At the start of Act 5.1, two clowns engage in a conversation about the death of Ophelia, Polonius's daughter. As the two clowns converse, they make many comments about the religious views of the time. There comments are very unique and controversial considering the power the church had over the people during the time of the works conception.
One of the first questions that arises in the clown's conversation is how Ophelia should be buried. While the coroner has ruled her death an accident, the clowns seem to think that her death was suicide. At the start of their conversation, the second clown tells the first clown to make her grave straight, in reference to the straight and narrow path to heaven mentioned in the Bible. The first clown seems to object to the second clown's statement about burying her straight, but does so anyway. I feel that Shakespeare is trying to show a sort of hypocrisy in religion with Ophelia's being buried in a Christian manor even though the manor of her death was questionable. In fact, the second clown later states the following, which supports my claim: " Will you ha' the truth on't? If this had not been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o' Christian burial." I feel that Shakespeare is criticizing the preferential treatment of the aristocracy by the church during this time period.
Later in there conversation, the two clowns speak about the gallows and their strength. The two state the following in their conversation:
Second Clown: The gallows maker, for that frame outlives a thousand tenants.
First Clown: I like thy wit well, in good faith. The gallows does well. But how does it well? It does well to those that do ill. Now thou dost ill to say the gallows is built stronger than the church. Argal, the gallows may do well to thee. To't again, come.
I feel that here Shakespeare is referencing the fact that the church during this time period claimed many people would be cast down to the gallows for their disobedience. I think that the First Clown's remarks on the Second Clown implying that the gallows were stronger than the church are used as a criticism of the church's suggesting that more of its members would be condemned than saved.
