• The ghost of the recently deceased King Hamlet appears to Prince Hamlet, revealing that he was murdered by Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, who has since taken the throne and married Hamlet's mother.
• Hamlet grapples with the revelation, feigning madness and staging a play to confirm Claudius's guilt; relationships fray as Hamlet's erratic behaviour and obsession with revenge escalate tensions in the royal court.
• In a climax wrought with tragedy, multiple schemes for revenge culminate in a bloody duel, leading to the deaths of many central characters, including Hamlet himself.
In Shakespeare's "Hamlet," the ghost of Denmark's recently deceased king reveals to his son, Prince Hamlet, that he was murdered by Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, who has since taken the throne and married Hamlet's mother. Consumed by the revelation, Hamlet feigns madness to investigate and, in his obsession with revenge, inadvertently kills the king's counsellor, Polonius, leading to the madness and eventual death of Polonius's daughter, Ophelia. Claudius plots with Laertes, Polonius's son, as tensions rise, to kill Hamlet using a poisoned sword during a fencing match. The plan goes awry, leading to the deaths of most prominent characters, including Hamlet, and culminating in the Norwegian Prince Fortinbras claiming the Danish throne amidst the carnage.
The play is set in the Kingdom of Denmark and begins with the recent death of King Hamlet. Prince Hamlet, the deceased king's son, is deeply affected by his father's passing and even more so by the hasty remarriage of his mother, Queen Gertrude, to his uncle Claudius, who has now taken the throne. One night, the ghost of the dead king appears to Hamlet, revealing that Claudius murdered him. The ghost urges Hamlet to seek revenge.
Hamlet becomes consumed by this revelation. To investigate further and gauge reactions, he decides to feign madness and stages a play called "The Mousetrap," which mirrors the suspected circumstances of his father's murder. The performance rattles King Claudius, confirming his guilt in Hamlet's eyes.
As the plot thickens, Hamlet's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. He accidentally kills Polonius, the king's counsellor, thinking he might be Claudius. This act causes Ophelia, Polonius's daughter and Hamlet's love interest, to go mad and eventually drown; whether by accident or suicide remains ambiguous.
In the play's climax, Claudius, sensing Hamlet's threat, plots with Polonius's son, Laertes, to kill Hamlet. They arrange a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes, with Laertes using a poisoned-tipped sword. Claudius also prepares poisoned wine for Hamlet. The match turns deadly: Queen Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine meant for Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet wound each other with the tainted blade, and in the ensuing chaos, Hamlet manages to kill Claudius.
In the end, nearly all the major characters meet tragic fates. Hamlet succumbs to the poisoned wound inflicted by Laertes, who also dies. The play concludes with the Norwegian Prince Fortinbras arriving in Denmark, finding the royal family dead, and claiming the throne.
William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest literary works ever written, mainly due to its profound exploration of universal themes and the human condition. The play delves deeply into existential questions, tackling themes of revenge, corruption, mortality, and the complexities of action and inaction. With his introspective and philosophical nature, Hamlet embodies the human struggle with these themes, making him one of the most complex and enduring characters in literature. This depth of characterization and thematic exploration allows "Hamlet" to transcend its Elizabethan origins, resonate with audiences across different cultures and eras, and maintain its relevance over centuries.
Shakespeare's mastery of the English language is another critical factor in the play's enduring legacy. His innovative use of soliloquies, intricate wordplay, and rich metaphors enhances the play's dramatic quality and offers profound insights into the characters' inner worlds. The eloquence of the dialogue, with numerous lines and phrases becoming embedded in common usage, showcases Shakespeare's unparalleled ability to shape and influence the English language. The structural and dramatic innovations in "Hamlet," such as using a play within a play and blending different genres, demonstrate Shakespeare's skill in crafting a complex and compelling narrative.
The cultural and literary impact of "Hamlet" is immense and far-reaching. It has inspired many adaptations and reinterpretations across multiple media and disciplines, influencing the arts and fields like psychology. The play's presence in educational curriculums worldwide and its recognition, even among those unfamiliar with Shakespeare's work, testify to its profound influence. In sum, "Hamlet" is celebrated as a masterpiece due to its intricate exploration of deep philosophical themes, linguistic brilliance, and significant impact on literature and culture, qualities that firmly establish it as one of the greatest books in the annals of literature.
The character of Ophelia's father, Polonius, is believed by some scholars to be a satirical portrayal of Lord Burghley, Queen Elizabeth I's chief counsellor. This speculation is because Lord Burghley had a list of precepts, or rules for living, which closely resembled Polonius's famous speech to his son Laertes before he left for France. Adding to this theory, Lord Burghley's natural daughter, Anne Cecil, faced romantic difficulties similar to those of Ophelia and was courted by Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford—one of the speculated candidates for the actual authorship of Shakespeare's plays. This connection has fueled much debate among Shakespeare enthusiasts and scholars over the centuries.