[Hamlet:] What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Sure he that made
us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and god-like reason To fust in us unus’d. —Hamlet, William Shakespeare How does Hamlet’s speech reflect the ideals of Renaissance humanism? A) Hamlet thinks that people are no different than animals. B)Hamlet expresses his admiration for the works of classical writers. C)Hamlet thinks that people are unable to make rational decisions. D)Hamlet explores the purpose of living and places a high value on reason.
The correct answer is D. Hamlet explores the purpose of living and places a high value on reason.
What Hamlet is saying in this excerpt is that humans are no different than animals if they don't use their reason and mind. We have been endowed with reason (unlike animals) so we are supposed to use it in our everyday lives. Renaissance humanism put a lot of emphasis on man and reason, so this quote depicts such opinions perfectly.
