UNIT 4:
“HAMLET-THE PRINCE OF DENMARK”
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
M.A Nguyen Thi Thuy Dung
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WARMING UP
Look at the picture. Which movie was this scene taken from? Who was the one that wrote the story?
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OBJECTIVES
After this lesson, the student will:
• Gain some knowledge about William Shakespeare – the idol of all times
• Be able to explain why Shakespeare is the idol of all times
• Gain some knowledge about the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare
• Be able to summarize and comprehend the play Hamlet
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OVERVIEW
4.1 William Shakespeare - the idol of all times
4.2 “Hamlet - The Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare
4.3 Analysing character “Hamlet”
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4.1.1. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William Shakespeare
• A famous English poet, playwright, and actor (1564-1616).
• Born in Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, the third of 8 children
• Sent to Stratford Grammar School – left school early as his father lost
money and social position.
• 1582: married Anne Hathaway, had 4 children
• The path to becoming an actor and playwright:
▪ 1592, Shakespeare came to London and became an actor and
playwright.
▪ 1596, classic plays of William Shakespeare was performing, including
Romeo and Juliet, Richard II, and Midsummer Night's Dream.
▪ Shakespeare spent most of his time in the city writing and acting.
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4.1.1. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Famous literary work
• 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and a variety of poems.
• Plays:
▪ Romeo and Juliet: Humanism of love and social tragedy, the famous romantic tragedy of sexually
charged adolescence, love, and death.
▪ Hamlet: one of his greatest historical tragedies.
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4.1.2. LITERARY WORK
Three groups:
• Histories: attention is paid to poetry and dramatic
effect than to historical accuracy.
Examples: Richard II, Henry IV
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4.1.2. LITERARY WORK
Three groups:
• Comedies: Sparkle with wit and humor, and
sometimes contain supernatural elements.
Examples: The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream
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4.1.2. LITERARY WORK
Three groups:
• Tragedies: reveal the depths and passions of human
soul in a way which has never been equaled
Examples: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello
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4.1.3. WHY IS SHAKEPEARE THE IDOL OF ALL TIME?
Shakespeare - The Master of Human experiences
• Reaches deep into the human soul and psyche in a way that no one else can.
• The plays are either comedies, tragedies, or histories, but each one holds complex themes of positive and
negative emotions, regardless of which category it falls into.
▪ Much Ado About Nothing
▪ King Lear
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4.1.3. WHY IS SHAKEPEARE THE IDOL OF ALL TIME?
The writer who never gets old
• His work remains culturally and socially relevant throughout centuries.
• Since the 16th century, over 4 centuries later, we continue to appreciate, perform, and teach the works of
Shakespeare.
• His work covered many topics that are still extremely relevant (love, death, ambition, power, fate, free will,..).
• The topic of racism in Othello.
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4.1.3. WHY IS SHAKEPEARE THE IDOL OF ALL TIME?
Influence on Language and Art
• On language
▪ Shakespeare introduced new vocabulary and phrases into English language.
▪ “It’s Greek to me”, “tongue-tied”, “in a pickle”, “apple of my eye,” etc.
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4.1.3. WHY IS SHAKEPEARE THE IDOL OF ALL TIME?
• On Art
▪ There are a number of books, novels and collections whose titles were
directly taken from some of Shakespeare’s lines from his plays or
poems.
- The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey (Richard III).
- The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (Macbeth).
- The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch (Hamlet).
▪ His literary contribution impacted on architecture, painting, drama,
music and film.
- The movie “Romeo and Juliet”.
- “Ran 1985” based on “King Lear”.
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4.1.3. WHY IS SHAKEPEARE THE IDOL OF ALL TIME?
An incredibly influential writer
Authors used phrases from Novels that the ideas or plot
Shakespeare’s works be the titles has been taken from
of their novels Shakespearian plays
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4.2. “HAMLET-THE PRINCE OF DENMARK” BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
• The full title of Shakespeare's Hamlet is Tragedy of Hamlet,
Prince of Denmark.
• Hamlet was written in 1601, the period happened fierce
social contradictions.
• Hamlet is considered the pinnacle of Shakespeare's art.
• The stage of Shakespeare's tragedy.
• The most profound psychological and social play.
• The issues that Hamlet mentions in Hamlet.
→ reflecting the spiritual value of Renaissance era.
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4.2.1. SUMMARY OF THE PLAY
• Context: Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play tells about Hamlet - a Danish prince whose uncle
murders the prince’s father, marries his mother, and claims the throne. The prince then manages to kill his
uncle in revenge.
• Watch an animation of Hamlet’s summary: Link
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4.2.1. SUMMARY OF THE PLAY
• Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. His father dies, his uncle, Claudius, marries his mother and takes the
throne.
• Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, telling Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius, and he wants Hamlet
to kill Claudius to avenge his death.
• He pretends to be mentally ill while he investigates the claims
• He becomes deeply affected mentally by the situation and ends up accidentally killing Polonius - the father
of Hamlet’s girlfriend, Ophelia, and, on hearing the news, she kills herself by drowning.
• In a sword fight between Hamlet and Laertes - Ophelia’s brother, Laertes has dipped his sword in poison,
which he has also added to some wine. This results in the deaths of Hamlet, his mother Gertrude, and
Claudius.
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4.3. LITERARY COMPREHENSION AND ANALYSIS
Answer the questions below:
1. Why doesn’t Hamlet kill Claudius right away?
2. Does Hamlet consider suicide?
3. How does Hamlet decide to test the ghost's story? By having the actors perform a play called the
mousetrap.
4. According to the ghost, how did Hamlet’s father die? The ghost reveals that Claudius poured poison into
King Hamlet’s ear while he slept. Therefore, King Hamlet’s death was a murder and not an accident.
5. What plan do the King and Laertes discuss to kill Hamlet? Put poison in a cup and offer Hamlet a drink.
6. What happens to the King, Hamlet, Laertes, and the Queen? 1. The King was killed by Hamlet. 2. Hamlet
was killed by Laertes' sword. 3. Laertes was killed by poison on his sword when Hamlet picked the wrong
sword in the fight. 4. The Queen drinks out of the cup meant for Hamlet and she died.
7. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is upset for two reasons. What are they? 1. Hamlet is upset because
his father died. 2. Hamlet is also upset because his mother married his Uncle very quickly after his father's
death.
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4.3. LITERARY COMPREHENSION AND ANALYSIS
Answers to the questions:
1. Why didn’t Hamlet kill Claudius right away?
Answer: At first, he doesn’t want to kill Claudius because he doesn’t feel as angry or determined to act as
he thinks he should, referring to himself as “unpregnant of my cause” ([Link]). Later Hamlet wonders whether
he can trust the Ghost: “The spirit that I have seen / May be a devil” (III.i.). If the Ghost is a devil rather than
the spirit of his father, then the possibility exists that the Ghost aims to manipulate him into committing a
sin. Finally, at the end of the play, Hamlet remains unable to decide whether killing Claudius is morally
justifiable, asking himself: “Is ’t not perfect conscience?” ([Link].).
2. Did Hamlet consider committing suicide?
Answer: Yes, he said “ to be or not to be”, which means to live or not to live
3. How does Hamlet decide to test the ghost's story?
Answer: By having the actors perform a play called the mousetrap.
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4.3. LITERARY COMPREHENSION AND ANALYSIS
Answers to the questions:
4. According to the ghost, how did Hamlet’s father die?
Answer: The ghost reveals that Claudius poured poison into King Hamlet’s ear while he slept. Therefore,
King Hamlet’s death was a murder and not an accident.
5. What plan do the King and Laertes discuss to kill Hamlet?
Answer: Put poison in a cup and offer Hamlet a drink.
6. What happens to the King, Hamlet, Laertes, and the Queen?
Answer: The King was killed by Hamlet. 2. Hamlet was killed by Laertes' sword. 3. Laertes was killed by
poison on his sword when Hamlet picked the wrong sword in the fight. 4. The Queen drinks out of the cup
meant for Hamlet and she died
7. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is upset for two reasons. What are they?
Answer: Hamlet is upset because his father died. 2. Hamlet is also upset because his mother married his
Uncle very quickly after his father's death.
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4.3. LITERARY COMPREHENSION AND ANALYSIS
• What does the soliloquy “to be or not to be” mean? Read the extract below and answer the question
To be, or not to be — that is the question. The insolence of office, and the spurns
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, When he himself might his quietus make
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep, To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
No more. And by a sleep, to say we end But that the dread of something after death,
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks The undiscovered country from whose bourn
That flesh is heir to — ‘tis a consummation No traveler returns, puzzles the will,
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep; And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub. Than fly to others that we know not of?
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil And thus the native hue of resolution
Must give us pause. There's the respect Is sickled o'er with the pale cast of thought;
That makes calamity of so long life. And, enterprises of great pith and moment,
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, With this regard, their currents turn awry
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, And lose the name of action.
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, (Act III, scene 1) 21
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4.3. LITERARY COMPREHENSION AND ANALYSIS
What does the soliloquy “to be or not to be” mean? Read the extract below and answer the question
"To be or not to be" means "To live or not to live" (or "To live or to die"). When Hamlet asks “To be or not to
be?”, he is asking himself whether it is better to be alive—and suffer what life offers—or to be dead by one’s
own hand and end the suffering. Hamlet discusses how painful and miserable human life is, and how death
(specifically suicide) would be preferable, would it not be for the fearful uncertainty of what comes after
death.
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4.3. LITERARY COMPREHENSION AND ANALYSIS
• Hamlet enters, speaking thoughtfully and agonizingly to himself about the question of whether to commit
suicide to end the pain of experience: “To be, or not to be: that is the question” (III.i.58). He says that the
miseries of life are such that no one would willingly bear them, except that they are afraid of “something after
death” (III.i.80). Because we do not know what to expect in the afterlife, we would rather “bear those ills we
have,” Hamlet says, “than fly to others that we know not of” (III.i.83–84).
• In the first place, Hamlet doesn’t talk directly about what he’s really talking about. When he questions
whether it is better “to be, or not to be,” the obvious implication is, “Should I kill myself?” The entire soliloquy
strongly suggests that he is toying with suicide and perhaps trying to work up his courage to do it. But at no
point does he say that he is in pain or discuss why he wants to kill himself. In fact, he never says “I” or “me”
in the entire speech. He’s not trying to “express” himself at all; instead, he poses the question as a matter of
philosophical debate.
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4.3. LITERARY COMPREHENSION AND ANALYSIS
“To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep...”
Act 3 Scene 1, ‘Hamlet’ – [Link]
→ Hamlet is debating whether death is truly the end of life or whether it is the beginning of something much
more frightening that we can never know. (Rockefeller, 2020)
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SUMMARY
The lesson covers some main points:
• Life and works of William Shakespeare
• A summary of Hamlet
• Understanding the play Hamlet
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