,issetin
Denmark,andbeginswithalongpseudo‐classicalintroduction.Thentheplayproper
beginswithtwosoldierswaiting,aghost,andtheentranceofHamlet,whodiscussesthe
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ghostwiththemen.ThentheGertrudecharacterentersanddissuadesHamletfrom
goingtoWittenberg.ThePoloniuscharacterreturnstoannouncethatHamletismad,
andOpheliaenterstocomplainHamletistroublingher.Thentheactorsarrive,Hamlet
makesafewratherpedestrianremarksaboutacting,andaskstoseetheirplayabout
kingPyrrhus,whichisaboutpouringpoisonintoabrother’sear,andsoon.TheUr‐
Hamletcontainsnoallegoriesandnoreligiousreferences.
ThesecondimportantsourceisalongallegoricalreligiouspoemAFigforFortune(1596)
writtenbyaRomanCatholic,AnthonieCopley.8Ithas3sectionsaboutthehero,Elizan,
asortofElizabethaneveryman.Inthesethreesections,
• theghostfromhellandthegoddessofrevengeurgeElizantomurderand
revenge;
• thereisagraveyardsceneinwhichthehermit,equippedwithaskullfullof
wormsandthepictureofagrave,urgesElizantostopbeingabeastandfollow
Christandletgoofhisimpiousmelancholy;
• thereisasceneclearlybasedontheBookofRevelation,inwhichthehermit
leadsElizantotheheavenlyJerusalem,thetempleofSion,wheretheforcesof
JerusalemovercometheWhoreofBabylon.
Hamletborrowslanguageandideasfromthispoem,particularlyinthegraveyardscene‐
‐‐butturnsthemupsidedown.SoHamletmeetsagravediggerwiththeskulls,but
insteadofgivinguphismelancholyandfollowingChrist,hedoesexactlytheopposite.
Asweshallsee,insteadofceasingtobeabeast,Hamletgoesonandbecomesoneof
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thebeastsofApocalypse from theBookofRevelation.
Thethirdmajorsource,identifiedbyLindaHoffinherbookHamlet’sChoice,9isthe
BookofRevelationitself.ThisisthelastbookoftheChristianBibleanddescribesthe
ApocalypseorDoomsday,themostsacredeventinChristiantheologybecauseit
describesthesecondcomingofChrist,atwhichtimehewillinaugurateamessianicage.
Revelationdescribesagreatbattlebetweentheforcesofevil(thebeastandthewhore
ofBabylon,thebeastfromthesea,theAnti‐Christandthekingofthepit),allofwhom
areopposedagainsttheforcesofGodledbyChristandtheWomancrownedwiththe
sun.TheforcesofChristianitywinintheendandanewheavenlyJerusalemdescends
fromthesky.
Hamlet’sStructuralResemblancetotheBookofRevelation
Structurally,theBookofRevelationisconstructeduponathemeofsevens:seven
trumpets,sevenletterstosevenchurches,sevenseals,sevenjudgmentsandseven
bowlspouringoutplague.Forinstance,theseventrumpetsaresoundedacross
chapters8‐11ofRevelation.Trumpet1isassociatedwithhail,fireandbrimstone.
Trumpet2withagreatmountainandfirefallingintothesea.Trumpet3withastar
calledWormwood.Trumpet4witheclipsesanddarknessofthesun,moonandstars.
Trumpet5isassociatedwiththeabyss,andlocustslikehorses.Trumpet6isassociated
withagreatriver.Finallytrumpet7isassociatedwiththunder,andunleashesseven
bowlsofGod'swrathwhicharepouredoutbysevenangels.
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PerhapsthemoststartlingthingaboutHamletisthatitfeaturesasimilarcatalogueof
sevenstotheBookofRevelation.Revelationhassevenangels.SodoesHamlet.
Revelationhasseventrumpetblasts,sodoesHamlet.Revelationhassevenletters,so
doesHamlet.ThenHamletgoesonandcreatesitsowncatalogueofsevensongs,seven
soliloquiesandtheprophesiedseven‐folddeathsthataccompanytheslaughterofCain.
• 7trumpetsThetrumpetblastsare1,2,1,1,2,128;1,4,7;2,2,364;3,2,89;3,2,133;
5,1,220.
• 7AngelsappearinHamlet“Solust,thoughtoaradiantangellinked”,“likean
angel,inapprehensionhowlikeagod”,“Ofhabitsdevil,isangelyetinthis”,“A
ministeringangelshallmysister“,“Artmoreengaged!Help,angels!Make
assay”,“Andflightsofangelssingtheetothyrest!”,“angelsandministersof
gracedefendus!”
• 7LettersClaudius’lettertoEngland,Norway'slettertoClaudiusdeliveredby
Voltemand,andHamlet'sfiveletterstoOphelia,Horatio(4.6.8‐28),Gertrude
(4,7.36),Claudius(4.6.20and4.7.36‐46)andtotheKingofEngland(5.2.31‐35).
• 7Soliloquies'Othatthistoosulliedfleshwouldmelt'(1.2);'Oallyouhostof
heaven'(1.5;'OwhatarogueandpeasantslaveamI!'(2.2);'Tobe,ornottobe,
thatisthequestion'(3.1);'Tisnowtheverywitchingtimeofnight'(3.3):'Andso
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agoestoheaven'(3.3):'Howalloccasionsdoinformagainstme'(4.4).
• 7Songsaresunginsnatches.WhyLettheStruckenDeer(3.2),Hobbyhorse(3.2),
BonnySweetRobin(4.5),TomorrowisStValentine’sDay(4.5),Walsingham
(4.5),AndWillHenotComeAgain(4.5),Iloathethatdidlove(5.1).
• 7foldDeathsforthedeathofCain/Claudius(Genesis4:15statesthattherewill
besevendeathsifCainiskilled,andinadditiontoCain/Claudiusthereare7
corpses).
TheliterarystructureofHamletisalsoveryunusual.InElizabethanEnglandchiasmusas
aliteraryformwasused,evenbywriterslikeSpenser,inanunsophisticatedway.Yet
JanBlitsinhisbookDeadlyThought:‘Hamlet’andtheHumanSoulhasshownthatthe
entiretyofHamletiscomposedusingahighlycomplexchiasticringstructure.10Itis
writtenasaseriesoflinkedrings,withinternalsymmetrywithineachscene,aswellas
overallsymmetrybetweenscenes.Forinstance,thethirdscene,inwhichwemeet
Ophelia,isbalancedbythethirdscenefromlast,inwhichshedies.Thefifthscenefrom
thebeginningtellsofHamletbeingdrivenmadforOphelia’slove;inthefifthscenefrom
theend,Opheliasingsmadlyoflove.Thesearejusttwoexamplesofanunusualbut
extensivechiasticstructurethatresemblesthatfoundinBiblicalliteraturesuchasthe
BookofRevelation.
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TheForcesofHeavenandHellinHamlet
ButitisnotonlyaspectsofthestructureoftheplaythatfollowRevelation.The
charactersdoaswell.AsLindaHoffhasshown,theplaywrighthastransformedthe
charactersfromKyd’sUr‐HamletintoallegoriesforthecharactersfromBookof
Revelation.Thecharactersaredividedintotwodifferentfamilies,onegoodandthe
otherevil.Letslook,first,attheforcesofChristianitywhoformthefirstTriad.Thisisthe
familyofPolonius.
• Ophelia,isbothanallegoryfortheVirginMaryandalsoforMary’sequivalentin
theBookofRevelation,theWomancrownedwiththesun.WorkbyChrisHassel
hasshownthatthewaythatOpheliaisinterruptedwhilesewingandreadingisa
parodyoftheannunciationtotheVirginMary.11Thereferencestopregnancy
andmaggotsinadeaddogareallusionstomedievaltheologyabouthowMary
conceivedandremainedavirgin.Ophelia’sdeathsinginglaudsandwitha
coronetisaparodyofthe‘AssumptionofMary’intoheaventobecrowned.
• Laertes,istheresurrectedChristwholeapsoutofthegrave.Thereasonwhythis
youngmanbearstheotherwiseinappropriatenameofanelderispresumably
thatheisrejuvenated,justastheoldLaerteswasinHomerbyAthena.Heis
acclaimedbytherabbleastheir“lord”,anddeclaresthathewillstretchouthis
armslikethe“kindlife‐renderingpelican”feedingpeoplewithhisblood‐‐awell‐
knownChristsymbol.
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• Polonius,isthe“fatherofgoodnews”(2,2,42),theterm“goodnews”beingthe
literalmeaningoftheword“gospel”.AstheallegoricalfatheroftheVirginMary
andofChrist,heispresumablyGodtheFather.Hediesbybeingstabbed
throughacurtain,inanoddparalleltotheaccountintheTalmudofhowTitus
CaesarstabbedthecurtainintheJerusalemTemple,andthoughthehadkilled
thegodoftheJews.
ThesecondTriadistheDanishfamilywhorepresenttheforcesofevil,theforcesof
Anti‐Christ.CherrellGuilfoylehassuggestedthatthesettingoftheplayinDenmark
indicatedthatthissecondTriadrepresenttheforcesofAnti‐Christ.12TheDanishfor
Denmarkis‘Danmark’,andtheDaneswereaccordinglysometimesbelievedtobethe
offspringofthetribeofDan,describedintheBibleasaserpent,andwhosetribe
churchtheologiansexpectedtogivebirthtotheAnti‐Christ.ThissecondTriadfamily
includes:
• Gertrude,whoattheendholdsthepoisonedchalicecontainingapearl,
representstheWhoreofBabylon,adornedwithgoldandpearls,whoholdsa
chalicefilledwithabominationsandwillbemadetodrinka“doubledraught”of
it(Rev.18:6).Dressedinscarletandpurple,theWhorewassometimesregarded
asanallegoryforthechurch.
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• Claudius,isthe“serpent”whostungOldHamlet,andtheHyrcanianbeast(the
tiger),whoiscalledan“adulteratebeast”.HerepresentstheBeastfromthe
Apocalypsewhichhasthebodyofaleopard,headslikeaserpent,andonwhom
theWhorerides.TheheadsareassociatedwiththesevenCaesarsand
sometimeswiththesevenhillsofRome‐‐‐‐andClaudiusisofcoursethenameof
theJulio‐ClaudiandynastyofCaesars.
• OldHamlet,isinHellatthebeginningoftheplaybecauseheisspecifically
identifiedwithHyperion.HyperionwastheGreekgodoflightwhowassimilarto
Apollo—thegodofthesun,fireandplagues—whowasimprisonedinthepit
Tartarus.HisequivalentintheBookofRevelationisApollyon,thedestroyer—
whowasthekingofHell—andwhoescapesfromthepit.Theplayclearly
associateshimwiththedevil“ThespiritthatIhaveseen/Maybethedevil:and
thedevilhathpower/Toassumeapleasingshape.”
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HamletasLucifer,theAnti‐Christ
PrinceHamletisallegoricallythesonofthedevil,butasthesonofHyperionheisalso
anallegoryforHelios,thegodofthesun.Asif“loosedoutofhell”(2,1,82),hefrightens
andinterruptsOpheliawhilesheissewingandbendsthe“light”(2,1,100)ofhiseyes
uponher.ThisparodiesthebeamsoflightthatmarkedtheArchangelGabriel’s
annunciationtoMarywhilesheissewingasshowninRenaissancepaintings.Ophelia’s
laterappearancewithherabortifacientherbs—identifiedbyNewman13andothers‐‐‐
suggeststhatsheabortsthebaby.
OnewayofreconcilingtheseattributeswouldbetopositHamletasrepresentingthe
ArchangelLucifer,thelightbearer,thestarwhofellfromheavenintohell.Luciferis
mentioned,forinstance,inHenryV,“arrayedinflamesliketotheprinceoffiends”
(3,3,16).FurthersupportisfoundintheideathatPoloniusiskilledbyHamletplaying
thepartofthesimpletonasaparalleltotheslayingofJuliusCaesarbyBrutus‐‐‐whose
namemeanssimpleton.IntheRomanstoryhoweverBrutusisnotthecharacter’s
originalname,whichwasLuciusmeaning‘light,orshining’,whichisparalleledby
Hamlet’salteregoasLuciferthelightbearer.Hamlet’sidentityasLuciferisfurther
supportedwhenheimagineswearingProvincialrosesonhisshoes,whichwereusedby
stageactorstoindicateaclovenfoot,awell‐knownsignifierofthedevil.Healsouses
expressionsusedbytheViceorcomicdevilontheEnglishstage.HisidentityasanAnti‐
Christisfurthermadeclearbythethreeallegoricalidentitieshetakeson:
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• MartinLuther,regardedbyCatholicsasthesecondAnti‐Christ.SteveSohmer
hasusedthepatternoffeastdaysintheplaytoworkoutthattheinitialpartof
theplayissetonthedaybeforeLuthernailedthe95thesesoftheReformation
tothechurchdoorinWittenberg.14InadditionHamlet’smelancholyparallels
Luther’s,bothmenworeblackandheisassociatedseveraltimeswith
Wittenberg.
• EmperorNero,regardedasthefirsthumanAnti‐Christ.Variouseventsechothe
LifeofNerointhewellknownhistoryTheTwelveCaesarsbySuetonius:the
matricide,killingoftheEmperorClaudius,hisinterestinmusic,beinganactor,
performingonstage,actinginaplayaboutOrestes,writingverse,playingpranks,
beingpursuedbyaghost,andbeingmad.Moreover,accordingtoSuetonius,15
NerowasknownasNero‐Orestes,andotherpartsofHamlet’scharactercome
fromOrestes.Nerowasalsocomparedtothesungod,andHamletisanallegory
forHeliosthesonofHyperion.
• TheSeaBeast,HamletcomesbackfromtheSeaandresemblestheBeastfrom
theSeaintheBookofRevelationwhomakesimagesofthefirstBeast(inthe
play,theoddbrooches/portraitsofClaudius).
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ThisApocalypseAllGoesWrong
Insum,HamletparodiesthecataloguesofsevensfromtheBookofRevelation,andthe
maincharactersareparodiesofthecharactersinRevelation.InadditionHamletuses
someofAFigforFortune,anallegoricalreligiouspoem.TheplayissetonApocalypseor
Doomsday,whichismentioned5timesintheplay.Manyaspectsoftheplotsuchasthe
referencestoWormwood,andtheattackbyLaertes(asChrist)onthecitadelof
Claudius,comedirectlyfromtheBookofRevelation’sdepictionsofDoomsday.
Theplayopenswiththecockcrowingandthewaitingwhicharetogetheranallusionto
Advent—theseasoninwhich“ourSaviour’sbirthiscelebrated”(1,1,164).ButAdvent
couldalsoimplytheSecondAdvent,orParousia,thesecondcomingofChrist,which
tookplaceonDoomsday.ThisiswhythegravediggerssaythatgraveslasttoDoomsday.
Theythenproceedtounmakethosegravesbytakingtheskullsout,showingthatitis
thereforeDoomsday,whenthespiritsareresurrectedfromtheirgraves.Exceptthatin
thisparodicplay,theirskullsarecrudelythrownoutratherthanresurrected.
TheallegoricalplotofHamletiscompletelyoppositetotheBookofRevelation–a
completeparodyofthemostsacredChristiandoctrines.Thekingofhellescapesfrom
thepit,andthedeviltellshissonLucifertotakerevengeforhisdeathandincarceration.
Thesonofthedeviltakesontheidentityof3Anti‐Christs.Hefirstimpregnatesthe
VirginMary/WomanCrownedwiththeSun(Ophelia),leadinghertoabortthebabyand
thendieinaparodyoftheAssumptionofMary.HekillsGodthefather(Polonius)and
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thentheResurrectedChrist(Laertes)inaswordfight.Hethenendsupkillingdirectlyor
indirectly,throughtheirmultipleallegory,boththeChurch(Gertrude)andRome
(Claudius).TheRuleofGod(whichisthemeaningofthenameOsric,aminorcourtierin
theplay)isutterlyineffective.TheplaywrightisparodyingtheBookofRevelationin
showinganApocalypsethatfailsandinwhichnogoldencitydescendsfromthe
heavens.Instead,afterHoratioreferstotheparadisum,16aprayeraskingthatHamlet
shouldbereceivedinJerusalem(5,2,365),whatarrivesisFortinbras.Thisisanapparent
comicparodyofJerusalem,alludingtotheanalogousFort‐in‐Brass,orCityofBrass,in
TheArabianNights.17
Sohowcantheseallegoriesbecommunicatedina21stcenturyperformance?This
articlewilldiscusstheimplicationswithreferencetotwoproductionswhichwerethe
subjectofarecentHamletRoundtableattheAllianceofResidentTheatersinNewYork.
Apocalypseas‘HighConcept’
OnerecentattempttohighlightthereligiousallegoriesinHamletwasaMidtownNew
YorkCityproductionbyNewPerspectivesTheater,inSpring2010,directedbyMelody
Brooks.UsingashortenedversionoftheFoliotext,ittreatedtheApocalypseasa
directorial‘highconcept’informingtheshow.Theactingstylewasnaturalistic,andthe
costumingofGertrudeinaseriesofreddresses,andOpheliainblue—whilematching
theappropriatetraditionalcolorsofthecostumingoftheirallegoricalcharacters—did
notsuggesttheirallegoricalidentities.Similarly,Laertes’sbrownmodernclotheswould
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nothavebeenunderstoodbyanyaudiencememberasindicatinghisallegoricalidentity
asChrist,especiallysincetheFoliomisprintof‘politician’wasusedinsteadofthemore
meaningful‘pelican’oftheQuartotext.Itwouldhavebeenequallyimpossibletoinfer
Claudius’sallegoricalidentityasthescarletbeastoftheApocalypsefromhiselegant
scarletsilktie.
Furthermore,onenteringthetheatertheaudiencewasconfrontedwithabankoftv
screensdepictingscenesfromprogramsontheReligiousRightandreligiousmilitias.
ThesesuggestedmerelythecontextofapoliceStateratherthanDoomsday.Certain
scenes,suchasHamlet’sconfrontationofOphelia,andtheMousetrap,wereshownas
videorecordings‐‐‐conveyingtheimpressionthatDenmarkwasamodernStatewith
extensivevideosurveillance.MarcellusandHoratioworeearpieceslikemembersofthe
SecretService.Atacoupleofpointsduringtheproductionthescreensshoweda
quotationfromtheBookofRevelation,presentingitasageneralizedbackdropforthe
show.HoweverasShowBusinessWeeklyconcluded“theuseofon‐screentextfromthe
BookofRevelation…addslittlevaluetoastorythatisalreadyapocalypticinnature.”18
ThisproductionwasaninvigoratingdepictionofHamletincontemporarytimes,butit
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didnotsuccessfullymakeindividualaspectsoftheplaymorecomprehensibleby
revealingthemascomicparodiesoftheApocalypse.Nordidthisproduction
demonstratehow,takentogether,theseallegoriesaltertheentiremeaningoftheplay
andtransformitfromatragedyintoablackcomedy.Indeedthemodern,naturalistic,
costumingandthesuggestionthattheplaywassetinamodernpoliceStateprevented
anyBrechtian‘alienationeffect’thatwouldhaveencouragedaudiencestoinquire
deeplyintotheproductionandinhibitedanyancientallegoricalidentification.
Issuesinshowingtheallegoryon‐stage
AudiencesinElizabethanLondonwentnotto“see”butto“hear”aplay:itwasan
auditoryratherthanavisualcultureasLukasErnehasshown.19Playersgavemeta‐
theatrical,oratoricalperformancesdesignedtoallowtheater‐goerstogobeyondthe
surfacetexttodiscerntheunderlyingmeanings.Mostaudiencemembersknew
importantBiblicalpassages,andsomealsoknewtheirJosephus,theirRomanhistory,
andunderstoodenoughaboutrhetoricalfigurestobeabletoidentifysomeofthe
allegoricalmeanings.However,theallegoricalsystemwouldhavebeenveryhardto
discern,becauseitrequiresreinterpretingvariouskeyassumptionsinChristiandoctrine.
Toenablemodernaudiences—usedtoavisualculture‐‐todiscerntheallegorical
meaningsduringperformancerequiresmakingthemhighlyvisiblethoughcostuming,
staging,lighting,props,movementandothertheatricaltechniques.Thismeans
transposingtheallegoriesfromcovertauditorycuesintoasystemofovertvisualcues‐‐‐
whichcouldneverhavebeenperformedonanElizabethanstage.Italsorequiresa
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meta‐theatricalandnonrealisticactingstylethat‘points’attheunderlyingmeanings.
Allegoricalproductiontherebyrequiresactorstotakeanewapproachtotheircraft
whichiscompletelydifferentfrommodern,internalizedtechniquesofacting.
AnExperimental/OriginalPracticesAdaptation
Comparedtotheotherproduction,theapproachtakenbytheNewYorkexperimental
ShakespearecompanytheDarkLadyPlayers,directedbyJennyGreeman,wasmore
radical,lowerbudget,andlowtech.TheiradaptationatManhattanTheaterSourcein
GreenwichVillage,wasalsoaimedatadifferentaudiencewhichwasmoreaccustomed
toexperimentaltheater.TheVillagewasthecatchmentareaforaudienceswhoattend
productionsofShakespeareanparodies,includingarecentmoviereleasebasedonthe
premiseofHamletasavampireandtheproductionofazombieversionofTwelfth
Night.
TheDarkLadyPlayersareanallwomencompanywhichemploysahighlymeta‐
theatricalandpresentationalstyletoencouragetheaudiencetolookbeyondthe
surfaceoftheplaytotheunderlyingallegory.Theirmissionisnottoperformthe
Shakespeareanplays,buttoperformproof‐of‐conceptdemonstrationsoftheallegories
inthoseplays.TheDarkLadyPlayers’adaptationconcentratedonthemoreimportant
religiousandastronomicalallegories.TheplaywasrenamedHamlet’sApocalypseand
wasextensivelycuttoa90minuteversionwhichhighlightedthelinesinwhichthese
allegoricalidentitiesweremostevident.Seventrumpetblastsechothroughoutthe
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adaptation,althoughtheywererepositioned,beginningwithoneblastandrising
successivelytoseveninordertoemphasizetheparalleltotheseventrumpetblastsin
Revelation.
DrawingonbothQuartos,theFolioandtheUr‐Hamlet,thecutoftheplaywasalso
rearranged,restructured,andsomelineswereredistributedbetweenminorcharacters.
TheproductionbeganwithHamletdecidingwhetherornotthesoulofNerowould
inhabithisbosom,andreadingaboutNero’scharacteristicsandhisloveoftheaterfrom
thebiographyofNerobySuetonius.Givingintotemptation,HamletputonNero’stoga‐
‐‐NerobeingoneofthethreefiguresoftheAnti‐Christintheplay.Immediatelythe
playersenterandaseriesofeventsunfoldthatechoNero’sbiography,inwhichHamlet
interactswiththeactors,writespoetry,andlikeNeroactsoutapartofaplayrelatedto
theOrestia.AftertheMousetrap,HoratioinquiresifHamletisreadyfortheplayersto
putonanotherplay—itiscalledHamlet,PrinceofDenmark.Eachofthefiveplayers
thendescribeshowhewouldproducetheplayintermsofdifferentaspectsofthe
allegory.TheplayersmentionaboutadozenoftheparallelstoRevelationwhichare
hungupcenter‐stagewheretheyremainthroughouttheperformance,liketheplot
summariesthathunginElizabethantheaters.Hamletthengivesordersthatallofthese
differentunderstandingsshallbeperformedtogether,andtheplaybeginswiththe
watchscene.Theexplanationsgivenbytheplayersandtheirsignsonthewallprovide
theprimaryguidefortheaudience.Otherdevicesusedinthisadaptationtoconveythe
allegoricalidentitiesofthecharacterswerecostuming,dramaturgy,andthekindof
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labelingusedonthemedievalstage—whichoftentooktheformofcharactersreading
anover‐large‘book’whenitisbeingalludedtointhetext.Thisarticlewillnowconsider
howthisadaptationusedthesetechniquestoconveytheastronomicalandreligious
allegories.
TheAstronomicalAllegory
ThesupernovainCassiopeawhichbeginstheplayisgivenprominenceinthis
productionbybeingobservedbyHamletthroughhistelescope.Horatioisgivenextra
asides,inwhichtopointoutthatthiswastheeventthatwasobservedbyTychoBrahe,
andwhichoverthrewtheconventionalmodelsinwhichthestarswereeternally
suspendedoncrystalspheresandrevolvedaroundtheEarth.IntheplayHamlet’shelio‐
centricmodeloverturnsthatofClaudiusuntilintheendheiseclipsed.Onewayin
whichthisisindicatedisthereferenceto“godkissingcarrion”whichInthisproduction
isreadfromalargebook,theAnti‐ClaudianusbyAlanusdeInsulis,whowasthe
originatorofthisidea.Claudiusisdescribedasbeingthecenteroftenthousandstars
thatrotatearoundhimasifonamassywheel.TounderstandthatClaudiusrepresents
theEarthintheastronomicalallegoryidentifiedbyPeterUsher,20andalsorepresents
thegeocentricuniverseofClaudiusPtolemy,requiresknowingthatClaudius’alterego
PyrrhushadthealternativenameNeoPtolemustheNewPtolemy‐‐‐whichinthis
productionisindicatedinanaside.Asthecenterofageocentricmodeloftheuniverse
ClaudiuswishesHamlet,astheSun/SonofHyperion(ie.Helios),torevolvearoundhim.
WhenHamletisaccusedofactionsthatare‘retrograde’towhatClaudiusdesires,this
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alludestotheretrogrademovementofthesunthatwasinexplicableinPtolemy’s
astronomy.ItisdramatizedbyhavingHamletwalkbackwards,inacirclearound
Claudius.
ThecostuminginHamlet’sApocalypsewasnotnaturalistic,butrathermeta‐theatrical‐‐
‐forinstanceHamlet’stelescopewasacardboardtube,asweretheswordsinthefight
scene.Costumingwascriticaltoconveyingtheallegoricalidentitiesandacostume‐rack
appearedprominentlyonstage,witheachcostumehungunderalargelabelwiththe
allegoricalidentityitrepresented‐‐‐andtheactorsputtingontheircostumesinfullview
oftheaudience.Thesecostumeelementswerenottailoredclothingbutratherlarge
bitsofcoloredcloth,toindicatetheimportanceofthecolorandthatthesecharacters
areliteraryfiguresratherthanrealpeople.Guildernstern’sidentityasagoldenstarwas
conveyednotmerelybyhisnamebutwassignifiedbyhimholdingalargeyellow
cardboardstar.Ophelia’slunarallegorywasconveyedbyherwearingacrescentmoon
asabrooch.Hamlet’sidentityasHelioswasindicatedbyhiswearingahatofsunrays—
madeoutofredandyellowpaper.TheastronomicalidentityofPoloniusthePoleasthe
planet’srotatingaxis(andparallelingtheslayingofthesleddedPoll‐axontheice),is
suggestedbyhiscarryingalargestaffwhichheperiodicallyrotated.SinceHamletisa
rewritingofthemythicalcharacterAmlethorAmlohdiwhocarriedthepolaraxisor
‘mill’fromonesignofthezodiactoanother,asdescribedbytwoMITprofessorsin
Hamlet’sMill,21whenhekillsPolonius,Hamletisallegoricallystrikingdowntheaxisof
theage.Thisisforeshadowedearlierintheproductionwhenoneoftheplayersbrings
20
onstageablownupcopyofHamlet’sMillanddescribeshowitwouldbeusedinhis
idealproductionoftheplay.ThatconceptislaterillustratedbyPoloniusdyingina
strangerotatingmovement,accompaniedbyagrindingnoise,intendedtorepresentthe
rotationofthepolaraxis.Ittherebyputsanendtothe2,200yearspanofaZodiacalAge
asmarkedbytheprecessionoftheequinoxes.
Thisastronomicalallegoryhaspoliticalimportancesinceitoverthrowsnotonlythe
sevenspheresbutthepolar‐axisoftheState‐‐‐ametaphorwhichtheElizabethans
appliedtoElizabeth’sGovernmentandspecificallytoLordBurghleywhowasreferredto
asthePoleor‘Polus’,andforwhomPoloniusisacontemporaryallegory.Inawell
knownbookonstatecrafttheSphaeraCivitatis(1588)–whichisbroughtonstageinthis
production‐‐‐Elizabethwasevenshownonthefrontispieceasupholdingtheuniverse.
Thesevenspheresoftheheavensnestleinherdress,andtheCourtofStarChamber
entrenchedinthesphereofthefixedstarsalongwithprincesandheroes.Sincethe
orderofthestarswasreplicatedintheorderofhumangovernment,intheGreatChain
21
ofBeingoverturningtheastronomicalorderwenthandinhandwithoverthrowingthe
politicalorder.
TheReligiousAllegory
Inparallel,thereligiousallegoryintheplayputsanendtotheBookofRevelation’s
traditionalmodelofthevictoryofChristonDoomsday.Thereligiousidentitiesofthe
charactersinthisproductionwereagainindicatedthroughcostuming.Poloniuswas
costumedinwhiteandgivenalongbeardasthe“fatherofgoodnews”,Godthefather.
SimilarlydressedwastheChristfigureLaertes,thelife‐givingpelican,arms
outstretched,whojumpsoutofhisgraveonDoomsday‐‐‐hisverynameechoingthe
figurerejuvenatedbyagoddessintheOdyssey.Opheliawascostumedinwhitewitha
bluecloakandhead‐dressinthetraditionaliconographyoftheVirginMary.Rosenkrantz
carriedalargesetofrosarybeads,asindicatedbyhisnamewhichmeans‘rosary’.The
whorishGertrudeasthewhoreofBabylonwascostumedinpearls,scarletandpurple,
andcarriedherchaliceatalltimes.Shealsomadeherentranceridingonthebackof
ClaudiusastheBeast,illustratingthetextinRevelation.Claudiushadblood‐stained
handsandwasdressedinscarlet,echolngthedescriptionofhisanalogPyrrhusas
coveredinblood,“totalgules.”Healsoworeasnakedecorationechoinghisdescription
asa“serpent”andalludingtotheserpentineheadsoftheBeastoftheLand.Overhis
tunicheworethepurplerobeofaCaesar,sincehisnameisthatoftheJulio‐Claudian
dynastyofCaesarsandtheBeastalsoconventionallysymbolizedthedynastyofthe
Caesars.
22
AppropriateforNero(whosenamemeans‘black’),Hamletworestageblack,ontopof
whichheworesignifiersofhisthreedifferentidentitiesastheanti‐Christ:apurplerobe
asCaesar(Nerowasthefirsthumananti‐ChristandthelastoftheJulio‐Claudian
dynasty),ablackcloakforhisallegorytoMartinLutherofWittenberg(regardedby
Catholicsasthesecondhumananti‐Christ),andthesea‐robealludingtothesea‐Beast
(theoriginalanti‐Christ).Inadditionatotherpointsintheplayheworesmallredhorns
indicatinghisdiabolicalidentity.Inavisualpun,Osric(whosenamemeansthe‘ruleof
God’andalludestotheonewhoruleswitharodofironintheBookofRevelation),
carriedinsteadalargethreefootruler,withwhichhemeasuredtheswordsandthe
distancesbetweentheprotagonistsinthefightscene.
Inadditiontocostuming,extradialogueandoccasionalstageactionswereaddedto
clarifycertainpoints.Forexamplethegravediggersputupasign‘ThePlaceoftheSkull’
indicatingthattheirallegoricallocationisGolgotha,whichisreinforcedbytheskulls
thataredugup.Thenthesecondgravedigger‐‐‐havingrealizedthatgraveslastuntil
Doomsdayandthatthesegraveshavenotlasted‐‐‐suddenlydrawsthelogical
conclusionthattodaymustbeDoomsday.Later,heissenttogetadrinkfromYaughan
(Yohannan,theHebrewversionofJohn,whosupposedlywrotetheBookofRevelation).
IntheShakespeareantextheneverreturns.ButinHamlet’sApocalypseinorderto
emphasizetheparodyofthePassionstory,anewpieceofstagebusinessisinsertedin
whichhereturnswithadramofStJohn’sEiselVinegarjustintimeforHamlet’s
23
referencetodrinkingeisel.Thegravediggerfollowsthegospelinadministeringthe
vinegartoLaerteswhohasjumpedoutofthegravewithhisarmsstilloutstretchedina
cross,whileHamletisreferringto“God’swounds.”
HoweverthereligiousandtheastronomicalallegoryinHamletdonotoperatein
isolationfromeachother‐‐‐theyarecloselyinterwoven,whichcanbeillustratedbyhow
thisproductiondepictedOphelia.Hercostumeofblueandwhiteclothclearlysignified
theVirginMary.ThisidentitywasemphasizedbytheaddressonHamlet’sletter–
actuallyalargeFedExenvelopesoitwasvisibleon‐stage.Asthecharactersreadthe
addressonthatlettertheynotedinasidesthat‘celestial’indicatesheavenly,while
OpheliaistheGreekforMary’spropertyof‘succour’and‘soul’sidol’referstoidolatry.
Opheliaistwiceinterrupted,oncewhilereading,theothertimewhilesewing,which
werethetwonormalwaysthattheVirginMarywasshownbeinginterruptedbythe
angeloftheAnnunciation.HamletwarnsthatOpheliamayconceive,ifexposedtoo
muchtothesun,andcompareshertothewaythatthecarcassofadeaddogcan
generatemaggotsinthesunby“agodkissingcarrion”.ThisimagewasusedinChristian
theologyasawayofexplaininghowMarymighthaveconceivedJesus,bysupernatural
24
means.SimilarlyinRenaissanceartMarywasshownasconceivingChrist,while
remainingavirgin,inthesamewaythatsunbeamspassthroughaglasswindow.
Hamlet,asthesonofHyperion,representsHeliosthesungod,signifiedbyhishatofred
andyellowsun‐rays.
Hebendsthelightofhiseyes—sunbeams‐‐toOphelia,withoutlookingaway,even
whilehewalksoutoftheroom.Thisisstagedindumbshow,whileOpheliapullsthe
maggotsoutofherpregnantbellytoindicatetheconception.Ophelia’spregnancyis
resolvedlaterintheplaybytheexplanationofOphelia’sflowers–almostallofwhich
areusedinabortionrecipes.AsOphelianameseachoftheflowers,amessengeropens
upacontemporaryHerbalandreadsaonelinedescriptionofhowtheflowerisusedto
procureanabortion.InthiswaytheastronomicalallegoryofHamletasHelios
interworkswithablackreligiousparodyoftheArchangel’sannunciationtoMary.In
Hamlet,theangelicvisitorisevidentlynottheArchangelGabrielbuttheArchangel
Lucifer.
25
Conclusion
ItwouldappearthatHamletwaswritteninordertocreateaparodyoftheApocalypse’s
promiseofthereturnofChristandthecomingofanewJerusalem,bydepictingavery
differentDoomsday.InHamletboththeforcesofChristandtheforcesoftheAnti‐Christ
destroyeachother,leavingtheworldentirelyfreefromtheirmythology.Indeedthe
entireZodiacalageofPisces,andthehierarchicalgeo‐centricmodeloftheuniverseare
overthrownandwiththemthepoliticalorder.TheMousetrap,whichformsthe
centerpieceoftheplay,leadstotheoverthrowoftheStateandactsasacatalystforall
thedeathsintheplay.Inthecovertclassicalallegorythisisrepresentedbythedeaths
ofthethree‘kings’JuliusCaesar,ClaudiusCaesarandNeroCaesar,spanningtheentire
Julio‐Claudiandynasty.
Yetthereisonemorecomplication.ThereisnoreasonwhyeitherthekingofDenmark
oratanallegoricallevel,ClaudiusCaesarshouldbecaughtinaliterarydevice,letalone
whyitshouldbecalledaMousetraporwhyitshouldbeatthecenteroftheplay.There
arealsoanumberofdetailswhichsuggestthatthethreeCaesarfiguresareactuallyrare
doubleallegoriesandrepresentanotherdynastyofCaesars,theFlavians.Claudiusis
describedastreatingmenlikesponges‐‐whichdoesnotappearinthebiographyof
Claudius—butdoesappearinthebiographyofVespasianCaesar,thefounderofthe
Flaviandynasty.HissonDomitianCaesarwassometimesbelievedtobethere‐
incarnationofNero‐‐whowasamemberoftheDomitianfamilyandoriginallyborethe
26
namesLuciusDomitius—andintheplayisrepresentedbyHamlet.Thisleavesthethird
oftheFlavians,TitusCaesarwhowasdescribedintheTalmudasstabbingthroughthe
curtainoftheTempleandthinkinghehadkilledthegodoftheJews.Heisironically
representedinHamletbythecharacterPolonius,whohasplayedthepartofaCaesar,
whorepresentsthegodoftheChristians,andwhoiskilledbybeingstabbedthrougha
curtain.
SowhyshouldHamletparodytheFlavianCaesarsinthiscomplexandcircuitous
fashion?WhatwouldsuchaparodyhavetodowithdepictingtheendofChristianity?
Firstly,equivalentparodieshavebeenfoundinsomeoftheotherplayssuchasA
MidsummerNight’sDream,sothisisnotanisolatedexample.Morespecifically,recent
scholarshipontheTestimoniumFlavianum(TheFlavianTestamentwhichispartof
Josephus’sJewishAntiquities)suggeststhatthe“WorldMouse”describedthere
representsthethreeFlavianCaesars.22Readlaterally,theaccountdescribesthemas
inventingthefigureofJesusasafalsegod‐‐‐‐aRomanliterarydevicetotrapJewsinto
followingapacifistic,literarymessiah.Adetailedcomparisonoftheirliterarystructures
showsthatthisisthetrapthatisbeingparodiedinHamlet.Intheplayhowever,the
trapisreversedandtheMousetrapbecomesinsteadatraptocatchCaesars.Tomake
thisrelationshipevidenttheDarkLadyPlayersnotonlyplacedtheMousetrapsectionat
thebeginningofHamlet’sApocalypse,theydesignedittobepresentedinadoublebill
withTheBigMouse,whichwastheworld’sfirsttranspositionoftheTestimonium
Flavianumasastageplay.
27
WorkondepictingtheallegoriesintheShakespeareanplaysisinitsinfancy.Howeverit
isprobablythemostexcitingareaforfuturedevelopmentofShakespearean
performance.Astheresearchbecomesbetterknownandattractsotherscholars,
dramaturgesanddirectors,itwilloffernewwaysofattractingaudiences,andenable
theatercompaniestopresenttheunderlyingmeaningsinthese400yearoldplays
whichtheauthorintendedthe‘wisersort’shouldbeabletocomprehend.
Notes1MarionA.Taylor,BottomThouArtTranslated:PoliticalAllegoryinAMidsummerNight’sDreamandRelatedLiterature(Amsterdam:Rodopi,1973),16.2SirJohnHarington,OrlandoFuriosoinEnglishHeroicalVerse(London:1591),4.3G.WilsonKnight,ShakespeareandReligion:EssaysofFortyYears.(London:RoutledgeandKeganPaul,1967).4PatriciaParker,‘MuralsandMorals;AMidsummerNight’sDream’inEditingTextsAPOREMATA;KritischeStudienzurPhilologiegeschichteed.byGlennW.Most(Gottingen:Vanenhoeck&Ruprech,1998).5SteveSohmer,Shakespeare’sMysteryPlay:theOpeningoftheGlobeTheatre1599(Manchester:ManchesterUniversityPress,1999),130.6G.C.MooreSmith,GabrielHarvey’sMarginalia(Stratford‐upon‐Avon:ShakespeareHeadPress,1913).7Anon,DerBestrafteBrudermordoderPrinzHamletAusDaennemark(FratricidePunished),VariorumHamleted.HoraceH.Furness(Philadelphia:Lippincott,1877).8AnthonieCopley,AFigforFortune(London:TheSpenserSociety,1883).9LindaK.Hoff,Hamlet’sChoice(Lewiston;EdwinMellenPress,1988).10JanH.Blits,DeadlyThought;‘Hamlet’andtheHumanSoul(NewYork;LexingtonBooks,2001).11ChrisHassel,‘PaintedWomen:AnnunciationMotifsinHamlet.’ComparativeDrama,32,(1998):47‐84.12CherrellGuilfoyle,Shakespeare’sPlayWithinaPlay:medievalimageryandscenicforminHamlet,Othello,andKingLear.(Kalamazoo,Michigan:WesternMichiganUniversity,1990).13L.Newman,‘Ophelia’sHerbal’EconomicBotany33,2(1979):227‐32.14SteveSohmer,"CertainSpeculationsonHamlet,theCalendar,andMartinLuther."EarlyModernLiteraryStudies2.1(1996):5.1‐5115Suetonius,TheTwelveCaesarsed.CatherineEdwards(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,2000)195‐227.16ThisisanantiphonfromtheLatinliturgyoftheCatholicburialservice.
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17Anon,StoriesfromtheThousandandOneNights,trans.E.W.Lane(NewYork:P.F.CollierandSon,1909‐14).18GiovanniPalumbo,‘Hamlet:review’ShowBusinessWeekly,downloadedonJune4fromhttp://www.showbusinessweekly.com/archive2010/592/hamlet.shtml19LukasErne,ShakespeareasLiteraryDramatist(Cambridge;CambridgeUniversityPress,2003).20PeterUsher,Hamlet’sUniverse(SanDiego:AventinePress,2007).21GiorgiodeSantillanaandHerthavonDechend,Hamlet’sMill;AnEssayonMythandtheFrameofTime,(Boston:Gambit,1969).22JosephAtwillCaesar’sMessiah(Berkeley;UlyssesPress,2005)226‐49