A controversy between hero and antihero (antagonist and protagonist)

This paper is mainly concerned on verifying the similarities and differences of these two hero’s sacrificing actions in two tragic and bloody events. One of these events is related to Karbala happened in Moharram month, year 61 Hejri in Karbala in which Imam Hussein and his 72 followers were martyred. The other one is Hamlet play written by Shakespeare, a well-known English play writer, in 1600-1601 Ghamari. In this play, the hero, Hamlet, is scarified for the sake of his objectives. These two events have been selected mainly due to being so putative around the world. In both events, the sacrificing and bloody actions were mainly due to approaching a goal.

News ID: ۲۲۴۳۷۰

يکشنبه - ۰۵ دی ۲۰۰۹ / 2009 05 October

The comparison of Karbala hero and Hamlet as a hero of tragic plays
Compiled by: Hassan Dolat Abadi, as writer and theatre researcher
Abstract
Introduction
The time “daidalous “, as architecture of “labirent building”?, made wings to escape from the order of “Minous king and put it with wax on his child, Dikarous, and himself, he advised his child to avoid flying towards sun to prevent was from being melted. But his son didn’t care about his father’s words and consequently the wax melted being close to sun and made him sink in tossing sea. This Greek myth best reflects a symbolic picture of sun (flight) and the sleazy wax connecting to ground (the need to deal with cruelty) through concepts including braveness, venture and enthusiasm for flight to sun. if we accept the concept of sacrifice as “ other’s benefit is in priority to self benefit and this is the top of generosity”?, we can consider sacrifice as a symbol of ideal and value to others. In an extensive view, sacrifice can be seen in two different perspectives, one for material objectives and the other one for eternal ideals. The mixture of these two results in a deep sacrifice for the sake of a super power, God. One of the requirements involved in sacrifice is the stance against one of these two aspects. As mentioned, struggle and battle requires two sides being present and the actions one side performs is considered as rebellion against volition resulted from selfishness which finally leads to quarrel and disparity. What makes a responsible person sacrifice are these conditions which cause special persons with common interests attempt to approach an ideal stability, that is, brotherhood, equality and democracy and finally try to sacrifice their own existence and life for the sake of God. So, it requires publics to stand against cruelty and inoperative entities. Developing an “ideal city”? which has been under discussion years ago in ancient traditions like Greece and Aria in Iran is considered as an initiative in designing an ideal city in which people can live with peace. It is mainly concerned on planning to approach ideal conditions. As this trend is discussed in the area of Shea-Islamic thought, it isn’t limited to comments and concepts but an ideal belief-based instruction with strong hope will be immediately provided: this trend isn’t resulted from philosophical attitudes or mind inferences only but its basis is put upon anecdotal words which enunciate the appearance of Mehdi (Imam Zaman). Although the most comprehensive form of belief to emersion of a savior is present in Shea faith, the extensive facts related can be also found in other faiths including Christianity and Zoroaster. Though any hope to approach salvation is guaranteed through the presence of a savior, it doesn’t increase our responsibility to stand against injustice and cruelty and all what are required from people is to fly towards the sun which is considered as a comprehensive justice. This paper is also concerned on reflecting some similarities and differences between the sacrificing actions of these two heroes in tragic and bloody events.
One of these events is related to Karbala happened in Moharram month, year 61 Hejri in Karbala in which Imam Hussein and his 72 followers were martyred. The other one is Hamlet play written by Shakespeare, a well-known English play writer, in 1600-1601 Ghamari. In this play, the hero, Hamlet, is scarified for the sake of his objectives. These two events have been selected mainly due to being too putative around the world. In both events, the sacrificing and bloody actions were mainly due to approaching a goal. That is to mention, one of these events is considered as most dynamic symbol of cruelty to all human society and the other one is considered as the most powerful and influential play. In both works, the sacrificing and bloody actions to approach an ideal goal are best reflected. Regarding the fact that Shakespeare works, especially Hamlet play have been considered as influential in theatre colleges for many years, this paper is essentially concentrated on emphasizing the fact that Karbala event is more impressive than other events and the hero in such event is most attracted due to relying on divine idealisms in one hand and humanized objectives on the other hand. Some of the most remarkable differences and similarities existing between these two events are related to the stance and the way these two heroes attempted on. May such attempt provide conditions required to apply the actions Imam Hussein did as the most ideal models of sacrifice and a striking topic for dramatic works.
Hamlet’s sacrificing actions
First, we discuss about some of the sacrificing actions of Hamlet. The topic of this work is concerned on the actions of young Hamlet to discover the reality hidden beyond his father’s death and taking revenge. This discovery is considered being the main goal of hero. The first characteristic of Hamlet is his early unawareness to what happened in occasion of his father’s death which changed into a full awareness after his father’s ghost appeared. That is to mention, this is the ghost of old Hamlet who reveals the murder’s events as meeting with his son in dream. He was killed by Claudius. So, Hamlet is first unaware of the events happened. The second point is that Hamlet subjects to a continuous uncertainty after being informed about his father’s death. Such uncertainty continues until the performance of “Taleh Moush”? play. Since Christian thought believes in two good and bad ghosts, the appeared ghost may be of bad one seeking to deceive young Hamlet. As Young Hamlet steps towards ghost, Hourashiv stops him: don’t go Sir. You may be deceived to go over spates or horrid mountains and it (ghost) may be suddenly changed into a very awful and tremendous form to make you mad and insane. The third point is related to Hamlet’s religious belief. Although Hamlet is of such religious belief, his moral and faith is along with uncertainty due to having special features related to resonance time. One of the most striking aspects of such claim is the words Hamlet expressed in the famous statement of this work, that is, to be or not to be. The fourth characteristic of Hamlet is related to material belongings of hero. Hamlet loves Ouflia. When he finds Ouflia as unable to help him approach his ideal goal, he leaves her and lonely steps in such dangerous travel. His interest to continue education in university outside Denmark is considered being another material belonging. Then he confides such interest in his uncle, his father’s murderer and the current king of Denmark, Claudius, who was against with and he has to stay in Denmark. Hamlet is also interested in his mother. Karterod who is unaware of the secrecy hidden beyond old Hamlet’s death got married the man murdered her ex-husband and even criticized her child due to being unaware of the facts he is sad about. Hamlet got annoyed at his mother. Hamlet is also interested in his own country. He was supposed to come to power naturally but after coming back to Denmark he saw the government has been taken in force by his uncle. The fifth and sixth feature of Hamlet is the lack of relationship with people and being alone. Hamlet is also interested in people but he is alone and no body is with him. The only person with Hamlet is Hourashiou who is described by Shakespeare as one very close to Hamlet in order for supporters of work to be informed about. The only person who joins Hamlet is his mother, Gertrud. This is done in the latest part of play and is of no special effect on hero’s actions. It finishes with the death of Gertrud when drank poisonous drinking. So, Hamlet is considered as a lone hero in this play. The seventh and eighth feature of Hamlet is standing against cruelty and defending from honor. Although Hamlet is considered being as an informed conscience of human fighting with cruelty, he is a special person belonging to resonance period. So, there are lots of differences between Hamlet and the high objectives of Imam Hussein as an inward hero. Hamlet steps in a way Claudius forced him in. both hero have something in common, that is, keeping forwards through next forces and identifying a substitute for hero. On the other hand, in both events there is a person discovering the facts after hero and also the other person following his way. In Hamlet play, this is Hourashiv who is up to express the facts but Hourashiv is of a loose personality and even attempts to commit suicide and hamlet stops him. The character who is going to be a substitute for Hamlet is called Foutinberas who, unlike Hamlet, is a man of iron will and attempts to conquer a land not big enough to burry the ones killed in battle. Before death, Hamlet appoints Foutinberas as his substitute and says: I predict Foutinberas will take the power of Denmark. In this play, Claudius as antihero will be killed by Hamlet. In such condition, the writer provides the conditions required to establish law. In this play, the cruelty will be finished after Hamlet kills Claudius. The hope to approach a government bases on law will be fulfilled after Foutinberas takes the power. In fact, we can say he is a half sight of Hamlet. The eleventh feature of Hamlet play is attributed to the way Hamlet behaved with killed bodies. In the last scene of this play, four people are killed. The first one is Gertrud, Hamlet’s mother, who is involved in Claudius’s conspiracy and is killed by drinking a poisonous drink. The nest one is called Lairtis who is killed by a sword he himself made it poisonous. The next one is Claudius who is killed by Hamlet after his conspiracy is revealed by Lairtis. The last is Hamlet himself who is killed by a poisonous sword. in this play, there is no reference to the first third bodies but the body of Hamlet should be buried with all respects in an order of Foutinberas.
The sacrificing actions of Imam Hussein
We are now concerned on discussing about the main characteristics of Imam Hussein in Karbala event. The first feature of this event is the wise selection of hero. All what we know about such event is that Imam Hussein stepped in battle field and attempted to sacrifice with a comprehensive knowledge mingled with augury. One of the reflective signs of such augury is darkening the atmosphere before starting the battle, in which he wants those not willing to take apart in war to get out since he knows, based on augury, that there will be no way to back and all will be sacrificed. One of the documents available about the divine actions of Imam Hussein refers to Hazrat Mohammad’s statements which informs about his death as he was child. Imam Hussein is really informed about what he is doing and also about his future. The second feature refers his intention to step in this way like his father, Imam Ali, who did so and finally was martyred. Imam Hussein, like his father, attempts to stand against cruelty as best. The third feature refers to providing the Islamic people with welfare required. Although it is hard to perceive the tragic martyrdom of one of the sincerest followers of God, the event will be reflecting more magnificent and extensive when we think about the reason for such event. The magnificence of such event is best reflected in Shaban month ceremony. It is so tragic that the people living in Karaeeb Island begin to mourn. So, it is clear that Imam Hussein sacrificed his life just for the sake of God. The fourth feature refers to his lack of reliance to material world. He has high respect to his antecedents and relatives and scarified all his life in fighting with cruelty. So, lack of reliance to this material and temporary world and sacrifice for the sake of God are considered being his main features. Having no fear of death can be regarded as his fifth feature. Having accepted that death in this material world is the starting point of life in an eternal life, not being afraid of fear can be considered as one of Imam Hussein’s sacrificing feature, as he emphasized: try your best to a freeman if not Muslim. For this reason, he is respected as best. Paying special attention to survived nation is the fifth feature of Imam Hussein. After the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, Hazrat Zeinab treated in a way to show the world the sacrificing moves of her brother and his followers. As Imam Sajjad couldn’t attend in battle field due to being sick, the responsibility of pontificate was put upon him. That is why most part of Karbala event in play was allocated to Hazrat Zeinab’s elegy. This is considered being as an essential and comprehensive move to inform survived people about the kindness and generosity of Imam Hussein and also his stance against cruelty and dishonesty. As Chelkofski said: this event isnt limited to religious aspect only, but includes political and nature-directed aspects and its heroic history is most like Iran history from Karbala and Kofeh to Ghafghaz, central Asia, Afghanistan and northern India. Being directed and frank as best in the battle field is the seventh feature of Imam Hussein. He talked mainly based on truth and working for the sake of God. The eighth feature refers to the presense of people and the strong belief they had in him and his ideals. Although the followers of Imam Hussein are a little, their strong belief covered it as best. Being not alone and present in a crowd of followers is considered being as the tenth feature. This feature is related to the sense of belonging the followers had to him. In such a way, he never felt alone despite of the fact he was under great pressure of enemy. The way enemies treated with him and the bodies of other followers martyred like beheading the people is considered being as the eleventh feature. That is to mention such cruelties aren’t celestial and can’t be justified at all. Having survived the antihero is another special feature of Karbala event. On the other hand, the antihero keeps living after Imam Hussein is killed and continues his cruelties. One of the points related to such action is the reality of situation. Joining a person of enemy army to Imam Hussein group and his martyrdom is the thirteenth feature of Karbala event. Hourr is the one in enemy army who joins Imam Hussein after he perceived his honesty.
Summarized features of Karbala event hero
A summary of the features of Karbala event hero, intentions and movement are as follow: strong belief to God, lack of reliance to material world and all the belongings to approach a real salvation, the extensive presence of people, even those from enemy’s groups, the augury of hero about what are going to happen in immediate future, having iron will to work for the sake of God, a sense of belonging to his relatives and antecedents that most of them were finally martyred, a powerful enemy due to being equipped with all facilities required, the great power of hero due to being supported by God and open movement against the enemy’s conspiracies.
Summarized features of Hamlet play hero
In case of Hamlet as the most remarkable play in all ages and times, the features can be summarized as follow: ultra believes along with uncertainty, reliance to material world and it’s belongings, having personal interest in facing with enemy, the lack of knowledge about what are going to happen in immediate future, hiding some actions, the lack of relationship between the hero and people, the annoyance of the hero at his relatives, even his mother and the one he got married and the lack of divine supports.
It seems such comparisons and studies can drive the interest of play writers to write about the sacrificing actions of Imam Hussein and Karbala event as best.