“Hamlet”- A Turbulent Social Order

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The “Concept of Order” during the Elizabethan Era displays that everything and everyone has a place in which they stand. The “Order” was set in place for a civilization to function progressively. Evidently, Shakespeare’s writing often related to current events during his time. Shakespeare’s Hamlet relates to the idea of the “Concept of Order” because of the recurring theme of the disorganization in social order within Hamlet. The conflicts that arise throughout Hamlet are caused by a disturbance in the “Concept of Order,” which raises the argument whether Hamlet is mad or not.

Disturbance in the “Concept of Order” within Hamlet is the first caused by the murder of King Hamlet by his brother, Claudius. The ghost of King Hamlet appears to his son, Hamlet and describes his murder as “most foul, strange, and unnatural” (I.v.28). Shakespeare uses “unnatural” to describe the disturbance of the natural social order. The death of King Hamlet disrupts the “Concept of Order” as well as the hierarchy causing disorder. The ghost of King Hamlet encourages his son, Hamlet to avenge him and in doing so says, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder,” (I.v.9). The ghost of King Hamlet insists Hamlet to restore the natural order.

Claudius, the brother and murderer of King Hamlet disturbs the Concept of Order by lusting for the position King Hamlet has as the King of Denmark. After the death of King Hamlet, Prince Hamlet was supposed to be the next king of Denmark. However, Prince Hamlet was robbed of that rite by his murdering uncle, Claudius. Claudius is therefore pronounced King of Denmark, which is an absolute disregard of the Concept of Order.

Furthermore, Hamlet portrays how the disturbance in order causes the gradu...

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...www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Revision:Hamlet_Quotes_by_Themes#Self_loathing.2Fsuicide.2Fdeath>. Web.

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Hamlet.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 7 Dec. 2009.

"What is the conflict inside Hamlet after his father's sudden death, his mother's marriage to his uncle? - Hamlet - Questions & Answers." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 14 Dec. 2009. .

"Why does hamlet say to horatio this quote act one, scene two, l. 179-180: "thrift, thrift, horatio! the funeral baked meats... the marriage tables." - Hamlet - Questions & Answers." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 14 Dec. 2009. .

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