Character sketch of hamlet pdf study

Hamlet dominates the play and is possibly the most discussed and controversial character in the world of plays. The player king, like hamlet, is an erratic melancholic. Polonius is a windy, pedantic, interfering, suspicious, silly old man, a rash, intruding fool, in hamlet s phrase. A psychoanalytic study of hamlet 19 is indeed a masterly piece of. Hamlet experiences troubling events that affect his irrational behavior. Shakespeare has developed a character whose conflicts of interest and personality traits combine to lead him through actions that eventually led to his ultimate downfall, along with many of his. Hamlet by william shakespeare summary, themes, and analysis. Actor rory kinnear and director nicholas hytner explain some of the key aspects of hamlet s character. From the moment we meet the crestfallen prince we are enraptured by his elegant intensity. Hamlet is a tragic play written by william shakespeare somewhat in 1599.

Horatio hamlets close friend, who studied with the prince at the university in. His uncle, claudius, secretly murders his father claudius brother, marries gertrude, and becomes the new. Hamlet is so complete a character that, like an old friend or relative, our relationship to him changes each time we visit him, and he never ceases to surprise us. In the play gertrude demonstrates many characteristics and traits as the play progresses. Description focuses on the physical or external qualities of a.

Shrouded in his inky cloak, hamlet is a man of radical contradictions he is reckless yet. He returns to denmark from the university of wittenberg in the wake of his fathers death. Probably written in 1601 or 1602, this tragedy is a milestone in shakespeares dramatic development. The interpretation of the character of shakespeares hamlet, and of the play. The death of hamlet s father was the beginning of hamlet s drive towards insanity. As a backup plan, the king decides to poison a goblet, which he will give hamlet to drink should hamlet score the. He has no friends left, but horatio loves him unconditionally. Hamlet is a very unique individual and handles many situations in unusual ways. This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of hamlet. Devastated by his fathers death, he had nevertheless hoped to succeed him, only to see his uncle claudius both be chosen as king and marry his mother. The title character of this play, hamlet, suffers the loss of his father by murder and is told by his fathers ghost to avenge his death.

Horatio was hamlets confidant and best friend throughout much of the play horatio was the only person that hamlet could truly trust. Hamlet, son of queen gertrude and the late king hamlet, is a teenage boy who is loyal to his father and wants to protect his mother. Before you begin writing your character analysis, be sure you understand the difference between analyzing a literary character as found in a character analysis and merely describing one as found in a character sketch. The play hamlet is one of the greatest creations of william shakespeare. She is the motheraunt of hamlet, and she is also the wifeexsisterinlaw of king claudius. The idea of a woman playing the danish prince is especially interesting, because hamlet as a character is a man who seems to despise women, who detests what he perceives as his own femininity, who verbally abuses his mother, contributes to ophelias madness and suicide, and who seems to feel emasculated by the situation in which he finds himself. The tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark character analysis. Kemble plays it like a man in armour, with a determined inveteracy of purpose, in one undeviating straight line, which is as remote from the natural grace and refined susceptibility of the character, as the sharp angles and abrupt starts which mr. Hamlet s uncle and murderer of hamlet s fatherclaudius is a cunning politician whose lust for power and the queen set the plays tragic acts in. Hamlet, for example, is a compelling character because he is complicated.

Hamlet study guide explanatory notes, character analysis. Therein lies the secret to the enduring love affair audiences have with him. Horatio was hamlet s confidant and best friend throughout much of the play horatio was the only person that hamlet could truly trust. She is also mother to prince hamlet, the main character in this tragedy. She was married to the murdered king hamlet represented by the ghost in the play and has subsequently wed claudius, his brother. These brief discriptions of main characters in hamlet along with some hamlet character analysis will help you impress your friends and neighbors with your knowledge of literature. Hamlet one aspect that makes william shakespeares hamlet alluring is how he broke the limiting mold of the onedimensional character by representing characters in all of their human complexity. Polonius is forever fomenting intrigue and hiding behind tapestries to spy. A central quality of gertrudes character is that she loves her son. Focussing on key quotations and theatrical interpretations, tamara tubb explores the character of gertrude in hamlet and her role within the play. Can you help me write a character sketch for hamlet. Key facts about hamlet a research guide for students. Table of contents 2 the nature of hamlet s character. Before you begin writing your character analysis, be sure you understand the difference between.

Hamlet is shocked to find his mother already remarried to his uncle claudius, the dead kings brother. The main characters in hamlet are prince hamlet, the deceased king hamlet, claudius, gertrude, ophelia, polonius, laertes, and horatio. Horatio was the only man that did not play pawn to the king in an attempt to change and alter the feelings of hamlet in the matters of his fathers death and his new unclefatherin. The play of hamlet composed by shakespeare displays a significance like no other play. From the moment we meet the fallen prince we are delighted by his elegant intensity. Essay william shakespeare s hamlet character analysis.

This is that hamlet the dane, whom we read of in our youth, and whom we may be said almost to remember in our afteryears. Hamlet, in its relationship to revenge tragedy and to theater more generally, is one of the first dramas of this kind and perhaps still the most profound example of such postmodern concerns. Stylistically, hamlets character is both beautiful and poetic. Horatio was the only man that did not play pawn to the king in an attempt to change and alter the feelings of hamlet in the matters of his fathers death and his new unclefatherinlaw. Complicated and contradicted characters not only personal characteristics but also is product of that century. Character list for hamlet from the folger shakespeare library edition characters in the play the ghost hamlet, prince of denmark, son of the late king hamlet and queen gertrude queen gertrude, widow of king hamlet, now married to claudius king claudius, brother to the late king hamlet ophelia laertes, her brother.

An analysis of the person or the inner self of hamlet, an analysis of his relations with different characters in the play, namely, gertrude, his mother. Though charged by the ghost of his dead father to avenge his murder, hamlet is caught up. Hamlet is such a complex character that playing him in the action equivalent of going to the olympics. Hamlet is a noble character who falls into a deep melancholy. Hamlet is the natural son of queen gertrude and the recently deceased old king from whom he takes his name. Hamlet and claudius were major ond round character and. Hamlet character list hamlet the prince of denmark, the title character, and the protagonist. Character list for hamlet from the folger shakespeare.

Claudius, the plays antagonist, is the king of denmark and hamlet s uncle. Queen gertrude character analysis hamlet schoolworkhelper. Jun 01, 2017 focussing on key quotations and theatrical interpretations, tamara tubb explores the character of gertrude in hamlet and her role within the play. Character analysis of the ghost in hamlet introduction hamlet, probably the most dramatic character ever created. Shakespeare has developed a character whose conflicts of interest and personality traits combine to lead him through actions that eventually led. Realistically, hamlet may have suffered from a psychological disorder and several complexes. An introduction hamlet is without question the most famous play in the english language. In william shakespeares tragedy, hamlet, the main character, hamlet, is incredibly dynamic.

He is disgusted by his mother gertrude s marriage to his uncle claudius, which happened very soon. Nicole ventzke crystal jensen 1102 th 21411 hamlet character analysis. Free hamlet character analysis essay exampleessays. Shakespeare writes his plays in mostly iambic pentameter and fits the dialogue in that rhythm.

As a member, youll also get unlimited access to over 79,000 lessons in math, english, science, history, and more. His uncle, claudius, secretly murders his father claudius brother, marries gertrude, and becomes the new king. Hamlet study guide contains a biography of william shakespeare, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. A character analysis essay zoomsin on a character in a book, movie or even real life. He is the prince of denmark whose father, the king, was murdered by the kings brother, who then married hamlet s mother, gertrude, two months later. In the words of ernest johnson, the dilemma of hamlet the prince and man is to disentangle himself from. In william shakespeare s tragedy, hamlet, the main character, hamlet, is incredibly dynamic. Hamlet s father returns as a ghost and orders hamlet to revenge his murder. Covered with his inky cloak, hamlet, a man of radical contradictions he is reckless yet cautious, courteous yet uncivil, tender yet fierce. Oct 08, 2010 character sketch of hamlet slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The presence of supernatural influences, another theme of macbeth, is another factor that affects the main character s choices. Exact dates are unknown, but scholars agree that shakespeare published hamlet between 1601 and 1603. While he stays true to this characterization for almost the entire play, he does undergo a transformation by the end of the play.

Character analysis of the ghost in hamlet researchomatic. And like other shakespeare characters who rely on ghosts and otherworldly portents, such as hamlet and king lear, macbeth does not fare well in the end. Hamlet throughout hamlet the reader sees how hamlet s behaviors progresses from one extremity to another. First published in 1603, in a pirated quarto edition titled the tragicall historie of hamlet and then in 1604 in a superior quarto edition. He returns to denmark from the university of wittenberg. The ghost is the spirit of hamlet s father, who has recently died. Writing a character analysis essay stepbystep guide. Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of hatred for his uncles scheming and disgust for his mothers. He is the son of queen gertrude and king hamlet, who was murdered by his uncle claudius. In shakespeares hamlet, for example, the character of hamlet is dynamic because his attitudes and actions at the end of the play stand in direct contrast to those at the. By the end, hamlet decides that he is no longer going to deprive himself of the revenge he so badly desires against claudius, so he kills him. Hamlet, the prince of denmark, is shakespeares longest play and is wellthoughtout as the most influential literary work of literature. One of the many talents of the playwright william shakespeare was that he broke the limiting mold of the onedimensional character by representing characters in all of their human complexity.

According to the ghost of hamlets father, claudius is his killer. And hamlet is even more surprised when his fathers ghost appears and declares that he was murdered. Hamlet is just might the beginning of a new kind of literature that focuses on the struggles and conflicts between individual, rather on the external conflicts between individuals. Hamlet is the main character and protagonist in the play hamlet by william shakespeare. Hamlet is the son of king hamlet and queen gertrude. Lets get you started with some really simple details about what a character analysis is.

Hamlet the prince of denmark, the title character, and the protagonist. He is at once the consummate iconoclast, in selfimposed exile from elsinore society, while, at the same time, he is the adulated champion of denmark the peoples hero. Hamlet study guide please see the main page for the complete play with explanatory notes for each scene. Sample character analysis essay hamlet study notes. Hamlet characters and analysis a research guide for students. Introduction to hamlet hamlet is arguably the greatest dramatic character ever created. Essay on character analysis of hamlet 964 words bartleby. About thirty years old at the start of the play, hamlet is the son of queen gertrude and the late king hamlet, and the nephew of the present king, claudius. Character list for hamlet from the folger shakespeare library. Take your hr comms to the next level with prezi video. Though charged by the ghost of his dead father to avenge his murder, hamlet is caught up in his own intellectualizing and selfdoubt to act on his duty. She is a very caring character when hamlet is thinking about going back to wittenberg for.

He serves as the main character in the movie, who main goal was to avenge his fathers death. Professor regina buccola, chair of humanities at roosevelt university, explains characters in william shakespeares play hamlet. Hamlet is the plays central character and protagonist, widely regarded as one of the most psychologically complex and. Keans hamlet is as much too splenetic and rash as mr. Hamlet by shakespeare question 1 study hamlets playing his use of language when claudius interrogates him about the murder of polonius and the location of the corpse. Character list for hamlet from the folger shakespeare library edition characters in the play the ghost hamlet, prince of denmark, son of the late king hamlet and queen gertrude queen gertrude, widow of king hamlet, now married to claudius king claudius, brother to the late king hamlet ophelia. Analysis of act five of shakespeares hamlet character analysis of horatio comment on hamlet s to be or not to be soliloquy staging for shakespeares hamlet. Though charged by the ghost of his dead father to avenge his murder, hamlet is caught up in. Hamlet, in particular, has a lot of most famous things in it. When the ghost of the king, hamlets father, tells him that he was murdered by his brother claudius and that hamlet must avenge him, hamlet. Hamlet is affected by bipolar i disorder, causing him to act irritably and have an elevated mood. It provides what we sometimes call a sketch of a character. To put it cutely, hamlet itself is the main character of the play, and hamlet merely the means by which it explores its own place in the history of.

Hamlet is the prince of denmark, the son of the recently deceased king hamlet, and the protagonist of the play. To examine hamlet through a psychological perspective, one must use knowledge of behavioral psychology, which is the study of behavior that reveals inner thoughts. An analysis of the person or the inner self of hamlet, an analysis of his relations with different characters in the play, namely, gertrude, his mother, claudius, his new stepfather, ophelia, his love and his school friends, would help give an insight to the contradictions in the character hamlet that shakespeare has attempted to portray. Character analysis hamlet plays the role of a hero in the movie hamlet.

In many ways he does good, but flaws in his character cause him to lead a tragic life and make bad decisions. Because his plays are poetry, the language is floral and filled with comparisons and modifiers. The player queen, like ophelia, attends to a character in the murder of gonzago that is so far from cheer and from a former state. Hamlet characters analysis features noted shakespeare scholar william hazlitts famous critical essay about the characters of hamlet. Study guide summary overall analysis character analysis major characters rosencrantz. The creators of sparknotes hamlet characters from litcharts. Read our detailed notes below on the play hamlet by william shakespeare. Sep 01, 2015 actor rory kinnear and director nicholas hytner explain some of the key aspects of hamlets character. When we are first introduced to claudius, he scolds hamlet for still being so glum about his fathers death and forbids him to return to his university studies in wittenberg. Dec 06, 2011 on the one hand, hamlet is a character who is very much driven by emotion and and impulsive.

Hamlet character sketch conclusion all of these, hamlet is representative of the humanist in renaissance. The exact date of publication is unknown, however, many believe that it was published between 1601 and 1603. Hamlet is probably the most famous of shakespeares tragedies the source of the story of hamlet is actually quite old. Hamlet facts introduction to the significance provides background on the and history of the play history and origins of hamlet plot synopsis onepage summary of outline the story with a class the action in the play characters quick character sketches familiarize students with the in a twopage handout characters in hamlet. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Hamlet is a complex character with multiple character traits that lead him through his many confusing and often conflicting actions throughout the play. Through careful observation the reader is able to analyze the complexity of hamlets mysterious character.

Analysis and discussion of characters in william shakespeares hamlet. The paradox of hamlets nature draws people to the character. Hamlet is a complex character full of deep emotions and developmental problems it is revealed through his actions, thoughts, and words portrayed during the play. His fluidity as a character sets the foundation for the dramatic events that lead to hamlet s demise, as well as the demise of every other character aside from horatio. After his fathers ghost reveals its dark secret to him, hamlet declares that he will wipe away all trivial fond records,all saws of books, all forms, all pressures pastand thy commandment all alone shall livewithin the book and volume of my. Hamlet in william shakespeares play hamlet, the main character, hamlet is portrayed without a set position in society as well as in his personal life.

Hamlets tragic fate has relationship with centurys fate. Hamlet character list kenton county school district. Hamlet is the son of king hamlet, who was the king of denmark,before getting assassinated by king claudius. About thirty years old at the start of the play, hamlet is the son of queen gertrude and the late king hamlet, and the nephew of. After the kings death, hamlet s mother remarried the late kings brother, claudius, which drove hamlet s behavior even worse. Get free homework help on william shakespeares hamlet. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Access the interactive quiz from any mobile device, or print the worksheet for convenient study. He hatches the theory that ophelia caused hamlet to go mad by rejecting.

The father of ophelia and laertes and the chief adviser to the throne of denmark. An elizabethan gentleman traveling with his friend, guildenstern, to the castle elsinore to see their friend hamlet. Prince hamlet is introduced as a reflective, slowtoact character. As a result of his mothers hasty remarriage to claudius, her. Problem play and revenge tragedy the hamlet and ophelia subplot the norway subplot in hamlet introduction to the characters in hamlet hamlet plot summary the purpose of the murder of gonzago the dumbshow.