Shakespeare was one of England's most accomplished playwrights (Fiero 27). Shakespeare always knew how to transform the most controversial characters and make the audience feel deep sympathy and compassion towards them. He does this, for example, in his play Hamlet (Oakes 68). Hamlet displays Renaissance ideals through his indecision and uncertainty, much like the Catholics who questioned their religious beliefs. Shakespeare's Hamlet is a true representation of the lack of distinction of beliefs after the Reformation. After the murder of his father, King Hamlet, Prince Hamlet sees his father's ghost. The ghost of his father tells Hamlet that he must avenge his death (Fiero 27). He also reveals to Hamlet that it was his uncle Claudius who committed the crime against him. He explains to Hamlet that he must indeed inflict the same crime on Claudius. After Claudius murdered King Hamlet, he became heir to the throne and married Gertrude, Prince Hamlet's mother (Fiero 27). Hamlet is unsure of the reality of seeing his father's ghost. After the Reformation, the existence of purgatory was called into question. This is reflected in Hamlet's attempt to grasp the idea of ​​seeing his father's ghost. He was hesitant to avenge his father's death because he was unsure if the ghost was actually his father in Purgatory or the devil playing tricks on him (Oakes 62). Edward T. Oakes discusses Hamlet's confusion between Catholicism and Lutheran practices. Hamlet has learned to believe that purgatory does not exist. However, the ghost allows Hamlet's confusion and reveals to him that Purgatory does indeed exist (Oakes 63). The ghost approaches Hamlet and exclaims: "I am the spirit of your father, condemned for a certain term... middle of paper... discharged person. Shakespeare used Hamlet as an inside look at the ideals of the Protestant Reformation. For example, the Reformation sparked questions and changes in the way people viewed the afterlife and salvation. Shakespeare used a character such as Hamlet to invite people to understand the struggles that someone as troubled as him must avoid making judgment based solely on an outside perspective. Works Cited Fiero, Gloria. The humanist tradition: the modern world today. Vol 2, 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Oakes, Edward T. “Hamlet and the Reformation.” Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture 13.1 (2010): 53-78. Premier Academic Research. EBSCO. Internet. October 22, 2010. Petition, by Laborsome. “Hamlet: whole play.” The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.Web. October 21. 2010. .