HamletHamlet

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare

General BackgroundGeneral Background1600 – Sometime around 1600 a.d., William 1600 – Sometime around 1600 a.d., William

Shakespeare, already a successful Shakespeare, already a successful playwright, wrote playwright, wrote HamletHamlet..

1601 – The play was probably first 1601 – The play was probably first performed in 1601 on the stage of the Globe performed in 1601 on the stage of the Globe Theater on London’s Bankside.Theater on London’s Bankside.

First Quarto, the Second Quarto, and the First Quarto, the Second Quarto, and the First Folio – Three published versions of the First Folio – Three published versions of the play – play –

Second Quarto of 1604 – considered the Second Quarto of 1604 – considered the “official” version“official” version

1623 – First Folio was published seven years 1623 – First Folio was published seven years after Shakespeare’s death. after Shakespeare’s death.

Shakespeare’s Sources for Shakespeare’s Sources for HamletHamlet

A story of revenge – A story of revenge – Saxo GrammaticusSaxo GrammaticusHamlet is based on a twelfth-century Hamlet is based on a twelfth-century

story about an early Prince of story about an early Prince of Denmark, Amleth. The tale, by Saxo Denmark, Amleth. The tale, by Saxo Grammaticus, was published in Latin in Grammaticus, was published in Latin in 1514, but most scholars believe that 1514, but most scholars believe that Shakespeare read a 1570 French Shakespeare read a 1570 French version of the story by Francois version of the story by Francois Belleforest. The old story has many Belleforest. The old story has many similarities with Shakespeare’s Hamlet.similarities with Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Shakespeare’s Sources cont.Shakespeare’s Sources cont.

In the original story, Amleth’s father is In the original story, Amleth’s father is King of Denmark. He defeats the King King of Denmark. He defeats the King of Norway in a duel, but is murdered by of Norway in a duel, but is murdered by Feng, his own brother. Feng quickly Feng, his own brother. Feng quickly marries the queen, Gerutha, Amleth’s marries the queen, Gerutha, Amleth’s mother. In pursuit of revenge, Amleth mother. In pursuit of revenge, Amleth feigns madness (In Danish, Amleth feigns madness (In Danish, Amleth meant ‘simpleton’ or idiot). But his meant ‘simpleton’ or idiot). But his language in such a mixture of insanity language in such a mixture of insanity and cleverness that he is tested in and cleverness that he is tested in various ways.various ways.

Theatrical InfluencesTheatrical Influences

Shakespeare’s production of Hamlet is also Shakespeare’s production of Hamlet is also influenced by:influenced by:

Tragedies of the Roman dramatist, SenecaTragedies of the Roman dramatist, SenecaThomas Kyd’s hugely popular play Thomas Kyd’s hugely popular play The The

Spanish TragedySpanish TragedyPlay, now lost, which is known as the Play, now lost, which is known as the Ur-Ur-

Hamlet (Ur Hamlet (Ur means early) – a play of Hamlet means early) – a play of Hamlet that existed at least 10 years before that existed at least 10 years before Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but Shakespeare Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but Shakespeare transformed the genre as well as the transformed the genre as well as the character of Hamletcharacter of Hamlet..

Metafiction/MetadramaMetafiction/MetadramaMetafictionMetafiction as a play or has occasion to It as a play or has occasion to It

is a kind of fiction that comments on the is a kind of fiction that comments on the very devices of fiction it employs. It usually very devices of fiction it employs. It usually involves irony and is self-reflective. involves irony and is self-reflective.

MetadramaMetadrama is similar. It is drama that calls is similar. It is drama that calls attention to itself as a play or has occasion attention to itself as a play or has occasion to comment on its own actions and devices.to comment on its own actions and devices.

These devices are most apparent in the These devices are most apparent in the play-within-the play in Hamlet but also play-within-the play in Hamlet but also subtlety throughout the play as a whole in subtlety throughout the play as a whole in the constant juxtaposition of appearance vs. the constant juxtaposition of appearance vs. reality as well as the many faces of Hamlet, reality as well as the many faces of Hamlet, himself.himself.

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare’s Language (stylistic devices)(stylistic devices)

ImageryImagery Doubling (pairing of characters and Doubling (pairing of characters and

situations)situations) PunsPuns Syntactic inversionSyntactic inversion RepetitionRepetition Verse vs. proseVerse vs. prose Soliloquy (abounds in this play)Soliloquy (abounds in this play) Pronoun Selection (royal we)Pronoun Selection (royal we)

SettingSetting

The story takes The story takes

place in the country place in the country

of Denmark in the of Denmark in the

late medieval period.late medieval period.

Motifs in Motifs in HamletHamlet

Action vs InactionAction vs Inaction MadnessMadness Death and DecayDeath and Decay DiseaseDisease Appearance vs. Appearance vs.

RealityReality RevengeRevenge IncestIncest TheaterTheater Political CorruptionPolitical Corruption

Honor and RevengeHonor and Revenge The SupernaturalThe Supernatural Certainty and Certainty and

UncertaintyUncertainty QuestionsQuestions Misogyny and Misogyny and

GenderGender Language and Language and

MeaningMeaning

Tragic heroTragic hero

A tragic hero has the potential for A tragic hero has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. greatness but is doomed to fail.

He makes some sort of tragic flaw, and He makes some sort of tragic flaw, and this causes his fall from greatness.this causes his fall from greatness.

Realizes he has made an irreversible Realizes he has made an irreversible mistakemistake

Faces and accepts death with honorFaces and accepts death with honorMeets a tragic deathMeets a tragic death

Tragic heroes are:Tragic heroes are:

Born into nobilityBorn into nobilityResponsible for their own fateResponsible for their own fateEndowed with a tragic flawEndowed with a tragic flawDoomed to make a serious error in Doomed to make a serious error in

judgmentjudgment

The EndThe End

The Revenge TragedyThe Revenge Tragedy

Seneca – Roman playwright (4 b.c. – 65 Seneca – Roman playwright (4 b.c. – 65 a.d)a.d)

1581- A collection of Seneca’s tragedies 1581- A collection of Seneca’s tragedies was published in 1581. was published in 1581.

Seneca found material for his tragic Seneca found material for his tragic dramas in Greek mythology.dramas in Greek mythology.

Many revenge plays imitated his example.Many revenge plays imitated his example.

The Senecan Revenge The Senecan Revenge Tragedy FeaturesTragedy Features

A ghost appears calling for revenge.A ghost appears calling for revenge. Revenge dominates characters’ motives, and provides Revenge dominates characters’ motives, and provides

dramatic suspense.dramatic suspense. Revengers use exaggerated and hyperbolic language.Revengers use exaggerated and hyperbolic language. Characters descend into madness.Characters descend into madness. The use of a play-within-a play.The use of a play-within-a play. Much tragic lossMuch tragic loss Five-part structure: Five-part structure: Act I – ghost appeals for vengeanceAct I – ghost appeals for vengeance Act II – the revenger plots revengeAct II – the revenger plots revenge Act III – the confrontation of avenger and victimAct III – the confrontation of avenger and victim Act IV – vengeance is preventedAct IV – vengeance is prevented Act V – revenge is completedAct V – revenge is completed

HamletHamlet

The Prince of Denmark, The Prince of Denmark,

the title character, and the title character, and

the protagonist. About the protagonist. About

thirty years old at the thirty years old at the

start of the play, start of the play,

Hamlet is the son of Hamlet is the son of

Queen Gertrude and Queen Gertrude and

the late King Hamlet, the late King Hamlet,

and the nephew of the and the nephew of the

present king, Claudius.present king, Claudius.

Hamlet continuedHamlet continued

Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of hatred for his uncle's cynical, full of hatred for his uncle's scheming and disgust for his mother's scheming and disgust for his mother's sexuality. A reflective and thoughtful sexuality. A reflective and thoughtful young man who has studied at the young man who has studied at the University of Wittenberg, Hamlet is University of Wittenberg, Hamlet is sometimes indecisive and hesitant, but sometimes indecisive and hesitant, but at other times prone to rash and at other times prone to rash and impulsive acts.impulsive acts.

ClaudiusClaudius The King of Denmark, The King of Denmark,

Hamlet's uncle, and the Hamlet's uncle, and the play's antagonist. The play's antagonist. The villain of the play, villain of the play, Claudius is a Claudius is a calculating, ambitious calculating, ambitious politician, driven by his politician, driven by his sexual appetites and sexual appetites and his lust for power, but his lust for power, but he occasionally shows he occasionally shows signs of guilt and signs of guilt and human feeling—his human feeling—his love for Gertrude, for love for Gertrude, for instance, seems instance, seems sincere.sincere.

GertrudeGertrude

The Queen of Denmark, The Queen of Denmark,

Hamlet's mother, Hamlet's mother,

recently married to recently married to

Claudius. Gertrude loves Claudius. Gertrude loves

Hamlet deeply, but she Hamlet deeply, but she

is a shallow, weak is a shallow, weak

woman who seeks woman who seeks

affection and status affection and status

more urgently than more urgently than

moral rectitude or truth.moral rectitude or truth.

PoloniusPolonius

The Lord The Lord

Chamberlain of Chamberlain of

Claudius's court, a Claudius's court, a

pompous, conniving pompous, conniving

old man. Polonius is old man. Polonius is

the father of Laertes the father of Laertes

and Ophelia.and Ophelia.

HoratioHoratio

Hamlet's close friend, Hamlet's close friend,

who studied with the who studied with the

prince at the university prince at the university

in Wittenberg. Horatio in Wittenberg. Horatio

is loyal and helpful to is loyal and helpful to

Hamlet throughout the Hamlet throughout the

play. After Hamlet's play. After Hamlet's

death, Horatio remains death, Horatio remains

alive to tell Hamlet's alive to tell Hamlet's

story.story.

OpheliaOphelia

Polonius's daughter, Polonius's daughter, a beautiful young a beautiful young woman with whom woman with whom Hamlet has been in Hamlet has been in love. Ophelia is a love. Ophelia is a sweet and innocent sweet and innocent young girl, who young girl, who obeys her father and obeys her father and her brother, Laertes. her brother, Laertes.

Ophelia continuedOphelia continued

Dependent on men to tell her how to Dependent on men to tell her how to behave, she gives in to Polonius's behave, she gives in to Polonius's schemes to spy on Hamlet. Even in her schemes to spy on Hamlet. Even in her lapse into madness and death, she lapse into madness and death, she remains maidenly, singing songs about remains maidenly, singing songs about flowers and finally drowning in the flowers and finally drowning in the river amid the flower garlands she had river amid the flower garlands she had gathered.gathered.

LaertesLaertes

Polonius's son and Polonius's son and Ophelia's brother, a Ophelia's brother, a young man who young man who spends much of the spends much of the play in France. play in France. Passionate and Passionate and quick to action, quick to action, Laertes is clearly a Laertes is clearly a foil for the foil for the reflective Hamlet.reflective Hamlet.

FortinbrasFortinbras

The young Prince of The young Prince of Norway, whose father Norway, whose father the king (also named the king (also named Fortinbras) was killed Fortinbras) was killed by Hamlet's father by Hamlet's father (also named Hamlet). (also named Hamlet). Now Fortinbras wishes Now Fortinbras wishes to attack Denmark to to attack Denmark to avenge his father's avenge his father's honor, making him honor, making him another foil for Prince another foil for Prince Hamlet.Hamlet.

The GhostThe Ghost

The specter of The specter of

Hamlet's recently Hamlet's recently

deceased father. deceased father.

The ghost, who The ghost, who

claims to have been claims to have been

murdered by murdered by

Claudius, calls upon Claudius, calls upon

Hamlet to avenge Hamlet to avenge

him. him.

The Ghost continuedThe Ghost continued

It is not entirely certain whether the It is not entirely certain whether the ghost is what it appears to be, or ghost is what it appears to be, or whether it is something else. Hamlet whether it is something else. Hamlet speculates that the ghost might be a speculates that the ghost might be a devil sent to deceive him and tempt devil sent to deceive him and tempt him into murder, and the question of him into murder, and the question of what the ghost is or where it comes what the ghost is or where it comes from is never definitively resolved.from is never definitively resolved.

RosencrantzRosencrantz andand Guildenstern Guildenstern

Two slightly bumbling Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former courtiers, former friends of Hamlet friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg, who from Wittenberg, who are summoned by are summoned by Claudius and Claudius and Gertrude to discover Gertrude to discover the cause of Hamlet's the cause of Hamlet's strange behavior. strange behavior.