Question

Who is Adam? Why does the first Gravedigger say Adam was a gentlemen

Answer 1

Answer:

Adam is the first man on earth created by God (in the book of Genesis) and kept in the Garden of Eden.

And to the first gravedigger, Adam was a gentleman because he worked with his own tools and labor to survive instead of depending on others.

Explanation:

William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" revolves around the revenge tragic play of Hamlet and his want to avenge his father's wrongful death. The play focuses on issues such as loyalty, greed, right and wrong, honor, religion, and death.

Act V scene i of the play shows two gravediggers digging a grave for the dead Ophelia who had killed herself. They began to discuss and argue about what type of burial she will get and how it all is a corrupt system. Anyone who commits sui cide is not worthy of getting a Christian burial but considering Ophelia and her family who are influential and rich, she will be given one despite the condition of her death. And in this discourse, the first gravedigger mentioned how Adam was also an aristocrat, for "He was the first that ever bore arms" and dug. According to him, Adam's profession of tilling the ground with his own hard work is an aristocratic status, one who works for his life, rather than depending on or feeding off others' hard work.

In this scene, the Adam referred to is the first man created by God and kept in the Garden of Eden. And according to the first gravedigger, he (Adam) was a gentleman/ aristocrat because he worked for himself and not depend on others for his survival.