Search results
On a dark winter night, a ghost walks the ramparts of Elsinore Castle in Denmark. Discovered first by a pair of watchmen, then by the scholar Horatio, the ghost resembles the recently deceased King Hamlet, whose brother Claudius has inherited the throne and married the king’s widow, Queen Gertrude.
Hamlet is a reflection of the anxieties and complexities of the Elizabethan era, mirroring the political intrigue and power struggles of the royal court. The play is part of Shakespeare’s tragic canon, alongside other notable tragedies like Macbeth, Othello, and King Lear. Hamlet showcases Shakespeare’s versatility, seamlessly blending ...
In making a complete version of ‘Hamlet’ the play into a film, Branagh and his script adviser Russell Jackson have taken two different texts of the play and merged them together. When Shakespeare was writing ‘Hamlet’, he undoubtedly had certain actors in mind for each
The best study guide to Hamlet on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need.
- The Impossibility of Certainty. What separates Hamlet from other revenge plays (and maybe from every play written before it) is that the action we expect to see, particularly from Hamlet himself, is continually postponed while Hamlet tries to obtain more certain knowledge about what he is doing.
- The Complexity of Action. Directly related to the theme of certainty is the theme of action. How is it possible to take reasonable, effective, purposeful action?
- The Mystery of Death. In the aftermath of his father’s murder, Hamlet is obsessed with the idea of death, and over the course of the play he considers death from a great many perspectives.
- The Nation as a Diseased Body. Everything is connected in Hamlet, including the welfare of the royal family and the health of the state as a whole. The play’s early scenes explore the sense of anxiety and dread that surrounds the transfer of power from one ruler to the next.
Hamlet Summary. The ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks revenge. His uncle, fearing for his life, also devises plots to kill Hamlet.
People also ask
How does hamlet feel about how to act?
What is a hamlet study guide?
How does hamlet end?
Is hamlet a tragedy?
How is King Hamlet portrayed?
What is Hamlet based on?
This resource is designed as a reference guide for teachers. We have listed the major themes and motifs within Hamlet and provided examples of scene where you can study them.
