Earlier today, I walked all over a King. Yesterday, a former senator fertilized my lawn. Just last week, I used a historic general to mold a mug. While the previous statements may not be technically true, one of the major themes of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is that they could be true. Many of the central characters of the play like Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, The Ghost and Fortinbras, are of royal blood. Thus, in the fictional world that Shakespeare creates, Shakespeare seems to want us too look at the characters as if they where important people. However, contrasting that is the recurring message that in the end it does not matter if we where kings, jesters, or common folks during our time on earth before shuffling off of this mortal coil because in the end we all get returned to the Earth.

            This idea is an undercurrent during much of the play but it is typified starting during Act 5 Scene 1; Here, Hamlet is in the grave yard with grave diggers who are doing their work and they are coming across many skulls. This is when Hamlet starts bringing up Alexander (The Great) and Caesar. Before we look at exactly what Hamlet says, it is important to note just who the people Hamlet references are. Alexander The Great is one of the most important people in history and conquered huge swaths of land during his time. Caesar is also a man of great consequence who was the leader of what many consider to be the greatest empire the earth has ever known. Aside from Jesus, one could speculate that there was not two more well known historical figures during Shakespeare/Hamlet’s time.

            Here is what Hamlet says about those two men; regarding Alexander The Great “Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth into dust. The dust is earth.” (Act 5. Scene 1, 199-200) Later when talking about Caesar Hamlet says “Imperial Caesar, dead and turned to clay, Might stop a hole to keep the wind away.” (203-204)  We are hearing about two of the most important people who have ever lived and the message we get about them is that all they are now is dust and clay. The imagery is in sharp contrast to the power that we associate with people like Alexander The Great and Caesar.

            The line regarding Caesar seems to have an especially mocking tone. It should be noted that the line is a couplet and I believe it almost has a sing-song feel to it. What I mean by that is that it sounds like the tone of voice that one might hear from a kindergartner who is teasing a fellow classmate; like the line is mocking Caesar and daring the once powerful man to do something about the fact that Hamlet is now deriding him.

            In addition, the clay that Caesar has become is being used to plug a hole in the couplet. This shows Caesar in death, theoretically being able to help someone practically which is the opposite what we may associate Caesar with. What remains of Alexander is talked about in equally practical and silly terms when Hamlet mentions that Alexander’s remains might now be used to stop a beer barrel. (202) Earlier when talking to Horatio. Hamlet talks about what may be the use of what is left of the great Alexander in even cruder terms when he says “ Why, may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander till he find it stopping a bung-hole.” (194-195)

            Hamlet’s speech regarding Alexander and Caesar might also be able to give us some insight on why Hamlet finally decides to engage in a sword fight battle where there was the possibility that he might die. Early on in the during act three scene 1 of the play we get to hear Hamlet give his famous “to be or not to be” speech where he appears to be contemplating suicide. One of the things that stops Hamlet from taking his own life is the inability to know what lays beyond on the other side after he is dead: “ But that dread of something after death, The undiscovered country, from whose bourn no travels return,” (80-83) This fear of the unknown is what appears to be the ultimate deciding factor that leads Hamlet to the decision to not take his own life. Now lets get back to the speech about Alexander and Caesar that Hamlet gave. During the speech Hamlet seems to come to realization of opinion that humans no matter what their status are will die and eventually turn to dust. In a way, his conclusions about Alexander The Great and Caesar seems to give him some certainty as to what might become of him after he dies. This certainty could have led him to take more bold actions such as the climatic sword fight with Laertes.

            By the end of the play, nearly all the major characters are have died. With one of his last breaths before dieing Hamlet urges Horatio to tell his (meaning Hamlet’s) story. While in a way the story of Hamlet might make the character of Hamlet immortal, we know that in the end Hamlet will end up just like Caesar and Alexander as dust in the wind.