Study Notes: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Overview
● Author: William Shakespeare.
● Written: Circa 1600.
● Genre: Tragedy.
● Setting: Denmark, primarily Elsinore Castle.
● Themes: Revenge and justice, madness, mortality, corruption, and the uncertainty of
truth.
Plot Summary
1. Introduction:
○ The ghost of King Hamlet appears to his son, Prince Hamlet, revealing that he
was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who has now taken the throne and
married Hamlet's mother, Gertrude.
2. Hamlet’s Quest for Revenge:
○ Hamlet vows to avenge his father but is deeply troubled by moral and
philosophical doubts about the nature of revenge and life itself.
3. The “Madness” of Hamlet:
○ Hamlet pretends to be mad to uncover Claudius’s guilt, causing tension with his
friends, family, and Ophelia, his love interest.
4. The Play-Within-a-Play:
○ Hamlet stages a play, The Mousetrap, reenacting his father’s murder to gauge
Claudius’s reaction.
○ Claudius’s guilty response confirms his role in the murder.
5. Rising Conflict and Deaths:
○ Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius, Ophelia’s father, mistaking him for Claudius.
○ Ophelia descends into madness and drowns, likely by suicide.
○ Claudius sends Hamlet to England to be executed, but Hamlet escapes.
6. Climactic Duel:
○ Laertes, Polonius’s son, returns to Denmark and conspires with Claudius to kill
Hamlet in a rigged duel.
○ During the duel, Gertrude drinks poisoned wine meant for Hamlet and dies.
○ Laertes wounds Hamlet with a poisoned sword but is also fatally wounded by it.
○ Hamlet kills Claudius before succumbing to the poison.
7. Conclusion:
○ As Hamlet dies, he names Fortinbras of Norway as the rightful ruler of Denmark.
○ Fortinbras arrives to find the Danish royal family dead and claims the throne.
Key Characters
1. Prince Hamlet:
○ The protagonist, known for his intelligence, wit, and indecision.
○ Struggles with moral dilemmas and the burden of avenging his father’s murder.
2. King Claudius:
○ The antagonist, who murders King Hamlet and usurps the throne.
○ A manipulative and power-hungry ruler.
3. Gertrude:
○ Hamlet’s mother and the Queen of Denmark.
○ Her hasty marriage to Claudius creates tension with Hamlet.
4. Ophelia:
○ Polonius’s daughter and Hamlet’s love interest.
○ Suffers greatly from Hamlet’s actions and her father’s death, leading to her tragic
madness.
5. Polonius:
○ The Lord Chamberlain, a pompous and meddling advisor to Claudius.
○ Killed by Hamlet while eavesdropping.
6. Laertes:
○ Polonius’s son, who seeks revenge for his father’s and sister’s deaths.
7. Horatio:
○ Hamlet’s loyal friend and confidant, who survives to tell Hamlet’s story.
8. The Ghost:
○ The spirit of King Hamlet, who reveals his murder and sets the plot in motion.
9. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
○ Former friends of Hamlet, used by Claudius to spy on him.
Themes
1. Revenge and Justice:
○ The central theme, examining the moral and psychological consequences of
seeking vengeance.
2. Madness:
○ Explores real and feigned madness, particularly through Hamlet and Ophelia.
3. Mortality:
○ Reflections on death, epitomized in Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, “To be or not to
be.”
4. Corruption and Decay:
○ Denmark is portrayed as a diseased and decaying state, reflecting moral and
political corruption.
5. Uncertainty and Truth:
○ Questions of what is real or true permeate the play, complicating Hamlet’s
decisions.
Symbols
1. The Ghost:
○ Represents the unresolved issues of the past and the moral ambiguity of
revenge.
2. The Skull (Yorick’s):
○ A memento mori symbol, reflecting on mortality and the inevitability of death.
3. The Play-Within-a-Play:
○ Symbolizes the intersection of illusion and reality, revealing hidden truths.
4. The Poison:
○ Represents betrayal, corruption, and the consequences of deceit.
Key Quotes
1. “To be, or not to be: that is the question.”
2. “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
3. “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
4. “Give me that man that is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him in my heart’s core.”
5. “The rest is silence.”
Structure and Style
● Tragic Structure:
○ Follows the classic Aristotelian structure, with a tragic flaw (Hamlet’s indecision)
leading to his downfall.
● Language:
○ Rich in soliloquies, allowing deep insight into Hamlet’s thoughts.
○ Uses metaphors, imagery, and wordplay to explore complex themes.
Historical Context
● Written during the Elizabethan era, when revenge tragedies were popular.
● Reflects Renaissance concerns about morality, the afterlife, and the nature of power.
Relevance Today
● Hamlet continues to resonate for its exploration of universal themes like grief, revenge,
and the human condition.
● Its complex characters and moral questions remain deeply engaging for modern
audiences.
