Hamlet

1
Hamlet

• By William Shakespeare

2
Setting

• Story is set in Denmark
• North of Germany
• West of Sweden and Norway
• Year is 1050

3
It is a play about fathers and sons

• Prince Hamlet and his late father, King Hamlet
• Polonius and Laertes
• Fortinbras (Prince of Norway) and Old Fortinbras

4
About Hamlet

• Active and Contemplative (takes action, but is
  also a thinker)
• Educated
• About 30 years old
• Worries about the good of his country, Denmark

5
Revenge Tragedy

• At its most basic level, Hamlet is a revenge
  tragedy.
• Hamlet wants revenge on his Uncle Claudius for
  murdering his father and quickly marrying his
  mother.

6
Revenge Tragedy

• However, Queen Elizabeth had passed anti-revenge
  laws, so literature and plays had to follow the
  Elizabethan laws.

7
Revenge Tragedy

• To comply, Shakespeare made Hamlet an
  anti-revenge revenge tragedy by killing Hamlet at
  the end
• this shows the audience that revenge is not
  acceptable, and that you could die in the process
  of getting revenge.

8
7 Conventions of Revenge Tragedy

• Revenge for the death or ruination of a family
  member.
• Hesitation of Hero
• Use of real and/or feigned (fake) madness
• Presence of a scheming villain

9
Continued

• 5. Use of philosophic soliloquies
• 6. Sensational use of horrors (murder on stage,
  dead bodies)
• 7. Clever killings

10
Tragic Hero

• Hero must undergo enlightenment by end of the
  play usually brings death
• Hero has a tragic flaw he has the potential to
  be good, but is overcome with negative influences
  or thoughts

11
Foils to Hamlet

• A foil is a secondary character who contrasts
  with a major character
• 1. Hamlet Polonius
• Clever Wit Thick Headed

12
Foils cont

• Hamlet Claudius
• Honesty Dishonesty
• Hamlet Gertrude
• Displays Decency Displays Impropriety

13
Foils

• Hamlet Ophelia
• Emotional Strength Emotional Weakness
• Hamlet Fortinbras
• Man of thought Man of action

14
Foils Last one!

• Hamlet Laertes
• Has Scruples Unscrupulous