The reference to Nero in Hamlet's soliloquy, '' let not ever/The soul of Nero enter this firm bos... more The reference to Nero in Hamlet's soliloquy, '' let not ever/The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom'' (3.2) appears quite relevant if we take into consideration that the king's name is Claudius, which was that of Nero's uncle. Actually, Hamlet seems to share many common points with Nero ; their relatives consider them as mad, they are fond of dramatic arts, they take pleasure examining skulls, they look alike… It seems that Shakespeare distils throughout the play hidden references to the emperor. Therefore, this article studies the possible links between Hamlet and the writings of Tacitus, Suetonius, and Seneca. However, the play does not exactly follow this intertextuality ; Shakespeare twists the quotes, transforms the canva, reverses the Roman references, and plays on words. The play within the play hints that the ''soul of Nero'' haunts the whole play, as he is an epitomy of drama.
The reference to Nero in Hamlet's soliloquy, '' let not ever/The soul of Nero enter this firm bos... more The reference to Nero in Hamlet's soliloquy, '' let not ever/The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom'' (3.2) appears quite relevant if we take into consideration that the king's name is Claudius, which was that of Nero's uncle. Actually, Hamlet seems to share many common points with Nero ; their relatives consider them as mad, they are fond of dramatic arts, they take pleasure examining skulls, they look alike… It seems that Shakespeare distils throughout the play hidden references to the emperor. Therefore, this article studies the possible links between Hamlet and the writings of Tacitus, Suetonius, and Seneca. However, the play does not exactly follow this intertextuality ; Shakespeare twists the quotes, transforms the canva, reverses the Roman references, and plays on words. The play within the play hints that the ''soul of Nero'' haunts the whole play, as he is an epitomy of drama.
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