What were the Elizabethan beliefs about ghosts, the afterlife, heaven and hell?

Belief in ghosts and the afterlife was common in Shakespeares time, the departure in views and opinions were rooted in faith. Catholics believed in the doctrine of purgatory and that ghosts were the booze of those reverting for more or less special purpose. These spirits should be assisted if viable so that their soul may find rest. The phantasm told small town he is doomed to walk the dark till the sully crimes done in my days of genius are burn down and purgd away. (1.5.12-13) The Protestants however denied the doctrine of purgatory and believed that a persons soul went directly to every heaven or hell. subtletys were normally regarded as demons, which sought the ruining of their victims, and should be resisted. (Carlson & Peel, 2003, p. 9) Horatio had similar concerns after initial draw of the Ghost, this bodes some strange irruption to our state. (1.1.72) Another belief was that ghosts could be hallucinations, an illusion of melancholic minds or flat kn avery on the part of some rogue. (Wilson, 1976, p. 63) This surmisal is quickly refuted in the outgrowth Act as it is marvellous that Barnardo, Marcellus, Horatio and small town had all seen a hallucination. There is no notice of purgatory or praying for the dead within the play. Although the Ghost of Hamlets father has died without the stretch forth rites being observed, he neer asks for prayers for the lay of his soul. Like some hellish demon, he appears only at night and vanishes in advance sunrise, demanding only revenge. (McConnell, 2000, p. 107-108) Shakespeare left the state of religion in Denmark ambiguous. Hamlet accepted the ghost as a spirit, and never shows the slightest mansion of hesitation in this belief. What he doubts is the identity of the Ghost and the constitution of the place from which it came. If you want to get a respectable essay, company it on our website: Or derCustomPaper.com

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