ENGLISH DRAMA AND Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’

 

 ENGLISH DRAMA AND Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’

 

 

Actually, a Latin Play in honour of St Katherine is believed to be the first play that was staged in England in 1110 A.D. It was known as then the Miracle or mystery play. The materials for these kinds of plays were taken from the Bible. Gradually the Miracle or mystery plays were taken from the interior portions of churches to church yards and then to village and city streets. In England, the miracle plays reached its peak in the 14^th century. However, during the 16^th century Morality plays replaced Miracle plays. In Morality Plays the characters were personified abstractions. Then interlude entered which was a short dramatic piece of a satire rather than of a religious or ethical nature. John Heywoods, “Four P’s, in which a Palmer, a peddler, a pardoner and a pothecary exchange amazing stories and finally enter into a competition as to which of them can tell the biggest lie, is the most famous example of its kind.

 

Renaissance made English writers learn the Principles of dramatic construction and technique. Thus, Nicholas Udall, the Head Master of Eton came out with the first real English Comedy, ‘Ralph Roister Doister’ in 1550. And then in 1581, ‘Gorboduc’, the first English tragedy was written by Thomas Sack Wille and Thomas Norton. However, there was a conflict between those who insisted on the classical tradition and those who wanted to establish the national taste of the English public. But, a group of scholars known as ‘The University Wits’, John Lily, Thomas Kyd, Robert Greene, George Peele, Thomas Lodge, Christopher Marlow and Thomas Nash established the romantic form of drama. Marlow used blank verse in his plays.

 

William Shakespeare who is said to be with ‘Small Latin and less Greek’ came to London from Stratford-on-Avon and joined Burbages company of actors in 1587. Then started the period of his greatest literary activities. Within five years, ‘The Gentle’ Shakespeare has gained his entrance to the society of Gentlemen and Scholars of London. His poem ‘Venus and Adonis’ that was dedicated to Earl of Southampton won him both fame and wealth. Then came a series of great plays like the Marchant of Venice, As you like it, Twelfth Night, Julius Caser, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra from his pen. Altogether he has written 37 plays and 154 Sonnets.

Though the legend of Hamlet was already current in the folk literature of Iceland, Ireland and Denmark, Shakespeare got it for his plot from the Danish Historian Saxo Grammaticus’s ‘Historica Denica’ (Danish History) of thirteenth century. Instead ‘Hamlet’ Saxo actually used the name ‘Amleth’ in his book. But Shakespeare changed all the names of the characters in his play ‘Hamlet’. It is said, though the legend of Hamlet is based on historical fact, the proof of it is lacking. The mental torture that Hamlet faces makes this tragedy at the top of all tragedies of Shakespeare. He had an amazing genius for words. That is why Shakespeare is said to be not of an age but of all time and not of a land but of all lands.

-----Thulasidharan