- The play Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about the Prince of Denmark named Hamlet who seeks revenge on his uncle Claudius for murdering Hamlet's father. - Hamlet struggles with deciding whether to avenge his father's death or not. He also grapples with discerning what is real from what is merely appearance. - Throughout the play, themes of revenge, decay/corruption, sanity vs insanity, and appearance vs reality are explored through Hamlet's journey to avenge his father's murder.

1. Hamlet

2. Important Things To Remember
When Studying Shakespeare

3. • The title is ALWAYS indicated by underlining it or by
placing it within inverted commas e.g.
– Hamlet
Or
– “Hamlet ”
• When referring to the author, always use their full
name e.g. William Shakespeare OR the surname only.
• Never refer to an author by their first name.
How do you indicate the title?

4. • The play “Hamlet” is named after the main
character.
• When you are writing a literary essay on the
play, it is important to remember that Hamlet the
man is written as normal, while the title is either
underlined or in inverted commas.
• E.g. In William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, the
audience witnesses various events which lead to
the downfall of Hamlet.
Differentiating between the title and
the man:

5. • When quoting, always remember to use
quotation marks at the start and end of the line/s.
• Also indicate who said this and where in the play
it is found.
•
• E.g. “There are more things in heaven and earth,
Horatio, Than are dreamt of in our philosophy.” -
Hamlet, Act 1 Scene 5
Quotes

6. • Hamlet, 2.2.50 – 54  What does this mean?
• 2 = Act 2
• 2 = Scene 2
• 50-54 = Line numbers
Line References

7. • Aside: Occurs when one character is speaking to
another (or to themselves) and the other
characters on stage do not hear it.
• Soliloquy: When an actor speaks ALONE on
stage.
• Monologue: When one character speaks for a
fairly long period of time while the others listen
in silence.
• Dialogue: when two characters are interacting
on stage.
Useful Vocabulary:

8. • Irony: When something is expected to happen and the
opposite occurs.
• Dramatic irony: When the audience knows more
about a character or event than the characters do.
• Stage directions: The specific instructions given by the
Shakespeare in order to allow the actors to know what
to do.
• Protagonist: The central character in a work of fiction
e.g. Hamlet
• Antagonist: The character in opposition to the central
character. E.g. Claudius
Useful Vocabulary:

9. A look at Shakespearean Tragedy
• In classical tragedy the main character is a well-
respected and noble person
• At the beginning of the play he is held in high
regard
• Due to his fatal flaw in his character he makes a few
decisions which lead to his downfall
• The main character = the protagonist

12. Empathise with Hamlet
• Hamlet centres around an event which serves
as the catalyst for everything else:
– He is away from home for a time and returns to
the devastating news that his father (King Hamlet)
has passed away.
– To make matters worse, his mother gets remarried
within one month --- to his uncle.
– Prince Hamlet is excessively disturbed by all these
events…

13. Hamlet Pre-Reading Questions

14. 1. What would it feel like to return home after being away for the
summer to discover that your father is dead and your mother had
already remarried?
2. What if the man your mother remarried was unworthy and took
over all of your father’s affairs and successes? How would you
feel and what, if anything, would you do about it?
3. What if someone gave you reason to believe that your new
stepfather murdered your father?
4. How would you go about getting your stepfather to confess to the
murder of your father?
5. If you wanted to make people believe you’re insane, how would
you do it?
6. How would you feel and what would you do if you found out that
a close friend has been spying on you?
Place yourself in Hamlet’s position:

15. The Tragic Hero:
 He must :
 be someone important in society
 have admirable qualities
 suffer greatly before death
 fall from grace as a result of his tragic flaw and external
forces
 have free will
 die with dignity and courage
 become aware of what he has done when it is too late to
do anything about it

16. Themes

17. Themes
 Appearance Vs.
Reality
 Good Vs. Evil
 Decay and Corruption
 Truth Vs. Lies
 Order vs. Chaos
 Sanity Vs. Insanity
 Jealousy
 Manipulation
 Loyalty
 Death
 Love
 Honesty
 Confusion
 Revenge

19. Focus on Four Themes

20. Revenge
• Hamlet searches continuously for the answer
to the question of whether or not he should
avenge his father’s death.
• His concern with right and wrong in
religious, moral, and political terms causes
him much inner turmoil.

21. Appearance vs. Reality
• The play contains many situations in which
the surface appearance of things does not
always match reality.
• Hamlet struggles to determine who his true
friends are; the players in the acting troupe
assume new identities; Claudius appears to be
a true and just king and Gertrude his virtuous
queen.

22. Sanity vs. Insanity
• In many ways this conflict is intertwined with
the theme of appearance vs. reality.
• Hamlet’s sanity or insanity has baffled critics
for years. Even the characters in the play
discuss inconsistencies in Hamlet’s behavior,
sometimes assuming he is really insane, at
other times amazed by his clarity of thought.

23. Decay and Corruption
• Among the most powerful images of the play
are those which reveal disintegrating
situations, especially in personal terms for
Prince Hamlet.
• Also, Shakespeare considered evil to be a
disease that spreads. Notice how even the
natural world is affected by the sins in the
play.

24. Characters

28. 1. What does Hamlet’s first soliloquy reveal about his state of
mind? What is the source of his discontent?
2. What do we learn from the Ghost in Act I? How does
Hamlet respond to the Ghost’s instructions? What does he
mean by saying, “O my prophetic soul!”? How does the
Ghost’s diction and imagery support the theme of Decay and
Corruption?
3. Why do you think Hamlet tells his companions he likely to
put on an “antic disposition”? Is his behavior a deliberate
strategy or a natural reaction to his anger and grief?
Explain.
Hamlet Act I Questions

29. 4. Compare the way Hamlet responds to Polonius in act II with
how he responds to his friends Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern. What do you learn about Hamlet from these
responses?
5. Hamlet delivers a lengthy explanation to Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern, ending with a rhetorical question. What is the
substance of his speech? How does the imagery that Hamlet
uses transition his speech from an assessment of himself to
that of humanity as a whole?
Hamlet Act II Questions

30. 6. In act III, Hamlet delivers his famous “To be, or not to be” speech,
arguably the most recognized passage in English literature. What is he
contemplating? What inner conflict is he pondering? What conclusions
does he reach?
7. Claudius’ aside in act III is the first definitive evidence of his guilt.
Structurally, why do you think this revelation takes place halfway
through the play as opposed to earlier? No quote needed for this one.
8. In act III Hamlet has a perfect opportunity to kill his uncle and avenge
his murdered father. Instead, he hesitates. Why? Do you think we are
meant to respect the king’s piety or despise his cowardice?
Hamlet Act III Questions

31. Hamlet Act IV Questions
9. Discuss Claudius’ reaction to Polonius’ death. What does his behaviour
reveal about his state of mind and intent with regards to Hamlet?
10. Fortinbras is a foil for Hamlet – how does the interaction between the
captain and Hamlet affect him? Focus on his soliloquy.

32. 11. How does Laertes respond to his father’s death? to Ophelia’s? How do
his responses compare to Hamlet’s reaction to the death of Hamlet, Sr.?
12. Hamlet seems preoccupied with death for much of the play; what new
insight does the graveyard scene reveal regarding his attitude toward
mortality? Toward life, fame, and accomplishment? How does this attitude
connect to his central conflict in the play?
13. Why does Hamlet give his dying support to Fortinbras?
Hamlet Act V Questions

33. 1. Discuss the way Shakespeare highlights the
theme of appearance vs. reality in Hamlet.
2. Is Hamlet justified in his actions throughout
the play? Refer to specific examples to
support your response.
3. Compare and contrast the characters of
Hamlet and Claudius as revealed throughout
the play.
Hamlet Essay Prompts