Was the sealed letter ordering Hamlet's death a Biblical reference?

Question

Is the sealed letter that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern carry that orders Hamlet's execution a deliberate reference to the Biblical [King David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David) having [Uriah the Hittite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uriah_the_Hittite) carry a letter to [Joab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joab) ordering his death? > In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab **and sent it by the hand of Uriah**. And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.” So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also. (2 Samuel 11:14-18, NIV) If so, how likely would it have been that Shakespeare's original audience would've understood the reference?

Answer 1

Biblical allusions (references in one work to something outside that work: bible, mythology, history, film, etc.) are very commonplace in Shakespearean plays as that would have been one of the very common texts familiar to all literate members of the society. The more you read Shakespeare, the more you recognize allusions, specifically, those from history, mythology, and the Bible. That being said, it is hard to know whether or not Shakespeare's audience would have "gotten it" in the context of the play. Perhaps some of the aristocracy would have as they were the few Renaissance members of society to be educated. One of my favorite biblical allusions is the reference to Cain and Abel when connecting the murderous King Claudius to his innocent brother, King Hamlet.