Shakespeare

🎈Shakespeare Unit 7 – Hamlet: The Danish Prince's Dilemmas

Hamlet, 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


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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.