by: William Shakespeare
Ms. Amorin Grade 12





(April 23, 1564- 1616) from England
The most famous writer in all of English literature (writer: poet & playwright).
He wrote 37 plays (tragedies and comedies) and 154 sonnets.
Most famous works are:
- Othello
- Hamlet
- King Lear
- A Taming of the Shrew

1600-1601








Denmark*
Castle of Elsinore*
Medieval times of early 1600s
University of Wittenberg- England
France

Elsinore Castle- Denmark




Protagonist - main character of a literary work that is involved in central conflict of story (“good guy”).
Antagonist - the force working against the protagonist (can be another character, society, nature, or internal force).
Foila character whose attributes, or characteristics, contrast with the attributes of another character.



Tragic herois a heroic main character
(protagonist) of a tragedy whose life is brought to ruin due to a character flaw.
A character flaw is an admirable quality that turns into an imperfection. When “used” inappropriately, it can lead to the downfall of both the main character and others in his/ her surroundings.
ex.) loyalty, trust, jealousy, love, etc…

EXAMPLE*



Tragic hero = Romeo & Juliet
Character flaw = love
Reasoning?? = Romeo and Juliet sacrificed their lives (suicide) for their undying love for one another. Their lives were brought to ruin as a result of their selfish, overindulgence of love.
(Leading to their death and the suffering of their families).




Tragic hero =
Tragic flaw =
Reasoning??? =









Madness
Love vs. Betrayal
Honor
Revenge
Loyalty
Death
Reality vs. Illusion
Decisiveness










Prince Hamlet
Queen Gertrude
King Claudius
King Hamlet’s Ghost
Polonius
Ophelia
Laertes
Horatio
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern


“To be or not to be, that is the question?”

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

“…to thine own self be true.”

“Thus conscience make cowards of us all.”

“…the rest is silence.”





King Hamlet, former King of Denmark, died two months ago.
His only son, Prince Hamlet, is mourning his father’s death, going through severe depression behaving erratically around the Elsinore Castle
Queen Gertrude, remarried her late husband’s brother, Claudius (now King), only two months after her husband’s death.
The people of Denmark are consumed with the new king and seem to have already forgotten the noble and late King Hamlet.

ENJOY THE PLAY!!! 