The Tragedy of Hamlet:Prince of Denmark

All the World’s a StageIntroduction• The play begins in Denmark with two military

guards greeting each other nervously• The mood of the opening scene is dark,

anxious, and mysterious – the same can be said for most of the play

• Denmark is not at war, but in the midst of active military preparations

All the World’s a Stage • The royal family is in a state of confusion: the

king is dead, his brother is in charge• The play is set in Elsinore, Denmark

Denmark

Denmark

What’s in a Name?• Hamlet – Prince of

Denmark• Claudius – King of

Denmark, Hamlet’s uncle• Gertrude – Queen of

Denmark, Hamlet’s mother• The ghost – Hamlet’s

father, the late King• Polonius – counselor to the

King

• Laertes – son of Polonius• Ophelia – Polonius’s

daughter• Horatio, Rosencrantz and

Guildenstern, Cornelius and Voltemand, Reynaldo, Osric – Nobles

• Marcellus, Bernardo, Francisco – Soldiers/military guards

Characters

What’s in a Name?• Prince Hamlet is main character• Queen Gertrude is remarried to King Claudius

(the late King’s brother)• The late King appears in the play as the ghost• Hamlet himself is many things – angry, brave,

clever. He often shares his thoughts with us in the form of both asides and soliloquies

• The royal family attempts to keep up appearances despite inner turmoil

Come What MayThings to Think About• Signs of order and disorder appear in the kingdom

(Elsinore). Watch for characters’ comments about order and disorder (truth and lies)

• What holds the kingdom together? Are things falling apart?

• Who puts on a great face and displays good manners? Who is behaving poorly or confused?

• Keep a critical eye on the entire court! (Royal family and nobles/soldiers)

All Our YesterdaysHistorical and Social Context• During Shakespeare’s time, many people

believed in ghosts in real life• People believed that ghosts, goblins, and

other restless spirits came from hell to disrupt and tempt the living

• They were often considered untrustworthy

All Our Yesterdays• Shakespeare’s outdoor theater was called The

Globe• Actors traditionally entered and exited

through doors in the back• A trap door provided room for a dramatic

entrance or exit; this allowed the ghost in Hamlet to move around mysteriously

My Worlds Fly UpLanguage• Shakespeare’s language raises questions about

words we think we know – for example, “natural”• What is natural behavior between a father-uncle

and a son-nephew? • What is unnatural or phony behavior in regard to

how characters treat the new king?• Look for double meanings in the characters’

dialogue