Overview
Synopsis
All is not well in the world of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. He has just been hurried back home from University to learn that his father the King (Hamlet Sr.) is dead, and that his mother has already jumped into “incestuous sheets” (I.i) by marrying his father’s brother, Claudius, thus making him the new King of Denmark. In short order, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears to tell him that Claudius is responsible for his death and to urge him to take revenge. Hamlet is plunged into philosophical paralysis, at first utterly resolved to carry out his dead father’s wishes, and then vacillating continuously between action and inaction. Finally, he has the idea to have a group of traveling players play the scene of his father’s murder before his uncle in theatrical form, thus forcing him to admit his guilt. He does so, and once it becomes certain that Claudius committed the atrocity, Hamlet angrily confronts his mother for mindlessly shacking up with his father’s murderer. In a rage, he accidentally murders Polonius, his girlfriend Ophelia’s father, causing her to go mad and drown herself. The bloodbath continues: Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, comes to take revenge on Hamlet, and both of them are fatally injured in a duel; Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, drinks poison that Claudius intended for Hamlet; and Hamlet manages to get one last (fatal) shot in at Claudius shortly before his own death. In the play’s final moments, Hamlet begs his friend Horatio to “draw thy breath in pain / To tell my story” (V.ii). Shakespeare’s longest and most frequently performed play, Hamlet is one of the most influential works in the English literary canon.
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Context
Show Origins
In the Elizabethan era, many of the early playwrights studied in the universities. They read classics like Ovid, Cicero, and Seneca--the last of which inspired many of their ideas about theatre, especially revenge tragedy. While there is no evidence that Shakespeare ever studied at a university, he did associate with several of these writers (later called the University Wits), including Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Kyd. By the mid-1590s, Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy
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Act One
Hamlet opens as the sentry, Francisco, is keeping watch over the castle at Elsinore. He is shortly relieved by Barnardo, who is then joined by Horatio and Marcellus. Barnardo and Marcellus reveal that they saw an apparition and, no sooner have they revealed this, than the Ghost of the late king of Denmark appears before quickly disappearing. Horatio recognizes the Ghost’s armor and realizes that it is the same armor that the King wore when he fought Norway in battle. The three
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Interactive Character Map
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Character Portrayals
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Monologues
Scenes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
THEMES
Appearance vs. Reality
The most notable example of Appearance vs. Reality in Hamlet is his feigned madness, an “antic disposition” he puts on at the start of Act Two. However, even before he meets the Ghost, Hamlet confronts his external appearance and what might be true. As Gertude asks him why he is still in mourning, why things “seem” so heavy with him, Hamlet replies: “Seems, madam? Nay it is. I know not ‘seems’” (1.2). Hamlet’s grief at his father’s death is not an act,
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What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how
express and admirable! in action how like an angel!
in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me,
what is this quintessence of dust?
[Hamlet, Act 2, scene 2]
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern admit that they were sent for by Claudius and Gertrude. Hamlet, in a rare moment of honesty, describes his mental state to his
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Abridged describes a text or performance that has been shortened while retaining its essential content. In theatre, abridged scripts remove or condense material to suit time limits or audience needs. These versions allow greater accessibility while maintaining the story’s core themes.
A character foil is one whose traits contrast with another character, thereby highlighting qualities in both. In No, No, Nanette, Sue’s strict propriety serves as a foil to Nanette’s youthful desire for freedom, emphasizing the tension between tradition and independence. The use of foils helps dramatists reveal character differences without lengthy exposition.
A period of rule by a family or lineage, often referenced in historical drama to explore succession, power, and legacy.
Queen of England whose reign supported the flourishing of English Renaissance theatre and the works of Shakespeare.
Relating to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, marked by flourishing English drama and playwrights like Shakespeare and Marlowe.
A cultural and intellectual movement in England from the late 15th to the early 17th century, characterized by a flourishing of literary and musical arts, particularly during the Elizabethan era.
A philosophical movement emphasizing individual existence and responsibility, often reflected in modern theatre.
The iconic London theatre associated with Shakespeare, where many of his plays premiered in the late 1500s and early 1600s.
Shakespeare’s acting company under royal patronage, instrumental in performing and popularizing his plays.
A mood or character trait in drama denoting sadness, introspection, or despair, often linked to tragic figures.
A system of thought exploring existence, ethics, or knowledge, often influencing theatrical movements like existentialism or realism.
A dramatic genre popular in Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre featuring murder, ghosts, and the pursuit of vengeance, often ending in multiple deaths.
A speech delivered by a character alone on stage, revealing inner thoughts or emotions to the audience. Common in Shakespearean plays.
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher