Story Of Hamlet


The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Hamlet was written between 1599 and 1601, but the exact date is still unsure. Hamlet has 32,241 words and 3,924 lines, which makes it the longest known play to date.

In Act I, King Hamlet of Denmark, Hamlets dad, dies. King Claudius, who is the new king of Denmark, takes Gertrude, King Hamlets wife, as his own wife. In the first soliloquy, Hamlet explains that he doesn’t want his mom to marry King Claudius.

Hamlet meets the ghost of his father, and learns from him, and learns that he was poisoned by King Claudius. His fathers ghost tells Hamlet to avenge him but to not punish Gertrude for remarrying.

In the next act, Hamlet makes is speech about the greatness of man.. Hamlet plans to use a play to prove that King Claudius killed King Hamlet.

In act three, King Claudius decides to send Hamlet to England, because he no longer believes that Hamlet is only lovesick. The King and Polonius’ plan on eavesdropping on Hamlet’s conversation after Hamlet performs his play. Hamlet performs the play, mimicking his fathers ghosts description of how he died.

King Claudius, in a soliloquy, admits that he is afraid of Hamlet, and decides to send Hamlet to England, in order to protect himself, and realizes that he can not avoid divine justice from killing King Hamlet. Gertrude attempts to scold her son but instead, Hamlet scolds his mother for her actions, but then the ghost of his father appears and tells him to be gentle with Gertrude.

King Claudius speaks with Gertrude and she lies for her son telling King Claudius that Hamlet is as mad as a tempestuous sea, which causes King Claudius to become terrified of Hamlet, so he decides to send Hamlet to England immediately. King Claudius also asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to try to find out where Hamlet hid Polonius’ body.

Hamlet refuses to tell them, and is brought before King Claudius, then the two exchange words, and Hamlet tells King Claudius where Polonius’ body is. King Claudius tells Hamlet to go to England, supposedly for his own safety, and when he is gone, King Claudius reveals his plans to have Hamlet killed in England.

King Claudius meets with Laertes later and explains to him that Hamlet killed his father. King Claudius and Laertes plan Hamlets’ death to be a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes. Laertes then learned of his sister Ophelias’ death by drowning.

At Ophelias’ burial, the priest tells everyone that Ophelia committed suicide, which angers Laertes. Hamlet and Laertes have a dispute over Laertes exaggerated sorrow and Hamlet expressing that he loved Ophelia even more then her brother did.

Hamlet explains to Horatio how he had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed, resulting in Hamlet avoiding his planned death. Later Hamlet arrives at the castle to fence Laertes and Gertrude drinks a poisoned drink that was meant for Hamlet, but before she dies, she tells everyone that she was poisoned.

In the third round, Hamlet is stabbed and poisoned, later in the fight, Hamlet and Laertes exchange swords and Hamlet stabs and poisons Laertes, who explains that the swords tip is poisoned.

Before he dies, Hamlet stabs and kills King Claudius with the poisoned sword killing him and tells Horatio to tell everyone his story and recommends that Young Fortinbras be the next King of Denmark.


Citations:

“Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Summary” May 23, 2010. http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/hamlet/summary/hamlet_summary.htm

“Hamlet, the play by Shakespeare.” May 23, 2010. http://www.william-shakespeare.info/shakespeare-play-hamlet.htm