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Jeffrey R. Wilson

Essays on hamlet.

Written as the author taught Hamlet every semester for a decade, these lightning essays ask big conceptual questions about the play with the urgency of a Shakespeare lover, and answer them with the rigor of a Shakespeare scholar. In doing so, Hamlet becomes a lens for life today, generating insights on everything from xenophobia, American fraternities, and religious fundamentalism to structural misogyny, suicide contagion, and toxic love.

Prioritizing close reading over historical context, these explorations are highly textual and highly theoretical, often philosophical, ethical, social, and political. Readers see King Hamlet as a pre-modern villain, King Claudius as a modern villain, and Prince Hamlet as a post-modern villain. Hamlet’s feigned madness becomes a window into failed insanity defenses in legal trials. He knows he’s being watched in “To be or not to be”: the soliloquy is a satire of philosophy. Horatio emerges as Shakespeare’s authorial avatar for meta-theatrical commentary, Fortinbras as the hero of the play. Fate becomes a viable concept for modern life, and honor a source of tragedy. The metaphor of music in the play makes Ophelia Hamlet’s instrument. Shakespeare, like the modern corporation, stands against sexism, yet perpetuates it unknowingly. We hear his thoughts on single parenting, sending children off to college, and the working class, plus his advice on acting and writing, and his claims to be the next Homer or Virgil. In the context of four centuries of Hamlet hate, we hear how the text draws audiences in, how it became so famous, and why it continues to captivate audiences.

At a time when the humanities are said to be in crisis, these essays are concrete examples of the mind-altering power of literature and literary studies, unravelling the ongoing implications of the English language’s most significant artistic object of the past millennium.

Publications

Why is Hamlet the most famous English artwork of the past millennium? Is it a sexist text? Why does Hamlet speak in prose? Why must he die? Does Hamlet depict revenge, or justice? How did the death of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, transform into a story about a son dealing with the death of a father? Did Shakespeare know Aristotle’s theory of tragedy? How did our literary icon, Shakespeare, see his literary icons, Homer and Virgil? Why is there so much comedy in Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy? Why is love a force of evil in the play? Did Shakespeare believe there’s a divinity that shapes our ends? How did he define virtue? What did he think about psychology? politics? philosophy? What was Shakespeare’s image of himself as an author? What can he, arguably the greatest writer of all time, teach us about our own writing? What was his theory of literature? Why do people like Hamlet ? How do the Hamlet haters of today compare to those of yesteryears? Is it dangerous for our children to read a play that’s all about suicide? 

These are some of the questions asked in this book, a collection of essays on Shakespeare’s Hamlet stemming from my time teaching the play every semester in my Why Shakespeare? course at Harvard University. During this time, I saw a series of bright young minds from wildly diverse backgrounds find their footing in Hamlet, and it taught me a lot about how Shakespeare’s tragedy works, and why it remains with us in the modern world. Beyond ghosts, revenge, and tragedy, Hamlet is a play about being in college, being in love, gender, misogyny, friendship, theater, philosophy, theology, injustice, loss, comedy, depression, death, self-doubt, mental illness, white privilege, overbearing parents, existential angst, international politics, the classics, the afterlife, and the meaning of it all. 

These essays grow from the central paradox of the play: it helps us understand the world we live in, yet we don't really understand the text itself very well. For all the attention given to Hamlet , there’s no consensus on the big questions—how it works, why it grips people so fiercely, what it’s about. These essays pose first-order questions about what happens in Hamlet and why, mobilizing answers for reflections on life, making the essays both highly textual and highly theoretical. 

Each semester that I taught the play, I would write a new essay about Hamlet . They were meant to be models for students, the sort of essay that undergrads read and write – more rigorous than the puff pieces in the popular press, but riskier than the scholarship in most academic journals. While I later added scholarly outerwear, these pieces all began just like the essays I was assigning to students – as short close readings with a reader and a text and a desire to determine meaning when faced with a puzzling question or problem. 

The turn from text to context in recent scholarly books about Hamlet is quizzical since we still don’t have a strong sense of, to quote the title of John Dover Wilson’s 1935 book, What Happens in Hamlet. Is the ghost real? Is Hamlet mad, or just faking? Why does he delay? These are the kinds of questions students love to ask, but they haven’t been – can’t be – answered by reading the play in the context of its sources (recently addressed in Laurie Johnson’s The Tain of Hamlet [2013]), its multiple texts (analyzed by Paul Menzer in The Hamlets [2008] and Zachary Lesser in Hamlet after Q1 [2015]), the Protestant reformation (the focus of Stephen Greenblatt’s Hamlet in Purgatory [2001] and John E. Curran, Jr.’s Hamlet, Protestantism, and the Mourning of Contingency [2006]), Renaissance humanism (see Rhodri Lewis, Hamlet and the Vision of Darkness [2017]), Elizabethan political theory (see Margreta de Grazia, Hamlet without Hamlet [2007]), the play’s reception history (see David Bevington, Murder Most Foul: Hamlet through the Ages [2011]), its appropriation by modern philosophers (covered in Simon Critchley and Jamieson Webster’s The Hamlet Doctrine [2013] and Andrew Cutrofello’s All for Nothing: Hamlet’s Negativity [2014]), or its recent global travels (addressed, for example, in Margaret Latvian’s Hamlet’s Arab Journey [2011] and Dominic Dromgoole’s Hamlet Globe to Globe [2017]). 

Considering the context and afterlives of Hamlet is a worthy pursuit. I certainly consulted the above books for my essays, yet the confidence that comes from introducing context obscures the sharp panic we feel when confronting Shakespeare’s text itself. Even as the excellent recent book from Sonya Freeman Loftis, Allison Kellar, and Lisa Ulevich announces Hamlet has entered “an age of textual exhaustion,” there’s an odd tendency to avoid the text of Hamlet —to grasp for something more firm—when writing about it. There is a need to return to the text in a more immediate way to understand how Hamlet operates as a literary work, and how it can help us understand the world in which we live. 

That latter goal, yes, clings nostalgically to the notion that literature can help us understand life. Questions about life send us to literature in search of answers. Those of us who love literature learn to ask and answer questions about it as we become professional literary scholars. But often our answers to the questions scholars ask of literature do not connect back up with the questions about life that sent us to literature in the first place—which are often philosophical, ethical, social, and political. Those first-order questions are diluted and avoided in the minutia of much scholarship, left unanswered. Thus, my goal was to pose questions about Hamlet with the urgency of a Shakespeare lover and to answer them with the rigor of a Shakespeare scholar. 

In doing so, these essays challenge the conventional relationship between literature and theory. They pursue a kind of criticism where literature is not merely the recipient of philosophical ideas in the service of exegesis. Instead, the creative risks of literature provide exemplars to be theorized outward to help us understand on-going issues in life today. Beyond an occasion for the demonstration of existing theory, literature is a source for the creation of new theory.

Chapter One How Hamlet Works

Whether you love or hate Hamlet , you can acknowledge its massive popularity. So how does Hamlet work? How does it create audience enjoyment? Why is it so appealing, and to whom? Of all the available options, why Hamlet ? This chapter entertains three possible explanations for why the play is so popular in the modern world: the literary answer (as the English language’s best artwork about death—one of the very few universal human experiences in a modern world increasingly marked by cultural differences— Hamlet is timeless); the theatrical answer (with its mixture of tragedy and comedy, the role of Hamlet requires the best actor of each age, and the play’s popularity derives from the celebrity of its stars); and the philosophical answer (the play invites, encourages, facilitates, and sustains philosophical introspection and conversation from people who do not usually do such things, who find themselves doing those things with Hamlet , who sometimes feel embarrassed about doing those things, but who ultimately find the experience of having done them rewarding).

Chapter Two “It Started Like a Guilty Thing”: The Beginning of Hamlet and the Beginning of Modern Politics

King Hamlet is a tyrant and King Claudius a traitor but, because Shakespeare asked us to experience the events in Hamlet from the perspective of the young Prince Hamlet, we are much more inclined to detect and detest King Claudius’s political failings than King Hamlet’s. If so, then Shakespeare’s play Hamlet , so often seen as the birth of modern psychology, might also tell us a little bit about the beginnings of modern politics as well.

Chapter Three Horatio as Author: Storytelling and Stoic Tragedy

This chapter addresses Horatio’s emotionlessness in light of his role as a narrator, using this discussion to think about Shakespeare’s motives for writing tragedy in the wake of his son’s death. By rationalizing pain and suffering as tragedy, both Horatio and Shakespeare were able to avoid the self-destruction entailed in Hamlet’s emotional response to life’s hardships and injustices. Thus, the stoic Horatio, rather than the passionate Hamlet who repeatedly interrupts ‘The Mousetrap’, is the best authorial avatar for a Shakespeare who strategically wrote himself and his own voice out of his works. This argument then expands into a theory of ‘authorial catharsis’ and the suggestion that we can conceive of Shakespeare as a ‘poet of reason’ in contrast to a ‘poet of emotion’.

Chapter Four “To thine own self be true”: What Shakespeare Says about Sending Our Children Off to College

What does “To thine own self be true” actually mean? Be yourself? Don’t change who you are? Follow your own convictions? Don’t lie to yourself? This chapter argues that, if we understand meaning as intent, then “To thine own self be true” means, paradoxically, that “the self” does not exist. Or, more accurately, Shakespeare’s Hamlet implies that “the self” exists only as a rhetorical, philosophical, and psychological construct that we use to make sense of our experiences and actions in the world, not as anything real. If this is so, then this passage may offer us a way of thinking about Shakespeare as not just a playwright but also a moral philosopher, one who did his ethics in drama.

Chapter Five In Defense of Polonius

Your wife dies. You raise two children by yourself. You build a great career to provide for your family. You send your son off to college in another country, though you know he’s not ready. Now the prince wants to marry your daughter—that’s not easy to navigate. Then—get this—while you’re trying to save the queen’s life, the prince murders you. Your death destroys your kids. They die tragically. And what do you get for your efforts? Centuries of Shakespeare scholars dumping on you. If we see Polonius not through the eyes of his enemy, Prince Hamlet—the point of view Shakespeare’s play asks audiences to adopt—but in analogy to the common challenges of twenty-first-century parenting, Polonius is a single father struggling with work-life balance who sadly choses his career over his daughter’s well-being.

Chapter Six Sigma Alpha Elsinore: The Culture of Drunkenness in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Claudius likes to party—a bit too much. He frequently binge drinks, is arguably an alcoholic, but not an aberration. Hamlet says Denmark is internationally known for heavy drinking. That’s what Shakespeare would have heard in the sixteenth century. By the seventeenth, English writers feared Denmark had taught their nation its drinking habits. Synthesizing criticism on alcoholism as an individual problem in Shakespeare’s texts and times with scholarship on national drinking habits in the early-modern age, this essay asks what the tragedy of alcoholism looks like when located not on the level of the individual, but on the level of a culture, as Shakespeare depicted in Hamlet. One window into these early-modern cultures of drunkenness is sociological studies of American college fraternities, especially the social-learning theories that explain how one person—one culture—teaches another its habits. For Claudius’s alcoholism is both culturally learned and culturally significant. And, as in fraternities, alcoholism in Hamlet is bound up with wealth, privilege, toxic masculinity, and tragedy. Thus, alcohol imagistically reappears in the vial of “cursed hebona,” Ophelia’s liquid death, and the poisoned cup in the final scene—moments that stand out in recent performances and adaptations with alcoholic Claudiuses and Gertrudes.

Chapter Seven Tragic Foundationalism

This chapter puts the modern philosopher Alain Badiou’s theory of foundationalism into dialogue with the early-modern playwright William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet . Doing so allows us to identify a new candidate for Hamlet’s traditionally hard-to-define hamartia – i.e., his “tragic mistake” – but it also allows us to consider the possibility of foundationalism as hamartia. Tragic foundationalism is the notion that fidelity to a single and substantive truth at the expense of an openness to evidence, reason, and change is an acute mistake which can lead to miscalculations of fact and virtue that create conflict and can end up in catastrophic destruction and the downfall of otherwise strong and noble people.

Chapter Eight “As a stranger give it welcome”: Shakespeare’s Advice for First-Year College Students

Encountering a new idea can be like meeting a strange person for the first time. Similarly, we dismiss new ideas before we get to know them. There is an answer to the problem of the human antipathy to strangeness in a somewhat strange place: a single line usually overlooked in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet . If the ghost is “wondrous strange,” Hamlet says, invoking the ancient ethics of hospitality, “Therefore as a stranger give it welcome.” In this word, strange, and the social conventions attached to it, is both the instinctual, animalistic fear and aggression toward what is new and different (the problem) and a cultivated, humane response in hospitality and curiosity (the solution). Intellectual xenia is the answer to intellectual xenophobia.

Chapter Nine Parallels in Hamlet

Hamlet is more parallely than other texts. Fortinbras, Hamlet, and Laertes have their fathers murdered, then seek revenge. Brothers King Hamlet and King Claudius mirror brothers Old Norway and Old Fortinbras. Hamlet and Ophelia both lose their fathers, go mad, but there’s a method in their madness, and become suicidal. King Hamlet and Polonius are both domineering fathers. Hamlet and Polonius are both scholars, actors, verbose, pedantic, detectives using indirection, spying upon others, “by indirections find directions out." King Hamlet and King Claudius are both kings who are killed. Claudius using Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet mirrors Polonius using Reynaldo to spy on Laertes. Reynaldo and Hamlet both pretend to be something other than what they are in order to spy on and detect foes. Young Fortinbras and Prince Hamlet both have their forward momentum “arrest[ed].” Pyrrhus and Hamlet are son seeking revenge but paused a “neutral to his will.” The main plot of Hamlet reappears in the play-within-the-play. The Act I duel between King Hamlet and Old Fortinbras echoes in the Act V duel between Hamlet and Laertes. Claudius and Hamlet are both king killers. Sheesh—why are there so many dang parallels in Hamlet ? Is there some detectable reason why the story of Hamlet would call for the literary device of parallelism?

Chapter Ten Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: Why Hamlet Has Two Childhood Friends, Not Just One

Why have two of Hamlet’s childhood friends rather than just one? Do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have individuated personalities? First of all, by increasing the number of friends who visit Hamlet, Shakespeare creates an atmosphere of being outnumbered, of multiple enemies encroaching upon Hamlet, of Hamlet feeling that the world is against him. Second, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are not interchangeable, as commonly thought. Shakespeare gave each an individuated personality. Guildenstern is friendlier with Hamlet, and their friendship collapses, while Rosencrantz is more distant and devious—a frenemy.

Chapter Eleven Shakespeare on the Classics, Shakespeare as a Classic: A Reading of Aeneas’s Tale to Dido

Of all the stories Shakespeare might have chosen, why have Hamlet ask the players to recite Aeneas’ tale to Dido of Pyrrhus’s slaughter of Priam? In this story, which comes not from Homer’s Iliad but from Virgil’s Aeneid and had already been adapted for the Elizabethan stage in Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragedy of Dido, Pyrrhus – more commonly known as Neoptolemus, the son of the famous Greek warrior Achilles – savagely slays Priam, the king of the Trojans and the father of Paris, who killed Pyrrhus’s father, Achilles, who killed Paris’s brother, Hector, who killed Achilles’s comrade, Patroclus. Clearly, the theme of revenge at work in this story would have appealed to Shakespeare as he was writing what would become the greatest revenge tragedy of all time. Moreover, Aeneas’s tale to Dido supplied Shakespeare with all of the connections he sought to make at this crucial point in his play and his career – connections between himself and Marlowe, between the start of Hamlet and the end, between Prince Hamlet and King Claudius, between epic poetry and tragic drama, and between the classical literature Shakespeare was still reading hundreds of years later and his own potential as a classic who might (and would) be read hundreds of years into the future.

Chapter Twelve How Theater Works, according to Hamlet

According to Hamlet, people who are guilty of a crime will, when seeing that crime represented on stage, “proclaim [their] malefactions”—but that simply isn’t how theater works. Guilty people sit though shows that depict their crimes all the time without being prompted to public confession. Why did Shakespeare—a remarkably observant student of theater—write this demonstrably false theory of drama into his protagonist? And why did Shakespeare then write the plot of the play to affirm that obviously inaccurate vision of theater? For Claudius is indeed stirred to confession by the play-within-the-play. Perhaps Hamlet’s theory of people proclaiming malefactions upon seeing their crimes represented onstage is not as outlandish as it first appears. Perhaps four centuries of obsession with Hamlet is the English-speaking world proclaiming its malefactions upon seeing them represented dramatically.

Chapter Thirteen “To be, or not to be”: Shakespeare Against Philosophy

This chapter hazards a new reading of the most famous passage in Western literature: “To be, or not to be” from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet . With this line, Hamlet poses his personal struggle, a question of life and death, as a metaphysical problem, as a question of existence and nothingness. However, “To be, or not to be” is not what it seems to be. It seems to be a representation of tragic angst, yet a consideration of the context of the speech reveals that “To be, or not to be” is actually a satire of philosophy and Shakespeare’s representation of the theatricality of everyday life. In this chapter, a close reading of the context and meaning of this passage leads into an attempt to formulate a Shakespearean image of philosophy.

Chapter Fourteen Contagious Suicide in and Around Hamlet

As in society today, suicide is contagious in Hamlet , at least in the example of Ophelia, the only death by suicide in the play, because she only becomes suicidal after hearing Hamlet talk about his own suicidal thoughts in “To be, or not to be.” Just as there are media guidelines for reporting on suicide, there are better and worse ways of handling Hamlet . Careful suicide coverage can change public misperceptions and reduce suicide contagion. Is the same true for careful literary criticism and classroom discussion of suicide texts? How can teachers and literary critics reduce suicide contagion and increase help-seeking behavior?

Chapter Fifteen Is Hamlet a Sexist Text? Overt Misogyny vs. Unconscious Bias

Students and fans of Shakespeare’s Hamlet persistently ask a question scholars and critics of the play have not yet definitively answered: is it a sexist text? The author of this text has been described as everything from a male chauvinist pig to a trailblazing proto-feminist, but recent work on the science behind discrimination and prejudice offers a new, better vocabulary in the notion of unconscious bias. More pervasive and slippery than explicit bigotry, unconscious bias involves the subtle, often unintentional words and actions which indicate the presence of biases we may not be aware of, ones we may even fight against. The Shakespeare who wrote Hamlet exhibited an unconscious bias against women, I argue, even as he sought to critique the mistreatment of women in a patriarchal society. The evidence for this unconscious bias is not to be found in the misogynistic statements made by the characters in the play. It exists, instead, in the demonstrable preference Shakespeare showed for men over women when deciding where to deploy his literary talents. Thus, Shakespeare's Hamlet is a powerful literary example – one which speaks to, say, the modern corporation – showing that deliberate efforts for egalitarianism do not insulate one from the effects of structural inequalities that both stem from and create unconscious bias.

Chapter Sixteen Style and Purpose in Acting and Writing

Purpose and style are connected in academic writing. To answer the question of style ( How should we write academic papers? ) we must first answer the question of purpose ( Why do we write academic papers? ). We can answer these questions, I suggest, by turning to an unexpected style guide that’s more than 400 years old: the famous passage on “the purpose of playing” in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet . In both acting and writing, a high style often accompanies an expressive purpose attempting to impress an elite audience yet actually alienating intellectual people, while a low style and mimetic purpose effectively engage an intellectual audience.

Chapter Seventeen 13 Ways of Looking at a Ghost

Why doesn’t Gertrude see the Ghost of King Hamlet in Act III, even though Horatio, Bernardo, Francisco, Marcellus, and Prince Hamlet all saw it in Act I? It’s a bit embarrassing that Shakespeare scholars don’t have a widely agreed-upon consensus that explains this really basic question that puzzles a lot of people who read or see Hamlet .

Chapter Eighteen The Tragedy of Love in Hamlet

The word “love” appears 84 times in Shakespeare’s Hamlet . “Father” only appears 73 times, “play” 60, “think” 55, “mother” 46, “mad” 44, “soul” 40, “God" 39, “death” 38, “life” 34, “nothing” 28, “son” 26, “honor” 21, “spirit” 19, “kill” 18, “revenge” 14, and “action” 12. Love isn’t the first theme that comes to mind when we think of Hamlet , but is surprisingly prominent. But love is tragic in Hamlet . The bloody catastrophe at the end of that play is principally driven not by hatred or a longing for revenge, but by love.

Chapter Nineteen Ophelia’s Songs: Moral Agency, Manipulation, and the Metaphor of Music in Hamlet

This chapter reads Ophelia’s songs in Act IV of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the context of the meaning of music established elsewhere in the play. While the songs are usually seen as a marker of Ophelia’s madness (as a result of the death of her father) or freedom (from the constraints of patriarchy), they come – when read in light of the metaphor of music as manipulation – to symbolize her role as a pawn in Hamlet’s efforts to deceive his family. Thus, music was Shakespeare’s platform for connecting Ophelia’s story to one of the central questions in Hamlet : Do we have control over our own actions (like the musician), or are we controlled by others (like the instrument)?

Chapter Twenty A Quantitative Study of Prose and Verse in Hamlet

Why does Hamlet have so much prose? Did Shakespeare deliberately shift from verse to prose to signal something to his audiences? How would actors have handled the shifts from verse to prose? Would audiences have detected shifts from verse to prose? Is there an overarching principle that governs Shakespeare’s decision to use prose—a coherent principle that says, “If X, then use prose?”

Chapter Twenty-One The Fortunes of Fate in Hamlet : Divine Providence and Social Determinism

In Hamlet , fate is attacked from both sides: “fortune” presents a world of random happenstance, “will” a theory of efficacious human action. On this backdrop, this essay considers—irrespective of what the characters say and believe—what the structure and imagery Shakespeare wrote into Hamlet say about the possibility that some version of fate is at work in the play. I contend the world of Hamlet is governed by neither fate nor fortune, nor even the Christianized version of fate called “providence.” Yet there is a modern, secular, disenchanted form of fate at work in Hamlet—what is sometimes called “social determinism”—which calls into question the freedom of the individual will. As such, Shakespeare’s Hamlet both commented on the transformation of pagan fate into Christian providence that happened in the centuries leading up to the play, and anticipated the further transformation of fate from a theological to a sociological idea, which occurred in the centuries following Hamlet .

Chapter Twenty-Two The Working Class in Hamlet

There’s a lot for working-class folks to hate about Hamlet —not just because it’s old, dusty, difficult to understand, crammed down our throats in school, and filled with frills, tights, and those weird lace neck thingies that are just socially awkward to think about. Peak Renaissance weirdness. Claustrophobicly cloistered inside the castle of Elsinore, quaintly angsty over royal family problems, Hamlet feels like the literary epitome of elitism. “Lawless resolutes” is how the Wittenberg scholar Horatio describes the soldiers who join Fortinbras’s army in exchange “for food.” The Prince Hamlet who has never worked a day in his life denigrates Polonius as a “fishmonger”: quite the insult for a royal advisor to be called a working man. And King Claudius complains of the simplicity of "the distracted multitude.” But, in Hamlet , Shakespeare juxtaposed the nobles’ denigrations of the working class as readily available metaphors for all-things-awful with the rather valuable behavior of working-class characters themselves. When allowed to represent themselves, the working class in Hamlet are characterized as makers of things—of material goods and services like ships, graves, and plays, but also of ethical and political virtues like security, education, justice, and democracy. Meanwhile, Elsinore has a bad case of affluenza, the make-believe disease invented by an American lawyer who argued that his client's social privilege was so great that it created an obliviousness to law. While social elites rot society through the twin corrosives of political corruption and scholarly detachment, the working class keeps the machine running. They build the ships, plays, and graves society needs to function, and monitor the nuts-and-bolts of the ideals—like education and justice—that we aspire to uphold.

Chapter Twenty-Three The Honor Code at Harvard and in Hamlet

Students at Harvard College are asked, when they first join the school and several times during their years there, to affirm their awareness of and commitment to the school’s honor code. But instead of “the foundation of our community” that it is at Harvard, honor is tragic in Hamlet —a source of anxiety, blunder, and catastrophe. As this chapter shows, looking at Hamlet from our place at Harvard can bring us to see what a tangled knot honor can be, and we can start to theorize the difference between heroic and tragic honor.

Chapter Twenty-Four The Meaning of Death in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

By connecting the ways characters live their lives in Hamlet to the ways they die – on-stage or off, poisoned or stabbed, etc. – Shakespeare symbolized hamartia in catastrophe. In advancing this argument, this chapter develops two supporting ideas. First, the dissemination of tragic necessity: Shakespeare distributed the Aristotelian notion of tragic necessity – a causal relationship between a character’s hamartia (fault or error) and the catastrophe at the end of the play – from the protagonist to the other characters, such that, in Hamlet , those who are guilty must die, and those who die are guilty. Second, the spectacularity of death: there exists in Hamlet a positive correlation between the severity of a character’s hamartia (error or flaw) and the “spectacularity” of his or her death – that is, the extent to which it is presented as a visible and visceral spectacle on-stage.

Chapter Twenty-Five Tragic Excess in Hamlet

In Hamlet , Shakespeare paralleled the situations of Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras (the father of each is killed, and each then seeks revenge) to promote the virtue of moderation: Hamlet moves too slowly, Laertes too swiftly – and they both die at the end of the play – but Fortinbras represents a golden mean which marries the slowness of Hamlet with the swiftness of Laertes. As argued in this essay, Shakespeare endorsed the virtue of balance by allowing Fortinbras to be one of the very few survivors of the play. In other words, excess is tragic in Hamlet .

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Khan, Amir. “My Kingdom for a Ghost: Counterfactual Thinking and Hamlet.” Shakespeare Quarerly 66.1 (2015): 29-46.

Keener, Joe. “Evolving Hamlet: Brains, Behavior, and the Bard.” Interdisciplinary Literary Studies 14.2 (2012): 150-163

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Lake, Peter. Hamlet’s Choice: Religion and Resistance in Shakespeare's Revenge Tragedies . New Haven: Yale University Press, 2020.

Lerer, Seth. “Hamlet’s Boyhood.” Childhood, Education and the Stage in Early Modern England , ed. Richard Preiss and Deanne Williams (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017):17-36.

Levy, Eric P. Hamlet and the Rethinking of Man . Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2008.

Lewis, C.S. “Hamlet: The Prince or the Poem?” (1942). Studies in Shakespeare , ed. Peter Alexander (1964): 201-18.

Loftis, Sonya Freeman; Allison Kellar; and Lisa Ulevich, ed. Shakespeare's Hamlet in an Era of Textual Exhaustion . New York, NY: Routledge, 2018.

Luke, Jillian. “What If the Play Were Called Ophelia ? Gender and Genre in Hamlet .” Cambridge Quarterly 49.1 (2020): 1-18.

Gates, Sarah. “Assembling the Ophelia Fragments: Gender, Genre, and Revenge in Hamlet.” Explorations in Renaissance Culture 34.2 (2008): 229-47.

Gottschalk, Paul. The Meanings of Hamlet: Modes of Literary Interpretation Since Bradley . Albequerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1972.

Greenblatt, Stephen. Hamlet in Purgatory . Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2001.

Hunt, Marvin W. Looking for Hamlet . New York and Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan, 2007.

Iyengar, Sujata. "Gertrude/Ophelia: Feminist Intermediality, Ekphrasis, and Tenderness in Hamlet," in Loomba, Rethinking Feminism In Early Modern Studies: Race, Gender, and Sexuality (2016), 165-84.

Iyengar, Sujata; Feracho, Lesley. “Hamlet (RSC, 2016) and Representations of Diasporic Blackness,” Cahiers Élisabéthains 99, no. 1 (2019): 147-60.

Johnson, Laurie. The Tain of Hamlet . Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars, 2013.

Jolly, Margrethe. The First Two Quartos of Hamlet: A New View of the Origins and Relationship of the Texts . Jefferson: McFarland, 2014.

Jones, Ernest. Hamlet and Oedipus . Garden City: Doubleday, 1949.

Keegan, Daniel L. “Indigested in the Scenes: Hamlet's Dramatic Theory and Ours.” PMLA 133.1 (2018): 71-87.

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Kiséry, András. Hamlet's Moment: Drama and Political Knowledge in Early Modern England . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.

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Langis, Unhae. “Virtue, Justice and Moral Action in Shakespeare’s Hamlet .” Literature and Ethics: From the Green Knight to the Dark Knight , ed. Steve Brie and William T. Rossiter (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars, 2010): 53-74.

Lawrence, Sean. "'As a stranger, bid it welcome': Alterity and Ethics in Hamlet and the New Historicism," European Journal of English Studies 4 (2000): 155-69.

Lesser, Zachary. Hamlet after Q1: An Uncanny History of the Shakespearean Text . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015.

Levin, Harry. The Question of Hamlet . New York: Oxford UP, 1959.

Lewis, Rhodri. Hamlet and the Vision of Darkness . Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017.

Litvin, Margaret. Hamlet's Arab Journey: Shakespeare's Prince and Nasser's Ghost . Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011.

Loftis, Sonya Freeman, and Lisa Ulevich. “Obsession/Rationality/Agency: Autistic Shakespeare.” Disability, Health, and Happiness in the Shakespearean Body , edited by Sujata Iyengar. Routledge, 2015, pp. 58-75.

Marino, James J. “Ophelia’s Desire.” ELH 84.4 (2017): 817-39.

Massai, Sonia, and Lucy Munro. Hamlet: The State of Play . London: Bloomsbury, 2021.

McGee, Arthur. The Elizabethan Hamlet . New Haven: Yale UP, 1987.

Megna, Paul, Bríd Phillips, and R.S. White, ed. Hamlet and Emotion . New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.

Menzer, Paul. The Hamlets: Cues, Qs, and Remembered Texts . Newark: University of Delaware Press, 2008.

Mercer, Peter. Hamlet and the Acting of Revenge . Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1987.

Oldham, Thomas A. “Unhouseled, Disappointed, Unaneled”: Catholicism, Transubstantiation, and Hamlet .” Ecumenica 8.1 (Spring 2015): 39-51.

Owen, Ruth J. The Hamlet Zone: Reworking Hamlet for European Cultures . Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars, 2012.

Price, Joeseph G., ed. Hamlet: Critical Essays . New York: Routledge, 1986.

Prosser, Eleanor. Hamlet and Revenge . 2nd ed. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1971.

Rosenberg, Marvin. The Masks of Hamlet . Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1992.

Row-Heyveld, Lindsey. “Antic Dispositions: Mental and Intellectual Disabilities in Early Modern Revenge Tragedy.” Recovering Disability in Early Modern England , ed. Allison P. Hobgood and David Houston Wood. Ohio State University Press, 2013, pp. 73-87.

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Stritmatter, Roger. "Two More Censored Passages from Q2 Hamlet." Cahiers Élisabéthains 91.1 (2016): 88-95.

Thompson, Ann. “Hamlet 3.1: 'To be or not to be’.” The Cambridge Guide to the Worlds of Shakespeare: The World's Shakespeare, 1660-Present, ed. Bruce R. Smith (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016): 1144-50.

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Hamlet Essays

I. Introduction Hamlet is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1600 or 1601. It is often considered his supreme achievement, and one of the world’s greatest tragedies. Considered as one of the greatest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, Hamlet is also one of the best-known plays in world...

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Grammaticus The problems related to the origin and sources of Hamlet are no less contentious and inconclusive than the philosophical, moral and structural problems traditionally associated with the play. The present day iconic status of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ often obscures the...

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Q1) The character of Claudius can be recognized as the major antagonist in the play. Traits such as being cleverly evil, lustful, and conniving were the factors that won him the crown as the King of Denmark. As a king, Claudius focused on protecting his throne from being relinquished from him. He...

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Shakespeare's characterization of Gertrude and Ophelia in Hamlet is paradoxical as it challenges as well as complements the contemporary social traditions and norms. Gertrude is the best example of this paradox that is manifested through her extraordinary supremacy over all the major characters of...

Hamlet is a character with whom most of us could relate not only because of his imperfections but also because of his insecurities. He is imperfect, he has his insecurities, but what is most remarkable in him is his goodness of heart which makes it very difficult for him to think ill of other...

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I) Introduction A. Hamlet is the direct cause of the tragedy i. Charnes; “Hamlet Without Hamlet.” II) First appearance of Hamlet A. Hamlet’s lack of a sense of purpose B. Hamlet’s attempt to relieve his melancholy i. Udo and Fels; "’Suit the Action to the Word, the Word to the Action’: An...

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Isabella is a woman with a seemingly over pious regard to herself and her virginity, placing the same over an individual’s life and liberty. This is made evident in her statement “Then, Isabel, live chaste, and, brother, die: More than our brother is our chastity (Measure for measure...

William Shakespeare is perhaps best known for being the father of plays. Of all playwrights, none can compare to Shakespeare’s style, creativity, and wit. A great example would be Hamlet which could perhaps be viewed as the best of all his plays. The lines of the play have been remembered in the...

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Introduction When discussing “Hamlet”, whether in casual company, stage production or academic study, the conversation can quite literally go in a million different directions. Widely regarded as Shakepeare’s most complex play, Hamlet can in fact be deeply examined and extensively interpreted...

Aristotle has written numerous treatises about a variety of topics, one of which is his treatise on Poetics. In this treatise he discusses poetry and the construction of epics, but the treatise focuses heavily on the creation and the definition of a tragedy, especially on the development of the...

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There are a number of reasons why Hamlet has remained a classic and one of these reasons is because of the great characterization that Shakespeare uses in the creation of his characters. It is because of these characters that the play comes alive and the reason why the audience is able to laugh...

It is chiefly character that is responsible for the tragic fate of the hero, but a Shakespearean tragedy also arouses a feeling that there is a mysterious power in this universe, whom we may call Fate or Destiny or Providence that operates in the universe and is responsible for the manner in which...

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1. Hamlet, one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies possesses an intense environment of uncertainty. This sense of “uncertainty” is governed primarily by the indecision and hesitation demonstrated by the protagonist, Hamlet, the prince of Denmark. He is always in two minds and cannot seem...

William Shakespeare once said that “action is eloquence”. Hamlet finds it easy to make a choice to avenge his father’s death, but is unable to execute this choice. Hamlet’s choices and inconsistencies in carrying them out is what will lead to multiple tragedies and ultimately, his redemption...

The 1996 film version of Hamlet directed and starred in by Kenneth Branagh in the title role is a faithful adaptation of William Shakespeare’s famous play. The exposition of the plot occupies the first few minutes of the story. It begins with the appearance of a ghost to the castle guards. This...

Hamlet is a well known character in the body of works of Shakespeare. The soliloquy signifies the derailed and arguments of a wearied soul trying to explain life and the consequences of hardships of thoughts' impacts on decision makings throughout life which end with the beginning of death and the...

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Introduction In order to understand the role of the rites in Hamlet, one must conceptualize the ritual. The rites in Hamlet concern mainly marriage, mourning and funeral. It is crucial to distinguish their specific nature to detect how they participate in the tragedy. Arnold van Gennep identified...

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The first soliloquy of Hamlet occurs (act I, scene ii, lines 129-59) after the King and the Queen have urged Hamlet in the open court to cast off the deep melancholy which, as they think, has taken possession of him as a consequence of his father’s death. In this soliloquy, Hamlet reveals the...

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Introduction Every emotion and feeling of human beings is captured by literary works such as stories, novels and poems. The characters, plot and themes in the stories and novels bring forth the varied emotions experienced by human beings. Two such stories which focus on the feelings and emotions...

This student owes a great deal of intellectual debt to Louise Cowans thanks in great part to the theoretical criticism the author expressed in her introduction to The Comic Terrain. An example of the brilliance of her critical theory is found in an extended quotation from the work’s introduction...

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The dilemma about the intrinsical meaning of the story about the Prince of Denmark is a perturbing issue of discussion. Question about whether Hamlet feels affection to Ophelia is still not answered because the author uses various evasive situations when readers get more and more confused. Those...

The significant tragedy “Hamlet” violates the eternal problems. Those problems are connected with the contradiction between action and ideal, the role of personality in the history of humanity, the meaning of the life of each person, with justice, revenge, betrayal, love, friendship...

Hamlet’s different perspectives of death Death is perceived as different things according to different people. In William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet,” the title character, Hamlet openly expresses his opinion of death through the various acts he commits and the things he says...

Shakespeare’s early 17th century revenge tragedy “Hamlet” is shaped by our understanding that knowledge of its contextual milieu develops an appreciation for the play’s timeless resonance. We also recognize the play’s textual integrity allows Shakespeare to explore...

Both Hamlet and Frankenstein deal with the concept of revenge. In a well-organized essay discuss the importance of revenge as a central theme in either Frankenstein OR Hamlet . Avoid mere plot summary. You must provide strong textual references to support your ideas. The revenge theme came in both...

“THE DEAD AMONGST THE LIVING” IN HAMLET AND FRANKENSTEIN William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet and Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein are challenging literary works that both have the same theme about the dead amongst the living. Both protagonists Hamlet and Victor Frankenstein...

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Female voices in classic literature are rarely allowed to be heard as they should, especially in a society like Shakespeare’s, where women are expected to make children and hot meals and not much more than that. While Shakespeare does take drastic steps forward in allowing such prominent...

Harold Bloom says the genius of Shakespeare is that “Characters develop rather than unfold, and they develop because they reconceive themselves” (The Invention of the Human XVII). Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, shows the development of Hamlet within the land of Denmark. Hamlet...

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English 30-1 Hamlet Personal Response March 21 2013 Final Draft Interior Monologue My uncle is dead. Along with everyone else I love and the people they care about. My mother Gertrude, Ophelia, Laertes, and their father Polonius. Dead and gone to heaven forever. I finally killed Claudius! He has...

Hamlet: Response To Literature Taking place in Elsinore, Denmark Hamlet by Williams Shakespeare is a remarkable play where love and madness co-exist in an all-out war between family and friends. For many years, literature scholars have viewed Hamlet’s themes in many ways and forms. I intend...

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PRINCE HAMLET   →

“I shall win at the odds.”

KING CLAUDIUS   →

“He is justly served … a poison tempered by himself”

QUEEN GERTRUDE   →

“What devil was’t … That thus hath cozened you at hoodman-blind?”

OPHELIA   →

“Of ladies most deject and wretched … I cannot choose but weep.”

HAMLET AND THE GHOST   →

“Remember me … Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!”

HAMLET AND CLAUDIUS   →

“Thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane.”

HAMLET AND GERTRUDE   →

“Go not to mine uncle’s bed.”

HAMLET AND OPHELIA   →

“The canker galls the infants of the spring.”

HAMLET AND HORATIO   →

“Those friends thou hast …”

CLAUDIUS AND GERTRUDE   →

“My uncle-father and aunt-mother.”

THE MAIN THEMES OF HAMLET    →

“Purposes mistook / Fallen on th’inventor’s heads.”

THEME OF REVENGE   →

“Show yourself in deed your father’s son.”

THEME OF APPEARANCE VERSUS REALITY   →

“Who’s there? … Stand and unfold yourself.”

THEME OF MADNESS   →

“Howsoever thou pursuest this act, / Taint not thy mind.”

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  Characters

• #1: Prince Hamlet
• #2: King Claudius
• #3: Queen Gertrude
• #4: Ophelia

  Relationships

• #5: Hamlet and the Ghost
• #6: Hamlet and Claudius
• #7: Hamlet and Gertrude
• #8: Hamlet and Ophelia
• #9: Hamlet and Horatio
• #10: Claudius and Gertrude

  Themes

• #11: Main Themes
• #12: Revenge
• #13: Appearance Versus Reality
• #14: Madness

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Hamlet : Model Essays for Students

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Inspiration for exam success: 42 easy-to-read, 1,500-word sample essays on Shakespeare’s Hamlet . Covers characters, relationships, and themes.

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Check out the free essay samples below.

Hamlet Sample Essays: Characters

King Claudius deceives everyone—except Prince Hamlet. Queen Gertrude deceives only herself. From Elsinore’s maddening world of deception and betrayal, Ophelia sees only one route of escape.

#1: The Character of Hamlet

Born a prince, parented by a jester, haunted by a ghost, destined to be killed for killing a king, and remembered as the title character of a play he did not want to be in. If at the cost of his life, Hamlet does in the end “win at the odds. ”

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#2: The Character of Claudius

His “ambition ” for Denmark’s crown leads him to commit one murder only to find that he must plot a second to cover up the first. When this plan fails, his next scheme leads to the death of the woman he loves followed by his own.

#3: The Character of Gertrude

“Have you eyes? ”, Prince Hamlet demands of his mother. Gertrude‘s “o’erhasty marriage ” dooms her life and the lives of everyone around her when her wished-for, happy-ever-after fairytale ends in a bloodbath.

#4: The Character of Ophelia

As she struggles to respond to the self-serving purposes of others, Ophelia’s sanity collapses in Elsinore’s “unweeded garden ” of falsity and betrayal. Her “self-slaughter” is her revenge for her silencing and humiliation.

Hamlet Sample Essays: Relationships

The “mirth in funeral” union of Claudius and Gertrude means another marriage can never happen. In the “unweeded garden” of Elsinore, the unwed couple of Hamlet and Ophelia are united only in death.

#5: Relationship of Hamlet and the Ghost

Hamlet grants the Ghost the atonement his suffering soul needed more than the revenge he demanded: he surrenders Denmark to the son of the man murdered by his father on the day of the prince’s birth.

#6: Relationship of Hamlet and Claudius

Uncle and nephew are two men at war with each other—and themselves. Claudius is haunted by the murder he has committed ( “O heavy burden!” ); Hamlet by the one he hasn’t yet ( “Am I a coward?” ).

#7: Relationship of Hamlet and Gertrude

A haunted-by-the-past Hamlet seeks the truth about his father’s death ( “Do you see nothing there?” ). A live-in-the-present Gertrude seeks to protect her second husband and crown ( “No, nothing but ourselves” ).

#8: Relationship of Hamlet and Ophelia

Their relationship begins in uncertainty, descends into mutual deceit and rejection, and ends with their double surrender to death: Ophelia, to the water; Hamlet, to Claudius’ rigged fencing duel.

#9: Relationship of Hamlet and Horatio

“Those friends thou hast … Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel.” Horatio is Hamlet’s trusted confidant in life and vows to remain the keeper of his memory after the prince’s death.

#10: Relationship of Claudius and Gertrude

A marriage of mutual self-interest: Claudius wanted to become king; Gertrude wanted to remain queen. In the end, both die by the same poison her second husband used to murder her first.

Hamlet Sample Essays: Themes

In “purposes mistook” conflicts between revenge and justice, acceptance and action, and remembering and forgetting, all the characters’ “deep plots” rebound on their “inventors’ heads.”

#11: Main Themes of Hamlet

A king murdered, an inheritance stolen, a family divided: Elsinore’s older generation destroys its younger when two brothers—one living, one undead—battle in a “cursed spite” over a crown and a queen.

#12: The Theme of Revenge

Hamlet and Laertes journey from revenge, through obsession and anger, to forgiveness. And the revenge sought by the Ghost on King Claudius becomes the revenge of Old King Fortinbras on Old King Hamlet.

#13: Deception and Appearance versus Reality

“Who’s there?” The characters struggle to distinguish between truth and falsehood in a play-long triple pun on the verb ‘to act’: to take action, to behave deceitfully, and to perform in theater.

#14: The Theme of Madness

“Your noble son is mad” , Polonius tells Denmark’s king and queen. But is Hamlet ever really insane? If not, why is he pretending to be? And is the prince’s “antic disposition” the cause of Ophelia’s traumatic breakdown?

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Use these 42 model Hamlet essays as:

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• Starting points for you to express, in your individual writing style, your own thoughts about Shakespeare’s most celebrated but also most challenging play.

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The most helpful book ever for students and teachers of Shakespeare’s Hamlet .

42 x 1,500-word model essays

by William Shakespeare

Hamlet essay questions.

Hamlet is widely hailed as the first modern play in the English language. Which characteristics of its central character might account for this label?

Hamlet is considered the first modern play partly because of the psychological depth of its main character -- Hamlet suffers from melancholy, self-doubt, and even delusions. The audience never quite knows what Hamlet is thinking, or what is real. In fact, Hamlet himself declares again and again that he doesn't understand his doubts either ("I have of late, but wherefore I know not , lost all my mirth.")

Death is a constant presence in this play. Does Hamlet's speech to Yorick's skull represent a philosophy of death? How does his attitude toward death differ from that of the gravediggers?

Death was a much more ordinary presence in Elizabethan England than it is in the modern world. Infant mortality was high and plagues swept whole nations. In this sense, the gravediggers exhibit a much more realistic approach to death than most people. Hamlet uses the occasion for a more general examination of mortality. His attitude toward death is not necessarily inconsistent with that of the gravediggers, but it is different in his emphasis on metaphysical rather than physical implications of death.

Does the text hold up to a Freudian reading of Hamlet's relationship with his mother? How does Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia support, complicate or work against an Oedipal interpretation of the play?

Certainly Hamlet does visit his mother's bedchamber, and is immensely interested in her sexual relationships with other men, both of which are classic elements of an Oedipal complex. Freud's reading of the play may have influenced his sexual theories—but it is important to remember the order of events, especially because scholars tend to label Hamlet "Freudian." Better stated, Freud is Shakespearean, not the other way around.

"To be or not to be" is the famous question that Hamlet poses in Act Three, Scene One. Explore this speech. What does he mean by this famous question? What events of the play prompt this speech?

Hamlet is musing about death, but whose death, or what kind of death, is frustratingly difficult to pin down. He is perhaps contemplating suicide, perhaps thinking about the risks he must run in order to fulfill the task of revenge. He has an audience of Ophelia, Polonius and Claudius, who are eavesdropping on him; but he most likely does not realize that they are present.

The play within a play, the long soliloquies wherein Hamlet faces the audience and speaks to them directly, the vivid discussions of whether or not Hamlet is "acting" mad -- there are many elements of Hamlet that call attention to its status as a play, rather than reality. By showing the trappings of theater and non-reality, does Shakespeare make Hamlet's suffering seem more acute or more distant? How?

"Life's but a stage," another Shakespearean character proclaims, and the playwright recognized quite well the dramatic trappings of life and the life-like elements of staged productions. Soliloquies are modern in that they break what is much later termed the "fourth wall" separating audience from stage; the character speaks directly to the audience. Although the whole atmosphere seems patently false and theatrical, this serves to draw Hamlet somehow closer. Somehow, the effect of such "metatheatrical" gestures is to show not how different acting is from life, but how similar life is to acting.

In terms of the usual categorizations, Shakespeare's tragedies end in death, his comedies in marriage. By this measure, Hamlet is a tragedy. But Shakespeare's best plays are a tragicomic mix. Choose and discuss two comical or farcical elements in Hamlet.

The scene with gravediggers is a good example of tragedy mixed with comedy. The work is morbid, but the workers joke and sing as they go about their business. They seem totally unaware of the majestic tragedy unfolding itself in the castle nearby. On a smaller level, Yorick's skull embodies the tragicomic dichotomy; it is a gruesome, deathly object that once belonged to a joker. There are several other comic scenes, including much of Hamlet's dialogue with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and most of Polonius' scenes before his death. This gruesome mixture of pathos and humor is the essence of Shakespearean theater.

Define revenge. Is Hamlet a traditional revenge play? What other forces are at work in Hamlet's psyche?

Revenge is traditionally the cold-blooded pursuit to make up for one hurt with a strike against its perpetrator. Revenge is usually violent. Hamlet is hardly a traditional play of revenge, because the main character is so uncertain and ambivalent about both the original strike and what he should do about it. Melancholy and uncertainty play just as large a role in Hamlet's character as the desire for revenge.

Discuss the setting of Hamlet. What effect does setting the psycho-drama in a bleak northern castle -- similar to that in Macbeth -- have on the characters and audience?

From the script, the audience gathers that Elsinore Castle is a remote place in northern Europe. Not much else is known: there were no sets in Shakespeare's time. But the setting certainly matches Hamlet's melancholy mood, and the isolation of the place helps make the violence and implied incest believable.

The play begins with the fantastical appearance of a ghost. Are we meant to believe that this is really Hamlet's father, or is he a figment of Hamlet's imagination? If he is imagined, is the rest of the play imagined as well?

Hamlet struggles with the question of whether the ghost is his father and decides that he must be who he says he is. The audience remains in doubt, however, because of the ghost's claim that he comes from Purgatory (blasphemous in Elizabethan England), and the fact that Gertrude is unable to see it when it appears to Hamlet in her chamber. One of the moral questions of the play is resolved, however, when it becomes clear that Claudius is a murderer. Whether the ghost is Old Hamlet or a demon, he has told the truth about Claudius' guilt.

Can a healthy state be presided over by a corrupt ruler? Shakespeare draws frequent comparisons between the moral legitimacy of a leader and the health of a state. Is Denmark's monarchy responsible for the demise of the state in this play?

At the end of the tragedy, it is not only Hamlet and most of the characters who die. The entire state of Denmark fails after Norway invades, and the health of the nation seems very much wrapped up with the moral state of the leader. This accords with the medieval idea of the "body politic" with the leader making up the head, literally, and the people the body of a personified state.

Hamlet Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Hamlet is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Closely examine Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy on page 137 (lines 57-91). Summarize the arguments he is contemplating in this speech.

What act and scene are you referring to?

Describe Fortinbras based on what Horatio says.

Do you mean in Act 1? Based upon Horatio's description, young Fortinbras is bold, inexperienced, and willing to do anything to regain his father's lost lands.

Why is a clock mentioned in Hamlet. There weren’t any clock’s in Hanlet’s time.

Yes I've heard this question before. This is called an anachronism. It is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement. In this case, there were clocks in Shakespeare’s time but not in Hamlet's. Shakespeare wrote it in because he thought it...

Study Guide for Hamlet

Hamlet study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Hamlet
• Hamlet Summary
• Hamlet Video
• Character List

Essays for Hamlet

Hamlet essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

• Through Rose Colored Glasses: How the Victorian Age Shifted the Focus of Hamlet
• Q to F7: Mate; Hamlet's Emotions, Actions, and Importance in the Nunnery Scene
• Before the Storm
• Haunted: Hamlet's Relationship With His Dead Father
• Heliocentric Hamlet: The Astronomy of Hamlet

Lesson Plan for Hamlet

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Hamlet
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Hamlet Bibliography

E-Text of Hamlet

The Hamlet e-text contains the full text of the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

• List of Characters

Wikipedia Entries for Hamlet

• Introduction

353 Hamlet Essay Topics & Ideas

• Icon Calendar 18 May 2024
• Icon Page 3220 words
• Icon Clock 15 min read

Hamlet essay topics delve into the deep, convoluted world of Shakespearean tragedy, focusing on various themes, such as revenge, mortality, madness, and moral corruption. These topics provide a rich exploration of Hamlet’s internal struggles and existential crises, his complex relationships with characters, like Ophelia, Gertrude, and Claudius, and his philosophically profound soliloquies. They also invite analysis of the play’s symbolism, motifs, and underlying social and political commentary. Delving into these subjects, students can contrast Hamlet’s contemplative nature with the impulsive behavior of other characters, scrutinize the impact of the supernatural, or dissect the tragic elements that lead to Hamlet’s downfall. From examining the ambiguity of characters’ actions to questioning the meaning of life and death, Hamlet essay topics offer many critical lenses through which students can understand and interpret this famous work of literature.

Best Hamlet Essay Topics

• Exploring the Concept of Revenge in Hamlet
• Uncertainty in Decision Making: A Deep Dive Into Hamlet’s Indecisiveness
• Madness as Portrayed in Hamlet: Real or Feigned?
• Polonius as a Catalyst in the Tragedy of Hamlet
• Interpreting the Significance of Ophelia’s Death
• Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex: Analyzing Freudian Themes
• Claudius’ Manipulation Techniques in Power Consolidation
• Betrayal in Hamlet: Who Betrays Whom and Why?
• A Comparative Study: Hamlet and the Elizabethan Era
• Unpacking the Metaphor of Yorick’s Skull
• Aesthetic Symbolism in the Mousetrap Play Within Hamlet
• Laertes and Hamlet: A Study in Contrasts
• Death and the Afterlife: How Does Hamlet Approach Existential Questions?
• Soliloquies in Hamlet: Window Into the Prince’s Soul
• Shakespeare’s Hamlet: A Feminist Interpretation
• Hamlet’s Paralysis of Action: Causes and Consequences
• Exploring Misogyny and Power Structures in Hamlet
• Existential Crisis in Hamlet: A Modern Interpretation
• Supernatural Elements in Hamlet: Apparition as a Narrative Device
• Shakespeare’s Use of Foils in Hamlet: Purpose and Effectiveness

Easy Hamlet Essay Topics

• Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw: Procrastination and Its Consequences
• Understanding the Ghost of Hamlet’s Father
• Analysis of King Claudius as Hamlet’s Adversary
• Significance of the Play-Within-a-Play in Hamlet
• Examining Hamlet’s Relationship With Gertrude
• The Portrayal of Love and Relationships in Hamlet
• Major Themes in Hamlet: A Comprehensive Review
• A Closer Look at Hamlet’s Soliloquies
• Character Analysis: Is Polonius Truly Wise?
• Duplicity and Deception in Hamlet’s Denmark
• Hamlet’s View on Life and Death
• Comparing Hamlet and Laertes: A Study of Similarities
• Symbolism in Hamlet: An In-Depth Study
• Fortinbras as a Parallel Character to Hamlet
• Fate vs. Free Will in Hamlet’s Narrative
• Decoding the Importance of Dreams in Hamlet
• Understanding the Tragic Ending of Hamlet
• Guilt and Regret: Claudius’s Secret Torment
• Hamlet’s Friendship With Horatio: An Analysis

Interesting Hamlet Essay Topics

• Unraveling the Mystery of Hamlet’s Madness
• Deconstructing the Hamartia in Hamlet’s Character
• Dualism in Hamlet: Appearance vs. Reality
• Disease and Decay: A Recurring Imagery in Hamlet
• Analyzing Hamlet’s Misogyny: A Feminist Perspective
• Deciphering the Cryptic Nature of Hamlet’s Soliloquies
• Ophelia’s Descent Into Madness: A Psychological Interpretation
• Insight Into Hamlet’s Melancholic Nature
• Existentialism in Hamlet: A Philosophical Analysis
• Analyzing the Significance of Fortinbras in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Foreshadowing in Hamlet’s Narrative
• Comparative Analysis: Hamlet and Macbeth
• Decoding the Dramatic Irony in Hamlet
• Morality and Ethics in Hamlet’s Denmark
• A Closer Look at Hamlet’s Tragic Redemption
• Significance of the Sea Imagery in Hamlet
• Familial Relationships in Hamlet: An In-Depth Analysis
• Closet Scene in Hamlet: A Turning Point
• Understanding Hamlet Through His Soliloquies
• Exploring the Underlying Theme of Madness in Hamlet

List of Hamlet Essay Topics to Start With

• Understanding Hamlet’s State of Mind: A Psychological Analysis
• Consequences of Revenge in Hamlet’s Story
• Analyzing the Relationship Dynamics Between Ophelia and Hamlet
• Shakespeare’s Usage of Dramatic Irony in Hamlet
• Influence of Supernatural Elements in Hamlet
• Tragic Elements in Hamlet: A Detailed Study
• Unpacking the Concept of Death in Hamlet
• Existential Dilemmas Faced by Hamlet
• Imagery and Metaphors: A Study in Hamlet
• Insights Into the Ghost of King Hamlet
• Shakespeare’s Perspective on Morality in Hamlet
• Tracing the Theme of Deception in Hamlet
• Characters in Hamlet: A Comparative Analysis
• The Portrayal of Power Dynamics in Hamlet
• Feminine Characters in Hamlet: An Analytical Review
• Hamlet and His Tragic Hero Attributes
• King Claudius: An In-Depth Character Study
• Disguise and Deceit in the Court of Denmark
• Exploring the Theme of Loyalty in Hamlet
• Decoding the Symbolism in Hamlet’s Soliloquies

Hamlet Argumentative Essay Topics

• Deconstruction of the Ghost in Hamlet: A Derridean Perspective
• Analyzing Hamlet through Lacanian Psychoanalysis
• The Portrayal of Existentialist Philosophy in Hamlet
• Hamlet’s Madness: A Rorschach Test for Audiences and Readers
• The Politics of Power and Subterfuge in Hamlet
• Ophelia: An Early Feminist Icon or Victim of Patriarchy?
• Applying Carl Jung’s Theory of Archetypes to Characters in Hamlet
• Hamlet’s Tragic Paradox: Intellectual Acumen vs. Emotional Impulsivity
• Closet Scene: Freudian Psychoanalysis of Gertrude and Hamlet’s Relationship
• Justice and Retribution: A Postmodern Reading of Hamlet
• Analyzing Hamlet Using Judith Butler’s Theory of Gender Performativity
• Meta-Theatrical Elements in Hamlet: A Performance Theory Approach
• Hamlet’s Existential Crisis: A Nietzschean Perspective
• Decoding Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw Through Aristotelian Lens
• Hamlet and the Divine Right of Kings: A Political Analysis
• Concept of ‘Delay’ in Hamlet: A Study in Elizabethan Context
• Application of Julia Kristeva’s Intertextuality: Hamlet and Its Sources
• Absurdism in Hamlet: A Comparative Analysis With Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot
• Hamlet: An Eco-Critical Interpretation
• Hamlet’s Soliloquies: A Bakhtinian Dialogic Analysis

Hamlet Research Paper Topics

• Subjectivity and the Self in Hamlet: A Lacanian Analysis
• Hamlet’s Delay: Procrastination or Philosophical Deliberation?
• Gender Dynamics and Power Structures in Hamlet’s Denmark
• Interpretation of Religious Themes in Hamlet
• Understanding Madness in Hamlet: From a Foucauldian Perspective
• Postcolonial Reading of Hamlet: Center and Periphery in Denmark
• Tragic Ambiguity: A Comparative Study of Hamlet and Oedipus Rex
• Interpreting Hamlet’s Indecision Through Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis
• Metafiction in Hamlet: A Study of the Play Within the Play
• Deconstructing the Use of Irony in Hamlet
• Exploring Notions of Honor and Social Hierarchy in Hamlet
• Decoding Hamlet’s Relationship With Ophelia: A Freudian Perspective
• Ethical Dilemmas in Hamlet: A Kantian Interpretation
• Existential Dread in Hamlet: A Study Through Kierkegaard’s Philosophy
• Hamlet’s Soliloquies: A Study in Self and Society
• Revenge Tragedy Elements in Hamlet: A Comparative Study With Spanish Tragedy
• Interpreting the Paradox of Hamlet’s Character: A New Historicist Approach
• Characterization in Hamlet: A Study in Contrast
• The Intertwining of Politics and Morality in Hamlet

Hamlet Essay Questions Examples

• How Does the Character of Hamlet Reflect the Freudian Theory of Psychoanalysis?
• Exploring the Power Dynamics in Hamlet: A Foucauldian Analysis
• Does Hamlet’s Madness Symbolize an Individual’s Struggle Against Society?
• Can Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw Be Seen as a Reflection of His Intelligence?
• How Do Hamlet’s Soliloquies Contribute to the Development of His Character?
• What Makes Hamlet a Tragic Hero in Shakespeare’s Hamlet?
• Interpreting the Theme of Revenge in Hamlet: What Are Its Consequences?
• Is Ophelia a Victim or a Manipulator in Hamlet?
• How Does the Ghost of Hamlet’s Father Influence the Course of the Play?
• To What Extent Does the Theme of Mortality Drive the Narrative of Hamlet?
• Can We Consider Hamlet as a Commentary on the Nature of Acting?
• How Does Hamlet Conform to or Subvert the Conventions of a Revenge Tragedy?
• How Does Hamlet Explore the Idea of the Individual vs. Society?
• In What Ways Do the Other Characters Serve as Foils to Hamlet?
• How Does the Play Within the Play Contribute to the Meta-Theatrical Aspects of Hamlet?
• How Do the Concepts of Honor and Loyalty Manifest in Hamlet?
• What Is the Significance of the Oedipal Complex in Hamlet’s Relationship With Gertrude?
• How Does Hamlet’s Relationship With Ophelia Reflect His Attitude towards Women?
• What Role Does Polonius Play in the Tragedy of Hamlet?
• Can Hamlet Be Seen as an Exploration of the Human Condition?

The Theme of Modern Society for Hamlet Essay Ideas

• Hamlet’s Indecision: A Reflection of Modern-Day Analysis Paralysis
• Relevance of Hamlet’s Existential Crisis in the 21st Century
• Interpreting the Tragic Hero: Hamlet in a Modern Context
• Unpacking the Theme of Surveillance in Hamlet and Its Echoes in Today’s Society
• Interpreting Hamlet’s Madness: A Lens to View Mental Health Stigma in Contemporary Society
• Deception and Duplicity in Hamlet: A Comparison With Modern-Day Politics
• Hamlet’s Struggle With Moral Dilemmas: Parallels in the Modern World
• Tragic Outcomes of Revenge in Hamlet and Its Reflections on Modern Conflicts
• Misogyny in Hamlet: A Dialogue on Current Gender Inequality
• Exploring the Theme of Death in Hamlet: A Contemporary Perspective
• Analyzing the Decay of Political Systems in Hamlet and Its Modern Reflections
• Ophelia’s Madness: A Commentary on Societal Treatment of Women’s Mental Health
• The Role of Conscience in Hamlet and Its Place in Modern Society
• Authority and Power in Hamlet: A Mirror to Modern Political Structures
• Father-Son Relationships in Hamlet and Its Reflections on Contemporary Society
• Hamlet’s Soliloquies: An Exploration of Individualism in the Modern World
• Corruption in Hamlet’s Denmark: Parallels With Contemporary Societies
• Decoding the Concept of Honor in Hamlet and Its Resonance Today
• Hamlet’s Tragic Paradox: Relevance in the Age of Information Overload

Hamlet Essay Topics on Themes and Motifs

• Deconstructing the Motif of Revenge in Hamlet
• Interpreting Death and Mortality in Hamlet: A Comprehensive Analysis
• Unmasking the Theme of Madness in Hamlet
• Tracing the Motif of Disease and Corruption in Hamlet
• Exploring the Theme of Betrayal in Hamlet
• Examining the Recurring Motif of Incest in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Theme of Appearance vs. Reality in Hamlet
• Decoding the Motif of Hesitation and Delay in Hamlet
• Fate and Destiny in Hamlet: A Thematic Exploration
• Understanding the Theme of Action vs. Inaction in Hamlet
• Exploring the Motif of Theatricality in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Theme of Love and Relationships in Hamlet
• Tracing the Motif of Suicide in Hamlet
• Hamlet’s Fear of the Afterlife: A Thematic Study
• Unraveling the Theme of Honor and Reputation in Hamlet
• Identifying the Motif of Ears and Hearing in Hamlet
• The Theme of Loyalty in Hamlet: A Detailed Analysis
• Analyzing the Recurring Motif of Ghosts and the Supernatural in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Theme of Deception and Lies in Hamlet
• Decoding the Motif of Metaphysical Uncertainty in Hamlet

Hamlet Essay Topics on Character Analysis

• Character Study: Hamlet as an Anti-Hero
• Exploring the Contradictions in Hamlet’s Character
• Analysis of Ophelia: Victim or Manipulator?
• Claudius: A Villain or a Tragic Figure?
• Understanding Gertrude: A Complex Character Study
• Fortinbras: A Contrast to Hamlet
• Polonius: Folly or Wisdom?
• Laertes: Revenge, Honor, and Contrast to Hamlet
• Horatio: Friendship and Loyalty Personified
• The Ghost of King Hamlet: More than an Apparition?
• Interpreting the Character of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
• Gravediggers in Hamlet: Humor amid Tragedy
• Marcellus and Bernardo: Gatekeepers of the Supernatural
• Ophelia’s Madness: A Character Analysis
• Hamlet’s Foils: A Study of Laertes and Fortinbras
• Exploring the Character of Reynaldo in Hamlet
• Decoding the Character of Francisco in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Character of Voltemand in Hamlet
• Understanding the Character of Cornelius in Hamlet

Shakespearean Language and Style for Hamlet Essay Topics

• Metaphysical Imagery in Hamlet: An Analysis
• Exploring the Use of Soliloquies in Hamlet
• Decoding the Symbolism in Hamlet’s Monologues
• Shakespearean Puns in Hamlet: A Study of Linguistic Humor
• Figurative Language in Hamlet: An In-Depth Analysis
• Interpreting the Blank Verse and Prose in Hamlet
• Rhyme and Rhythm in Hamlet: A Study of Shakespeare’s Poetic Style
• Hamlet’s Language: An Indicator of His Madness?
• The Role of Foreshadowing in Hamlet
• Wordplay in Hamlet: A Comprehensive Study
• Analyzing the Use of Irony in Hamlet
• Tracing the Recurring Motifs in Hamlet Through Language
• Analyzing the Use of Alliteration in Hamlet
• Exploring the Use of Paradox in Hamlet
• Deciphering the Cryptic Language of the Ghost in Hamlet
• The Use of Similes and Metaphors in Hamlet
• Understanding the Role of Iambic Pentameter in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Language Patterns of Ophelia in Hamlet
• Exploring the Use of Pathos in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Imagery of Death and Decay in Hamlet

Hamlet Essay Topics on Literary Devices

• Exploring Foreshadowing in Hamlet: A Comprehensive Analysis
• Analyzing Irony in Hamlet: Dramatic, Situational, and Verbal
• Understanding the Significance of Soliloquies in Hamlet
• Tracing the Use of Metaphors and Similes in Hamlet
• Decoding the Role of Allusion in Hamlet
• Dramatic Structure in Hamlet: Freytag’s Pyramid Applied
• Analyzing the Use of Hyperbole in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Use of Symbolism in Hamlet
• Understanding the Significance of Metadrama in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Use of Antithesis in Hamlet
• Exploring the Role of Foils in Hamlet
• Decoding the Use of Puns and Wordplay in Hamlet
• Understanding the Significance of Anaphora in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Use of Synecdoche in Hamlet
• Understanding the Role of Juxtaposition in Hamlet
• Hamlet’s Language: A Study in Oxymoron and Paradox
• The Use of Euphemism in Hamlet: An Analysis
• Exploring the Use of Dramatic Monologue in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Significance of Alliteration in Hamlet

Hamlet Topics on Historical and Cultural Contexts

• Contextualizing Hamlet: Understanding Elizabethan Tragedy
• Hamlet and the Historical Context of the Protestant Reformation
• Exploring the Influence of Renaissance Humanism in Hamlet
• Interpreting Hamlet in the Light of Jacobean Political Intrigue
• Hamlet in Context: The Question of Regicide in Elizabethan England
• Understanding the Influence of Greek Tragedy on Hamlet
• Shakespeare’s Hamlet: An Examination of Renaissance Machiavellian Politics
• The Influence of Medieval Danish History on Hamlet
• Hamlet and the Influence of Elizabethan Views on Madness
• Understanding the Socio-Cultural Context of Ghosts in Hamlet
• Hamlet: A Critique of Courtly Politics in the Elizabethan Era?
• Analyzing the Influence of Elizabethan Gender Norms in Hamlet
• Understanding the Elizabethan Concept of Honor in Hamlet
• Interpreting Hamlet in the Context of Early Modern Attitudes Toward Death
• Hamlet and the Influence of Renaissance Philosophy
• Decoding the Influence of Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy Conventions in Hamlet
• Understanding the Historical Perception of Madness in the Context of Hamlet
• Interpreting the Cultural Symbolism of the Skull in Hamlet
• The Influence of Classical Tragedy on the Structure of Hamlet
• Hamlet and the Question of Loyalty in Elizabethan Society

Themes of Tragedy and Revenge for Hamlet Essay Topics

• Hamlet: Tragedy or Revenge Play?
• Understanding the Concept of Revenge in Hamlet
• Unraveling the Tragic Hero in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Cycle of Revenge in Hamlet
• Analyzing Hamlet as a Tragic Figure
• Exploring the Destructive Nature of Revenge in Hamlet
• The Tragedy of Action vs. Inaction in Hamlet
• Decoding the Link Between Madness and Revenge in Hamlet
• Understanding the Tragic Flaw in Hamlet
• Revenge and Its Consequences in Hamlet
• Tragic Consequences of Deception in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Role of Revenge in Driving the Plot of Hamlet
• Exploring the Impact of Revenge on the Characters of Hamlet
• Understanding the Transformation of Revenge Into Tragedy in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Role of Supernatural in Inciting Revenge in Hamlet
• Exploring the Intersection of Revenge and Madness in Hamlet
• Understanding the Dichotomy of Revenge and Justice in Hamlet
• Hamlet’s Procrastination: The Tragic Delay in Revenge
• Tragic Elements in the Subplot of Hamlet

Hamlet Topics on Feminist Criticism and Gender Roles

• Hamlet: A Feminist Critique
• Exploring the Feminine in Hamlet: Character Analysis of Ophelia
• Understanding Gertrude: A Feminist Perspective
• Hamlet and the Patriarchal Society: A Feminist Reading
• Interpreting Hamlet Through the Lens of Gender Performativity
• Analyzing the Role of Female Agency in Hamlet
• Feminist Criticism of Female Objectification in Hamlet
• Unraveling the Feminine Mystique in Hamlet
• Understanding the Subjugation of Women in Hamlet
• Decoding the Binary Oppositions of Gender in Hamlet
• Unraveling the Silence of Women in Hamlet
• Hamlet: A Study in Gender and Power Relations
• Analyzing the Influence of the Male Gaze in Hamlet
• Understanding the Construction of Femininity in Hamlet
• Exploring the Stereotypes of Madness and Female Weakness in Hamlet
• Unraveling the Madonna-Whore Dichotomy in Hamlet
• Gender and Mortality in Hamlet: A Feminist Study
• The Role of Women in Hamlet: Victims or Villains?
• A Feminist Reading of the Tragic Women in Hamlet
• Analyzing the Role of Virginity and Purity in the Characterization of Ophelia

Hamlet Topics on Mental Health and Illness

• Hamlet and the Spectrum of Madness: A Comprehensive Analysis
• Interpreting Ophelia’s Madness in the Context of Elizabethan Society
• Hamlet’s Melancholia: An Analysis Through Freudian Lens
• Exploring the Representation of Mental Illness in Hamlet
• Depiction of Grief and Loss in Hamlet: A Psychological Perspective
• Hamlet: Tragic Hero or a Victim of Mental Illness?
• Understanding the Representation of Psychosis in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Mental Breakdown of Ophelia: A Psychological Study
• Hamlet’s Soliloquies: Insight Into His Mental State
• Exploring the Impact of Hamlet’s Faked Insanity on His Mental Health
• Analyzing the Theme of Madness and Mental Instability in Hamlet
• Hamlet: A Study of Paranoid Personality Disorder
• Interpreting the Theme of Despair in Hamlet
• Understanding the Depiction of Depression in Hamlet
• Madness Real and Feigned: A Study of Hamlet
• Hamlet: A Case Study in the Stigmatization of Mental Illness
• Ophelia’s Descent Into Madness: A Psychological Analysis
• Understanding the Tragic Consequences of Ignoring Mental Health in Hamlet

Hamlet Topics on the Role of Ghosts

• Hamlet’s Ghost: Messenger or Manipulator?
• Interpreting the Significance of Ghosts in Hamlet
• Ghostly Apparitions and Their Function in Hamlet
• Hamlet and the Supernatural: Analyzing the Ghost’s Influence
• Deciphering the Ghost in Hamlet: A Study of Supernatural Elements
• Understanding the Ethereal: The Ghost’s Existence in Hamlet
• Exploring the Intersection of Supernatural and Reality in Hamlet
• Hamlet: A Study in Spectral Ambiguity
• Interrogating the Ghost’s Veracity in Hamlet
• Hamlet’s Ghost: Symbol of Revenge or Remorse?
• The Ghost in Hamlet: An Embodiment of Fear and Guilt?
• Deconstructing the Role of Ghosts in Shaping Hamlet’s Actions
• Understanding the Narrative Function of the Ghost in Hamlet
• The Ghost as a Catalyst for Tragedy in Hamlet
• Purgatorial Representations: The Ghost in Hamlet
• How the Ghost Alters the Course of Events in Hamlet
• Ghosts and Revenge: Unraveling the Connection in Hamlet
• Investigating the Existential Dread Created by the Ghost in Hamlet
• The Ghost as a Symbol of Unresolved Issues in Hamlet
• Influence of the Ghost on Hamlet’s Perception of Death

Symbolism of Objects and Settings for Hamlet Essay Topics

• Significance of Yorick’s Skull in Hamlet: A Symbolic Analysis
• Interpreting the Symbolism of the Ghost in Hamlet
• Understanding the Role of Denmark’s Court as a Symbol in Hamlet
• Exploring the Symbolism of the Poisoned Sword in Hamlet
• Hamlet’s Soliloquy: Symbolic Representation of His Inner Turmoil
• The Garden Imagery in Hamlet: Symbolizing Corruption and Decay
• Reading the Symbolism in Ophelia’s Flowers in Hamlet
• Decoding the Symbolism of Death and Mortality in Hamlet
• Understanding the Role of Theater in Hamlet: A Symbolic Study
• The Symbolism of Madness in Hamlet: A Thorough Examination
• The Metaphor of the Unweeded Garden in Hamlet: A Symbolic Analysis
• Significance of the Ghostly Apparitions in the Setting of Hamlet
• The Symbolism of the Sea and Voyages in Hamlet: A Detailed Study
• Elucidating the Role of the Graveyard Scene in Hamlet
• Symbolism in Hamlet’s Clothing: A Comprehensive Analysis
• Decoding the Symbolism in the Monarchic Power Struggle in Hamlet
• Interpreting the Symbolic Use of Ophelia’s Death in Hamlet
• The Symbolism of Revenge in Hamlet: An Analytical Study
• Decoding the Symbolic Representation of Power and Betrayal in Hamlet
• The Symbolic Function of the Play-Within-a-Play in Hamlet

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Hamlet — Madness In Shakespeares Hamlet

Madness in Shakespeares Hamlet

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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Essay on Hamlet

Essay generator.

William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ is not just a play; it’s a literary tapestry woven with themes of revenge, madness, morality, and the human condition. This essay aims to delve into the depths of ‘Hamlet’, providing insights for students participating in essay writing competitions.

Set in the kingdom of Denmark, ‘Hamlet’ tells the story of Prince Hamlet’s quest for vengeance against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father, married his mother, and seized the throne. The play is a rich exploration of the complexities of the human psyche, morality, and the consequences of actions.

• Revenge and Justice : Central to the plot is Hamlet’s struggle to avenge his father’s death, a journey that raises questions about justice, morality, and the ethics of revenge.
• Madness : Whether Hamlet’s madness is real or feigned is a topic of much debate, symbolizing the fine line between sanity and insanity in the face of overwhelming grief and rage.
• Life, Death, and the Afterlife : The play frequently contemplates mortality, the fear of death, and the unknowns of the afterlife, epitomized in the famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy.
• Betrayal and Loyalty : Themes of betrayal, loyalty, and familial duty are prevalent, reflecting the complex interpersonal dynamics of the characters.

Character Analysis

• Hamlet : A complex character, Hamlet is intellectual, melancholic, and philosophical. His internal conflict and contemplative nature drive the play’s narrative.
• Claudius : The antagonist, Claudius’s cunning and deceitful nature contrast starkly with Hamlet’s moral introspection.
• Gertrude and Ophelia : These female characters, often viewed through the lens of the male characters, bring critical perspectives on gender and power dynamics in the play.

Literary Techniques

Shakespeare’s use of soliloquies, symbolism, metaphors, and dramatic irony enriches the play’s narrative, offering a deeper understanding of the characters and themes.

• Soliloquy and Monologue: Shakespeare uses soliloquies and monologues to give the audience insight into the inner thoughts and conflicts of characters, especially Hamlet. The famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy is a prime example.
• Irony: Dramatic irony is a recurring technique in “Hamlet” where the audience knows something that the characters do not, creating tension and suspense. For example, Hamlet’s feigned madness is known to the audience, but not to most characters in the play.
• Foreshadowing: Shakespeare uses foreshadowing to hint at future events and build anticipation. The ghost’s appearance and warnings foreshadow the play’s tragic events.
• Metaphor and Imagery: Rich metaphorical language and vivid imagery enhance the play’s themes and characters. For instance, Hamlet’s comparison of Denmark to an “unweeded garden” reflects the corruption and decay in the kingdom.
• Symbolism: Various symbols, such as the use of poison, mirrors, and the play within a play, are employed to convey deeper meanings and themes in the play.
• Allusion: Shakespeare incorporates allusions to classical mythology, biblical references, and historical events to add layers of meaning and depth to the characters’ speeches and actions.
• Pun and Wordplay: Wordplay, puns, and double meanings are used for humor and to illustrate the characters’ wit and intelligence. Hamlet’s interactions with Polonius and the gravediggers showcase this technique.
• Diction and Language Variation: Shakespeare uses variations in language to distinguish characters and their social status. The nobility often speak in formal verse, while the lower-class characters use prose.
• Rhetorical Devices: Various rhetorical devices like parallelism, antithesis, and repetition are used to emphasize key ideas and create memorable lines.
• Foils: The characters in “Hamlet” are often paired as foils to contrast their personalities and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. Hamlet and Laertes, for example, are foils for each other.
• Structure and Dramatic Devices: The play’s five-act structure, as well as the use of dramatic devices like the play within a play (the “Mousetrap” scene), contribute to the unfolding of the plot and themes.
• Characterization: Shakespeare uses dialogue, actions, and soliloquies to reveal the complexities of his characters, including Hamlet’s internal struggle and Ophelia’s descent into madness.
• Themes and Motifs: Themes like madness, revenge, mortality, and corruption are recurrent motifs throughout the play, and Shakespeare uses literary techniques to explore these themes in depth.

Writing Tips for Students

• Focus on Analysis : Go beyond summarizing the plot. Analyze the characters, themes, and Shakespeare’s language.
• Use Quotations Effectively : Incorporate key quotations to support your analysis, but ensure they are relevant and well-explained.
• Offer Unique Perspectives : Bring your interpretation or perspective to the play, making your essay stand out.
• Contextual Understanding : Understand the historical and cultural context in which Shakespeare wrote ‘Hamlet’.

‘Hamlet’ is a masterpiece that continues to resonate with audiences for its profound exploration of the human experience. In writing an essay on ‘Hamlet’, students have the opportunity to delve into this literary treasure, uncovering the layers of Shakespeare’s artistry, and contributing their voice to the enduring discourse on this classic work.

Text prompt

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Generate an essay on the importance of extracurricular activities for student development

Write an essay discussing the role of technology in modern education.

Consideration of the Ghost in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Do ghosts always intend wickedness? The question is difficult to answer because ghosts appear in different forms and sometimes they are only visible to specific people like in Hamlet’s case. The Ghost in Hamlet is difficult to understand because the main character does not tell us whether it is wicked or charitable. It stirs Hamlet’s action after telling him how his father died. The Ghost demands that he avenges the death of his father. Hamlet’s behavior changes as he seeks to take revenge on his father’s murderer. The Ghost terrifies Hamlet and he asks it the question, “Be thy intents wicked, or charitable…?” (Shakespeare 1.4.42). The question leaves one wondering about the real intention of the Ghost. Nonetheless, the Ghost’s speech and behavior show that its intent is charitable.

Some ghosts are charitable depending on their nature. The Ghost in the play is charitable because it helps Hamlet to know the truth about the way his father died and to begin finding clues for the murder. At the beginning of the story, Hamlet’s depression occurs because of two huge events: his father’s death, and his mother Gertrude’s remarriage to his uncle Claudius. Losing a parent is tragic and catastrophic, so Hamlet falls into despair. Moreover, his mother, the queen, remarries his uncle, Claudius, who killed his father, the former king, right after his father died and does not mourn for his death like a spouse is expected to. This makes Hamlet feel bad because the queen does not feel sad about her ex-husband’s death. These two events, therefore, cause him to slip into depression. His depression is conspicuous, and Claudius asks Hamlet: “How is it that the cloud still hangs on you?” (Shakespeare 1.2.66). Hamlet, at this time, is too depressed so that people around him can realize the fact. Moreover, his mother urges him to stop mourning, but his sorrow is too deep. He is very concerned about his father’s death and dwells on it very much; Hamlet had his suspicions that maybe his uncle Claudius had a hand in his father’s death as he says: “O my prophetic soul! My uncle!” (Shakespeare 1.5.40). However, even though he had suspicions, he could not bring himself to find clues that could prove Claudius’s suspect because he was very depressed. The Ghost appears to Hamlet when he is suffering and having a hard time, and tells him the truth. Hamlet confirms his previous suspicions and swears to avenge his father’s death after the Ghost tells him that Claudius poured poison in the deceased king’s ear as he lay on his orchard. Therefore by telling the truth to Hamlet and motivating him the Ghost’s intention seems charitable.

The Ghost could also be charitable if it appeared to Hamlet to help in preserving his father’s memory. Hamlet mourns for the death of his father because he used to be very important to him and people around him want Hamlet to forget about him. For example, Claudius tells him that his continued mourning makes him look unmanly. Everyone around him tells him to stop mourning his father but the Ghost reminds him of his father and through the revenge, he is able to keep the memory of his father alive. Hamlet keeps his father’s memory and looks for a way to prove that Claudius really bears the blame for killing his father. He creates a play and he is able to confirm that Claudius is indeed guilty. The ghost represents his lost father but who is not forgotten because his son’s actions keep his memory alive. Horatio lives on to tell the story of Hamlet hence his memory remains and he is not forgotten by means of the Ghost’s help.

Moreover, the essay “Of ghosts and spirits walking by night” also gives proves that the Ghost in Hamlet intends charitable when it appears. According to “Of ghosts and spirits walking by night,” written by Lewes Lavater, there are four ways to distinguish good spirits from evil spirits. The first clue that Lewes talks about is “good spirits will at the beginning somewhat terrify men, but again soon revive and comfort them” (115). In the play, the Ghost at the beginning terrifies men. Horatio is frightened when the Ghost appears. He tells Hamlet not to follow the Ghost when he tries to because Horatio is afraid it might harm his lord. Hamlet also says: “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!”(19). It sounds like a prayer, which means he is frightened by the Ghost. However, Hamlet decides to follow the Ghost, and eventually, he talks to the Ghost about his father’s death. Hamlet adapts to the Ghost and starts a conversation with it. Also, after the conversation, Hamlet revives from his depressions and despairs. Furthermore, Lewes mentions that good spirits and evil spirits have different shapes. He says: “Good spirits appear under the shape of a dove, a man, a lamb, or in the brightness and clear light of the sun” (115). In the play, the Ghost appears in the form of a man. Bernardo says: “In the same figure like the king that’s dead” (4) when he describes the form of the Ghost. The Ghost appears in the form of a man, so the Ghost is a good spirit. Moreover, the last clue to figure out good spirits is to see if the spirit “desires any help or deliverance” (115). In the play Hamlet, the Ghost tells who killed Hamlet’s father and the way he died. The Ghost desires to help to reveal the truth hence its intentions are charitable.

Furthermore, the Ghost is charitable because it helps to tell the right from the wrong in Denmark and that have been committed by Claudius of killing the King in cold blood. The King is killed by the greedy and ambitious Claudius who desires power. He is willing to kill and marry his brother’s wife immediately. The Ghost appears to ensure that the wrong person sitting on the throne losses it through assassination. The killing of Claudius removes a wicked king from the throne and the coming of the Prince Fortinbras of Norway to Denmark offers hope for a fresh start because he is a probable King. Therefore, the Ghost is charitable to Denmark because it helps to purge her of wickedness in leadership and usher in a new dawn.

Finally, the Ghost helps Hamlet to overcome his depression and have a purpose for living again. He starts to live because he wants to take revenge against his father’s murder. The Ghost pushes him towards the goal of killing Claudius even though many other people die in the final scene in the bloodbath. The death of the innocent King is avenged and hence the evil is defeated. The Ghost helps to reveal the truth about Claudius’ character, even though Hamlet takes a very long time before taking revenge. He takes his time as he investigates the validity of the Ghost and leads to a tragedy like no other because he does not rush to take revenge as soon as he gets the information as we expect him to do. He is rational and does not want to rely entirely on a Ghost rumor but seeks to find the truth. The Ghost plays a very important role in the play because it overpowers Hamlet and lures him into the path of revenge. Although Hamlet’s revenge ends with tragedy, it is not because the Ghost lures Hamlet, but because Hamlet develops his emotion to revenge too much. Therefore, since the Ghost helps Hamlet to overcome his depression, the Ghost shows its charitable intention.

Although the Ghost causes tragedy, its role is very important because it tells the truth, motivates Hamlet, and makes Hamlet overcome his sorrow. The story of Hamlet proceeds with Hamlet’s revenge and ends with a bloodbath because Hamlet hurries the revenge and acts hastily. The Ghost did the right thing in pointing Hamlet to the truth about his father’s murderer although the result is a tragedy. Thanks to the Ghost, Hamlet can hear the truth, overcome his depression and obtain a purpose for his life. Hamlet devotes himself to achieving his purpose, which he may not be able to get to if he would not meet the Ghost; for this reason, the Ghost’s intent is charitable in the play.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet: A Norton Critical Edition. Ed. Cyrus Hoy. 2nd. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1992.

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Understanding NYU’s Status: is it a Private University?

This essay is about New York University’s status as a private university and what that entails. It explains that NYU, being privately funded, relies on tuition, private donations, and endowments rather than state or federal funding. This financial independence grants NYU flexibility in its programs, research initiatives, and policies, attracting a global faculty and student body. The essay also discusses the advantages of NYU’s urban location in New York City, offering students numerous opportunities for internships and cultural experiences. Additionally, it addresses the challenges of accessibility and affordability due to high tuition fees and the university’s efforts to provide financial aid. The governance structure and specialized programs at NYU are also highlighted, demonstrating the benefits and complexities of its private status.

How it works

New York University (NYU) stands as one of the preeminent bastions of higher education globally, prompting inquiries regarding its classification as a private educational institution. Succinctly put, indeed, NYU assumes the mantle of a private establishment. However, delving into the ramifications of this categorization and its ramifications on the university and its constituents can furnish a more nuanced comprehension of its modus operandi and eminence.

As a private university, NYU operates independent of state or federal governmental funding. Instead, it primarily relies on tuition, philanthropic contributions, and endowments to sustain its endeavors.

This financial autonomy bequeaths upon NYU a notable degree of latitude and self-governance in shaping its educational paradigms, research endeavors, and campus ethos. Unlike public universities, constrained by governmental strictures and financial confines, NYU possesses the prerogative to enact policies and curricular innovations congruent with its mission and the exigencies of its heterogeneous student body.

Foremost among the advantages of NYU’s private status is its capacity to allure a global cohort of faculty and students. Bolstered by a substantial endowment and private beneficence, NYU can proffer competitive remuneration and resources to entice preeminent professors and researchers worldwide. This cosmopolitan outlook augments the scholastic milieu for students, affording them exposure to multifarious perspectives and erudition. Additionally, NYU’s private backing facilitates investments in cutting-edge infrastructure and pioneering research, guaranteeing students access to superlative resources.

NYU’s perch in New York City further burnishes its allure. The university harnesses its urban locale to furnish students with unparalleled prospects for internships, networking, and cultural immersion. As a private entity, NYU can cultivate robust alliances with local enterprises, non-profits, and cultural bastions, engendering a dynamic milieu wherein students can apply theoretical erudition in real-world milieus. This symbiotic nexus between the university and the metropolis not only augments scholastic outcomes but also buttresses NYU’s stature as a premier global citadel of erudition.

However, the mantle of a private university proffers its own set of challenges, notably concerning accessibility and affordability. NYU is synonymous with hefty tuition fees, a potential deterrent for many prospective students. Albeit the university endeavors to assuage this predicament through generous financial aid packages and scholarships for meritorious students, the specter of exorbitant attendance costs remains an impediment for numerous families. NYU’s commitment to fostering a diverse student body necessitates perennial efforts to reconcile financial sustainability with the imperative of rendering education accessible to all meritorious students, irrespective of their pecuniary circumstances.

Another facet of NYU’s private status is its governance framework. As a private entity, NYU is governed by a board of trustees vested with the mandate of formulating pivotal policy decisions and charting the university’s strategic trajectory. This governance paradigm facilitates expeditious decision-making vis-a-vis public universities, oftentimes ensnared in labyrinthine bureaucratic mazes. The board of trustees can adroitly effectuate changes, respond to emergent challenges, and capitalize on nascent opportunities, ensuring NYU’s preeminence in higher education innovation.

Furthermore, NYU’s private imprimatur empowers it to proffer a panoply of specialized programs and interdisciplinary studies unfeasible in a public university milieu. For instance, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and Stern School of Business are lauded for their niche programs that beckon students harboring precise career aspirations and interests. The latitude to cultivate and sustain such programs attests to the university’s fiscal and administrative autonomy.

In summation, New York University’s stature as a private educational institution is a defining characteristic that molds its ethos, operations, and influence. The fiscal independence and autonomy afforded by its private status facilitate NYU’s attraction of a diverse and accomplished faculty and student body, investment in top-tier infrastructure and research, and establishment of a formidable presence in New York City. Nonetheless, this status engenders challenges, particularly concerning accessibility and affordability. As NYU continues its trajectory, navigating these challenges while capitalizing on the advantages of its private status is imperative to preserve its position as a vanguard global institution of higher learning. This equilibrium is indispensable for ensuring that NYU remains an inclusive and innovative haven for future generations of scholars.

Please bear in mind that this exposition serves as a springboard for inspiration and further inquiry. For personalized guidance and assurance of compliance with academic standards, contemplate enlisting the aid of professionals at EduBirdie.

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The Best Films of 2024, So Far

Our critics pick nine films that they think are worth your time on this long holiday weekend.

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By The New York Times

Looking for a good movie to pass the time this Memorial Day weekend? The New York Times’s chief film critic, Manohla Dargis, and movie critic, Alissa Wilkinson, have you covered. Here are their top picks for the year so far. All are in theaters or available on demand.

In theaters; June 7 on Netflix .

The story: Glen Powell is a philosophy professor who moonlights for the police in New Orleans when he finds himself undercover posing as a hit man in this Richard Linklater movie. An encounter with Madison (Adria Arjona), a housewife looking to hire him, raises the stakes, comedically and romantically.

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: “If I see a movie more delightful than “Hit Man” this year, I’ll be surprised. It’s the kind of romp people are talking about when they say that “they don’t make them like they used to”: It’s romantic, sexy, hilarious, satisfying and a genuine star-clinching turn for Glen Powell, who’s been having a moment for about two years now.” Read the review.

‘Civil War’

In theaters.

The story: Set in the near future, “Civil War” depicts a United States that has devolved into conflict between the Western Forces of California and Texas (yeah, yeah, we know) and the federal government. As photojournalists played by Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny make their way to Washington, D.C., they encounter dangerous and unsettling scenes, painting a disturbing portrait of America in this Alex Garland drama.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “Hollywood’s longstanding, deeply American imperative for happy endings maintains an iron grip on movies, even in ostensibly independent productions. There’s no such possibility for that in ‘Civil War.’ The very premise of Garland’s movie means that … a happy ending is impossible, which makes this very tough going. Rarely have I seen a movie that made me so acutely uncomfortable or watched an actor’s face that, like Dunst’s, expressed a nation’s soul-sickness so vividly that it felt like an X-ray.” Read the review.

‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’

The story: Picking up generations after the last trilogy ended, Wes Ball’s action-adventure follows Noa (Owen Teague) after his clan has been attacked. On his own now, he meets up with Raka, a disciple of Caesar, the leader in the earlier movies, as well as a mute human (Freya Allen).

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: “‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is set in the future, but like a lot of science fiction … there’s a knowing sense that all this has happened before, and all this will happen again. That’s what makes ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ powerful, in the end. It probes how the act of co-opting idealisms and converting them to dogmas has occurred many times over.” Read the review.

‘Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World’

Stream it on Mubi ; rent or buy it on most major platforms .

The story: In Radu Jude’s scathing comedy, a foulmouthed production assistant named Angela (Ilinca Manolache) drives around Bucharest, Romania, looking for injured workers to interview for a workplace safety video.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “As she changes gears, and the movie switches between black-and-white film and color video, Angela flips off other drivers, acidly critiques all that she encounters, creates TikTok videos and effectively maps the geopolitical landscape of contemporary Romania.” Read the review.

‘Late Night With the Devil’

Stream it on Shudder ; also rent or buy it on most major platforms .

The story: In this horror show from the brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes, David Dastmalchian is a Johnny Carson-like late-night host desperate for ratings and awards. The film purports to be the footage of the episode that “shocked a nation.”

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: People watch late-night TV “to laugh, to be entertained and to feel some kind of companionship when the rest of the world goes to bed. ‘Late Night With the Devil’ twists that camaraderie around on itself, layering in familiar 1970s horror tropes about demonic possession, Satanism and the occult. The result is a nasty and delicious, unapologetic pastiche with a flair for menace. I had a blast.” Read the review.

‘Evil Does Not Exist’

The story: In a rural hamlet outside Tokyo, a developer tries to sell skeptical locals on the benefits of a glamping resort. As the residents push back against the prospect of tourism upending their quiet rhythms, the developer’s representatives come to see their point of view in Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s deceptive drama.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “I have watched ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ twice, and each time the stealthy power of Hamaguchi’s filmmaking has startled me anew. Some of my reaction has to do with how he uses fragments from everyday life to build a world that is so intimate and recognizable — filled with faces, homes and lives as familiar as your own — that the movie’s artistry almost comes as a shock.” Read the review.

‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus’

The story: In this documentary from Neo Sora, the influential Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto plays his entire final concert. It was filmed in a studio with only the crew watching.

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: “Even for the viewer without much knowledge of Sakamoto’s work, ‘Opus’ holds its own as the rare cinematic space for contemplation. There’s no context given, no attempt to create a narrative. Instead, the visual space is carefully filmed and the lighting manipulated to subtly shift the mood.” Read the review.

‘Io Capitano’

Rent or buy it on most major platforms .

The story: Matteo Garrone’s drama tracks Seydou and Moussa, two Senegalese cousins (Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall), as they try to reach the West on a journey that takes them through the Sahara to a brutal stay in Libya, and then eventually to the edge of the Mediterranean.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “Garrone doesn’t spare you much, but if the movie never turns into an exercise in art-house sadism, it’s because his focus remains unwaveringly fixed on his characters who, from the start, are fully rounded people, not props, symbols or object lessons. … His great strength here is the tenderness of his touch.” Read the review.

‘La Chimera’

Rent on most major platforms .

The story: In Alice Rohrwacher’s 1980s-set tale, Josh O’Connor is Arthur, a tomb raider in rural Italy who pines for his missing lover. Through her mother, Flora (Isabella Rossellini), he meets a music student, Italia (Carol Duarte).

Manohla Dargis’s take: “‘La Chimera’ sneaks up on you. Rohrwacher is a discreet virtuoso with a visual style that is appealing and demonstrably unshowy. She likes to crowd the frame, yet does so coherently, and while she uses different film formats throughout to indicate distinct moments and spaces, she doesn’t make a fuss about it. She reveals beauty rather than pummels you with it.” Read the review.

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