Hamlet – The Tragedy of Revenge and Hesitation

 

 

✍️ About the Author – William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was a playwright and poet representing the English Renaissance. He is one of the most influential figures in world literature. His works explore human desires, conflict, and fate across various genres including tragedies such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear, comedies like A Midsummer Night's Dream, and historical plays.

Hamlet is one of his Four Great Tragedies, showcasing Shakespeare’s peak philosophical and linguistic brilliance.

📚 Detailed Plot Summary (Chronologically)

📍 Time Setting:

Elsinore Castle in medieval Denmark – a royal court under a traditional monarchy.

1. The King’s Death and Queen’s Remarriage

The King of Denmark dies suddenly. His brother Claudius ascends to the throne and marries the Queen, Gertrude, just one month later. Prince Hamlet is devastated and disturbed by the situation.

2. The Ghost and the Revelation of Revenge

Soldiers witness the ghost of the dead king and inform Hamlet. Hamlet follows the ghost, which reveals that it was poisoned by Claudius and commands Hamlet to take revenge. Hamlet believes the ghost but is tormented by uncertainty.

3. Hamlet’s Madness and the Play

Hamlet pretends to be mad to divert attention and stages a play called The Mousetrap, which reenacts the king’s murder. Claudius becomes anxious and leaves abruptly, confirming his guilt to Hamlet.

 

4. Polonius’s Death

While speaking with Gertrude, Hamlet kills a man hiding behind a curtain, thinking it's Claudius. The man turns out to be Polonius, Ophelia’s father.

5. Ophelia’s Madness and Suicide

After distancing from Hamlet and the death of her father, Ophelia goes mad and drowns herself. Her death intensifies the sorrow and tension in the court.

6. The Duel with Laertes

Ophelia’s brother Laertes becomes enraged and challenges Hamlet to a duel. Claudius conspires with Laertes to poison Hamlet by coating the sword’s tip and poisoning Hamlet’s drink as a backup plan.

7. The Duel and Catastrophe

During the duel, the swords are accidentally switched, and both Hamlet and Laertes are poisoned. Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine and dies. Laertes, before dying, confesses Claudius’s plot. Hamlet stabs Claudius and dies shortly after.

8. Fortinbras Arrives

Prince Fortinbras of Norway arrives and brings closure to the tragedy by arranging a dignified funeral for Hamlet.

✏️ Final Reflection

Hamlet is not merely a revenge play—it questions the meaning of death, the conflict between action and hesitation, and the possibility of just vengeance. It is a philosophical drama that shakes the depth of human existence. The line “To be, or not to be” continues to echo Hamlet’s dilemma between life and death in our own minds.

📖 Three Recommended Reads

• King Lear – Shakespeare’s masterpiece about the bond between father and daughter, and the true nature of power.
• The Stranger – Albert Camus’s existential tale of Meursault confronting life and death, much like Hamlet.
• The Dark Forest – Liu Cixin’s sci-fi epic questioning human civilization and existence, echoing Hamlet’s quest for truth.