Hamlet By William Shakespeare

Shakespeare Background

Born 1564

Educated at Stratford Grammar School

Parents John, a glove maker, and Mary (Arden)

Married Ann Hathaway when he was 18 and she 26

Three children: Susanna, Judith and Hamnet

Shakespeare BackgroundContinued…

Moved to London to be come an actor and playwrightDuring plague outbreaks, he wrote poetry.In 1599 he built and became a partner in the Globe Theater.He wrote 37 plays and 154 SonnetsMember of the Lord Chamberlin’s men which became the King’s men when Elizabeth the first died, and James the I took the throne.Shakespeare died April 23, 1616 at the age of 52

Shakespeare’s Family Tree

Shakespeare’s Coat of Arms

The motto reads “Not without Reason”

The Historical HamletThe Historical Hamlet was the son of a Danish "King of the Jutes", who lived during the Dark Ages.

The warlord was assassinated and his crown usurped by his brother. This was a coup, not a secret murder.

According to current superstition, anyone who killed a crazy person risked acquiring the same disease from the victim's spirit. Therefore, the murdered warlord's son pretended to be crazy, acquiring the nickname "Amlothi", crazy person.

Eventually he killed his uncle and became "King of the Jutes" in turn. He ruled successfully, and the nickname stuck. The Geneologies record "Amleth, King of Denmark." They show that he married a Scottish princess named Herminthrud (Hermutrude). He was eventually killed in battle. He is buried in Denmark in a field called "Ammelhede" ("Hamlet's Heath") to this day.

In a strange twist of fate, Herminthrud married one Viglek, also "King of Denmark", the man whose army defeated and killed Hamlet

Hamlet Facts and Information

Based on Saxo Grammaticus "Historia Danica", written around 1200, presents a highly-fictionalized (actually silly) version of the story; Belleforest's "Histories Tragiques" was a book of stories in French from 1576. Belleforest adapted Saxo's historical fiction, and The older "Hamlet" play... ("Ur-Hamlet") probably written by Thomas Kyd.

Written by Shakespeare between 1600-1602 in London

First performed 1602

It is a revenge tragedy with a conscience

Key Elements of HamletGenre:  Tragedy, revenge tragedyProtagonist:  HamletAntagonist: ClaudiusMajor conflict: Hamlet feels a responsibility to avenge his father’s murder by his uncle Claudius, but Claudius is now the king and thus well protected. Moreover, Hamlet struggles with his doubts about whether he can trust the ghost and whether killing Claudius is the appropriate thing to do.Rising action:  · The ghost appears to Hamlet and tells Hamlet to revenge his murder; Hamlet feigns madness to his intentions; Hamlet stages the mousetrap play; Hamlet passes up the opportunity to kill Claudius while he is praying.Climax: Well I’m not going to tell you that! It would ruin the surprise!Setting (time and place)  · The late medieval period, Denmark

Key Elements Continued…Tone: Dark, ironic, melancholy, passionate, contemplative, desperate, violentThemes:  The impossibility of certainty; revenge ; the mystery of death; the nation as a diseased bodyMotifs: ears and hearing; death and suicide; darkness and the supernaturalSymbols: The ghost (the spiritual consequences of death); Yorick’s skull (the physical consequences of death)

Types of Conflict:Man versus Man: Hamlet dueling with Laertes in Act V; Hamlet wrestling in Ophelia’s grave with Laertes.

Man versus Nature: Ophelia vs the water when she drowns; Hamlet vs death.

Man versus Self: Hamlet vs his conscience in his “To be, or not to be…” speech.”; Claudius being unable to pray with sincerity, and not being able to clear his conscience of his past crimes.

CharactersHamlet: Son of the late King Hamlet of Denmark and nephew to the present King. When Hamlet meets King Hamlet's Ghost and learns that King Claudius murdered his father, Hamlet changes from a distrustful, disillusioned young man to one driven to avenge his father's death. To this end, Hamlet distrusts and rejects all those around him whom he believes are spying on him for King Claudius.Horatio: Friend to Hamlet and the one person Hamlet truly trusts. Witnesses King Hamlet's Ghost in Act I. Claudius: The present King of Denmark (He murdered the former king), King Claudius took Queen Gertrude whom he loves as his queen and wife, much to the consternation of Hamlet who believes his mother has betrayed him and his father's memory by doing so. Cautious and suspicious, Claudius has courtiers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Hamlet's love interest Ophelia spying on Hamlet for him since as he says, the great ones must be watched. Distrustful of Hamlet and his "madness", King Claudius has Hamlet deported to England to be killed when he fears he has become a threat.Gertrude: Queen of Denmark and mother to Hamlet, Queen Gertrude is resented deeply by Hamlet for marrying King Claudius within two months of his father, King Hamlet's death. (Act III, Scene II, Line 242) in an attempt to justify her own actions in remarrying so quickly. Clearly loving of Hamlet, she realizes her wrong when Hamlet scolds her mercilessly in Act III, Scene V. She agrees to no longer share King Claudius' bed, and aids her son by hiding Hamlet's true mental state from King Claudius. Dies in Act V, Scene II, to a poisoned cup of wine meant for Hamlet.

Characters Continued…Polonius: Lord Chamberlain. The father of Laertes and Ophelia, Lord Chamberlain Polonius dutifully serves King Claudius. Polonius uses his daughter to spy on Hamlet. He even has Reynaldo, a servant spy on his own son Laertes in Paris. Laertes: Polonius' son, Laertes is held in high esteem for his fencing skills. Famous for the advise, "to thine own self be true," (be true to yourself) and the advise to "Neither a borrower, nor a lender be;" in Act I, Scene III. He seeks revenge on Hamlet for his father’s death. (Laertes is the “Foil” for Hamlet) Foil-foil character is either one who is opposite to the main character or nearly the same as the main character. The purpose of the foil character is to emphasize the traits of the main character by contrast, and perhaps by setting up situations in which the protagonist can show his or her character traits. A foil is a secondary character who contrasts with a major character but, in so doing, highlights various facets of the main character's personality.Ophelia: The daughter to Polonius, Ophelia is loved by Hamlet. She ignores Hamlet's romantic overtures when instructed to ignore them by her father Polonius. Receives advice on how to live from brother Laertes in Act I, Scene III. Though loved by Hamlet, Ophelia ultimately betrays him by spying on him for King Claudius. As a result Hamlet mercilessly insults her virtue during the play "The Murder of Gonzago" in Act III, Scene II. A dutiful daughter, Ophelia descends into madness from the grief of losing her father Polonius and later drowns in circumstances that suggest a possible suicide.

Characters Continued…Fortinbras: Prince of Norway. The son of King Fortinbras, who was defeated by King Hamlet, Young Fortinbras has raised an army to reclaim the lands lost by his father to King Hamlet and Denmark. Convinced into attacking the Polish instead, Young Fortinbras displays all the noble, honor driven qualities, Hamlet wishes he had. At the end of the play, Young Fortinbras is recommended by Hamlet to be the next King of Denmark. Parallels Hamlet's character in that like Hamlet his father was a ruler (King of Norway) and that both are now nephews to the current rulers of their lands.

Rosencrantz, Guildenstern: Courtiers to King Claudius, both these men grew up with Hamlet. As a result King Claudius recruits them to spy on Hamlet for him. Neither man has a problem trading in their friendship to betray Hamlet; they serve the King. Both die when the instructions they bear from King Claudius are altered by Hamlet to instruct King Claudius' English associates to kill those bearing his commission immediately (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern).

Various other minor characters.

Academic Vocabulary

Soliloquy- a speech delivered by an actor when he is alone onstage and speaking his thoughts or feelings.

Allusion –an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

Stage directions-an instruction in the text of a play, esp. one indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor, or the sound effects and lighting.

Academic Vocabulary

Flourish- to make dramatic, sweeping gestures, a showy gesture

Exit/exeunt- Exit is one character leaving a scene/stage. Exeunt is two or more leaving the scene/stage.

Pun-a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Academic Vocabulary

Aside- is a dramatic device in which a character speaks to the audience. By convention the audience is to realize that the character's speech is unheard by the other characters on stage. It may be addressed to the audience expressly (in character or out) or represent an unspoken thought.