Hamlet Summary Analysis post

HAMLET

Hamlet is a play set in Denmark in the middle ages (old enough that England was under the control of Denmark). Hamlet is a revenge tragedy in which a Danish prince (Hamlet) is trying to avenge his father (also called Hamlet) by killing his uncle (Claudius) who murdered the first Hamlet. Hamlet finds this all out through a ghost of his father, which sets the scene for Hamlet to kill Claudius, but it takes the entire length of the play for him to do it.

Other important plot lines of Hamlet:
Claudius and Gertrude: their "incestuous" marriage that closely followed Hamlet's death, the motives for the marriage

Ophelia and Hamlet's romance: Ophelia, Polonius' daughter and Laertes' sister, had a relationship with Hamlet and it is implied that they had sex, but Polonius (Claudius' adviser and a man with much power) orders her not to talk to Hamlet, which she actually does. Hamlet pretends to be insane after he decides to kill Claudius to throw everyone off, and it is misunderstood as him having gone mad due to his love for Ophelia. Hamlet eventually drives Ophelia mad and she kills herself towards the end of the play.

Fortinbras' and Hamlets' war/feud: Norway and Denmark have been intermittently fighting for an indefinite amount of time (at least 30 years, since Hamlet killed the old king Fortinbras) and Denmark controls some land that Norway used to control. They are constantly on alert for an attack from the other, and Fortinbras is said to be a foil to Hamlet (uncle who is king, father murdered while king, young prince who is rightful heir to kingdom) although he isn't present until late in the last scene of the play. Fortinbras takes control of Denmark during the chaos at the end of the play after passing through the kingdom on the pretense of attacking Poland.

Hamlet's relationship with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: His childhood friends are summoned by the Queen and King to spy on him and see if he is actually mad. Hamlet realizes this quickly and severs his ties to them, eventually sending them to their deaths after he evaded his own, making a forged letter to the English royalty. 

Hamlet and Horatio: Hamlet's friend from college, Horatio, is extremely loyal to him and Hamlet trusts him with any and all information. Horatio is also trusted by pretty much everyone else that he meets and doesn't break anyone's trust. It was suggested that Hamlet and Horatio could be having a relationship or are romantically interested in each other, although Hamlet doesn't really seem to be treating Horatio very well if that is the case as their friendship is very one-sided.

• They briefly describe the narrative voice and offer some commentary on the author’s style, including at a minimum a discussion of point of view, tone, imagery, and symbolism, (you are not limited to these topics—you may include anything else that you believe is a significant component of narrative voice or authorial style)

Shakespeare is obviously very skilled at dialogue, but also often uses soliloquies to expand upon important ideas, as he does many times with Hamlet in this play.

Quotes:

"Not a whit, we defy augury: there's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come. If it be not to come, it will be now. If it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all."

This quote shows that Hamlet has accepted that he is unable to determine his fate and that he accepts whatever it will be. 

"There's something rotten in the state of Denmark."

This is a quote that can be interpreted to refer to many of the different themes in Hamlet. Refers to Claudius' murder of Hamlet.

"My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth."

This quote can be used in discussing that Hamlet's dilemma of action/inaction was a central part of the play, and at this point he commits himself to action.

• They contain a labeled, clear, one-sentence statement of theme and, distinctly separated from this claim about theme, offer a brief discussion of how elements such as setting, plot, the work’s title, narrative voice, the author’s style, tone, imagery, and symbolism support this theme.