The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

Description

Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest and most famous tragedy. Hamlet is primarily a revenge story, and the effect revenge has on the emotional and psychological well-being of person already consumed by grief and confusion. Hamlet touches on controversial themes such as murder, betrayal, and even incest. The play is full of Shakespeare’s remarkable wit and is a shining example of the bard’s affinity for metaphor, puns, and language.

Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is reeling from the death of his father, the king. His mother, Gertrude, has since moved on, marrying the king’s brother, Claudius. One night, the ghost of King Hamlet shows himself to two sentinels. The sentinels inform Horatio, Hamlet’s trust best friend. After Hamlet hears about the ghost of his father from Horatio, he resolves to meet with the ghost. The ghost of King Hamlet leads the prince to a secluded location and describes his own murder by none other than Claudius, his brother. The ghost entreats Hamlet to avenge his death.

Hamlet, shocked by this revelation, is unsure how to proceed. He is tormented by the thought of this ultimate betrayal and begins to behave unpredictably, causing his family, his love interest, Ophelia, and his closest friends to question his sanity. Hamlet determines to find out once and for all whether or not Claudius killed his father by staging a play which reenacts the murder of his father by poison. When Claudius abruptly leaves during the play, Hamlet decides his uncle is indeed guilty. Claudius wants to get rid of Hamlet; Hamlet wishes to avenge his father; no one will be the same after what happens next.

The role of Hamlet has been performed by all of the great Shakespearean actors and has been adapted into countless productions. Laurence Olivier, Mel Gibson, and Kenneth Brannaugh have all played the role in different film adaptations.

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

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