1. Hamlet
Prince of Denmark

2. Hamlet: Invention of the Human
Hamlet is the most famous, most revered play of all time.
It is the most performed, and has the most dramaturgical analysis and research behind it
Is considered Shakespeare’s masterpiece, and the quintessential work in English Literature.

3. It’s power lays in its philosophical nature
It’s power lays in its philosophical nature. This is really the first work where we see the protagonist questioning, thinking and wondering about his own existence with regards to himself and the world around him
Thus, Hamlet embodies the human condition. What it is to want, to hurt, to need, to hate and to love

4. Hamlet was probably first staged in 1600
At this time, Shakespeare had competition from up-and-comers and Ben Jonson. Despite the competition, Shakespeare stayed relevant by recreating the revenge stories of the 1580’s.

5. Hamlet has it all:love, revenge, action, plot, speed, intrigue and murder

6. Hamlet and the soliloquy
Shakespeare uses the soliloquy to get to the protagonist’s inner thoughts. This makes what is most uniquely the man, Hamlet, easily accessible to the audience. This also attributes to the play’s endurance.
His mind is so human; contradictory, racing, unsure, questioning.

7. This is good. Write this down:
“In its delineation of personality and its portrayal of inwardness modern critics have seen nothing less than ‘the invention of the human’. But on one level, Hamlet is just a rattling good story.” (Wood, page 240)

8. When he turned 30, Shakespeare entered a creative high
When he turned 30, Shakespeare entered a creative high. This was the era of his historical epics, and his more mature tragedies, including Hamlet
Suddenly, he was interested in deeper themes of life, age and experience. This maturity would culminate in the psychological thriller, Hamlet.

9. Things to Think About And think about And think about And think about again
The ‘play within a play’ shtick
-what does this accomplish?
-why does Shakespeare fall back on this so often?
-where else in the cannon have we seen disguise, actors acting, etc.?
How does religion factor into the play?
Consider the ghost
Consider the concept of purgatory
Consider redemption (again)
Consider whether or not good exists
Consider what evil may be
Consider what our responsibilities become when dealing with either

10. Famous Moments and Soliloquies to KNOW
To Be or not to Be
Get thee to a nunnery!
There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow
What a piece of work is man
O, that this too too solid flesh would melt
Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him.
And lots lots lots more…Pay especial attn to these moments
P.S. If you want to get some really good ideas about this, re-watch “To Be: Hamlet”…It’s all there.

11. This is a play about madness Or This is a play about truth
This is a play about revenge
This is a political play
This is a play about the human condition
This is a play about a man who cannot make a decision
Which seems right to you? Be prepared to provide evidence for all of these.

12. Consider the role of privacy in the play
-who’s listening to who?
-who’s being spied on? By whom? What reaction does this cause and why?
Consider self-loathing.
-what does self-hatred do?
-Who experiences this in the play?
-how does it effect them?
Emotional Crisis
-is it weakness to not act, or is it that Hamlet doesn’t have all the information?
How could you argue each side?

13. Consider the statement “Hamlet is about a series of dissapointments”
Consider the statement “Hamlet feigns madness to escape reality”