hamlet essay assignment

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

100+ Hamlet Essay Topics

Table of Contents

What is a Hamlet Essay?

A Hamlet essay is an analytical piece that delves into the themes, characters, plot, motifs, or historical context of William Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy, “Hamlet”. This play, often touted as one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written, is rife with profound topics and subtle nuances. When writing an essay on “Hamlet”, students explore these intricacies, shedding light on the play’s enduring relevance and its multifaceted layers.

Choosing the Right Topic for Your Hamlet Essay: A Quick Guide

In choosing a Hamlet essay topic, consider what aspect of the play intrigues you the most. Is it the psychological torment of Hamlet, the play’s exploration of existentialism, or perhaps its political undertones? Reflect on the themes that resonate with you. Review the play and take notes on pivotal scenes or dialogues. Your passion will come through in your writing, making your essay more engaging. Moreover, ensure your topic is not too broad; narrowing it down will allow for a deeper analysis.

Hamlet Essay Topics to Spark Your Imagination

Character analysis.

• Hamlet : A Study in Paralysis and Procrastination
• Ophelia’s Descent into Madness
• The Dual Nature of King Claudius
• Gertrude: Victim or Villain?
• Horatio: Hamlet’s Constant in a Chaotic World

Thematic Concerns

• The Play Within the Play: Exploring Metatheatre in Hamlet
• Madness vs. Sanity: A Thin Line in Elsinore
• Revenge and Its Consuming Nature
• Death and Decay: Imagery and Symbolism
• Betrayal and Loyalty: Conflicting Values

Symbolism and Motifs

• The Significance of Yorick’s Skull
• The Poisoned Sword and Cup: Instruments of Fate
• The Role of the Ghost in Driving the Plot
• Flowers in Ophelia’s Hands: More Than Just Bloom
• The Omnipresent Notion of Eavesdropping

Historical and Contextual Analysis

• Elizabethan Beliefs About Madness as Reflected in Hamlet
• Hamlet and the Renaissance Man
• The Influence of Greek Tragedy on “Hamlet”
• Political Strife and Its Reflection in Elsinore
• “Hamlet” in the Lens of Protestant Reformation

Comparative Studies

• “Hamlet” and “Oedipus Rex”: Tragedies of Fate
• The Role of Women in “Hamlet” vs. “Macbeth”
• How Film Adaptations Have Interpreted Hamlet’s Soliloquies
• Modern Interpretations of “Hamlet” in Popular Culture
• “Hamlet” and “Lion King”: From Denmark to Pride Rock

Character Exploration

• Hamlet : The Complexity of His Avenging Mission
• Ophelia: Between Love and Loyalty
• The True Intentions of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
• Laertes: The Counterpart to Hamlet’s Revenge Quest
• Polonius: The Manipulative Councilor

Themes and Philosophical Inquiries

• The Ubiquity of Death in “Hamlet”
• Exploring Existentialism in Hamlet’s Soliloquies
• The Consequences of Deception and Secrets
• The Tragedy of Miscommunication in Elsinore
• Corruption and Moral Degradation in the Danish Court

Symbolism and Literary Devices

• The Role of Ghosts in Elizabethan Drama and “Hamlet”
• The Significance of the Play-within-a-Play Scene
• The Use of Mirrors and Reflections in Character Dynamics
• Gardens as Symbols of Decay and Corruption
• The Sea and its Symbolic Representations

Structural Analysis

• The Role and Impact of Soliloquies in “Hamlet”
• The Use of Foreshadowing in the Tragedy’s Climax
• The Dramatic Ironies that Pervade the Play
• The Significance of Off-Stage Actions in “Hamlet”
• The Role of Acts and Scenes in Pacing the Drama

Comparative Analyses

• Contrasting “Hamlet” with Other Shakespearean Tragedies
• “Hamlet” and “Othello”: Exploring Jealousy and Betrayal
• A Comparative Study of “Hamlet” and its Sources
• The Transformation of the “Hamlet” Story Through Time
• “Hamlet” vs. “Romeo and Juliet”: Love in the Midst of Tragedy

Modern Interpretations and Adaptations

• “Hamlet” in Today’s Pop Culture References
• Cinematic Interpretations of “Hamlet”: From Olivier to Branagh
• “Hamlet” in Non-English Theater: A Global Perspective
• Updating “Hamlet”: The Challenges and Rewards
• The Influence of “Hamlet” on Modern Dramatic Writing

Feminist Perspectives

• The Role and Representation of Women in “Hamlet”
• Gertrude: Passive Queen or Calculative Player?
• Ophelia’s Voice and Silence: A Feminist Reading
• The Paternal Controls Over Ophelia and Gertrude
• Women’s Agency in “Hamlet”: A Critical Exploration

Historical and Contextual Insights

• The Influence of Shakespeare’s Life Events on “Hamlet”
• “Hamlet” and the Elizabethan Worldview on Ghosts and the Supernatural
• Political Undertones in “Hamlet”: The State of Denmark
• Elizabethan Theater and its Reflection in “Hamlet”
• “Hamlet” and the Reflection of Renaissance Humanism

Psychological Angles

• Hamlet’s Oedipal Complex Explored
• The Mental State of Characters: Who’s Truly Mad?
• The Psychological Effects of Grief and Loss in “Hamlet”
• Fear, Paranoia, and Suspicion: A Psychological Dive into Elsinore’s Inhabitants
• Analyzing “Hamlet” Through the Lens of Freudian Psychoanalysis

Miscellaneous Topics

• The Role of Fate vs. Free Will in “Hamlet”
• The Ethical Implications of Revenge in “Hamlet”
• Exploring Religion and Morality in “Hamlet”
• The Concept of Honor in “Hamlet”
• The Nature of True Friendship in the Play

Narrative Techniques and Structure

• The Role of the Chorus in “Hamlet”: Absence and Implication
• Non-linear Storytelling in “Hamlet”: Flashbacks and Memories
• The Significance of Interludes and Their Impact on the Main Plot
• Parallel Plots in “Hamlet”: Subplots and Their Relation to the Central Narrative

Cultural Perspectives

• “Hamlet” from an Eastern Philosophical Perspective
• “Hamlet” in the Context of African Oral Traditions
• Exploring “Hamlet” from a Postcolonial Point of View
• The Play’s Universality: Why “Hamlet” Resonates Globally

Philosophical and Ethical Discussions

• “To Be or Not To Be”: Hamlet’s Exploration of Nihilism
• The Dichotomy of Action vs. Inaction in “Hamlet”
• Ethical Ambiguities: Is Hamlet Justified in His Actions?
• Determinism and Free Will in “Hamlet”

Performance and Stagecraft

• The Evolution of “Hamlet” Stage Productions Over the Centuries
• Modern Theatrical Interpretations of “Hamlet” and their Relevance
• Challenges of Portraying Hamlet: An Actor’s Perspective
• The Role of Stage Directions in Shaping “Hamlet’s” Performances

Secondary Characters and Their Significance

• Fortinbras: The Silent Counterpart to Hamlet
• Gravediggers in “Hamlet”: Humor Amidst Tragedy
• Osric: A Reflection of Elsinore’s Decaying Morality
• Marcellus and Bernardo: The Unsung Heroes of Elsinore

Get Writing Help

Struggling with your “Hamlet” essay? At writeondeadline.com , we offer top-tier essay writing services tailored to your needs. Allow our expert writers to bring your insights to life, delivering a masterpiece worthy of Shakespeare himself. Order your essay now!

Useful References

• William Shakespeare’s Hamlet – Full Text
• Royal Shakespeare Company’s Guide to Hamlet
• Shakespeare Online: Hamlet Essays
• BBC’s In-Depth Look at Hamlet

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Review of Hamlet by William Shakespeare

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Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example

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Looking for the Hamlet analysis essay? Read this drama analysis essay example and get an insight into Hamlet themes and characters.

Introduction to the Drama Analysis Example

Hamlet themes, analysis of characters in hamlet, conclusion of the hamlet analysis essay.

In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare who is one of the most influential writers in history has elaborated the contemporary themes in society into a piece of literature as revealed in the drama. Due to his universal way of creating themes, he has been able to influence the western literature. In the contemporary theatre of the western, they still view Shakespeare’s work being relevant.

Shakespeare therefore uses the stylistic device of a play within a play to pass his information to the audience as well as helping him develop his plot. Shakespeare has in this case therefore used the main actor Hamlet in portraying this device. Hamlet who is a character in the play is again seen in another play within the play, which he acts in order to be in a position to kill Claudius.

Hamlet is a play that depicts a vivid drama of melancholy and insanity as well as famous of its ghostliness. In this play, Shakespeare has used various elements of literature to develop the plot of the play. In this case, the writer has used characters, settings, symbols, themes, characterization and other elements of literature in the development of the plot. The writer has used these elements correlatively to achieve his plot.

Themes are used to develop characters in the play. For instance, the writer has used the theme of betrayal to develop the main character Hamlet in the play hence the development of the plot. The writer used the name of the play as the name of the main actor while other characters in the play helped in development of the predominant theme in the main character.

Therefore, four main characters have greatly contributed by playing major roles. Hamlet experienced character development through the betrayals of Ophelia with whom he is romantically involved. Gertrude is his mother and Claudius’ wife while Gildernstern and Rosencrantz were his friends from the University of Wittenberg.

When the scene begins, there is a very close relationship between Hamlet and the mother, which later fades off when Gertrude remarries his uncle Claudius two months after his father’s death. This culminated the distrust in women since his mother was the most important female in his life.

He therefore uses mockery phrases like “such dexterity to incestuous sheets” and “frailty, thy name is woman”. Such phrases illustrated how disgusted and disappointed he was towards his mother and women as well as depicting how isolated he was as a young man.

The theme of madness has also played major role in the development of the plot. Insanity was used in many revenge tragedies like in the first revenge tragedy of Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus. Unlike in the case of Hamlet where the madness is ambiguous, other revenge tragedies in the character have been unambiguous.

In the source of Shakespeare’ plot in Hamlet, the main protagonist feigns his madness to be in the position to revenge without being suspected by the king (Claudius) whom he plots to kill. In the play, Hamlet’s madness tends to distract him from accomplishing his mission as it is depicted in the play as being with very little interest in accomplishing the mission of the ghost even after proving that Claudius is guilty (act 4 scene 2).

Hamlet therefore acts like a mad person in the play since he is aware in a bizarre manner that he should act as a mad man to accomplish the role of revenge in Hamlet. He knows the role that he is supposed to play even though to some extent he does not attain it satisfactorily.

This in return built Hamlet as a character who wants to revenge. Ophelia is another character who plays the part of a mad person but in her case, she is innocently mad. Ophelia loses her senses of self-knowledge and composure completely and therefore insane.

Suicide is another theme that has been used by Shakespeare to develop the plot in Hamlet. The play has been shaped using Ophelia as well as Hamlet. Hamlet deeply contemplates about the issue of suicide and this is seen in his soliloquies. He keeps on asking himself questions about the act of murder.

Hamlet had the fear to kill because of his social as well as religious morals. He views suicide as a crime in the societal view and even before God who gives life. He also had the fear of what happens to the person after he has departed from this world and going to the world of the deaths.

Ophelia’s death also arouses many issues where some people say that she died a natural death while others say that she committed suicide. According to Hamlet’s mother, Ophelia’s death was accidental because she drowned while on the other hand, the priest and the gravediggers said it clearly that Ophelia killed herself. This therefore left the people feeling that Gertrude’s narration was just a story to cover up the whole issue of murder since it was viewed as an immoral act in the society (act 5).

In Hamlet, Shakespeare has used women characters in the development of the plot. In the play, women are seen to play minor roles but very essential in development of the plot. In the play, Gertrude and Ophelia are the two women in direct relationship with the main protagonist. The writer develops the theme of love in the play using Gertrude who is the main protagonist’s mother. This is seen when Gertrude tries to stop the death of his son because Hamlet never loved her as a mother.

This is because; he felt that her mother was involved in the murder of his father. She is concerned about the well-being of her son, which proves the reason why Claudius could not inform her about the plot of killing his stepson. Ophelia is portrayed as loving because after the death of her father she became insane.

This is evident when she started using abusive language in public without fear as she used to behave in the previous scene, where Hamlet could abuse her and she could not respond due to the fear she had as woman who was under the power of a man.

The theme of patriarchal is built around the two women to show how they were not allowed to make decisions on their own. For example, in the case of Ophelia, she is forced by the father (Claudius) and her brother Laertes not to love Hamlet because the brother feels that Hamlet is playing with her feelings.

Trying to satisfy the wants of the father and brother, Hamlet blames her and even insults her, but since Ophelia does not have power to explain to him what was underlying the whole issue, she ends up suffering. The husband on the other hand see Gertrude as a less repressed person but Claudius married her so that he can be able to promptly take over the throne after Hamlet’s death and pretend that he is good just like the previous king by remarrying his wife.

Ophelia has been used to develop the stylistic device of symbolism in the play towards the development of the plot. The symbolism of her language in the play increases the range of meanings depicted in the play.

For example, Ophelia is emotional after hearing about the death of her father and throws flowers in every place around her as a sign of purity (act 4 scene 4). On the contrary, this symbolizes her deflowering as a person, on the other scene of her madness.

Lastly, the two characters have contributed in the development of the plot and again helped the writer to portray the fate of his heroes in the play. When Ophelia rejects Hamlet, Hamlet’s disgust his mother’s remarriage, taints the opinion about all women hence making him an isolated man. The madness death of Ophelia fortifies her brother’s determination of revenging on Hamlet, which results to the final catastrophe in the play. Gertrude cared for his son but could not control the tragedy from taking place.

The writer has used Hamlet who is the main character in the play to build other themes hence the development of the plot. After the death of Hamlet’s father, Hamlet plots on how to kill Claudius after the spirit confirmed to him that Claudius is the one who killed his father.

However, in the play Hamlets avenge on Claudius. “… I, his son, do this same villain send to heaven, why, this is hire and salary, not revenge” (Act 3 scene 3 78-84).

Honor is another theme portrayed through Hamlet the main protagonist. This theme is best depicted when Hamlet takes order from the ghost to revenge on Claudius as if the order came from God. “… With wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge” (1.v.35-37).

The writer develops the plot using Claudius, Hamlet’s brother the king who later marries Gertrude his brother’s wife. In the play, he is Hamlet’s major avenger who is portrayed as lustful because he took his brother’s wife, Shrewd. He takes the throne that does not belong to him and allows his son revenge on Hamlet.

Due to these characters, he stands out as a man with contrasting characters from other men in the play. The ideas of Hamlet are just, honest and full of revenge but Claudius ensures that his power is maintained. In conclusion, the writer has also used other elements in correlation like the setting of the play to bring out the meaning in Hamlet.

Shakespeare therefore does not present various elements of literature as single entities in the play but he uses his concept of unity to express them as a single entity. Therefore, in this case, he uses characters in the play to develop themes and stylistic devices as well as using the themes to create the characters hence the clear development of the play.

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IvyPanda. (2018, June 26). Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drama-analysis-of-hamlet-by-shakespeare/

"Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example." IvyPanda , 26 June 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/drama-analysis-of-hamlet-by-shakespeare/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example'. 26 June.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example." June 26, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drama-analysis-of-hamlet-by-shakespeare/.

1. IvyPanda . "Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example." June 26, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drama-analysis-of-hamlet-by-shakespeare/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example." June 26, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drama-analysis-of-hamlet-by-shakespeare/.