The World of Hamlet: Providence as a Form of Justice

The Kingdom of Denmark has been torn apart with Claudius' incestuous greed and ravenous desire for power; the whole nation thrust into an utter state of chaos. With the death of the King and feared invasion by young Fortinbras hanging in the balance, Hamlet searches out a way to avenge his father's death and set things right. Within this turmoil overwhelming Demark, the characters perceive two external forces that mediate the sequence of events in the play. The unpredictable workings of fortune occur purely as happenstance, or luck, as this force allows anything possible to happen. However, the predominant force of divine providence plays a greater role in this world, particularly as a means by which to uphold justice in the kingdom.

The play begins with the state of Demark in an utter mess. The King has been poisoned; his brother Claudius has usurped the throne and married his wife; and the enemy has threatened an invasion. Hamlet remarks, "All is not well. / I doubt some foul play. Would the night were come! Till then sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will rise, / Though the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes" (19: 255-58). Upon seeing the Old King's ghost for a second time, even Marcellus, a common soldier, recognizes that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (27:90). This notion of an unsettling evil overwhelming the kingdom becomes apparent as Hamlet postulates that his father's death was no accident, or simple act of fortune. When his father's ghost confirms that Claudius is behind the murder, Hamlet swears to avenge the death, saying, "Yes, by heaven! That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain...I have sworn't" (31:104-112).

The role of fortune in this play is best represented by Hamlet in one of the most famous speeches in all of Shakespeare. "To be or not to be: that is the question: / Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them" (63:56-60). In this passage, Hamlet contemplates the manner by which he should fulfill the promise he has made to murder Claudius. He can actively carry out his mission by taking arms against Claudius, and devising some plan for his eventual murder. However, he can also do very little, or virtually nothing, to accomplish the desired task. In this passive way, Hamlet would not take any active resistance against Claudius, but rather would rely on the randomness of fortune to exact revenge. Essentially, he would rely on luck to bring about justice.

Hamlet initially believes that fortune mediates the events in Demark, and therefore only it can right the wrongs that have been committed. This belief is reflected in his subsequent actions, since he continually dances around his uncle's murder. He would rather Claudius die by fortune's hands than his own. Hence, Hamlet poses the above question is because he is struggling with the promise he has made to murder his own flesh and blood. He does not know whether "to be," that is to act to ensure Claudius' death, or "not to be," thereby allowing fortune to randomly work its course. Hamlet curses the predicament he now faces, stating, "O cursйd spite, / That ever I was born to set it right!" (34:188-89).

Hamlet's confidence in his ability to carry out the promise once made to his father is terribly shaken, and he continually doubts the purpose he has sworn to undertake. He utilizes the play as a test of his uncle's guilt, stating, "Out of my weakness and my melancholy...The play's the thing / Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King" (60:613-17). Even after Claudius' abrupt departure and suspicious reaction to the play depicting the king's murder, Hamlet is still unable to kill Claudius when the opportunity presents itself in the church. He states, "Now might I do it pat, now 'a is a-praying / And now I'll do't. And so 'a goes to heaven, / And so I am revenged. That would be scanned" (85:73-75). Hamlet reasons that because his uncle is praying, it would be unwise to commit murder since Claudius would be sent to heaven. Hamlet believes the new king should suffer in hell for the rest of his life as a result of all the evil things he has done; rewarding him in heaven would not be fitting, or just. Despite the truth in it, he uses this fact as an excuse not to spare his uncle momentarily because he is indecisive. In reality, Hamlet is unable to act and becomes rather weak when attempting to exact his father's revenge. He would rather allow fortune to decide his uncle's fate.

The problem with allowing fortune to control one's fate is that it is purely random and unpredictable, therefore providing no semblance of justice. In other words, by relying on fortune to exact revenge on Claudius, Hamlet has no certainty whether or not it will actually occur. The Player King characterizes fortune as a random force that no man can control. He states, "Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident...That even our loves should with our fortunes change...whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love" (75:205-209). He says that there is no overarching reason for the way that things occur in the world. Sometimes fortune leads us to love, while in other situations just the opposite happens; however, there is no way to know which will occur. There is no order or consistency in a world moderated by fortune, since it is based on random chance and luck. "But, orderly to end where I begun, / Our wills and fates do so contrary run / That our devices still are overthrown; / Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own" (75:217-219). In other words, what we want to happen does not always happen, and in a world moderated by fortune, we have no control over what ultimately does happen.

According to this view, all men are subjected to the randomness of fortune, only finding happiness with luck on their side. Guildenstern remarks, "Happy in that we are not overhappy. / On Fortune's cap we are not the very button" (48:231-32). Those who are fortunate will find happiness, though there is no way of knowing who will be chosen since it is purely random. Hamlet states, "As one, in suff'ring all, that suffers nothing, / A man that Fortune's buffets and rewards / Hast ta'en with equal thanks" (70:68-70). Hamlet tells Horatio how he is graced with fortune, undergoing all things but being harmed by none. This quotation also presents an ironic use of "reward," as it is possible for anyone, even jerks and evil-willed people to win. There is no true sense of rewards with fortune, since it does not see individuals or bestow benefits on those who live moral lives. The character