1. Background and Intro to Hamlet
William Shakespeare
Background and Intro to Hamlet
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2. Overview Shakespeare’s London Iambic What? or Shakespeare’s Style
Meet Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

3. Shakespeare’s London Elizabethan era (1558 - 1603)
Reign of Queen Elizabeth
Globe Theatre (1598)
Located in London
Performance place of Lord Chamberlain’s Men
Shakespeare was actor AND playwright
Men only - not an honorable profession
Re-built after 1613 fire. Later re-opened 1996.
The Globe
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4. Personal Life Born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April, 1564
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April, 1564
Parents John and Mary Arden Shakespeare
John was a leather merchant, Mary and heiress
Married Anne Hathaway November 18, 1582
3 children: Susanna, Hamnet and Judith (twins)
Hamnet died at age 11
moved to London to pursue theatre HOME
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5. Iambic What? (style) An IAMB is a group of 2 syllables
The first syllable is unstressed
The second is stressed
Ex: to-DAY
Pentameter means every 2 lines has 10 meters
Ex:
'Tis NOW the VE ry WITCH ing TIME of NIGHT,
when CHURCH yards YAWN and HELL it SELF breathes OUT.

6. Shakespearean Sonnet 14 Lines in Iambic Pentameter Rhyme scheme
3 quartos (4 lines)
1 couplet (2 lines)
Rhyme scheme
ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Audio Examples - Shakespearean Sonnets
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7. Meet Hamlet Hamlet - Prince of Denmark
Ghost of Hamlet - Ghost of the former King
King Claudius - King’s brother
Queen Gertrude - widow of King, marries Claudius
Polonius - The King’s advisor
Ophelia - Polonius’ daughter
Laertes - Polonius’ son
Horatio - Hamlet’s companion
Laurence Olivier as Hamlet
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8. “There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark…”
Plot
After the ghost of King Hamlet claims he was murdered, Hamlet must wrestle with the idea of avenging his father’s death.
Major Themes
Being vs. seeming
Grief and guilt
Revenge
Death
Morality
Freudian psychology

9. The Many Faces of Hamlet
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The Many Faces of Hamlet
Lawrence Olivier
Nicol Williamson
Richard Burton
Mel Gibson
Kenneth Branagh
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