All Study Guides Shakespeare Unit 7
🎈 Shakespeare Unit 7 – Hamlet: The Danish Prince's DilemmasHamlet, Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece, follows the Danish prince's struggle with revenge, morality, and madness. After his father's ghost reveals he was murdered by Hamlet's uncle Claudius, Hamlet grapples with how to avenge the crime while navigating court intrigue and his own existential crisis.
The play explores themes of corruption, appearance vs. reality, and the nature of existence through rich language and complex characters. Hamlet's famous soliloquies reveal his inner turmoil as he confronts questions of life, death, and the consequences of action vs. inaction.
Plot Overview
Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is depressed and returns home from school to attend his father's funeral
Hamlet's uncle Claudius has married Hamlet's mother Gertrude and become the new king
Hamlet's father's ghost appears and claims Claudius murdered him, urging Hamlet to seek revenge
Hamlet feigns madness to throw off suspicion while he plots his revenge
Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius, the father of his love interest Ophelia and the Lord Chamberlain to Claudius
Claudius exiles Hamlet to England, planning to have him killed, but Hamlet escapes and returns
Ophelia goes mad with grief and drowns herself
Hamlet confronts his mother and accidentally kills Polonius, who is hiding behind a tapestry
Hamlet agrees to a fencing match with Ophelia's brother Laertes, who secretly poisons his blade
Gertrude unknowingly drinks a poisoned cup intended for Hamlet
Hamlet is wounded by the poisoned blade, but kills Laertes in the scuffle
Before dying, Hamlet kills Claudius and names Prince Fortinbras of Norway as his successor
Key Characters
Hamlet: The protagonist, Prince of Denmark, a deeply thoughtful and philosophical young man
Grapples with his father's death, his mother's hasty remarriage, and his uncle's ascension to the throne
Feigns madness as part of his plan for revenge against Claudius
Claudius: Hamlet's uncle, the new King of Denmark
Murdered his brother (Hamlet's father) to seize the throne and marry Gertrude
Plots to have Hamlet killed when he perceives him as a threat
Gertrude: Hamlet's mother, the Queen of Denmark
Hastily marries Claudius after the death of her husband, a source of distress for Hamlet
Caught between her love for her son and her new husband
Ophelia: Polonius' daughter and Hamlet's love interest
Obeys her father's orders to spurn Hamlet's advances
Goes mad with grief after her father's death and Hamlet's apparent madness, ultimately drowning herself
Polonius: The Lord Chamberlain, a long-winded and meddlesome advisor to Claudius
Father of Ophelia and Laertes, he is accidentally killed by Hamlet while spying on him
Laertes: Polonius' son and Ophelia's brother
Seeks revenge against Hamlet for his father's death and sister's madness
Plots with Claudius to kill Hamlet in a fencing match with a poisoned blade
Horatio: Hamlet's close friend and confidant
Serves as a sounding board for Hamlet's philosophical musings and a witness to the events of the play
Survives to tell Hamlet's story
Themes and Motifs
Revenge: The central theme, driving Hamlet's actions and the plot
Hamlet's desire for revenge against Claudius for his father's murder
Laertes' quest for vengeance against Hamlet for Polonius' death and Ophelia's madness
Appearance vs. Reality: Characters and situations are often not what they seem
Hamlet's feigned madness contrasts with his true state of mind
Claudius' outward show of grief and love for Gertrude belies his guilt and treachery
Mortality and the Afterlife: Death is a constant presence, and characters grapple with what lies beyond
Hamlet's famous "To be, or not to be" soliloquy contemplates suicide and the fear of the unknown after death
The ghost of Hamlet's father represents the mystery and power of the afterlife
Corruption and Decay: The play explores the rottenness at the heart of the Danish court
Claudius' murder of his brother and usurpation of the throne symbolize moral decay
Images of disease, rot, and poison permeate the language of the play
Women and Gender Roles: The play examines the limited roles and agency of women in a patriarchal society
Ophelia's obedience to her father and brother, and her eventual madness and death, highlight the constraints on women
Gertrude's hasty remarriage and apparent complicity in Claudius' actions suggest the precarious position of women in power
Literary Devices
Soliloquies: Extended speeches by characters revealing their inner thoughts and feelings
Hamlet's soliloquies provide insight into his philosophical musings and emotional turmoil
Other characters, such as Claudius and Ophelia, also have notable soliloquies
Metaphor and Simile: Figurative language is used to convey abstract ideas and emotions
Hamlet compares Denmark to an "unweeded garden" overrun with "things rank and gross in nature"
Ophelia is compared to a "rose of May" and a "violet in the youth of primy nature"
Irony: Discrepancies between appearance and reality, or between characters' intentions and outcomes
Hamlet's feigned madness is an example of dramatic irony, as the audience knows he is not truly mad
The play-within-a-play, meant to catch Claudius' conscience, is an instance of situational irony
Foreshadowing: Hints and clues that suggest future events
The ghost's revelation of Claudius' crime foreshadows Hamlet's quest for revenge
Hamlet's musings on death and the skull of Yorick foreshadow his own untimely demise
Allusion: References to other works, myths, or historical events
Hamlet alludes to classical figures such as Hyperion, Niobe, and Hercules
The play-within-a-play, "The Murder of Gonzago," alludes to the real-life murder of Hamlet's father
Historical Context
Elizabethan Era: The play was written and performed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
Reflects the era's fascination with revenge tragedies and the exploration of the human psyche
Mirrors the political intrigue and power struggles of the Elizabethan court
Religious Tensions: The play reflects the religious uncertainties of the time
The Protestant Reformation had challenged the authority of the Catholic Church
Hamlet's doubts and philosophical musings echo the era's religious and existential questioning
Renaissance Humanism: The play embodies the Renaissance focus on the individual and the complexity of the human experience
Hamlet's introspection and self-doubt reflect the Renaissance preoccupation with the inner life
The play's exploration of moral ambiguity and the nature of truth aligns with Renaissance humanist thought
Theatrical Conventions: The play employs and subverts the theatrical conventions of its time
The use of soliloquies, asides, and the play-within-a-play were common devices in Elizabethan theater
The play's metatheatrical elements, such as Hamlet's advice to the players, reflect Shakespeare's own theatrical innovations
Symbolism and Imagery
The Ghost: Represents the past, the supernatural, and the call to revenge
Embodies the uncertainty and mystery surrounding death and the afterlife
Catalyzes Hamlet's quest for vengeance and his grappling with moral dilemmas
Yorick's Skull: A memento mori, reminding Hamlet (and the audience) of the inevitability of death
Symbolizes the fleeting nature of life and the leveling power of death
Prompts Hamlet's musings on mortality and the meaninglessness of worldly pursuits
The Play-within-a-Play: A mirror of the main action, reflecting the themes of appearance vs. reality and the power of art
Serves as a tool for Hamlet to "catch the conscience of the king" and confirm Claudius' guilt
Demonstrates the ability of theater to reveal truth and provoke self-reflection
Poison: Represents corruption, deceit, and the insidious nature of evil
Claudius' poisoning of Hamlet's father symbolizes his moral corruption and the rot at the heart of the Danish court
The poisoned cup and blade in the final scene embody the destructive consequences of revenge and deceit
Flowers: Associated with Ophelia, symbolizing innocence, beauty, and the fragility of life
Ophelia's distribution of flowers in her madness reflects the disintegration of her mind and the loss of innocence
The flowers she drowns with evoke the transience of youth and the tragic waste of potential
Famous Quotes and Soliloquies
"To be, or not to be: that is the question" (Act III, Scene 1)
Hamlet's most famous soliloquy, contemplating suicide and the nature of existence
Reflects his inner turmoil and the weight of his moral dilemmas
"Frailty, thy name is woman!" (Act I, Scene 2)
Hamlet's misogynistic outburst, reflecting his disillusionment with his mother's hasty remarriage
Highlights the play's complex portrayal of gender roles and expectations
"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king" (Act II, Scene 2)
Hamlet's plan to use the play-within-a-play to expose Claudius' guilt
Demonstrates his belief in the power of art to reveal truth and provoke self-reflection
"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio" (Act V, Scene 1)
Hamlet's meditation on mortality and the fleeting nature of life, prompted by the sight of Yorick's skull
Reflects the play's preoccupation with death and the meaning of existence
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy" (Act I, Scene 5)
Hamlet's response to Horatio's skepticism about the ghost, suggesting the limits of human understanding
Encapsulates the play's exploration of the supernatural and the mysteries of the universe
Critical Interpretations
Psychoanalytic: Focuses on Hamlet's inner conflicts and the role of the unconscious
Interprets Hamlet's hesitation to act as a manifestation of his Oedipus complex and fear of confronting his own desires
Sees the ghost as a projection of Hamlet's repressed desires and guilt
Feminist: Examines the portrayal of women and gender roles in the play
Critiques the limited agency and voice given to female characters like Ophelia and Gertrude
Explores the ways in which patriarchal structures and expectations shape the characters' actions and fates
Postcolonial: Reads the play in light of issues of power, imperialism, and cultural difference
Interprets the conflict between Denmark and Norway as a commentary on Elizabethan England's own colonial aspirations
Examines the ways in which the play's language and imagery reinforce or subvert dominant cultural narratives
Existentialist: Focuses on Hamlet's struggle with the absurdity and meaninglessness of existence
Sees Hamlet's famous soliloquy as a meditation on the fundamental questions of life and death
Interprets his hesitation and self-doubt as a reflection of the inherent uncertainty and ambiguity of the human condition
Metatheatrical: Examines the play's self-reflexive elements and its commentary on the nature of theater itself
Analyzes the significance of the play-within-a-play and Hamlet's advice to the players
Explores the ways in which the play blurs the boundaries between reality and illusion, actor and character