1. An Introduction to Hamlet
Adapted from AP English Lit. and Comp. Teaching Unit and The Glencoe Literature Library Study Guide for Hamlet

2. Shakespeare and His Times
When Shakespeare ( ) was born, Queen Elizabeth I was the ruling monarch
It was a time of national strength and wealth
It was an age of exploration
It was also considered the time of the English Renaissance
Some ideas that characterized this period that are important to Hamlet are:
Humans had potential for development
The idea of medieval Christianity (that this world is a preparation for eternal life was questioned; instead, people began to see everyday life as meaningful)
This was a time for heroes (the Renaissance Man is born)
Marriages were arranged, usually for wealth
Women had lower social status than men
People felt their rulers were God’s agents

3. The Time and Place
Actors in the earliest performances of Hamlet dressed in the elaborate clothing of Shakespeare’s England
The play, however, is actually set in northern Europe several hundred years before Shakespeare was born
Most of the action takes place in and around Elsinore, Denmark’s royal castle
Shakespeare’s Hamlet corresponds to a legendary figure in Denmark’s history called Amleth
The saga of Amleth is that of a young prince whose father is murdered by a brother
Shakespeare likely took his story from a collection of tragic tales by French writer Fancois de Belleforest

4. Shakespeare vs. de Belleforest
Shakespeare’s play stood out from other versions of this story about Hamlet, or Amleth, because of his in-depth characterization
In the original legend, Amleth is clearly out for revenge; what distracts him from his purpose are external circumstances, not feelings of doubt or reluctance
In Shakespeare’s play, indecision is a major theme
Hamlet is haunted—literally—by his father’s murder and a desperate need to avenge the crime
But something holds him back from acting on this desire for revenge
This “something” one of the biggest reasons Hamlet remains popular to this day
Since the advent of film, more than twenty-five movies have been made based on Shakespeare's Hamlet

5. So, Why Do We Study Shakespeare Still?