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AP English Lit Name: Anna Gyori & Maggie Draper

Major Works Data Sheet: Do not cut/paste from a website, which is a form of plagiarism.
Title: Hamlet Biographical information about the author:
Author: William Shakespeare There is little concrete information on William
Date of Publication: 1609 Shakespeare except his birthplace, parents, and
Genre: Tragedy baptism date. He was born in Stratford-Upon-
Historical information about the period of Avon in and baptized on April 26th 1564. Most
publication or setting of the novel: historians believe he was educated at King’s New
In the time period that Hamlet was written, the School. He married Anne Hathaway when he was
Renaissance was coming to an end. There are several 18, and she was eight years older than him. They
characteristics of the story that greatly reflect this had five children together, although one son
time period. One example in the humanistic aspect of passed away. Shakespeare began as an actor then
Hamlet’s struggle with himself and humanity. He became a playwright. His first plays were on the
questions what it means to be a good man, and if it is stage by 1592. But despite these inferences and
worth living at all. These struggles are present some facts, there is not truthfully much known
throughout many other texts written in this period, about his identity or even appearance.
and even some of Hamlet’s speech takes sections of Characteristics of the genre:
texts from famous Italian Renaissance writers. Tragedies are known for their exaggerated
Another example is the admittance of the limits of drama. There is always at least on death, but
human understanding. Many writers as the usually many more. The climax of the plot usually
Renaissance progressed began to question the involves an epic bloodbath of sorts where
intensity optimistic humanistic worldview. Hamlet multiple main characters perish. There are
exemplifies this battle by accepting his limited usually several romantic relationships at the core
understanding, and by letting himself succumb to of the story. These relationships or familial
death despite his lack of knowledge about it, relationships drive the plot. Many times there is
conflict within a family or between families. The
plot can also include murder, affair, battle, and
the uncovering of a family secret.

Plot Summary: Do not cut/paste from a website, which is a form of plagiarism.

One night two watchmen at the Elsinore Castle in Demark observe a ghost walking through the castle’s
grounds. This ghost looks a lot like the recently deceased King of Denmark whose widow has just married
his brother who is now the king. Prince Hamlet is called to the seen and sure enough the ghost is his father
and it reveals to him that his uncle murdered the king. The ghost orders Hamlet to take revenge and
Hamlet sets out to do so. Unfortunately, Hamlet seems to only think about the act he is to carry out instead
of carrying out, and his mother notices his erratic behavior. They try to find the reason and are convinced
by Polonius, the Lord Chamberlin, that Hamlet is just mad with love for his daughter. This ends up not
being the case and the quest continues. Hamlet has a troop of actors come to the castle that he has perform
a play that is modeled off his father’s murder. Once his uncle reacts, he goes to kill him but cannot because
he finds his uncle praying. Hamlet ends up accidentally killing the Lord Chamberlin and his daughter
drowns in the river from grief. The king then comes up with a plan, and a few backups, to murder Hamlet
before the truth is revealed. These back-up plans go haywire and the queen ends up dying. One plan the
poisoned sword ends up not only killing Hamlet but also the king. The entire royal family, and then some,
has died.
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Major Works Data Sheet
Memorable Quotes at least 3 – more is better
Quotation Significance

“Oh, that this too, too sullied This quote, which continues for more than twenty more lines, is
flesh would melt, /Thaw, and Hamlet’s first soliloquy. In this speech, Hamlet is questioning why his
resolve itself into a dew/Or that mother remarried so fast and to his uncle also. He his exclaiming his
the Everlasting had not fixed/ confusion because he remembers how much his mother loved the king.
His canon 'gainst self- He almost sees her action as cheating on his father, even though he is
slaughter! O God, God!/ How dead. This quote also marks the beginning of Hamlet’s severe
weary, stale, flat, and emotional turmoil. The whole play he struggles with whether or not to
unprofitable/ Seem to me all blame his mother, and if she is guilty by association of his father’s
the uses of this world!” death.
(Act I, Scene II, 129-159)

“Something is rotten in the This line, which is spoken by Marcellus to Horatio, comes directly after
state of Denmark.” they witness the ghost of Hamlet’s father appear to him. Not only is it
(Act I, Scene IV, 95) describing the unsettling aspect of the ghost’s presence, but also the
overall situation within the castle. The quote reflects the corrupt
nature of the current king and the instability of the throne, after all,
ghosts only return when there is unfinished business.

“What a piece of work is man! In this quotation Hamlet is speaking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
How noble in reason! how when they have come to assess his mental condition for his mother.
infinite in faculties! in form This monologue stresses Hamlet’s struggle with man’s power and
and moving, how express and beauty. He is questioning whether or not life itself actually means
admirable! in action how like anything at all. Hamlet does not see the importance in living because of
an angel! in apprehension, his father’s recent death. He does not understand how a good man like
how like a god! the beauty of his father could die such an unfair death. He is expressing to his
the world! the paragon of friend’s that he is in fact troubled, but not insane just grieving for his
animals! And yet, to me, what father like any son would.
is this quintessence of dust?”
(Act II, Scene II, 287-298)

"To be, or not to be: that is This is by far the most famous and influential quotation from Hamlet.
the question: The quote takes place during a soliloquy where Hamlet, among other
Whether ’tis nobler in the things, contemplates suicide. He is basically questioning whether living
mind to suffer is actually more painful than death. He discusses that the only reason
The slings and arrows of most people do not kill themselves is because of their fear of the
outrageous fortune unknown that exists after death. He concludes by saying he is also
Or to take arms against a sea coward because of this same fear, and for that reason he cannot bring
of troubles, himself to commit suicide.
And by opposing end them?”
(Act III, Scene I, 58-90)
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Major Works Data Sheet
Characters
Name Role in the story Significance Adjectives
Hamlet Prince of Denmark and Attempts to avenge his Bitter, melancholy,
title character in play. father’s ghost by unstable, indecisive
Father murdered by reprimanding his
Claudius, who married mother and killing his
Queen Gertrude uncle, the latter of
(Hamlet’s mother/wife which he struggles to
of the deceased king). do. Dies of poison.

Claudius King of Murdered king and later Calculating, lustful,

Denmark/Hamlet’s attempts to kill Hamlet. jealous
uncle/brother of dead Somewhat struggles with
king. Murdered his own feelings of guilt. Stabbed
brother to gain crown by poison sword.
and queen.

Gertrude Queen of Denmark and Loves Hamlet, but also Weak, shallow, ignorant
Hamlet’s mother. loves power and rank.
Married her Claudius, Drinks poison and dies at
husband’s brother, end of novel.
shortly after king’s death.

Lord Chamberlain of
Polonius court. Also the father of Spies on a number of Conniving, pompous,
Laertes and Ophelia. people for Claudius. brownnoser
Stabbed by Hamlet,
which angers Laertes.
Hamlet’s best friend.
Horatio Aids Hamlet throughout Loyal, trustworthy,
the play. Stays alive to helpful
tell Hamlet’s story.
Daughter of Polonius and
Ophelia Laertes’s sister. Loves Spies on Hamlet for Innocent, naïve, sweet,
Hamlet and relies on men Claudius. Goes mad and maidenly
to survive. drowns herself after
Polonius dies.
Polonius’s son and
Laertes Ophelia’s brother. Serves as Hamlet’s foil Passionate, strong
Spends much of the play after learning that he
in France. murdered Polonius. Dies
after stabbed by poisoned
sword.
Prince of Norway whose
Fortinbras father was killed by Also a foil of Hamlet’s. Cunning, determined
Hamlet’s father. Wants to attack Denmark
to avenge his father’s
honor.
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Characters
Name Role in the story Significance Adjectives
The Ghost Hamlet’s father, the Exhorts Hamlet to Angry, vengeful,
former King of avenge his death by authoritative
Denmark. Murdered by going after Claudius.
his brother Claudius.

Rosencrantz and Two courtiers and former Summoned by Claudius Bumbling, disloyal
Guildenstern friends of Hamlet. and Gertrude to spy on
Hamlet. Later
unwittingly sent to their
deaths by Hamlet.

Osric Courtier in Claudius’s Asks Hamlet to duel with Foolish

court. Played by Robin Laertes.
Williams in the movie.

Voltimand and Cornelius Courtiers in Claudius’s Sent to Norway to Obedient

court. dissuade Fortinbras from
attacking Denmark.

Marcellus and Bernardo Officers in Claudius’s First witness the ghost of Loyal
court. the former king and
bring Horatio to see it.

Reynaldo Polonius’s servant Sent to France by Compliant

Polonius to spy on
Laertes.
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Major Works Data Sheet
Setting Significance of the opening scene
Hamlet is set in Elsinore, Denmark inside a royal The opening scene of Hamlet introduces the
court. Although a year isn’t specifically named, viewer to the ghost of Hamlet’s father, which is
there are a number of references that lead one to discovered by Marcellus and Bernardo as they
believe the play is set in the late middle ages. For guard the castle at Elsinore. After grabbing
example, there are a number of references to the Horatio, the three men repeatedly emphasize the
Protestant Reformation, as Denmark was a fact that this being on stage is, in fact, a ghost.
Protestant country at the time. Hamlet attends Because special effects were pretty crappy in
school in Wittenberg (Martin Luther spent a lot of Shakespeare’s time, this repetition is necessary to
his time there) and at first the prince doesn’t identify the actor as a ghost. Horatio’s
believe it possible that his father had returned as speculations as to what the apparition might
a ghost as punishment for his purgatorial sins, signify foreshadow future events in the play. He
which is significant as Protestants did not believe believes the ghost is a warning of looming
in Purgatory. Another aspect of the setting is the misfortune for Denmark, and he’s not wrong. The
royal court—it’s the perfect location for murder men also discuss Claudius, the new king, which
and intrigue, as there are many social climbers in gives the viewer some background as to what is
that sort of environment willing to do anything currently going on in the royal court. After the
for power. ghost appears a second time Horatio suggests the
three men fetch Hamlet, which provides a good
scene change.
Symbols or Motifs (at least three) Significance of the ending / closing scene
1. Denmark as a corrupted nation- Most obvious In the final scene of the play all the main
in Marcellus’s iconic line “There’s something characters (at least, those who haven’t already
rotten in Denmark.” The health of the state seems died) are gathered to watch Hamlet and Laertes
to correlate directly with the health of the royal duel. Claudius has given Laertes a poisoned blade,
court, which is seriously suffering from the get-go which scratches Hamlet before he uses the same
of this play. Claudius is a corrupt man who enjoys blade to stab Laertes. Gertrude consumes a
drinking, throwing parties, and murdering his poisoned drink meant for Hamlet, and her demise
brother. Under his rule, Denmark suffers finally prompts Hamlet to act. He attacks Claudius,
financially as well as morally. whom he forces to consume the poison drops left
2. A motif in this novel is misogyny; Hamlet is over in Gertrude’s cup. Each character dies, and
particularly in support of the idea, as evidenced Hamlet is the final wounded player left. He speaks
by his contempt for his own mother, whom he with Horatio, imploring him to tell the story of
views as weak for marrying so quickly after the Hamlet and the royal court to all who will listen.
king’s death. Laertes and Polonius, too, handle Horatio promises to do so, and Hamlet dies. No
Ophelia, with kid gloves, especially in regards to sooner after the tragedy occurs does Fortinbras
her relationship with Hamlet. appear. He will rule as Denmark’s new leader.
3. In Act V Hamlet holds Yorick’s skull in his This final scene represents a restoration of order,
hands, a physical object that represents the as Fortinbras’s arrival represents a new regime
disintegration of the human body and the that will clean up a corrupted Denmark.
inevitability of death. This is significant in that
Hamlet is fixated with death, a theme he ponders
often like in his “To be or not to be” soliloquy.
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Possible Themes – Topics of Discussion (elaborate) minimum of 3
1. Madness is a theme that sticks out in Hamlet. Hamlet begins his antics in the hopes of appearing
harmless to Claudius and the rest of the royal court. He also wants to distract attention away from his
father’s death as well as have the freedom to openly examine Claudius’s guilty without raising
suspicion. This theme is intriguing because as although Hamlet’s madness is initially a ruse, the viewer
can’t help but wonder how much is acting near the end of the play. It seems more and more likely that
Hamlet’s lunacy is genuine.
2. Revenge is another obvious theme. At the beginning of the novel both Hamlet and the ghost king are
determined to exact their revenge on Claudius and Gertrude. However, as the story continues it
becomes apparent that Hamlet is not completely resolved in his decision to murder his uncle; in
reality, he spends most of the play facing an inner struggle as to what actions he should take against
Claudius. In this regard the play is not actually advocating revenge and bloodlust, but rather
questioning the wisdom and usefulness of it in the long term.
3. Mortality is a theme that Hamlet struggles the most with in this play. The prince suffers from an
existential crisis—he wants to know if anyone will even remember him after his death, and, if not, if it
really even matters at whose hands death comes. He also fails to come to terms with the uncertainty of
what waits for man after he leaves this earth, as evidenced by his “To be or not to be” speech.