WEEK 51. HISTORICAL AND BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES

2. HAMLET3. HUCKLEBERRY FINN

Author: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Script dated around 1599-1600

An immediate success in its time and one of the most staged plays in history

Author: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Script dated around 1599-1600

An immediate success in its time and one of the most staged plays in history

Historical and Biographical Approaches in Practice: Hamlet

Historical and Biographical Approaches in Practice: Hamlet

Historical and Biographical Approaches in Practice: Hamlet

Historical and Biographical Approaches in Practice: Hamlet

Queen Elizabeth’s advanced age and poor health leads to the precarious state of the succession to the British crown.

Queen Elizabeth’s advanced age and poor health leads to the precarious state of the succession to the British crown.

Queen Elizabeth by Nicholas Hilliard (1585)

Hatfield House

Hence, Shakespeare’s decision to mount a production of Hamlet, with its usurped throne and internally disordered state, comes as no surprise.

Hence, Shakespeare’s decision to mount a production of Hamlet, with its usurped throne and internally disordered state, comes as no surprise.

Ophelia

Shakespeare's "Hamlet" was a remake of an already popular play, based in turn on an episode from the Dark Ages, the lawless, might-makes-right era that followed the collapse of Roman-era civilization.

In the original legend, the prince was still a child when his father was murdered. And he learned of the murder from the beginning.

Therefore he had to act insane in order to survive and wait for his revenge.

The prince in this version was not a melancholic youth but a model of heroes.

In the original legend, the prince was still a child when his father was murdered. And he learned of the murder from the beginning.

Therefore he had to act insane in order to survive and wait for his revenge.

The prince in this version was not a melancholic youth but a model of heroes.

The Spanish Tragedy, a predecessor of Hamlet

There is some ground for thinking that Ophelia’s characterization of Hamlet may be intended to suggest the Earl of Essex.

There is some ground for thinking that Ophelia’s characterization of Hamlet may be intended to suggest the Earl of Essex.

The portrait of Earl of Essex

Another contemporary historical figure, the Lord Treasurer, Burghley, has been seen by some in the character of Polonius.

Another contemporary historical figure, the Lord Treasurer, Burghley, has been seen by some in the character of Polonius.

The Lord Treasurer, Burghley

The Lord Treasurer, Burghley

Knowing about eleventh-century Danish Knowing about eleventh-century Danish court life or about Elizabethan England court life or about Elizabethan England is particularly germane to analysis of is particularly germane to analysis of

Hamlet.Hamlet.

In Hamlet’s day the Danish throne was an elective one. The royal council, composed of the most powerful nobles in the land, named the next king.

In Hamlet’s day the Danish throne was an elective one. The royal council, composed of the most powerful nobles in the land, named the next king.The third quarto of Hamlet

(1605); a straight reprint of the 2nd quarto (1604)

The third quarto of Hamlet (1605); a straight reprint of the 2nd quarto (1604)

The custom of the throne’s descending to the oldest son of the late monarch had not yet crystallized into law.

The custom of the throne’s descending to the oldest son of the late monarch had not yet crystallized into law.

Hamlet, Gertrude and the ghost

Although her second marriage to the brother of her deceased husband would not be considered incestuous today by many civil and religious codes, it was so to considered in Shakespeare’s day.

Although her second marriage to the brother of her deceased husband would not be considered incestuous today by many civil and religious codes, it was so to considered in Shakespeare’s day.

The charge of incest against the Queen

The charge of incest against the Queen

Hamlet and Horatio in the Graveyard, 1839

Hamlet and Horatio in the Graveyard, 1839

Hamlet’s role in revenge

Modern readers/playgoers may think that one of Hamlet’s flaws is that he took revenge into his own hands and not resort to law.

However, in Shakespeare’s time, Hamlet, the son of a murdered father, and more importantly, the son of an usurped king, was not only the legitimate revenger, it was his duty to take revenge and restore order to Denmark.

Modern readers/playgoers may think that one of Hamlet’s flaws is that he took revenge into his own hands and not resort to law.

However, in Shakespeare’s time, Hamlet, the son of a murdered father, and more importantly, the son of an usurped king, was not only the legitimate revenger, it was his duty to take revenge and restore order to Denmark.

What is “melancholy” to Elizabethans?

What is “melancholy” to Elizabethans?

Nervous instability.

Rapid and extreme changes of feeling and mood.

The disposition to be for the time absorbed in a dominant feeling or mood, whether joyous or depressed.

Nervous instability.

Rapid and extreme changes of feeling and mood.

The disposition to be for the time absorbed in a dominant feeling or mood, whether joyous or depressed.

Hamlet and the Gravediggers by Jean Dagnan-Bouverte

Hamlet and the Gravediggers by Jean Dagnan-Bouverte

Ophelia drownedOphelia drowned

If we examine Hamlet’s actions and speeches closely through Elizabethan’s eyes, we will realize that at least part of Hamlet’s problem is that he is a victim of extreme melancholy.

If we examine Hamlet’s actions and speeches closely through Elizabethan’s eyes, we will realize that at least part of Hamlet’s problem is that he is a victim of extreme melancholy.

Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet

Different versions of HamletDifferent versions of Hamlet

The Raj Hamlet Shakespeare set in India

The Raj Hamlet Shakespeare set in India

Hamlet in GermanHamlet in German

Hamlet in GermanHamlet in German

Many HamletsMany Hamlets

Laurence OlivierLaurence Olivier

Richard BurtonRichard Burton

Mel Gibson, with Glenn

Close as Gertrude

Mel Gibson, with Glenn

Close as Gertrude

Kenneth

Branagh

Kenneth

Branagh

Campbell ScottCampbell Scott

Kevin Kline, with Dana Ivey as Gertrude

Kevin Kline, with Dana Ivey as Gertrude Ethan Hawke as HamletEthan Hawke as Hamlet

Ethan Hawke, with Julia Stiles as Ophelia

Ethan Hawke, with Julia Stiles as Ophelia

「莎

姆雷

特」

彩排

，水

晶燈

掉落

莎姆雷特官網

Shamlet! 莎姆雷特劇照

Related links and resources about Shakespeare and Hamlet

Related links and resources about Shakespeare and Hamlet

The life of Queen Elizabeth– http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizabio.htm

BBC- Drama- 60 seconds Shakespeare http://0rz.net/e61U6  

屏風表演班 << 莎姆雷特 >> http://www.pingfong.com.tw/shamlet2006/shamlet_02.htm

Kakiseni.com– our Hamlet http://www.kakiseni.com/articles/features/MDYyNA.html

Hamlet in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet

The life of Queen Elizabeth– http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizabio.htm

BBC- Drama- 60 seconds Shakespeare http://0rz.net/e61U6  

屏風表演班 << 莎姆雷特 >> http://www.pingfong.com.tw/shamlet2006/shamlet_02.htm

Kakiseni.com– our Hamlet http://www.kakiseni.com/articles/features/MDYyNA.html

Hamlet in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet

Huckleberry Finn

Author: Mark Twain (1835 -1910)

“Huck Finn” is regarded as Twain’s masterpiece and one of the first great American novels

Set in the mid 1800s (pre-Civil War)

Themes: family, Mississippi river, slavery, race, human realities (both good and bad)

Original Title

Original Title: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade)

Tom Sawyer is the hero of Twain’s another novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Writer Philip Young: the missing definite article “the” in the title suggested a sense of unfinishedness in Huck’s adventures Cover of the first New York Edition

publication

Similar to the literary blockbuster of our time, Harry Potter, Huck Finn was first published in 2 editions (US & UK)

Such measure protected Twain from pirate copies of his novel, as his was already a hugely famous author at that time.

Huck Finn, however, was originally banned by some states because of its controversial themes and coarse language

Cover of the first London Edition

Settings

Frontier America in the 1840 and 1850s

A bloody and violent time; a place of roughness, cruelty and lawlessness

Actual Events inspired plots and persons

The shooting of Old Boggs by Colonel Sherburn => (actual events) killing in Hannibal, Missouri

The attempted lynching of Sherburn => something the author witnessed as a boy

Brother of the prototype Huck, Benson Blankenship aided a slave to escape in 1847

Benson’s refusal to turn in the slave for reward is reflected in Huck’s loyalty to Jim in defiance of law, society and religionHuck’s first appearance in the novel

Historical plots

Jim’s escape to freedom by handing south was reasonable at the time as his distination Cairo, Illinois, is south of St. Petersburg, Missouri (Fictional relevant of Hannibal, MO).

If Jim were to escape to any free states, he could have just cross the river at St. Petersburg to Illinois. Yet, although Illinois was a free state, slaves escaped to Illinois would be returned.

Cairo, Illinois, was a junction of underground railway system. Jim could travel east and north via railway.

Class and Racism

Huckleberry Finn can be seen as a critcism to the British and American Southern aristocracy.

Instead of being the paragons of true gentleness, graciousness, courtliness, and selflessness; the hypocritical aristocracts are trigger-happy, proud and hard to stand.

Another important criticism in the novel is on the idea of racial superiority, which the aristocracts used to justify their cruel treatment to the blacks.

Moreover, it was not only the aristocracts who were subscribed to such idea, common white people (such as pap Finn) also did.

Human Realities vs. Romananticism

The author also blamed the romanticism of novels such as Sir Walter Scott’s due to their idealization of a feudal society.

In real life such idealization becomes the blood feud of the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons on the adult level.

On juvenile level, it becomes the imaginative high jinks of Tom Sawyer and his “robber gang” and his “rescue” of Jim.

Biographical Sources

The author’s years as steamboat pilot educated him about the lives on the Mississipi River and the technical aspects of navigation

He learned the knowledges of Negro superstitions from slaves in Hannibal, MO.

Huck in real life, Tom Blankenship, was the author’s childhood friend.