The archetype of the trial in The Plague and Hamlet Rare is the story without conflicts, without challenges to overcome. However, to even achieve the challenge, the hero must first pass the Trial. The Test archetype can be found in almost any folktale. King Arthur must pull the sword from the stone to prove he is fit to be king. Hercules must face hardships to atone for the murders committed in his madness. It is also prominent in other areas of literature; it is particularly well represented in Albert Camus' The Plague and William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The Trial has two purposes: to demonstrate one's worth, atone for wrongs and purify oneself. When the Trial is used to demonstrate the hero's worth, the hero must prove that he is capable and worthy enough to be the hero and that he will be able to face the final conflict. This aspect of the Test is what is also known as Initiation (Campbell 97). In Arthurian mythology Arthur must extract the Excalibur from the stone. This proof proves him worthy of being king because only the true heir to the crown is capable of drawing the sword. The basis of authority for his government is thus established. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet must endure excruciating pain, betrayal of those closest to him, and murder to prove that he is fit to act. However, while Arthur had to prove to the nobles of the land that he was fit to be king, Hamlet's trial is an internal proof to himself that he is right and that his father's death must be avenged. The process is also used to purify the hero and help him atone for evils. This is clearly seen in the legend of Hercules from Greek mythology. The jealous goddess Hera uses her power to drive Hercules mad and in her madness massacres her own children. He then goes to Delphi and consults the oracle which tells him that he will have to serve for ten years as a servant of his cousin Eurytheus and will have to perform ten labors. Through his labors he is able to atone for his past evil deeds and regain the favor of the gods (D'Aulaire 132-146). Hamlet is a tale that puts many of its characters through trials, but none suffer as much as Prince Hamlet himself..