Hamlet

Detailed Summary & Analysis

Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 1, Scene 3 Act 1, Scene 4 Act 1, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 1 Act 3, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 3 Act 3, Scene 4 Act 4, Scene 1 Act 4, Scene 2 Act 4, Scene 3 Act 4, Scene 4 Act 4, Scene 5 Act 4, Scene 6 Act 4, Scene 7 Act 5, Scene 1 Act 5, Scene 2

Themes

All Themes Action and Inaction Appearance vs. Reality Women Religion, Honor, and Revenge Poison, Corruption, Death

Quotes

Characters

All Characters Hamlet Claudius Gertrude Polonius Ophelia The Ghost Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Laertes Horatio Fortinbras Yorick

Symbols

All Symbols Yorick’s Skull Ophelia’s Flowers

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Shakespeare Translations

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

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Introduction

Plot Summary

Detailed Summary
& Analysis

Act 1, Scene 1
Act 1, Scene 2
Act 1, Scene 3
Act 1, Scene 4
Act 1, Scene 5
Act 2, Scene 1
Act 2, Scene 2
Act 3, Scene 1
Act 3, Scene 2
Act 3, Scene 3
Act 3, Scene 4
Act 4, Scene 1
Act 4, Scene 2
Act 4, Scene 3
Act 4, Scene 4
Act 4, Scene 5
Act 4, Scene 6
Act 4, Scene 7
Act 5, Scene 1
Act 5, Scene 2

Themes

All Themes
Action and Inaction
Appearance vs. Reality
Women
Religion, Honor, and Revenge
Poison, Corruption, Death

Quotes

Characters

All Characters
Hamlet
Claudius
Gertrude
Polonius
Ophelia
The Ghost
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Laertes
Horatio
Fortinbras
Yorick

Symbols

All Symbols
Yorick’s Skull
Ophelia’s Flowers

Theme Wheel

Hamlet Study Guide

New! Understand every line of Hamlet.

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It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.

MLA

Tanner, Alexandra. "Hamlet." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 22 Jul 2013. Web. 12 Dec 2019.

Chicago

Tanner, Alexandra. "Hamlet." LitCharts LLC, July 22, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2019. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/hamlet.

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Hamlet in Plain English

The LitCharts Shakespeare translation of Hamlet

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