Hamlet, archetype of the modern man

It is not easy to introduce "Hamlet", since it is ambiguous due to the shades given by Shakespeare and other authors: "Hamlet" is a point of reference for everyone, which makes it a myth. So, today we have to appeal to objective elements, by considering its background. "Hamlet" was written right at the end of the Elizabethan reign: the Queen was dying without leaving an heir, causing conflicts for power and for the throne. Here the reader can find a correspondence with the play, where the King is murdered. What's more, Shakespeare's play also symbolizes the crisis due to the transition between the Middle Ages and the Modern Era. The man isn't a hero anymore because he's born during the crisis, due to the progress of science and the decline of the feudal system. The first signs of the crisis can be found back in the Merchant of Venice, but also in Julius Caesar, where Brutus is doubtful about whether to kill or not his father. Doubt is expanded and explodes in "Hamlet". The Prince of Denmark and his doubts become the center of the tragedy and the audience's attention is always kept on him - everyone talks about him, everything depends on him. Hamlet wonders about the sense of life and this is what makes him a modern hero, someone people easily identify with. Doubts appear right from the start of the play with Bernardo's question "Who's there?" and last the whole tragedy: everything is a mystery and there are no certainties, except for death. This is why Hamlet is at the center of the attention: he always poses questions and looks for answers. Language itself is a clue: even words are divided into reality and pretense in order to get to the truth. Hamlet's doubts influence his behavior and his life too, which makes one Hamlet and his mind. But the greatness of the play is given by Shakespeare's abilities: he had to represent Hamlet's mind and, since his life is his mind, he had to put his life on stage. And there is literally everything about and of life in "Hamlet": from Kings, Queens, actors, warriors, living and dead people, theatre, kingdoms, families, feelings and pain. Time and space are broken, thus giving to the audience the chance to embrace life in its entirety.