Shehanul Hong
Ms. VW
World Literature
10/16/14
Hamlet once said, “To be, or not, to be, that is the question”. This famous statement expresses Hamlet’s moral dilemma between life and death just as Rodrigues’ chooses between dying a “glorious” martyrdom or betraying his faith. On his critically-acclaimed novel, Silence, Shusaku Endo depicts different acts of betrayal to interpret his version of Christianity. Endo uses Rodrigues, Kirchijiro and Ferreira to represent different types of betrayal of faith affecting the novel as a whole. Through their betrayal, Endo portrays the weakness of humanity and its downfall but also shows God’s grace for the choice of redemption.
Most of the persecution the Japanese Christians faced were the direct result from the betrayal of their friends and family; betrayal caused by fear and greed. However, the nature of Rodrigues’ betrayal is fundamentally different. Endo writes,“No doubt his fellow priests would condemn his act as sacrilege; but even if he was betraying them,
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he was not betraying his Lord” (286). He betrayed the Christian community because, as a priest, he was expected to die as a martyr. However, he chose to “apostatize”. From the quote the difference of Rodrigues’ betrayal is evident. He betrayed the Christian community but never betrayed God and his faith. While many of the characters in the novel betrayed because of their selfish desires, Rodrigues betrayed for the sake of others. At first, Rodrigues was adamant not to apostatize but eventually, Rodrigues tramples on the fumie after he hears Jesus saying, “Trample! Trample! I more than anyone know of the pain in your foot” (Endo 259). His “betrayal” by trampling on the fumie and realization in the end of the novel shows that it is just a formality and nothing else. Even though the Japanese government considered it to be a betrayal of God, Rodrigues realizes that the heart of the person who tramples on the fumie matters. He betrays his Christian community but not God. Through Rodrigues apostasy, Endo illustrates that Rodrigues’ betrayal was not caused by selfishness but rather selflessness. Kichijiro serves as an archetype of the weakness of humanity. Kichijiro’s betrayals represent the weak nature of humans and God’s grace for the choice of repentance. Throughout the novel, Kichijiro is seen betraying his faith and asking for forgiveness for his sins. In chapter 4, we see that “Only Kichijiro, overcome by the threats, gasped out the required blasphemy against the Virgin” (Endo 87) In addition, he sells Rodrigues to the Japanese government and says, as the guards take Rodrigues away, “Father, forgive me!”(Endo 120). Although Kichijiro continues to betray his faith, he also tries to repent before God. Everytime he falls, he stands up again and tries to do what is right before the Lord. He represents people as a whole, and we, like him, sin even though we know it is wrong. Moreover, much like Kichijiro, we try to ask for forgiveness from God and try to learn from our mistakes. Through Kichijiro’s weakness, Endo illustrates that the weakness is in all of us and through God’s grace we are forgiven. Although Kichijiro is depicted as a Judas figure in the novel, in reality he is much closer to Peter. Just like Peter, Kichijiro denied and betrayed God more than once. He “renounced his faith” before meeting Rodrigues and apostatized several times after that. (Endo 27) Judas did betray Jesus but he never repented. However, Peter and Kichijiro both repented before the Lord. If we shift the perspective to view Kichijiro as Peter figure then the novel and the character can be seen in a new light. Judas’ betrayal concentrates on his downfall but Peter’s repentance concentrates on God’s grace. When the novel is first read, Kichijiro’s betrayal may seem to be concentrated on his downfall but in reality it is concentrated on God’s grace. Endo portrays Kichijiro’s betrayal to show how he was forgiven even though he sinned. The betrayal of Ferreira is a betrayal centered around himself.
Ferreira’s betrayal represent man’s downfall. He was a well respected priest who went to Japan to preach about the gospel but he realized that Christianity was not taking root in Japan rather it was being manipulated. Ferreira says, “They twisted and changed our God and made something different!” (Endo 227). Ferreira betrayed God because he believed that Japan will never understand the concept of God causing him to “lose meaning” on his mission(Endo 229). This caused him to apostatize and betray God. Endo portrays Ferreira in a way that makes people think that even the most respected and the most educated can fall. Ferreira represents man’s downfall and anyone can fall into sin just like how Ferreira fell. While it is true that he can repent, Ferreira is portrayed as a lost sheep in order to illustrate the the idea of being damned. Through Ferreira’s betrayal, one can see that anyone can fall to
sin. In the novel, Endo compares Kichijiro as this Judas figure but overall Ferreira fits better. Ferreira followed God but later betrayed him by apostatizing just like how Judas followed Jesus and betrayed him. Both Ferreira and Judas did not repent before God but rather chose to be detached from God. If we shift the perspective to view Ferreira as Judas, the novel can be seen in a different way. Ferreira’s betrayal is not concentrated on his redemption or his betrayal on itself rather it is concentrated on his fall. Endo highlights that anyone can be fall to sin just like how the respected priest fell. Rodrigues, Kichijiro and Ferreira all betrayed something, it may be their community, belief or even God. However, their betrayal all means different things in the novel. Rodrigues’s betrayal represents his selfless sacrifice, Kichijiro’s represent the weakness of humanity and Ferreira represents the fall of man. Works Cited Endō, Shūsaku. Silence. New York: Taplinger Pub., 1980. Print.
But, Lord, you alone know that I did not renounce my faith. The clergy will ask themselves why I fell. Was it because the torture of the pit was unendurable? Yes. I could not endure the moaning of those peasants suspended in the pit. As Ferreira spoke to me his tempting words, I thought that if I apostatized those miserable peasants would be saved. Yes, that was it. And yet, in the last analysis, I wonder if all this talk about love is not , after all , just an excuse to justify my own weakness (p.
...ter on Hamlet, in his soliloquy, is frustrated at how actors can freely express their emotions without fear. However, his goal of vengeance has taken over all other aspects in his life and therefore, he willingly sacrifices his freedom of expression.
The life of Hamlet filled with deception and death is the very example of the conflicts of one’s self. Where he is conflicted in his thoughts about himself, who he wants to be and what can he do. A life in which he can submit to each of his desires, revenge for his father or to continue as the price of Denmark who is everyone’s ideal prince. But even for those around Hamlet, No matter who, everyone will die and be forgotten. Which is the overall ending for Hamlet, will he die and be forgotten like those before him, But no matter what life comes to an end. Even for those that held power their fame eventually ends. And for Hamlet it is the very same. These extensional thoughts are brought out In Hamlet, where our thoughts conflict about who we are and what we perceive in others. But in the end we die and become dust that becomes forgotten in the wind.
The novel Silence has provoked much discussion on Loyola's campus this semester. As a predominantly Christian community, we find that the themes and dilemmas central to its plot land much closer to home for us than they would for many other schools: to non-Christians, the question of whether to deny (the Christian) God--for any reason--may not necessarily be such a personal one. Jesus' commandments to love God above all and one's neighbor as oneself do not find a parallel in all religions or cultures, nor does the seriousness with which Christians--specifically Catholics, and more specifically, Jesuits--have traditionally treated it.
At the same time, Hamlet demonstrates quantitative and qualitative commitment as he follows his scheme of avenging his beloved father and killing his uncle. Time and time again, Hamlet allows himself to push past his religious beliefs even as strong as they are, to do the
The main character, Hamlet, is a character that is not true to others, nor to himself. When the Ghost of his father tells him he was murdered by Claudius, Hamlet doubts the truth. He does not trust the ghost of his father, so has to find a way to prove it. Deciding on how to prove or disprove the Ghost, Hamlet predicts: “The play’s the thing / Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King” (2.2, 616-17). Because he distrusts the Ghost, Hamlet is not true to his father. However, when his plan proves to him that the Ghost’s words are true, Hamlet still does not act; he still cannot avenge his father’s murder. Hamlet decides not to kill Claudius, using the fact that he is praying as an excuse. Hamlet does not want Claudius’s soul to go to heaven, therefore he decides not to kill him, explaining: “A villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son, do the same villain send to heaven” (3.3, 76-78). However, after trying to pray, the King claims that his prayers were not heard: “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. / Words without thoughts never to heaven go” (3.3, 97-8). Therefore, had Hamlet chosen to kill Claudius at that time, his soul would have gone to Hell. Hamlet uses God as an excuse for not acting. He is not true and is lying to himself, because he wants to kill Claudius, yet does not.
Though written decades ago, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is still read, studied, and enjoyed by readers everywhere simply because it is still relevant. The seven deadly sins played a role throughout this play, particularly excessive pride and a thirst for wrath. But, these sins exist in the very same world the reader lives in, as examples throughout this paper have proven. Hamlet, who character in particular is extremely intelligent and also extremely prideful, has been designed to be dynamic, with conflicting feelings of cowardice and vengeance, of love and mistrust, and of pride and pity. This dynamic character was driven to his own downfall by his own excessive pride and need for revenge.
The Shakespearean play of Hamlet captures the audience with many suspenseful and devastating themes including betrayal. Some of the most loved characters get betrayed by who they thought loved them most. The things these characters do to the people they love are wrong, hurtful and disappointing. These examples lead to the destruction of many characters physically and emotionally. The characters in the play who committed the act of betrayal end up paying for what they have done in the form of death, either from nature, their selfishness, disloyalty and madness. The act of betrayal truly captures and displays the play of Hamlet as a sad tragedy.
Japan has been a home for Shinto and Buddhist religions for centuries. The Christian missionaries during the 16th, 19th and 20th centuries worked hard to evangelize the Japanese nation but could not get desired success. There efforts in past failed partly due to sanctions imposed by the local rulers. The Jesuits missionaries traveled with Spanish and Portuguese traders to many areas of America and Asia-Pacific and established their churches and religious missions. They were funded, sponsored and trained by their respective governments in order to spread Christianity. At several places they preached the Christian faith by force but the aboriginal population did not accept it wholeheartedly. Initially the Jesuits targeted the elite class of the country and a large number was converted. The rulers also forced their subject to embrace the same faith. About 300,000 Japanese were converted in the first phase. Later on, Christianity was prohibited as the rulers started seeing them as a threat to their authority. Following a change of regime, the ban was lifted and missionaries were again allowed to enter Japan. Like many Native American tribes, the Japanese also resisted the new religion. As a result, presently Christians form only 1% of the total population in Japan. This paper is focused on how the Christian religion was introduced in Japan, the evolution of evangelism, establishment of churches, the restrictions and hurdles faced by the missionaries and priest of the new religion and the response of Japanese nation towards an alien faith. All these queries are answered in detail given as follows.
Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy is transformed by Stoppard, who uses Ros to question the themes of death and certainty. He compares and contrasts the values Elizabethan’s had of death, resulting in new meaning and a value shift. In Hamlet’s soliloquy, the reflective language displays his genuine tone, displaying how he was questioning the afterlife and is concerned about death.
...ith moral problems of deep import; recognition of this fact is essential to an understanding of the tragedy.” (Sister Joseph 125) Most every character in the play, whether good or evil, has Christian thought. Hamlet’s decision not to kill Claudius until he knows he will be destined to live in hell, is the main turning point of the play. His fulfillment of his father’s ghost command is the condemnation. Hamlet is a Christian prince whose sense of Christian morals drives his motives in this timeless play by William Shakespeare.
In conclusion Hamlet is portrayed as a different type of tragic hero, one that is not undermined only by his own fatal flaw but by the direct result of faith in a system that is, in itself, flawed and unjust that holds power over the universal man. Hamlet is idolised because it is commendable for any heart to try, even if they sometimes stumble, to remain honourable and just when confronted with all the wicked things that surround us.
Has Hamlet Gone Crazy? 26 October. 2000. Takahashi, Yasunari. “Speech, Deceit, and Catharsis: A Reading of Hamlet.”
William Shakespeare, a great playwright, authored a number of works consisting of sonnets, comedies, and tragedies. The story of Prince Hamlet utilizes its original audience’s primarily Christian demography and the religious strife of the time to tie actions within the play to Christian ideologies and spiritual anxieties of the 16th century. Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a revenge theater play, is laden with references to religious identities and ideologies. In the play, Hamlet feels betrayal and distrust from the people around him, namely his uncle Claudius and mother Gertrude, who marry shortly after Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet’s, ominous death. Originally contemplating suicide, Hamlet dissuades himself from following through on the basis that it was a sin. Hamlet’s kindling flames of internal indignation soon ensue into an externalized raging fire of discontent, as he feels an immense responsibility to avenge his father’s “foul and most unnatural murder” (I.v, p.57) by killing Claudius. He embarks on an existential quest to find moral integrity in Denmark’s royalty, but ultimately pays a great price to achieve his goal. Themes of jealousy, murder, and revenge that are present in the play draw many parallels between Hamlet and not only the story of Cain and Abel, but also various other parts of the Bible. Thus, religious undertones throughout the play provide a lens through which Hamlet can be viewed.
Hamlet has been hailed as Shakespeare’s best and most popular play for centuries. Even a person who has not yet read the play can easily quote the famous six words: “To be, or not to be” (Shakespeare, Hamlet, 3.1.55). Hamlet is irrefutably one of the best political thrillers and revenge tales of its time. As a drama, it draws people in with its intrigue, mystery, and emotional strife. However, as one examines Hamlet with Shakespeare’s original intent, one would see a classical tragedy that is rife with inconsistencies and unfaithful to the definition of a classical Aristotelian tragedy.