No other ghost story has been proven to have had a lasting impact on English Language culture, partially because Hamlet had already instilled the traditional values in the culture. Since the story is still seen so much today, it proves that this novel has to be one of the biggest factors in the mindset created for our culture.
To understand the impact of Hamlet on how English language culture views the dead, we must first understand how other cultures think of the deceased. One good example is Dia de los muertos. Dia de los muertos is commonly celebrated in Mexico and other Latin American countries on November 1st and 2nd. Dia de los muertos celebrates the dead with joy and humor rather than mourning. This contrasts with the influence of Hamlet, because in my opinion, Hamlet teaches us to be wary and afraid of the dead. Mexican culture believes in building a strong relationship with the ones that they were close to, who are now no longer living. They stress in that culture, that one must celebrate Dia de los muertos annually and with genuine interest. The Mexican people seek to build relationships with their dead. They actively search for a way to communicate or be influenced by those have passed, because the dead, in Latin America, have a positive connotation. It is common in Latin America, to attempt to be in constant contact with a lost loved one. This is compared to in Hamlet's time period, it was quite unusual for one to be trying to communicate with a lost relative.
There are festivals around the world that celebrate the dead instead of mourn them. The Bon festival in Japan has been celebrated for over 500 years, and serves as a way to honor late japanese ancestors. There is no mourning at this festival however, it mainly comprises cheerful dancing and celebrations. The Bon Odori, is a special tradition meant to summon and welcome the dead. Gaijatra is celebrated in Nepal, which is a light hearted celebration of death, involving a procession of cows.
