Introduction
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words.
HAMLET PLAY REVIEW BY WILIAM SHAKESPEARE
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark or otherwise known as Hamlet, is well-known and revered as William Shakespeare’s most famous play. It is believed to have been written sometime around 1600, and is set in Denmark.
The play sees young Prince Hamlet set on a quest for revenge. His evil uncle Claudius has killed the King of Denmark, Hamlet’s father. But Hamlet is not just a blind revenge seeker who wants to kill his evil uncle and usurp the throne. He is intellectual, seeking moral ground, questioning himself and the justice of his actions. This inner dialogue of Hamlet is what makes the character such a compelling study, and so relevant a character model to present day.
Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark, son of the deceased King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet had just returned from his studies to find his father dead, and his mother married to his Uncle Claudius. Hamlet’s darkest suspicions are confirmed when the ghost of his father, the deceased King Hamlet, appears to tell that Uncle Claudius was behind his death. This inciting incident sends Hamlet on a mission of revenge.
This Hamlet summary deals with the plot, and can be used as a reference for what happens in the play. The Hamlet play is actually around six hours long and very detailed, but you can still ace your Hamlet essay by just knowing the sequence of events, themes, and the symbolism used in the play. Read on until the end to learn more about the themes prevalent throughout the play.
Hamlet Themes
There are many themes within this iconic play, causing it to be one of the most discussed pieces of literature ever. One of the most prominent themes is the theme of action vs. inaction, where Hamlet continuously questions the morality of his decisions, whether he should kill or not kill, to be or not to be. The most exciting thing about Hamlet is not his actions, but rather his inactions that fuel these discussions of morality. This theme ties in directly with the theme of death.
The theme of religion, honor, and revenge is very prominent in this play. Characters in Hamlet constantly lecture each other on how to act; Claudius ‘parent talks’ Hamlet on how to properly show grief; Polonius lectures Laertes on how he should behave at university; Hamlet lectures himself in his monologues on what he should do. The codes of conduct in this play are largely based on religion and aristocratic values which demand honor, stating that revenge is necessary if honor has been spoiled.
Symbolism in Hamlet
This play does contain symbols but does not exaggerate their use. The symbols are evident and apparent, for example, the Ghost. The Ghost is usually understood as a symbol of hard times coming ahead, being regarded as a bad omen in the state of Denmark.
The second symbol we see are the flowers of Ophelia, which appear just as she begins losing her mind. She gives everybody flowers, describing what it stands for, and expressing her feelings of betrayal by offering the flowers so symbolically. It can be interpreted as a cry for help in disguise and could be seen as Shakespeare poking fun at how nobody understands symbols and what they mean.
Shakespeare also uses things like the weather to set the scene; when the weather is bad, it’s an omen. When it’s good, it means good times are coming. However, the symbols are ambiguous and can be over-interpreted while just being props to set the mood.
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