Hamlet, William Shakespeare, 1603

Hamlet Review

About

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (circa 1600) remains perhaps the most profound exploration of grief, revenge, and the human psyche in world literature. Set in the royal court of Denmark, it combines political intrigue, metaphysical reflection, and deep emotional anguish in a story that still feels startlingly modern. Its language alone justifies its immortality.

Overview

The play begins when Prince Hamlet learns from his father’s ghost that he was murdered by his uncle, now King Claudius. Torn between moral duty and existential doubt, Hamlet’s quest for revenge becomes a descent into madness—whether feigned or real. Shakespeare balances philosophy and drama, staging questions that remain unanswered: What is justice? What is truth? What does it mean to act?

Summary

(light spoilers) Hamlet hesitates, investigates, and dissembles, staging a play within the play to expose his uncle’s guilt. Yet every action breeds unintended consequences: Ophelia’s madness, Polonius’s death, and the unraveling of an entire court. The final act delivers blood and clarity in equal measure—everyone pays the price of indecision. The famous soliloquy, “To be, or not to be,” captures the core of the play: life itself as an unbearable question. Hamlet dies, but his doubt lives on—echoing through every reader who’s ever hesitated between thought and deed.

Key Themes / Main Ideas

• Revenge and morality — justice at war with conscience.
• Madness — sanity as both mask and mirror.
• Mortality — death as the final truth of existence.
• Corruption — political rot reflecting inner decay.
• Truth and uncertainty — the limits of knowledge and perception.

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Strengths — Unmatched psychological depth and poetic mastery.
• Strengths — Every generation finds itself in Hamlet’s doubt.
• Weaknesses — Dense language demands patience and rereading.
• Weaknesses — Length and complexity challenge casual audiences.

Reviewed with focus on themes, audience, and takeaways — William Shakespeare