Hamlet
Hamlet - themes, characters, 20 quotes, summary, free download
About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare, born in 1564 in Stratford upon Avon, is celebrated as the pre-eminent bard of Avon.
This magical literary genius wrote dramas that continue to captivate audiences centuries later. His gripping plots, lively characters and excellent command of the language make him incomparable among playwrights.
Shakespeare left few clues about his private life and let his plays speak louder. He married Anne Hathaway at around the age of 18 and had three children.
In the 1590s he achieved great acclaim in London, writing some 38 plays, 154 sonnets and many other poems.
His enduring stories deal with universal themes of love, ambition, betrayal, sacrifice and redemption that resonate with all of humanity.
His luminous works kept the Elizabethan stage alive, including enduring dramas like:
- Romeo and Juliet, the tragedy of the unhappy lovers
- Hamlet, the Quest for Truth and a Prince's Revenge
- King Lear, the tragedy of a senile monarch
- Macbeth, one of literature's greatest villains, crushed by ambition.
Four centuries later, Shakespeare's indelible characters and insights continue to cast a masterful spell on readers and viewers around the world.
About Hamlet
Hamlet, one of William Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, revolves around Prince Hamlet who seeks revenge for his father's murder.
Set in Denmark, the play follows Prince Hamlet as he grapples with his father's death and seeks revenge against his uncle Claudius for killing his father and usurping the throne.
Hamlet is filled with themes of revenge, madness, and moral ambiguity, making it a timeless and universally recognized piece of literature.
With its rich characterizations and iconic soliloquies, Hamlet continues to captivate audiences and provoke introspection on the complexity of human nature.
Shakespeare's masterful use of language and complex characters make Hamlet a timeless piece of literature that continues to resonate with audiences today.
Written by Shakespeare in the early 17th century, the play explores themes of revenge, madness, and moral corruption, captivating audiences for centuries.
Shakespeare's masterful storytelling and rich character development have made Hamlet a timeless classic that continues to be studied and performed around the world.
As we delve into the intriguing world of Hamlet, it is important to understand the complexities of this renowned play, written by William Shakespeare, which has captivated audiences for centuries with its rich characters, intricate plot, and timeless themes.
Hamlet Themes
Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is one of the most important dramatic works in history, and the play deals with many important themes. These are some of the main themes of the work:
- Betrayal: The work deals with the theme of betrayal in human relationships, addressing different forms of betrayal, be it in friendship, in love, or in the family.
- Identity and Self: The work is about personal identity and the search for oneself, and how a person can lose their identity and feel distracted and lost.
- Perplexity and Mental Disorder: The work deals with the subject of perplexity and mental disorder, and how fear, doubt, and mental stress can affect the human personality. These themes are explored through the character of Hamlet and his actions.
- Chaos and Change: The play addresses chaos and change, addressing the political and social conflicts in Denmark and their impact on the characters.
- Justice: The work deals with the theme of justice and revenge, and how a person can seek revenge or justice. This theme is illuminated through the character of Hamlet and his actions.
- Humanity and Divinity: The work explores the theme of humanity and divinity, examining the relationship between man, God, and death. This theme is explored through the character of Hamlet and his reflection on death and life after death.
- Family Relations: The play deals with the issue of family relations and how family relations can affect a person's life. This theme is illuminated through Hamlet's relationship with his father and mother.
In general, "Hamlet" deals with various issues reflecting human life and speaks about the internal and external conflicts that a human being can face, thus offering a holistic view of life, society, and humanity.
Hamlet Characters
- Hamlet: The Prince of Denmark whose father was murdered by his uncle Claudius. He struggles with indecisiveness and madness as he seeks revenge.
- Claudius: King of Denmark and Hamlet's uncle. He murdered Hamlet's father to take the throne and marry Gertrude. He is ambitious and cunning.
- Gertrude: Hamlet's mother who quickly married Claudius after her first husband's death. This strains her relationship with Hamlet.
- Polonius: Claudius' chamberlain and advisor. He is curious, manipulative and is killed by Hamlet. Laertes and Ophelia are his children.
- Ophelia: Polonius' daughter and Hamlet's love interest. She goes insane and drowns after Hamlet rejects her.
- Laertes: Polonius' son and Ophelia's brother. He plots revenge on Hamlet for Ophelia's madness and death.
- Horatio: Hamlet's loyal friend and confidant who helps Hamlet get revenge on Claudius.
- The Ghost: The ghost of Hamlet's dead father who demands revenge for his murder.
Hamlet Summary
The play begins with Hamlet's friend Horatio meeting the ghost of Hamlet's father, who claims he was murdered by Claudius, Hamlet's uncle and current King of Denmark. The ghost urges Hamlet to take revenge for this act. Hamlet feigns insanity to hide his revenge plan from Claudius and to spy on those around him.
He confronts his mother about remarrying so soon after his father's death and directs a play re-enacting his father's murder to capture Claudius' guilt. Polonius, Claudius' adviser, arranges for his daughter Ophelia to speak to Hamlet, hoping that she will reveal the reason for Hamlet's madness. Hamlet rejects Ophelia because he believes all women are deceitful.
However, Polonius manages to spy on Hamlet and Claudius. During their meeting, Hamlet mistakes Polonius for Claudius and kills him, believing that the murder will bring him closer to killing Claudius. Claudius finally arranges for Hamlet to be sent to England with orders to be executed. Before leaving, Laertes, son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia, swears revenge on Hamlet for killing his father and driving Ophelia insane, which eventually leads to her death by drowning.
Hamlet returns to Denmark, and Claudius arranges a fencing match between Laertes and Hamlet using a poisoned sword and poisoned drink, so that whoever cuts or drinks dies. Hamlet is mortally wounded in the duel but manages to injure Claudius with the poisoned sword before dying, finally achieving his vendetta.
Hamlet Quotes
- "To be, or not to be that is the question."
- "This above all: to thine own self be true."
- "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
- "Brevity is the soul of wit."
- "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
- "Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't."
- "What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god!"
- "The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."
- "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions."
- "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
- "The rest is silence."
- "Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love."
- "Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind."
- "I must be cruel, only to be kind."
- "What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba,That he should weep for her?"
- "O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven."
- "There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow."
- "The time is out of joint; O cursed spite,That ever I was born to set it right!"
- "I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth."
- "Goodnight, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!"
Article Summary
William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a tragedy that deals with several important themes. These include revenge, betrayal, insanity, identity, existentialism, mortality, family, power, corruption, deceit, philosophy, soliloquy, irony, deception, conflict, guilt, ambiguity, insecurity, and ambivalence.
The focus of the play is the character of the Danish prince Hamlet, who seeks revenge on his uncle Claudius for killing his father and marrying his mother. The play explores Hamlet's inner conflict and struggle to determine his identity and purpose, as well as his philosophical reflections on life, death, and the human condition.
Themes of betrayal and corruption are also prominent as Hamlet discovers the deceit and betrayal of those around him, including his own mother.
The play also explores themes of insanity and insecurity as Hamlet's mental state deteriorates and he becomes increasingly unsure of what is real.
"Hamlet" is a complex and multilayered work that captivates audiences and scholars alike. By exploring these diverse themes, the work offers a rich and nuanced examination of human experience and the complexities of the human psyche.
Hamlet Download in PDF Format
