By William Shakespeare
Hamlet

Historical Background

 Written by William
Shakespeare in 1603 (revised
until 1623)
 16th/17th century Elizabethans
believed in ghosts
 Marriage to in-laws was
considered incest
 Suicide was forbidden; those
who killed themselves could
not have a holy burial
 Most believed in purgatory
(work sins off not confessed
before death)
 Believed God would forgive
ALL sins one sincerely
repented for
Setting

 Denmark
 A castle in Elsinore
 A churchyard
Setting

Map of Denmark
Elsinore Castle
Characters

 Claudius: King of
Denmark, married to his
late brother’s wife
 Hamlet, Sr.: Claudius’
brother
 Hamlet: son of the late
king, sensitive, indecisive,
popular, can be cruel
 Gertrude: Hamlet’s mom,
Hamlet, Sr.’s wife,
Claudius’ wife, concerned
about her son
Characters

 Polonius: father of
Laertes and Ophelia, chief
advisor to the king; nosy,
often foolish
 Horatio: Hamlet’s friend;
brave and loyal
 Laertes: Polonius’ son,
Ophelia’s brother, acts
before thinking
 Ophelia: Polonius’
daughter, Laertes’ sister –
is she crazy?
Characters

 The Ghost: ghost of the
late king – seeks
revenge
 Fortinbras: prince of
Norway; wants to take
over Denmark
 Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern: school
friends of Hamlet
Motifs

 Revenge
 Mortality
 Appearance vs. Reality
 Corruption
 Madness
 Sexuality/Incest
Literary
Elements/Structure

 Imagery: esp. w/
disease/decay
 Frame story: play within a
play
 Allusions: Biblical, historical,
mythological
 Style: blank verse, iambic
pentameter w/ end rhymes,
mixed with prose (non-poetry)
passages
 Puns/word play: watch for
these!
 Soliloquies: long solo
speeches
 Tragedy: pretty much
everyone dies