Shakespeare's Hamlet is widely regarded as one of the greatest tragedies in English literature. Written towards the end of the 17th century, new branches of Christianity appeared and the traditional Roman Catholic hold on power was waning, throwing the whole of Europe into religious chaos. However, the existence of a supreme being known as God was recognized in all areas, and strict adherence to religion was necessary for all people of that era. It is important to examine the historical setting to fully understand some of the more subtle connotations of the play. The protagonist of the play, Hamlet, is one of the most famous tragic heroes in existence, but the character's fatal flaw is that he does not sufficiently believe in God. According to Christian doctrine, spirits who were not God came from Hell, and ghosts were classified under demonology (Bath & Newton, 3). This fact explains why Marcellus warns Hamlet not to follow the ghost, saying that “He beckons you to a farther place./But follow him not” (I. iv. 59-60). Hamlet shows his own recklessness and his estrangement from a good Christian by stating that “I do not set my life at a very low price, / And to my soul, what can this do, / Being a thing as immortal as itself? / He waves me forward again. I will follow him” (I. iv. 65-68). His friends are still very skeptical about the ghost's intentions and only back down when Hamlet threatens them with "By heaven, I will make him who lets me a ghost." (I.iv.85) Soon after, Marcellus utters his famous line: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (I.iv. 90). During this time, ghosts were things that weren't even supposed to exist, but it's important to note how different characters respond to them. While Horati... at the center of the card... of all time, with a protagonist tormented by indecision, but driven by the desire to avenge his father's death. At the time of the play's writing, religion exerted by far the greatest influence on the lives of ordinary people, and the protagonist's defiance of God throughout much of the play could only end in tragedy. Works Cited "Sensible Proof of Spirits": Ghost Belief During the Late Seventeenth Century Jo Bath and John Newton Folklore, Vol. 117, No. 1 (April 2006), pp. 1-14Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd.Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30035318Hutton , Ronald. “How pagan were medieval English peasants?” Folklore 122.3 (2011): 235-249. Literary reference center. Network. May 18, 2014."Predestination." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2013): 1. Literary Reference Center. Network. May 19 2014.