Facts of the novel

Title: Hamlet

Author: William Shakespeare

Date of publication: 1602

Genre: Shakespearean tragedy

3 significant Moments/Scenes

• The reenactment of Hamlet's father’s death in play form: The scene is very powerful as it gives Hamlet a concrete reason to act against Claudius and overthrow his reign of lies and manipulation, the revelation of his murder opens the questioning about the dark secrets that his uncle must be hiding, therefore fulling him with the raw desire of revenge that moves the plot until the resolution.

• Ophelia’s breakdown: While there are no traditionally female characters in the play, it speaks volumes about the painful and difficult struggles and fates that women have had to face throughout history. Ophelia and Gertrude, the play's only two traditional female characters, are both misunderstood and underdeveloped. This reflects how women were perceived at the time the play was written, in the early 17th century. The breakdown is represented in a very dramatic way, making her look as if she was “crazy”, this underlines the stereotypes surrounding women and their inability to express themselves without the constraints or judgment in society.

• Hamlet discovers Yorick’s skull and his speech about accepting death: Throughout the play, Hamlet muses on the nature of life in relation to the inevitability of fate and death, reflecting on the insignificance of life in relation to the natural order, which applies even to those he admires. Yorick's skull represents the dividing line between life and its ultimate destination, death.

Major Characters X3 (Significance/Importance)

• Hamlet: Throughout the play, Hamlet's entire attitude is predicated on taking revenge, and this revenge brings him into a state of madness.

• Gertrude: She introduces Claudius and makes Hamlet feel isolated. She contributes to the theme by instilling feelings of isolation and betrayal in Hamlet and those he cares about.

• Claudius: Claudius contributes to the theme of betrayal. Claudius murders his brother in order to take over his kingdom and marry his wife, which is central to Hamlet's plot. The novel's initial conflict is caused by Claudius.

Theme X2  w/ Evidence

• Hamlet is still bereaved, frustrated, and angry, but his helpless and confused cowardice is being overcome by the belief that he can change his situation. Overall, this gives the reader a better understanding of Hamlet's feelings and his complicated situation; it also reveals a much more vulnerable side of the character by showing how he feels powerless to act in the face of the truth.

• The evidence that supports this theme is Hamlet’s second soliloquy that depicts his feelings regarding the queen’s new marriage and Claudius taking the throne, feeling incompetent for not acting and solving the corruption that fell in Denmark.

• The betrayal is the text's main point of contention. Hamlet's betrayal of his uncle, his uncle's betrayal of his father and kingdom, and Gertrude's "betrayal" of her husband and son are all examples of betrayal. The play revolves around these physical conflicts as well as the emotional turmoils they cause, such as Hamlet's hesitation, rage, and fear, Ophelia's desperation, and ultimate madness, and Gertrude's worry, guilt, and vanity, to name a few. Evidence supporting this assertion is the play that reveals Claudius’ role in the king’s assassination, Hamlet is able to unmask the betrayal of his uncle towards his own brother in his obsession with power and influence.