<P> The opening words are very commonly misquoted as "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him well ." </P> <P> It has often been suggested that Shakespeare intended his audience to connect Yorick with the Elizabethan comedian Richard Tarlton, a star performer of the pre-Shakespearian stage, who had been dead for around the same time as Yorick in the play . </P> <P> The contrast between Yorick as "a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy" and his grim remains is a variation on the theme of earthly vanity (cf . Vanitas): death being unavoidable, the things of this life are inconsequential . </P> <P> This theme of Memento mori (' Remember you shall die') is common in 16th - and 17th - century painting, appearing in art throughout Europe . Images of Mary Magdalene regularly showed her contemplating a skull . It is also a very common motif in 15th - and 16th - century British portraiture . </P>

Alas poor yorick i knew him horatio significance
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