Comparison Of Horatio And The Friar

Within both plays, Horatio and the Friar both fill the role of moral advisor to the protagonist, whose advice Giovanni and Hamlet both disregard.
Interestingly, Horatio’s concern for Hamlet does not stem from an acknowledgement of the protagonist’s dubious moral code, but rather from a fear of the ghost’s intentions. Horatio’s source of perturbation is confirmed when he begs the prince to consider “What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord.” Horatio appears to worry that the ghost has a malevolent intent that Hamlet, drawn in by his father’s guise, may blindly follow. Horatio’s concern would mirror that of the Elizabethan audience, who during the reformation period began to question the existence of purgatory, leading to the uneasy realisation
Whilst Horatio phrases his concern into a question, in a futile attempt to make Hamlet consider the consequences of his action (which later in the play, ironically, could be seen as his hubris); the Friar begins with the imperative verb ‘beg’- he commands that Giovanni to repent, contrasting the clinical, yet pure image of ‘cleansing heaven’ with the disturbing image of a diseased soul. The judgement of Giovanni by the Friar appears to be emblematic of the church, exemplifying the dread and fear the protestant church was prepared to inspire in the populace in Caroline times: the protestant edicts were deliberately harsh in order to challenge the previous ‘decadence’ on the Catholic
However, the brash, self-confident manner in which Giovanni retorts that his love with Annabella surpasses any other - due to their natural intimacy - could easily dissuade an audience member from interpreting any hesitancy born from fear of god, morality or even societal pressure in Giovanni. It seems as if Annabella and particularly Giovanni excuse their mutual sin of incest due to the strength of their love for each other: they believe the purity of their love negates their