Hamlet is Shakespeare's “perpetual masterpiece of all centuries and generations.” Its main character, Hamlet, “is a
person who rises above the grey mold of his time; a philosopher who possesses unrivaled power of eloquence; a true
poet who struggles against injustice and stands up for truth.” The play itself has continued to reach audiences for its
range of themes and beauty of its language.
You will write an in-class essay choosing from the following topics (or one of your own). In this essay you are required
to provide three or more quotes from the play itself and at least two quotes from outside sources. You will be
allowed one note card per essay question; this note card may contain your thesis statement, quotes and outline. The
essay is worth 50 points, and will be graded on depth of thought/understanding, mechanics, organization, use of
quotes and writing style.
Hamlet Essay Topics
WRITE AN ESSAY ON THE FUNCTION OF THE SOLILOQUIES IN HAMLET.
IN WHAT WAYS IS HAMLET STILL RELEVANT TO AUDIENCES IN TODAY’S WORLD? THINK OF POLITICS, FILIAL RELATIONSHIPS, THE ROLE OF
WOMEN, ETC.
DISCUSS SHAKESPEARE'S USE OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE FROM NATURE (WEEDS, FLOWERS, WORMS, ET AL.) OR OF SICKNESS, ROT AND
CONTAGION.
DISCUSS HAMLET'S "ANTIC DISPOSITION." IS HIS MADNESS FEIGNED OR REAL?
COMPARE THE INTERPRETATIONS IN SEVERAL FILM VERSIONS OF HAMLET.
BRANAGH, MEL GIBSON/FRANCO ZEFFERELLI AND OTHERS.
POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE VERSIONS FROM THE BBC, KENNETH
CONFLICT IS ESSENTIAL TO DRAMA. SHOW THAT HAMLET PRESENTS BOTH AN OUTWARD AND INWARD CONFLICT.
DISCUSS HAMLET'S RELATIONSHIP WITH GERTRUDE OR OPHELIA, AND WOMEN IN GENERAL. HOW MIGHT THESE HELP TO CLARIFY SOME
OF THE INTERPRETATIVE ISSUES OF THE PLAY? YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE WAY HE TALKS ABOUT SEXUALITY.
COMPARE LAERTES AS A FOIL TO HAMLET: BOTH REACT TO THEIR FATHERS' KILLING/MURDER. IS THE REACTION OF EITHER RIGHT OR
WRONG?
COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE CHARACTERS OF HAMLET AND HORATIO. HOW ALIKE OR DISLIKE ARE THEY AND WHY?
ALTHOUGH HAMLET ULTIMATELY REJECTS IT, SUICIDE IS AN EVER-PRESENT SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS IN THE DRAMA. DISCUSS THE
PLAY'S SUGGESTION OF SUICIDE AND IMAGERY OF DEATH, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO HAMLET'S TWO IMPORTANT STATEMENTS
ABOUT SUICIDE: THE "O THAT THIS TOO, TOO SOLID FLESH WOULD MELT" SOLILOQUY AND THE "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE" SOLILOQUY.
DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF APPEARANCE AND REALITY IN HAMLET.
IS SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF DENMARK? IF SO, WHAT PRECISELY IS IT? IS ANYONE IN PARTICULAR RESPONSIBLE OR IS THE
ROTTENNESS SIMPLY A CONDITION OF LIFE?
THINK ABOUT HAMLET'S RELATIONSHIP WITH OPHELIA. DOES HE LOVE HER? DOES HE STOP LOVING HER? DID HE EVER LOVE HER? WHAT
EVIDENCE CAN YOU FIND IN THE PLAY TO SUPPORT YOUR OPINION?
ANALYZE THE USE OF DESCRIPTIONS AND IMAGERY IN HAMLET. HOW DOES SHAKESPEARE USE DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE TO ENHANCE THE
VISUAL POSSIBILITIES OF A STAGE PRODUCTION? HOW DOES HE USE IMAGERY TO CREATE A MOOD OF TENSION, SUSPENSE, FEAR, AND
DESPAIR?
MANY OTHER POSSIBILITIES FOR ESSAYS EXIST! WHAT CHORD IN YOU WAS STRUCK BY READING AND WATCHING THE PLAY? TAKE
THIS IDEA AND DEVELOP AN ESSAY TOPIC WHICH RESPONDS TO THESE IDEAS.