Abstract
In this essay, I exercised a sociological way to criticize “Hamlet” which is one of the most famous and popular Shakespearean dramas. From the sociological point of view, the world of “Hamlet” is still a fictional society, which consists of norms, (sociological) roles and status (in general, “rules”). How the dramatic world of “Hamlet” is depends on what the rules are in it. The meaning and the significance of a norm is determined by other norms, as the rules are mutually dependent to one another. So I analyzed the normative system in “Hamlet”. There exist the normative orders which are mutually antagonistic and contradictory on the status of Danish Prince Hamlet. At first, Hamlet is in the mood, melancholic anomie, because of the lack of role which is caused by his father's death and mother's incest. When his father's ghost tells him to revenge, he regains his roles. However the mutually contradictory normative orders, make him hesitate to revenge (like, “double-bind”, “cross pressure” or “role conflict”). Next, the performance of “Mousetrap” resolves the excess of roles, His most important role is to regain the order and legitimacy in Danish kingdom, and in order to perform his role he has to die for regained norm of kingdom.
