Hamlet
Drama
|
William Shakespeare
Hamlet Main Text Act-I
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
ACT - One
SCENE I. Elsinore. A platform before the castle.
BERNARDO
Who's there?
FRANCISCO
Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.
BERNARDO
Long live the king!
FRANCISCO
Bernardo?
BERNARDO
He.
FRANCISCO
You come most carefully upon your hour.
BERNARDO
'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.
FRANCISCO
For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter...
Read Hamlet Main Text Act-I
Hamlet Main Text Act-II
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
ACT- Two
SCENE I
A room in POLONIUS' house.
Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO
LORD POLONIUS
Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
REYNALDO
I will, my lord.
LORD POLONIUS
You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo,
Before you visit him, to make inquire
Of his behavior.
REYNALDO
My lord, I did intend it.
LORD POLONIUS
Marry, well said; very well said....
Read Hamlet Main Text Act-II
Hamlet Main Text Act-III
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
ACT-Three
SCENE I
A room in the castle.
Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, POLONIUS, OPHELIA, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN
KING CLAUDIUS
And can you, by no drift of circumstance,
Get from him why he puts on this confusion,
Grating so harshly all his days of quiet
With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?
ROSENCRANTZ
He does confess he feels himself distract...
Read Hamlet Main Text Act-III
Hamlet Main Text Act-IV
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
ACT- Four
Scene I
A room in the castle.
Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN
KING CLAUDIUS
There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves:
You must translate: 'tis fit we understand them.
Where is your son?
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Bestow this place on us a little while.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
Ah, my good lord, what h...
Read Hamlet Main Text Act-IV
Hamlet Main Text Act-V
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Act -Five
SCENE I. A churchyard.
Enter two Clowns, with spades, & c
First Clown
Is she to be buried in Christian burial that
wilfully seeks her own salvation?
Second Clown
I tell thee she is: and therefore make her grave
straight: the crowner hath sat on her, and finds it
Christian burial.
First Clown
How can that be, unless she drowned herself in her...
Read Hamlet Main Text Act-V
Hamlet Summary
Summary
Act 1
The Appearance of King Hamlet’s Ghost at Elsinore Castle
At Elsinore Castle in Denmark, sentinels Barnardo and Francisco are keeping watch through the night. Francisco is about to finish his shift when Marcellus, another guard, arrives along with Horatio. Horatio is a close friend of the young Prince Hamlet. Marcellus and Barnardo eagerly talk about the ghost they have seen twice dur...
Expand Hamlet Summary
Hamlet Key Facts
Key Facts
Full Title: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Playwright: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
When Written: Likely between 1599 and 1602
Where Written: Stratford-upon-Avon or London, England
When Published: First Quarto in 1603; Second Quarto in 1604; First Folio in 1623
Literary Period: Renaissance
Genre: Tragic Play; Revenge Play
Setting: Elsinore Castle, Denmark, d...
Expand Hamlet Key Facts
Hamlet Literary Devices
Symbols
Yorick's Skull : Yorick’s skull symbolizes mortality and the inevitability of death. In the Gravediggers’ Scene, Hamlet finds the skull of Yorick, the court jester whom he knew and loved as a child. Hamlet thinks about how death comes for everyone, no matter their status in life.
The Ghost : The ghost of King Hamlet symbolizes decay and corruption in Denmark. It also embodies vengeance, ur...
Expand Hamlet Literary Devices
Hamlet Characters
Major Characters
Hamlet: The Prince of Denmark, deeply affected by his father's death and his mother's quick remarriage to Claudius. He is thoughtful and melancholic. He is driven by a desire to avenge his father's murder.
The Ghost: The spirit of King Hamlet, who appears to tell Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. The ghost urges Hamlet to take revenge.
King Claudius: Hamlet’s uncle, who bec...
Expand Hamlet Characters
Hamlet Themes
Themes
Revenge: Revenge is a central theme in Hamlet, driving much of the plot. Several characters seek revenge: the ghost of King Hamlet urges his son to avenge his murder; Laertes seeks to avenge Polonius’s and Ophelia’s deaths; and Fortinbras desires revenge for his father’s death and military losses. Shakespeare might be suggesting the futility of revenge, especially with the play’s final carn...
Expand Hamlet Themes
Hamlet Quotes
Quotes
"To be, or not to be: that is the question:" (Act 3, Scene 1)
Explanation: Hamlet ponders the nature of existence and the appeal of suicide as a means to escape the pain and unfairness of life.
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." (Act 1, Scene 4)
Explanation: Marcellus' comment to Horatio signals that all is not well in Denmark, indicating deep corruption. It sets the tone...
Expand Hamlet Quotes
Notes
Explore 23 detailed notes related to Hamlet. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.