HamletHamlet

True or FalseTrue or False 1. If someone hurts one of your 1. If someone hurts one of your

family members, you should hurt family members, you should hurt them back. them back.

Basic PlotBasic Plot Hamlet is the son of the late Hamlet is the son of the late

king of Denmark (who dies two king of Denmark (who dies two months before the play starts).months before the play starts).

After his father’s death, his After his father’s death, his Uncle Claudius becomes king Uncle Claudius becomes king and marries his mother, and marries his mother, GertrudeGertrude

Hamlet thinks Claudius may Hamlet thinks Claudius may have murdered Hamlet Sr. to have murdered Hamlet Sr. to become king.become king.

Basic PlotBasic Plot Two officers of the king, Marcellus and Bernardo, Two officers of the king, Marcellus and Bernardo,

beckon Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, and later beckon Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, and later Hamlet himself to see the late King Hamlet’s Hamlet himself to see the late King Hamlet’s ghost appear at midnight.ghost appear at midnight.

Privately, the ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius Privately, the ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius really did kill him by pouring poison into his ear really did kill him by pouring poison into his ear while he was sleeping.while he was sleeping.

Hamlet gets angry and devises a plan for Hamlet gets angry and devises a plan for revenge.revenge.

HAMLET: Prince of HAMLET: Prince of DenmarkDenmark The prince of Denmark, and a student at the The prince of Denmark, and a student at the

University of Wittenberg. University of Wittenberg.

Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of hatred for his uncle and disgust at his of hatred for his uncle and disgust at his mother for marrying him. mother for marrying him.

Hamlet becomes obsessed with avenging his Hamlet becomes obsessed with avenging his father’s death but keeps thinking of reasons father’s death but keeps thinking of reasons why he should wait before killing Claudius—why he should wait before killing Claudius—then chastises himself for failing to act boldly. then chastises himself for failing to act boldly.

Hamlet is a character of contradictions. Hamlet is a character of contradictions.

At times Hamlet is indecisive, but at other At times Hamlet is indecisive, but at other times he is prone to impulsive acts of times he is prone to impulsive acts of violence. violence.

Hamlet can be compared to Simba from Hamlet can be compared to Simba from The The Lion KingLion King

CLAUDIUS: The Evil CLAUDIUS: The Evil UncleUncle

Claudius can be compared to Scar from Claudius can be compared to Scar from The Lion KingThe Lion King

The new king of Denmark, Hamlet’s The new king of Denmark, Hamlet’s uncle. uncle.

The villain of the play, Claudius is a The villain of the play, Claudius is a calculating, ambitious politician, adept calculating, ambitious politician, adept at manipulating others for his own ends at manipulating others for his own ends and willing to execute, assassinate, or and willing to execute, assassinate, or murder to stay in power. murder to stay in power.

He doesn’t understand Hamlet or He doesn’t understand Hamlet or Hamlet’s motives, but he is quick to Hamlet’s motives, but he is quick to perceive Hamlet as a threat and take perceive Hamlet as a threat and take decisive action against him. decisive action against him.

Claudius does occasionally show signs Claudius does occasionally show signs of remorse and human feeling—his of remorse and human feeling—his affection for Gertrude, for instance, affection for Gertrude, for instance, seems sincere. seems sincere.

GERTRUDE: The Queen of GERTRUDE: The Queen of DenmarkDenmark

The queen of Denmark, The queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, recently Hamlet’s mother, recently married to Claudius. married to Claudius.

She seems clearly to love She seems clearly to love Hamlet, but Hamlet sees her Hamlet, but Hamlet sees her as a weak, even depraved, as a weak, even depraved, woman motivated wholly by woman motivated wholly by lust. lust.

Hamlet has such strong Hamlet has such strong feelings about her sex life that feelings about her sex life that he becomes momentarily he becomes momentarily distracted from his revenge distracted from his revenge quest, urging her toward a life quest, urging her toward a life of chastity. of chastity.

Gertrude can be compared to Gertrude can be compared to Sarabi in Sarabi in The Lion KingThe Lion King

POLONIUS: Ophelia’s POLONIUS: Ophelia’s pompous fatherpompous father

The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius’s court, and The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius’s court, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. the father of Laertes and Ophelia.

Polonius has good intentions, but he tends to be Polonius has good intentions, but he tends to be somewhat underhanded. somewhat underhanded.

He frequently leaps to the wrong conclusions, He frequently leaps to the wrong conclusions, and his speeches are comically pompous and and his speeches are comically pompous and long-winded. long-winded.

He is completely incapable of figuring out what He is completely incapable of figuring out what Hamlet is up to. Hamlet is up to.

Polonius can be compared to Zazu in Polonius can be compared to Zazu in The Lion The Lion KingKing

HORATIO: Hamlet’s One HORATIO: Hamlet’s One True FriendTrue Friend

Studied with the prince at Studied with the prince at the University of Wittenberg. the University of Wittenberg.

Hamlet trusts Horatio above Hamlet trusts Horatio above any of the other characters, any of the other characters, valuing him for his even valuing him for his even temper and equanimity—temper and equanimity—qualities that Hamlet seems qualities that Hamlet seems to despise in himself. to despise in himself.

Horatio is loyal and helpful to Horatio is loyal and helpful to Hamlet throughout the play. Hamlet throughout the play.

Horatio can be compared to Horatio can be compared to Timon or Pumba from Timon or Pumba from The The Lion KingLion King

OPHELIA: Hamlet’s OPHELIA: Hamlet’s girlfriend girlfriend

Polonius’s daughter, a Polonius’s daughter, a beautiful young woman beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has with whom Hamlet has been in love. been in love.

A sweet and innocent A sweet and innocent young girl, Ophelia young girl, Ophelia dutifully strives to obey her dutifully strives to obey her father and her brother, father and her brother, Laertes, allowing Polonius Laertes, allowing Polonius to use her in his scheme to to use her in his scheme to spy on Hamlet. spy on Hamlet.

Ophelia can be compared Ophelia can be compared to Nala from to Nala from The Lion King.The Lion King.

LAERTES: Ophelia’s LAERTES: Ophelia’s brotherbrother

Polonius’s son and Polonius’s son and Ophelia’s brother, a Ophelia’s brother, a young man who young man who spends much of the spends much of the play in France. play in France.

Passionate and quick Passionate and quick to action, Laertes is a to action, Laertes is a foil for the reflective foil for the reflective and agonized Hamlet. and agonized Hamlet.

FORTINBRAS: Prince of FORTINBRAS: Prince of NorwayNorway

The young prince of Norway, The young prince of Norway, whose father the king (also whose father the king (also named Fortinbras) was named Fortinbras) was killed by Hamlet’s father killed by Hamlet’s father (also named Hamlet). (also named Hamlet).

Now Fortinbras wishes to Now Fortinbras wishes to attack Denmark to avenge attack Denmark to avenge his father’s honor, making his father’s honor, making him another foil for Prince him another foil for Prince Hamlet. Hamlet.

Hamlet admires Fortinbras Hamlet admires Fortinbras for his willingness to fight for his willingness to fight for no good reason. for no good reason.

THE GHOST: Hamlet’s THE GHOST: Hamlet’s FatherFather

The specter of Hamlet’s recently deceased The specter of Hamlet’s recently deceased father.father.

The ghost, who claims to have been The ghost, who claims to have been

murdered by Claudius, calls upon Hamlet to murdered by Claudius, calls upon Hamlet to avenge him. avenge him.

However, it is not entirely certain whether However, it is not entirely certain whether the ghost is what it appears to be. the ghost is what it appears to be.

Hamlet speculates that the ghost might be a Hamlet speculates that the ghost might be a devil sent to deceive him and tempt him into devil sent to deceive him and tempt him into murder, and the question of what the ghost murder, and the question of what the ghost is or where it comes from is never is or where it comes from is never definitively resolved. definitively resolved.

The dead king can be compared to Mufasa The dead king can be compared to Mufasa from from The Lion King.The Lion King.

ROSENCRANTZ & ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERNGUILDENSTERN

Two slightly bumbling Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former friends of courtiers, former friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg, Hamlet from Wittenberg, who are summoned by who are summoned by Claudius and Gertrude to Claudius and Gertrude to discover the cause of discover the cause of Hamlet’s strange behavior. Hamlet’s strange behavior.

The silly yet dangerous The silly yet dangerous hyenas from hyenas from The Lion KingThe Lion King have been compared to have been compared to these characters, who are these characters, who are also pawns of a villain also pawns of a villain (Claudius/Scar).(Claudius/Scar).

OTHERSOTHERS OSRIC: A foolish courtierOSRIC: A foolish courtier VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS: VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS:

Courtiers sent to Norway to prevent Courtiers sent to Norway to prevent Fortinbras from attacking DenmarkFortinbras from attacking Denmark

MARCELLUS and BARNARDO: MARCELLUS and BARNARDO: Officers who see the ghostOfficers who see the ghost

FRANCISCO: A soldierFRANCISCO: A soldier REYNALDO: Polonius servant and spyREYNALDO: Polonius servant and spy

Commentary Commentary Hamlet is perhaps the Hamlet is perhaps the

closest of Shakespeare’s closest of Shakespeare’s tragedies to modern tragedies to modern sensibility. Its hero’s sensibility. Its hero’s doubt and indecisions are doubt and indecisions are familiar to modern man, familiar to modern man, equally tormented by a equally tormented by a lack of certainties and the lack of certainties and the inability to communicate. inability to communicate.

Commentary cont.Commentary cont. As the Romantic critic August W. von As the Romantic critic August W. von

Schlegel noted, Hamlet is the tragedy of Schlegel noted, Hamlet is the tragedy of will: in it, thought kills action. will: in it, thought kills action.

Hamlet’s indecision must be placed Hamlet’s indecision must be placed against the background of the revenge against the background of the revenge tragedy, a very popular genre at the time. tragedy, a very popular genre at the time.

According to its conventions, Hamlet According to its conventions, Hamlet should have sought revenge with all his should have sought revenge with all his force and as soon as possible. But he force and as soon as possible. But he does not do so. He is full of hesitation.does not do so. He is full of hesitation.

ThemesThemes Impossibility of CertaintyImpossibility of Certainty Complexity of ActionComplexity of Action Mystery of Death and After LifeMystery of Death and After Life Nation as a Diseased BodyNation as a Diseased Body RevengeRevenge Class IssuesClass Issues LoveLove

Meaningful ExcerptsMeaningful ExcerptsTo be, or not to be- that is To be, or not to be- that is

the question:the question:Whether ‘tis nobler in the Whether ‘tis nobler in the

mind to suffermind to sufferThe slings and arrows of The slings and arrows of

outrageous fortuneoutrageous fortuneOr to take arms against a Or to take arms against a

sea of troublessea of troublesAnd by opposing end them…And by opposing end them…

Yorick’s Skull

NO FEAR TranslationNO FEAR TranslationTo be, or not to be- To be, or not to be-

that is the question:that is the question:Whether ‘tis nobler in Whether ‘tis nobler in

the mind to sufferthe mind to sufferThe slings and arrows The slings and arrows

of outrageous of outrageous fortunefortune

Or to take arms Or to take arms against a sea of against a sea of troublestroubles

And by opposing end And by opposing end them…them…

The question is: is it The question is: is it better to be alive or better to be alive or dead?dead?

Is it nobler to put up with Is it nobler to put up with all the nasty things that all the nasty things that luck throws your way, luck throws your way, or to fight against all or to fight against all those troubles by those troubles by simply putting an end simply putting an end to them once and for to them once and for all?all?

Meaningful Excerpts IIMeaningful Excerpts II

To die, to sleep-To die, to sleep-No more- and by sleep to say we No more- and by sleep to say we

endendThe heartache and the thousand The heartache and the thousand

natural shocksnatural shocksThat flesh is heir to-That flesh is heir to-‘‘tis a consummation tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished! To die, to Devoutly to be wished! To die, to

sleep.sleep.To sleep, perchance to dream- ay, To sleep, perchance to dream- ay,

there’s the rub,there’s the rub,For in that sleep of death what For in that sleep of death what

dreams may comedreams may comeWhen we have shuffled off this When we have shuffled off this

mortal coil,mortal coil,Must give us pause. There’s the Must give us pause. There’s the

respectrespectThat makes calamity of so long lifeThat makes calamity of so long life

Dying, sleeping- that’s all Dying, sleeping- that’s all dying is- a sleep that dying is- a sleep that ends all the heartache ends all the heartache and shocks that life on and shocks that life on earth gives us- that’s an earth gives us- that’s an achievement to wish for. achievement to wish for.

To die, to sleep- to sleep, To die, to sleep- to sleep, maybe to dream. maybe to dream.

Ah, but there’s the catch, in Ah, but there’s the catch, in Death’s sleep who knows Death’s sleep who knows what kinds of dreams what kinds of dreams might come, after we’ve might come, after we’ve put the noise of life put the noise of life behind us. behind us.

That’s something to worry That’s something to worry about. about.

That’s what makes us That’s what makes us stretch out our sufferings stretch out our sufferings so long.so long.

NO FEAR Translation

LEGACYLEGACY HamletHamlet is Shakespeare’s most is Shakespeare’s most

famous play.famous play. The popularity of The popularity of HamletHamlet has has

been constant through the been constant through the centuries, and its story is one of centuries, and its story is one of the most frequently filmed.the most frequently filmed.