1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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.

5

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

6

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.

7

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.

8

• 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.

9

• 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.”

10

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:

11

• 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).

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

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

19

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.

28

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