Hamlet

William Shakespeare

First performed around 1600, Hamlet tells the story of a prince whose duty to revenge his father’s death entangles him in philosophical problems he can’t solve. Shakespeare’s best-known play is widely regarded as the most influential literary work ever written. Read a character analysis of Hamlet, plot summary, and important quotes.

Summary

Read a Plot Overview of the entire play or a scene by scene Summary and Analysis.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Hamlet and in-depth analyses of Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, and Polonius.

Main Ideas

Here's where you'll find analysis about the play as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to analysis of style, tone, point of view, and more.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes.

Further Study

Test your knowledge of Hamlet with our quizzes and study questions, or go further with essays on the context and background and links to the best resources around the web.

Writing Help

Get ready to write your paper on Hamlet with our suggested essay topics, sample essays, and more.

Teacher's Handbook

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Hamlet SparkNotes Literature Guide

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