Summary/Analysis: Hamlet

Author:
William Shakespeare is a famous English playwright and poet. His notable plays are Macbeth, Othello, and Hamlet. He was married to Anne Hathaway and partially owned the Globe Theater.

Setting:
This play takes place in a castle of Elsinore, Denmark (mostly in the throne room).

Significant Characters:
Hamlet-
He is the son of Gertrude and Hamlet Sr. and the nephew of King Claudius. He misses his father and is unhappy with his mother, his uncle, and the society he lives in. His father's ghost persuades him to take revenge on Claudius. Hamlet is very well-liked by the people of Denmark and is also in love with Ophelia.
Claudius-
He is the current king and brother of Hamlet Sr. He took over the throne after he killed his brother by putting poison into his ear. Although he is very cruel and manipulative, he truly loves Gertrude.
Gertrude-
She is Hamlet's mom, Hamlet Sr.'s wife, and Claudius's wife. She committs incest, but definitely loves Hamlet and tries to protect him. She ends up dying from drinking a poison that was intended for Hamlet.
Ophelia-
She is Laertes's brother and Polonius's daughter. She was also in a relationship with Hamlet, but breaks things off with him on her father's orders. She seems innocent, but many people think she had already lost her virginity to Hamlet and may have been pregnant. She goes crazy and committs suicide in the end.
Horatio-
He is Hamlet's best friend, as Hamlet picked him and wasn't ordered by his parents to be friends with him. He went to college with Hamlet at the University of Wittenberg. He is a loyal friend and decides not to committ suicide after Hamlet dies so that he can tell Hamlet's story to the people.

Narrative Voice:
N/A because it is a play.

Plot:
The ghost of the previous king, King Hamlet, comes to talk to Hamlet about revenging his father's death. Hamlet acts crazy, prompting Claudius and Polonius to spy on him. Ophelia decides to follow her dad's orders and goes along with the plan. Hamlet sees right through the plan and insults Ophelia, ordering her to a nunnery. Later, Hamlet tries to make Claudius guilty by having him watch a play alluding to his father's murder. Claudius does feel guilty and goes to pray, while sending Hamlet to be killed in England. Before Hamlet leaves, he confronts Gertrude, killing Polonius after he thinks it's Claudius that is evesdropping. After Hamlet leaves for England, Claudius's plan fails and Hamlet returns, only to find that Ophelia has committed suicide. Laertes thinks it's Hamlet's fault that his sister and father has died, so he agrees to Claudius's plan of fencing with Hamlet in order to kill him. After the fencing match, Laertes dies of wounds, Gertrude dies of poison, Hamlet kills Claudius and then dies, and Fortinbras takes over as the new King. Horatio is left to tell the story of Hamlet.

Quotes:
"To be, or not to be: that is the question:/" (Shakespeare Act III Scene I Line 56)
This quote is one of the most famous lines in English literature. Hamlet debates on whether it is better to live or die. He struggles with the decision to committ suicide, but in the end, realizes that the afterlife's uncertainty and dread is the reason why people choose not to kill themselves. This quote is meaningful to the play, as it includes the theme of death and suicide. It also shows insight into Hamlet's thoughts.

"'Tis brief my lord./ As woman's love./" (Shakespeare Act III Scene II Lines 121-122)
Hamlet's bitterness towards women is shown through this quote. He says that a woman's love is very brief, as he has experienced that with Ophelia. Ophelia obviously did not love Hamlet enough to disobey her father and continue her relationship with him. Hamlet also thinks that Gertrude's love for Hamlet Sr. was brief as after he died, Gertrude immediately fell in love with Claudius.

Style:
Shakespeare uses imagery, detail, tone, symbolism, and diction in this play. There is no point of view since it is a play and there is no narrator. Imagery is used many times, especially when the ghost is describing how Hamlet's father died. Detail is also frequently used. One example is when Horatio was describing the ghost's actions, "...A figure like your father,/ Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pe,/ Appears before them, and with solemn march/ Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd/" (Shakespeare Act I Scene II Lines 199-202). This detail enhances the play's imagery. Shakespeare includes tone to show how a character feels about another character. For example, Hamlet has a harsh tone when speaking to Ophelia, as he is shocked that Ophelia would betray him. However, towards Horatio, Hamlet has a very kind and trusting tone for his best friend. Symbolism is also used in this play, like violets that represent Ophelia's grace, beauty, and innocence. The diction in this play like "impious", "inky", and "fruitful" add to the detail of the events and personalities of the characters.

Theme:
One of the main themes of this play is uncertainty. This is shown through the ghost, as Marcellus, Bernardo, and Horation are unsure of what it wants and what its identity truly is. This theme is also expressed in that Hamlet is uncertain of what to do and who he is. Should he take action and kill Claudius immediately or should he wait?