1. Hamlet The Prince of Denmark
Pre-reading guide

2. Things to remember:
Published in 1603 at the close of Queen Elizabeth’s reign
Most famous play ever written in English Language
Hamlet is loosely based off of Shakespeare’s young son, Hamnet, who died when he was a boy.
Praised for its aesthetic, moral, political, psychological, historical, allegorical, religious, logical and philosophical aspects.

3. Plot overview…(in a nutshell)
Hamlet is depressed: father died, mother remarried her brother-in-law, and Norway is “up in Denmark’s grill”.
Sees a ghost of his dead father and thinks himself crazy
Ghost wants Hamlet to avenge his death.
Hamlet begins acting like a crazy person.

4. Why is Hamlet so appealing?
He is concerned with the profound truths of human nature
Revenge and the struggle between thought and action
Active vs. passive nature is his tragic flaw.
The fine line between sanity and madness
Nature of political power
Well-being of state vs. moral condition of leaders.

5. Why does Hamlet want to commit Suicide?
Hamlet’s ghostly father is in agony in Purgatory having died with sins on his shoulders
Hamlet wants to die, but fears wrath in the afterlife.
Ophelia, his love, is confused and wants to die herself.

6. Themes:
The impossibility of certainty: the audience anticipates what Hamlet will do to his uncle, but he can’t make up his mind.
The complexity of action: how possible is it to take Purposeful action
The Mystery of Death: physical, spiritual and psychological
The nation as a diseased body: The transfer of power

7. Motifs… Incest and incestuous desire Misogyny
Ears and Hearing (used for communication, but can distort truth)

8. Symbols:
Yorick’s skull: serves as one of the only objects that symbolizes the constant fascination Hamlet has on death. Hamlet believes everyone will be food for the worms.

9. Rhetorical Devices: This is a morality play (in a way)
Ethos and Pathos are heavily used to examine the human psyche
Shakespeare’s use of tone and allusion also help reinforce these elements