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Hamlet

Hamlet. By William Shakespeare. Background. Published after 1601, but before 1603 Shakespeare wrote the great tragedies (except for Romeo & Juliet) between 1601 and 1606 Hamlet was the first tragedy written Hamlet is considered the perfect play by scholars and critics. The Source.

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Hamlet

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  1. Hamlet By William Shakespeare

  2. Background • Published after 1601, but before 1603 • Shakespeare wrote the great tragedies (except for Romeo & Juliet) between 1601 and 1606 • Hamlet was the first tragedy written • Hamlet is considered the perfect play by scholars and critics

  3. The Source • Hamlet is based on a 400 year old Scandinavian saga • Shakespeare based the play on a bloody tale of vengeance, but refined it with thought-provoking meditations on life, death, truth, eternity, relationships, etc.

  4. Revenge Tragedy • Genre hugely popular in S’s day • Revolves around a hero who was bound to avenge a wrong • Hero modeled on the Roman tragedy of Seneca – heroes & villains were dramatically mad, melancholy, & violent • Plays were graphic and bloody

  5. Hamlet comes from the revenge tragedy tradition, but S refines it • If the play were a true r.t., Hamlet would act sooner • Not acting sooner helps audience wonder at his true motivation • H’s obstacles to action are not physical • The obstacles depend on the culture that the interpreter comes from • Modern readers see things that 16th century audiences would never have thought

  6. Significance – Scholars agree: • Hamlet (character) best exemplifies S’s genius • Dual nature – poetic, sensitive, artistic, loving AND stabs his friends in the back; treats girlfriend callously, shows no remorse for murdering Polonius • No key to understanding the play exists

  7. The “Givens” (What scholars agree on about the play) • Hamlet has a clear imperative to act on his medieval blood feud: to avenge his father’s death by killing King Claudius • His emotions tear him in two – a need to assert manhood & to right grave wrongs, yet his Christian, moral knowledge tells him that murder is a sin no matter what the cause • H is imprisoned by words – must find a way to turn his ideas into action, but words control him till the end

  8. The Nature of Hamlet’s Obstacles • Conflict – mostly an internal struggle • External conflict – Claudius holds all the cards • No proof, no witnesses of what Hamlet knows about his father’s death • If H kills C, he commits high treason • No proof and no allies

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