以《哈姆雷特》和《弗兰肯斯坦》比较研究

比较分析《哈姆雷特》和《弗兰肯斯坦》中主人公处理亲人死亡的方式
 

前言

亲密的家庭成员的死亡肯定会给生者带来巨大悲伤和痛苦,在很多著名的文学作品中，永远不会缺乏这种情节。更重要的是,家庭成员的谋杀通常是作品主人公不断成熟的催化剂。威廉·莎士比亚的戏剧《哈姆雷特》是世界著名的悲剧作品,其主人公是丹麦王子哈姆雷特，此外，玛丽·雪莱的小说《弗兰肯斯坦》(1818)也很好地体现了悲剧色彩。这两部著名作品的主要人物都是经历丧亲之痛的人，哈姆雷特，他的父亲过世了，故事讲到了他父亲鬼魂出没的事情,并分析他痴迷于他父亲死亡的真正原因,同样,弗兰肯斯坦的家庭成员也经历了死亡，并对主人公弗兰肯斯坦产生了巨大的影响，无论他走到哪里，他都能看到亲人的尸体。在这两部作品两个主人公之间，存在着共同点和差异点，他们在面对家庭成员死亡噩耗的时候的表现是有很大差别的，因此,本文将首先讨论哈姆雷特与弗兰肯斯坦在面对家庭成员死亡时候的相似性,接下来，讨论将集中在他们面对死亡的不同方式。最后,将重点分析这两部文学作品不同的文学形式的不同类型，并分析主人公在面对亲人死亡时候的差异,他们选择的应对死亡的方式其实就是他们自身成熟的过程。
 

Comparative Analysis of the Ways that Hamlet and Frankenstein Deal with the Death of Their Loved Ones
 

Introduction

Death of close family members will certainly bring grief and agony to the living ones, and literary works never lack this kind of plot. What’s more, family members’ murder is usually a catalyst for the main character’s maturation. William Shakespeare’s drama The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1603) and Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818) are fine examples. Title characters in these two works are both haunted by the loss of their loved family members: Hamlet is haunted by his dead father’s ghost and obsessed with the real cause of his father’s death, similarly, the death of Frankenstein’s family members also has such a great impact on him that everywhere he looks he sees the bodies of his loved one. There are both similarities and differences between the ways that they cope with the death of their family members. This essay, therefore, will firstly discuss the similarity of Hamlet and Frankenstein’s coping with family members’ death. Following this, discussion will be focused on the differences of their ways. Finally, conclusion will be reached that although these two literary works are different literature forms of different genre and there are some differences of their characters’ ways of addressing the death of the loved ones, their choices to cope with the death themselves is the process of their maturation.
 

Similarities of Hamlet and Frankenstein’s Dealing with Family Members’ Death

There are three similarities of Hamlet and Frankenstein’s way of dealing with family members’ death. Firstly, their loved ones’ death both brings them great grief and they both become became unsociable and eccentric. Secondly, they are both haunted by the death of their loved ones. Finally, they both bravely revenge for the dead ones. The reason why they take the revenge is that they are both in great grief, haunted by the death of their loved ones and they have realized their responsibility to do so.

First of all, their family members’ death brings them great grief and they both become became unsociable and eccentric. The Prince of Denmark, Hamlet, in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1603), used to look at his father as an idol, so the death of the former King is a big loss to him. So he never hides his grief and never escapes away from his responsibility. To express his grief and woe, he wears black cloth all the time, and even in the wedding day of the new King and his mother, the former Queen, he wears mourning clothes to show his contempt. When his mother attempts to cheer him up in Act I, Scene 2, he says,
 

Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not ‘seems.’ ’Tis not alone my inky cloak, good Mother, nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can devote my truly. These indeed seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passes show, these but the trappings and the suits of woe. (Shakespeare 1.2.76-87)
 

Similarly, Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818) also becomes become became unsociable and eccentric. After the death of his brother and the execution of Justine, Victor, in grief, goes on a trip to the Swiss Alps for some much-needed rest and relaxation. This trip is an escaping; Victor Frankenstein is escaping from his responsibilities.
 

Secondly, Hamlet and Frankenstein are both obsessed with their loved ones’ death and they are haunted. Hamlet is obsessed with his father’s sudden death, and when he finds that his father is murdered by his uncle, the new King, he vows to take the responsibility to fight for his dead father and take revenge on his uncle. In countless days of mourning, the death of his respectable father lingered on in young Hamlet’s mind. Although the new King, Claudius, claims that the former King is killed by a snake, Hamlet suspects that Claudius is the snake. He is obsessed by the suspicion until his friend, Horatio, tells him that the ghost of the former King comes back. Horatio tells Hamlet that “the Ghost leaves without speaking, but its appearance seems ominous. The Ghost returns but, as a cock crows, vanishes again” (Shakespeare 5). This is the first clue that the former King is still haunting in the castle. Although the Ghost says nothing, Hamlet believes that it is the ghost of his father. He goes to the platform that is haunted by the Ghost and waits for its appearance. The Ghost does appear to him.
 

Similarly to Hamlet, Frankenstein is also haunted by his loved ones’ death. Victor Frankenstein is a Genevese scientist who studies on electrochemistry and life and attempts to create life artificially. In about two years he figures out how to bring a body made of human corpse pieces to life. Although the creature is made of good pieces, it turns out to be a hideous monster. Even Victor himself is horrified by his own creation. At first, the monster is capable of being good. It longs for learning, longs for music, longs for virtue, and also longs for human companionship. It seeks contact with its creator—Victor Frankenstein, but what it gets is nothing but rejection. The monster is forced to live the life of a wild animal. Afterwards, it turns on Victor in revenge for its creation and rejection, destructing his family.
 

At the very night of Frankenstein and Elizabeth’s wedding, Elizabeth is killed by the monster. This time, what are brought to Victor are anger as well as grief. Elizabeth’s death is a great provoke to Victor. He is haunted by the loss of his bride. Everywhere he turns he sees the same figure—her bloodless arms and relaxed form flung by the murderer on its bridal bier (Shelley 196). 196页If he looks up, he can see the scenes which are familiar to him in his happier time, and which he has contemplated but the day before in the company of her who is now but a shadow and a recollection (Shelley, 198). Victor dreams of his lost family members at night and sometimes they even haunt his walking times. As stated in Chapter XXIV,
 

During the day I was sustained and inspired by the hope of the night: for in sleep I saw my friends, my wife and my beloved country; again I saw the benevolent countenance of my father, heard the silver tones of my Elizabeth’s voice, and beheld Clerval enjoying health and youth. (Shelley 205)
 

Finally, both of these two characters take revenge. Hamlet takes the Ghost’s order to revenge: “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (Shakespeare 1.5.25). He swears to forget all that he remembers, including knowledge from both books and experiences, and let the Ghost’s words to govern his brain and body. As stated in Act I, Scene 5, Hamlet says to his father’s Ghost,
 

Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past, That youth and observation copied there, Any thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by heaven! (Shakespeare 1.5.98-104)
 

In this way, Hamlet says goodbye to the na?ve youth and becomes a young man with his family’s hatred and mission. At the end of the drama, Hamlet successfully kills the murderer of his father—the new King, Claudius, and his mother, Gertude, dies of her betray to the former King. Hamlet is the representative of the humanist. He not only seeks revenge for his murdered father, but also is aimed at reforming the whole society. This is the way Hamlet deals with the death of his loved father, and therefore, the way how he matures.
 

Victor Frankenstein is also determined to take his revenge. He is bewildered in a cloud of wonder and horror. The death of William, the execution of Justine, the murder of Clerval, and lastly of his wife; even at that moment he does not know that his only remaining friends are safe from the malignity of the fiend (Shelley 198). That idea makes him shudder and recalls him to take actions. He is so determined that he has lost his sensation; chains and darkness are the only objects that press upon him. Just as Victor says to the magistrate,#p#分页标题#e#
 

(My revenge) it is the devouring and only passion of my soul. My rage is unspeakable when I reflect that the murderer, whom I have turned loose upon society, still exists. You refuse my just demand: I have but one resource; and I devote myself, either in my life or death, to his destruction. (Shelley 201).
 

Victor Frankenstein’s revenge endows him with strength and composure; he pursues his fiendish enemy all along from Rhome, to Mediterranean, to the Black Sea, to Tartary and Russia, and at last to the North Pole.
 

Differences between Hamlet and Frankenstein in Coping with Family Members’ Death

Although both Hamlet and Frankenstein take the revenge, there are some obvious differences between their ways. First, Hamlet’s father’s death has affected his looks on women and intimate relationships, while Frankenstein is not affected in this regard. Second, there is a period of time when Frankenstein does not have the courage to take revenge and take his responsibility while no such thing is observed in Hamlet’s reaction. Hamlet has been determined to find the real murderer right after his father’s death, Frankenstein, however, does not revenge after the death of his younger brother, William.
 

First, Hamlet’s father’s death has affected his views on women and intimate relationships, while Frankenstein is not affected in this respect. The former King’s death has affected the relationship between Hamlet and his mother, Gertude. He expresses his despair that his mother has so hastily married her brother-in-law, which is considered incestuous at that time.
 

But two months dead, nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king, that was to this, Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother That he might not between the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth, Must I remember? Why, she should hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet within a month — let me not think on ’t. (Shakespeare 1.2.138-146).
 

He has even lost faith in woman when he shouts “frailty, thy name is woman!” (1.2.146). However, Frankenstein is not affected in this regard. He believes that Justine is innocent, and has never thought of her as fragile or untrustable. He has never doubted the importance of intimate relationship, either. After Justine’s execution, Victor goes on a trip to the Swiss Alps for some much-needed rest and relaxation with his best friend. At the time when he is hopeless and unsociable, he chooses his friend’s companionship, which is illustrative of his faith in intimate relationships.
 

Second, there is a period when Frankenstein does not have the courage to take revenge while no such thing is observed in Hamlet’s reaction. When the first victim, Victor’s younger brother, is killed by monster, Victor does not take his responsibility to accuse the real murderer; he is haunted by William’s death, though. He chooses to escape away from his responsibilities. Victor loves his younger brother, so William’s death haunts Victor and brings grief and fear to him. As stated in Chapter VI, “as I drew nearer home, grief and fear again overcame me” (Shelley 78). While the Frankenstein family servant, Justine, is accused of killing William, Victor believes that the monster is the murderer. “He was the murderer! I could not doubt it” (Shelley 79). However, Victor does not take any action to protect the innocent Justine, because he thinks no one will believe the "my monster did it" excuse. “My tale was not one to announce publicly; its astounding horror would be looked upon as madness by the vulgar” (Shelley 83). Victor is afraid to even propose his theory, so he rushes out of the court instead of stands up defending Justine. After Justine’s execution, Victor, in grief, goes on a trip to the Swiss Alps for some much-needed rest and relaxation. This trip is an escaping; Victor Frankenstein is escaping away from his responsibilities. However, Hamlet has been determined to take revenge from the very moment of his father’s death. He does not believe his uncle’s excuse for the former King’s death and takes the Ghost’s order to revenge the moment he sees it: “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (Shakespeare 1.5.25). He swears to forget all that he remembers, including knowledge from both books and experiences, and let the Ghost’s words to govern his brain and body.
 

Conclusion

To sum up, there are both similarities and differences of Hamlet and Frankenstein’s way of dealing with family members’ death. Their loved ones’ death both brings them great grief and they both become became unsociable and eccentric, they are both haunted by the death of their loved ones, and they both bravely revenge for the dead ones. However, Hamlet’s father’s death has affected his looks on women and intimate relationships, while Frankenstein is not affected in this regard. What’s more, there is a period of time when Frankenstein does not have the courage to take revenge and take his responsibility while no such thing is observed in Hamlet’s reaction. All in all, their choices to cope with the death themselves are the process of their maturation. Hamlet is the representative of the humanist. He is created by Shakespeare as a man of the Renaissance with humanist ideals who not only seeks revenge for his murdered father, but also aimed at reforming the whole society. Frankenstein is a fine example of Gothic Romance and Sentimentalism with the description of how the title character copes with the death of his loved ones. At first he is a coward, but when his wife is killed, he decides to take action. He has taken his responsibility to remove the monster from human society. This is how he deals with the death of his loved one and the process of his maturation.
 

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Jane Bachman. Chicago: NTC Publishing Group. 1975.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Airmont Publishing Company, Inc. 1963.