VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
The University of Wittenberg was founded on October 18, 1502 by the Saxon Prince Elector Frederic the Wise (Friedrich dem Weisen). It soon became the "cradle of the Reformation."
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Originally posted by Ex Nihilo
Random sidenote, because I'm reading it at the moment: Hamlet was a student at Wittenberg before returning to Denmark after his father's death...
Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Originally posted by Ex Nihilo
Random sidenote, because I'm reading it at the moment: Hamlet was a student at Wittenberg before returning to Denmark after his father's death...
That's interesting. Do you see any signs of an intended reference to Martin Luther or the Reformation?
Shakespeare's reference to Hamlet's studies at Wittenberg is also interesting in light of the fact that the real historical Hamlet lived centuries before the Wittenberg University was founded.
Wittenberg is also associated with Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus.
Originally posted by Ex Nihilo
I've read articles discussing whether or not Hamlet is Catholic or Protestant. Historically, of course, he would be Catholic, but there's a lot of fun quibbling on minor points like this, with a lot of the evidence coming from Ophelia's funeral scene. I must say, I don't think Hamlet seems very Protestant, with his reluctance to kill Claudius in the middle or his prayers for fear he will go to heaven. Of course, even Shakespeare's own religion is pretty hotly debated; I'm not sure how much credibility I give to the rumors of a connection to Catholicism... What do you think?