William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright born in 1564 who wrote at least 38 plays and over 150 poems. One of his most famous plays is Hamlet, written between 1599-1602. It is a tragedy that dramatizes Prince Hamlet's quest to avenge his father's death at the hands of his uncle, who has since married Hamlet's mother to become the new King of Denmark. The play explores themes of betrayal, revenge, and moral corruption through its complex characters including Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, and Horatio.

1. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
HAMLET
Mario Rodríguez & Alba Forcelledo

2. BIOGRAPHY
 He was born the 26th April 1564 and he died the 23rd
April 1616.
 He was an English poet, playwright and actor.
 At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom
he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and
Judith.
 Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays and over 150 short
and long poems, many of which are considered to be the
finest ever written in English.

3. HAMLET
 It is a tragedy written at an uncertain
date between 1599 and 1602.
 It is his longest play.
 The play dramatises the revenge Prince
Hamlet is called to wreak upon his uncle.

4. CHARACTERS
 Hamlet – Son of the late King and nephew of the present king
 Claudius – King of Denmark and Hamlet's uncle
 Gertrude – Queen of Denmark and mother to Hamlet
 Polonius – Chief counsellor to the king
 Ophelia – Daughter to Polonius
 Horatio – True friend to Hamlet
 Laertes – Son to Polonius
 Voltimand and Cornelius – Courtiers
 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern – Courtiers, friends to Hamlet
 Osric – a Courtier
 Marcellus – an Officer
 Bernardo – an Officer
 Francisco – a Soldier
 Reynaldo – Servant to Polonius
 Ghost of Hamlet's Father
 Fortinbras – Prince of Norway
 Gravediggers – a Sexton
 Player King, Player Queen, Lucianus
 A Priest
 A Captain in Fortinbras' army
 English Ambassadors

5. PLOT
 Prince Hamlet’s student friend, Horatio, goes to the battlements of Denmark’s Elsinore
castle late at night to meet the guards. They tell him about a ghost they have seen that
resembles the late king, Hamlet. It reappears and they decide to tell the prince. Hamlet’s
uncle, Claudius, having become king, has now married Hamlet’s widowed mother, Gertrude.
 In the court, after envoys are sent to Norway, the prince is dissuaded from returning to
university. Hamlet still mourns his father’s death and hearing of the ghost from Horatio he
determines to see it for himself. Laertes, son of the courtier, Polonius, departs for France,
warning his sister, Ophelia, against thinking too much of Hamlet’s attentions.