Welcome to the World of Hamlet!
Welcome! You are about to dive into what many people consider the greatest play ever written: Hamlet by William Shakespeare. This play is part of your "Shakespeare" section for the H072 syllabus.
Don’t worry if the language seems a bit like a puzzle at first. Think of Hamlet as a high-stakes psychological thriller. It’s got a ghost, a murder, a "fake" madness, and a big question: If someone did something terrible to your family, what would you do? In these notes, we will break down the big ideas so you can walk into your exam feeling like an expert.
1. The "Big Idea": Action vs. Inaction
The most important thing to understand about Hamlet himself is that he is a procrastinator. Most "Revenge Tragedies" of Shakespeare’s time were simple: someone kills your dad, you kill them back immediately.
Hamlet is different. He spends the whole play thinking, questioning, and waiting. This is often called Hamlet’s Hesitation.
Analogy: Imagine you have a huge essay due. You know you have to do it, but instead of writing, you clean your room, watch YouTube videos about how to write essays, and argue with yourself about whether the essay even matters. That is Hamlet, but with a sword and a kingdom on the line.
Quick Review: Why does he wait?
1. Moral Doubt: Is the Ghost actually his father, or a demon sent to trick him?
2. Overthinking: He is a student (from Wittenberg University) and prefers philosophy to fighting.
3. Religion: He is worried about going to hell if he commits murder.
Key Takeaway: Hamlet’s struggle isn’t just against his uncle; it’s against his own mind. Shakespeare uses this to explore what it means to be human.
2. Key Themes: What is the Play Really About?
Corruption and "The Body Politic"
In Shakespeare's time, people believed that if the King was "rotten" or evil, the whole country would become "sick." This is why Marcellus says the famous line: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
Did you know? This idea is called the Great Chain of Being. People believed God set an order for the world. By killing the rightful King, Claudius broke that chain, and now nature itself is falling apart.
Madness: Real or Faked?
Hamlet tells his friends he will put on an "antic disposition" (which means he will pretend to be crazy). This lets him say "crazy" truths to the King without getting arrested. However, as the play goes on, many readers wonder: Did he stop pretending and actually lose his mind?
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't just say Hamlet is "mad." Always use the word ambiguity. Shakespeare leaves it up to the audience to decide if Hamlet is faking it or not.
Mortality (Death)
Hamlet is obsessed with what happens after we die. You see this in the famous "To be, or not to be" soliloquy. He compares death to a "sleep" but is terrified of the "dreams" (the afterlife) that might come with it.
3. Shakespeare’s Craft: How He Shapes Meaning
To get top marks in AO2 (Language and Structure), you need to look at how Shakespeare writes.
The Soliloquy
A soliloquy is when a character speaks their inner thoughts out loud to the audience while they are alone on stage.
Think of it as: A musical "voiceover" in a movie. It’s the only time we know for sure that a character is telling the truth. In Hamlet, these soliloquies show us his intelligence and his deep sadness (melancholy).
Imagery of Disease and Decay
Shakespeare uses lots of words related to sickness: "ulcer," "canker," "mildewed," "sicklied o’er."
Memory Aid: Think of the "Sickness in the State." The more corrupt the characters become, the more the language sounds "gross" or "decaying."
Key Takeaway Summary:
- Theme: Revenge vs. Mercy.
- Language: Use of soliloquies to show inner conflict.
- Context: The "Divine Right of Kings" (killing a King is a sin against God).
4. Context: The Elizabethan World (AO3)
To understand the play, we have to look at the world Shakespeare lived in.
The Revenge Tragedy: This was a popular genre. Usually, they were very bloody. Shakespeare "subverted" (changed) the genre by making his hero a thinker rather than a doer.
The Protestant vs. Catholic View of Ghosts:
- Protestants (like most people in Shakespeare's England) thought ghosts were usually demons in disguise.
- Catholics believed ghosts were spirits from Purgatory who needed help.
Hamlet is stuck between these two ideas, which adds to his hesitation!
5. Different Interpretations (AO5)
The syllabus requires you to know that people see this play differently over time.
1. The "Romantic" View: Hamlet is a sensitive, poetic soul who is too "good" for the cruel world around him.
2. The "Psychoanalytic" View (Freud): This focuses on Hamlet's strange relationship with his mother, Gertrude (often called the Oedipus Complex). He hates Claudius not just for the murder, but because Claudius took the place Hamlet secretly wanted.
3. The "Feminist" View: This focuses on Ophelia and Gertrude. It argues that they aren't "weak," but are trapped in a world run by powerful, violent men.
6. Simple Tricks for Success
- Use the "Wait, why?" Method: Whenever Hamlet speaks, ask yourself: Is he being honest, or is he performing for someone else? This helps you analyze his duplicity (being two-faced).
- Connect the dots: If you quote a line about "weeds" or "rotting," always connect it back to the theme of Corruption.
- Don't ignore the ending: The play ends with Fortinbras (a man of action) taking over. This suggests that in a political world, thinkers like Hamlet often lose to the "doers."
Quick Review Box
Key Characters:
- Hamlet: The mourning Prince of Denmark.
- Claudius: The "villain" uncle (The Usurper).
- Gertrude: Hamlet's mother (The Queen).
- Ophelia: Hamlet's love interest who descends into real madness.
- Polonius: The meddling father of Ophelia.
Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! Shakespeare wrote these plays to be performed, not just read in a book. Try watching a clip of a soliloquy on YouTube—it will make the emotions feel much more real!