LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:11 November 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Echoes of John the Baptist in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Song Cho, M.A.


Abstract

This paper discusses the possible semblance of Hamlet’s story with the last days of John the Baptist as narrated in the New Testament books. Allusions to the life and death of the preacher are made throughout Hamlet. The protagonist takes upon himself the role of John the Baptist when he makes some criticism and condemnation of Gertrude. Other contexts are analyzed in light of the allusions.

Key words: Hamlet, John the Baptist, Gertrude, Ophelia

Hamlet’s Appeal to Gertrude and John the Baptist’s Message of Repentance

“Confess yourself to heaven; / Repent what’s past, avoid what is to come”. (III.iv.140-1, my emphasis) With these words Hamlet urges Gertrude to abandon her sexual relationship with Claudius, possibly alluding to John the Baptist’s message:

“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand . . . Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, And they were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Now when he saw many of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come?” (Matthew 3:2, 5-7, my emphasis)

Gertrude’s Response

Gertrude’s response warrants attention: “O Hamlet, / thou has cleft my heart in twain!” (III.iv.147, my emphasis)

These words evoke the baptism of Jesus when “John saw the heavens cloven in twain”. (Mark 1: 10, my emphasis) When John warns the crowd of the coming judgment, “the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? . . . Then came there Publicans also to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? . . . The soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? (Luke 3: 10-14, my emphasis)

Similarly, Gertrude asks Hamlet: “What shall I do?” (III.iv.164)


This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.


Song Cho, M.A.
Assistant Professor of Spanish
Oklahoma Baptist University
Shawnee 74804, OK USA
song.cho@okbu.edu

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