About Hamlet

Hamlet could be seen a revenge tragedy according to a traditional Medieval - Renaissance vision. Hamlet is considered the greatest tragedy of Shakespeare as Macbeth.

The tragedy is set in the Kingdom of Denmark where there is something rotten. There are a lot of problems because there is not stability now. The passage of the crown does not follow a natural order. Indeed, the new king ascends to the thrown in an unnatural way, he has killed his brother  and now he takes his place.  

Hamlet is a son, but he has a mother and a step – father Claudius.

He is entrapped so he is in a complex situation and he does not know how to behave and what he has to do.

Her mother Gertrude is more stronger and she has affected him, his father and Claudius.

Hamlet does not know if Claudius has murdered his father, he has doubts, he is not sure of that since one night he hears the voice of his dead father’s ghost talking to him and asking for revenge. Hamlet is scared, he cannot resolve the situation but the idea of his father’s ghost gives him torment. He wants to know what was succeeded to his father so, Hamlet puts to the test his uncle and he is now convinced of his guilt. He also pretends crazy so all does not give weight to his actions and he could have more freedom.

In this play Shakespeare affronts three fundamental themes. The first is the political he set the story in a castle and he makes  players the two kings and the prince. The second is the issue family. Hamlet indeed, has to live with his step – father that is also his uncle and his mother. Finally, the third theme is that of adolescence and of the problems related to it.