What Makes A Noble Death In Hamlet

This thesis will constitute what makes a noble death and what makes an ignoble death. In order to do so, it is necessary to compare and contrast the characters of Ahab from Moby Dick and Hamlet from Shakespeare's play, Hamlet. Specifically the actions and decisions leading up to their deaths. In Moby Dick we see Ahab make impious and haughty decisions that lead to his death, as well as a lack of reverence towards others around him. In Hamlet, a man struggles with his own thoughts becoming mad and losing his willingness to live. Similarly, Hamlet’s lack of reverence and piety leads him to develop arrogance that incites his own destruction, turning everyone against him. Comparing these two works is necessary in answering the question, in that the two works provide characters who struggle with the idea of revenge and reverence as well as die trying to vindicate the wrong done them. It is also crucial to examine what a noble death is from each text. A noble death Moby Dick, seen in the character Queequeg. Queequeg’s traits of piety, reverence, and loyalty become what Melville believes a noble death to be entails. With Shakespeare, there is no one character with a “good” death, instead there are scenes that show how a noble death could be achieved. In these scenes it is easy to see that with full repentance, piety, and reverence, a noble death can be achieved. By considering Shakespeare's Hamlet and other characters, as well as Melville's characters of Ahab and Queequeg, it will become clear that an ignoble death is one of impiety, condemnation and arrogance that makes it impossible to repent.
Piety In the Two works
Piety often refers to a respect for the god(s); however, piety has several
He too worships fire; most faithful, broad, baronial vassal of the sun! -Oh that these too-favoring eyes should see these two favoring