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Hamlet as a Memento Mori Poem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2020

Harry Morris*
Affiliation:
Florida State University Tallahassee

Abstract

The five-act structure of Hamlet is modeled on the memento mori- timor mortis lyric as it is practiced in the English tradition from 1483 to 1600. Furthermore, the crucial fifth act opens with a set piece in the genre, taking as its point of departure Thomas Lord Vaux's “I Loathe That I Did Love.” But, as in other matters, Shakespeare's wide reading in the genre is evident in the set piece since it incorporates elements not found in Vaux's poem. Recognition of the eschatological concerns that are an inescapable part of the memento mori tradition helps us to see Hamlet's delays as an overwhelming concern for the plight of his soul.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1970

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