【正文】 really existed in history. It is also the birthplace of the Humanism. Shakespeare applied this historical context into Hamlet. In the play, Hamlet studied at the University of Wittenberg, his mind and view point was influenced by the atmosphere of the current notion. We always see that Hamlet is a dull prince because it seems that he didn’t care what happened around him. Actually, it might be Hamlet’s trick to the world. He hid his true feeling, as we know that humanism emphasizes personal power. So there may be sprout of Humanism in Hamlet’s mind. Hamlet advocated that man is the center: “What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! ” (Act II, Scene ii, 285) such a delight in nature and man was characteristic of the humanist of the Renaissance. Shakespeare, as a humanist, he applied his humanistic emotions and minds into Hamlet just to show his advocation for humanist. role of Fortinbras in the textFortinbras is the representative of Catholicism. Fortinbras, we know he is a prince of Norway that serves as a foil for Hamlet. The more notable is a Norwegian crown prince with a few brief scenes in the play, who delivers the final lines that represent a hopeful future for the monarchy of Denmark and its subjects. As the tragedy es to a close, Fortinbras is the only character with the strength left to repair all the damage that has been done. Fortinbras is a plex, almost contradictory character. He is a soldier trained in the ways of war, yet he brings order and stability when everything has bee chaotic. His actions speak for him. Norway at that time is a Catholic country until now. The Catholic Church in Norway is as old as the kingdom itself. The Norwegians were Catholics until the Danish king Christian III of Denmark ordered Denmark to convert to Lutheranism in 1536 and as Norway was then ruled by Denmark, the Norwegians converted as well. From the history of Norway, its Catholic reformation is near to the Shakespeare living era. So from the historicity of texts, we have firm reasons to assert Shakespeare describes deliberately a role of Fortinbras in Norway as a foil to Hamlet to secretly indicate himself that he advocated Catholicism. Shakespeare endows a good figure of Fortinbras, as a determined and successful role for the father revenge, with the Catholic history in Norway.5. The Historical Power of Hamlet“Textuality of History” is a part of the New Historicist dictum which sees history to be constructed as a text of interrelated contexts. It makes the study of literature in relation to history a matter of “addressing the role that discourse, including literature, plays in negotiating and making manifest the power relations and structure of a culture” (Brannigan 81). That is to say, all literary works can have powerful effect in the construction of historical context. It can help the ruling class to consolidate its authority and the ruled class to subvert the authority. As one of the most influential plays of the Elizabethan era, Hamlet has its specific effect on the construction of the historical context of the Elizabethan era and has bee an inseparable part of this historical context. Dramatic level The most important influence of Hamlet on the historical context may be that it is the milestone of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies and at the same time, it is Shakespeare’s new interpretation to the tragedy. In the creation of tragedies, Shakespeare has introduced a new era. Firstly, let’s see it from the tragic plot. According to the theory of the tragedy creation, most of the literature and art theorists still thought that tragedy and edy should have strict boundaries. However, during the renaissance, this theory has changed. Spanish playwright F233。 and even the like precurse of fierce events, as harbingers preceding still the fates and prologue to the omen ing on, have heaven and earth together demonstrated unto our climatures and countryman”. According to this, it suggests there will be a disaster in the Denmark in the future. It is also similar to the scene that believer, John meets the God and Jesus and is told about the apocalypse in the future. The intertextuality of Hamlet with the Revelation in the Bible shows that the play is not only the product of Shakespeare’s individual intellect, but also the product of Shakespeare’s adopting the historical context.4. Hamlet—A Realistic Representation of the Society in the Elizabethan Era In chapter I, the author has discussed about the New Historicist dictum of “historicity of text and textuality of history”. In Louis A. Montrose’s words, the “historicity of text” suggests the cultural specificity, the social embedment, of all modes of writing (qtd. In Veeser 1989 20). That is to say, no literary works could escape the influence of the historical context in which it was produced, whereas historical context is certain to be reflected in the literary works. As an influential play appeared in a rather special background—the Elizabethan era, Hamlet is influenced by this historical context and bees a realistic representation of Britain at that specific time. A brief account of the religious and social background of the Elizabethan era Shakespeare lived during a remarkable period of English history, a time of relative political stability that followed and preceded eras of extensive upheaval. Elizabeth I became the Queen of England in 1558, six years before Shakespeare39。 their mentality had turned into a bad situation. They thought more about their spirit and wanted to improve it. Under the temporal society’s influence, Shakespeare as a humanitarian, tried to show this mental illness in his works Hamlet, to arouse others’ attention. Shakespeare’s interest in mental problems is evident in some characters h