Before 1900, mankind conformed to a moral code of conduct and maintained a strong faith in God. Man was obedient and fearful. But what used to be a religious age with obedient faith and an adherence to what is proper and decent has turned into a hopeless mass society with a fixation on science and cultural relativism. In the modern world, man believes he is free from judgment. Man does not think he will ever suffer the consequences of his immoral actions. He does not feel shame or guilt. This narcissistic and crumbling culture encompasses selfishness, narcissism, consumerism, and atheism. There has been a massive change in man's spirituality. Man no longer realizes that his character depends on how well he lives up to the spiritual world. He is free from morals and values and can no longer recognize anything of true worth. Mass society has created a citizen who is vain, weak, and indulgent. Man no longer lives according to his faith. His views ar

In the world of Hamlet, the views of the characters are coloured by a spiritual awareness. Each character is fully aware that for every action, there is a consequence. The citizens of Denmark realize that the morality of their character depends on how well they adhere to the spiritual code of conduct that immersed their society. Although throughout the play, much of the behaviour strayed away from the moral code, the consciences of each character were pained by guilt and regret. They are aware of what was decent and proper. This awareness of the importance of spirituality was reflected in their speech and thoughts. Throughout the play, Hamlet continually pauses to consider the moral effects of any act. He fears the religious separation that resulted from immoral actions. Although a weak, dispirited character, Queen Gertrude is constantly pained by her conscience, which emphasizes her awareness of an omnipotent force that will judge her actions. Even though she responds to spirituality with an ever-present sinfulness, her inward torment displays her awareness of what is right and wrong. Despite his grave sin, the King was fully aware of what was decent and proper. He could not ignore his guilty conscience and struggled to be free of his wretched state. He looked down upon his own rank behaviour. His plaguing guilt and fear of damnation illustrates the fact that he desperately tried to focus on eternity. The characters in Hamlet, although flawed in their actions, were all aware of moral injunctions and prohibitions. Each character is immersed in the flow of eternity.

e coloured by a materialistic view of everything. Life without God is meaningless but man blindly and foolishly set forth on a useless search for purpose. While relishing in the senseless self-pleasures of mass society, man realizes that his feeling of emptiness still endures. But this narcissistic society has created an individual that is a free and self-regulating agent. Without the principles that existed before the 1900s, man looses all sense of self-worth and his life hold no purpose. The reader finds that in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the characters are subject to different forces than those of Western civilization. They adhere to a moral imperative. The characters are fully aware of what is decent and proper. If your character is sound, salvation is yours. If your character is weak, damnation follows. Everyone knows the moral injunctions and prohibitions. These measure the scope and stature of character. Character is a measure of and is measured by this code or set of spiritual values. In order to live in conformity with a demanding faith, the characters in Hamlet strive for virtue through an obedience of strict rules. Unlike our views, coloured by a materialistic view of everything, those of the citizens of Denmark are coloured by a spiritual reality. They knew that God kept a very close watch. God is still the center of their universe and thus, the citizens h

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Approximate Word count = 1995
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)