SHAKESPEARE’S

Hamlet

REIGNING MONARCHY

Q

ueen Elizabeth

R

eceived a formal education

N

ever married

L

oved the theater

R

uler after Queen

Elizabeth

—King James

SHAKESPEARE’S LIFE

P

arents John and Mary Arden

B

orn April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon

D

ied April 23, 1616, buried at Holy Trinity Church

C

hildren: Susanna-1st born, Judith and Hamnet-twins

THE WRITER

T

ypes of plays-histories, comedies, and tragedies

W

rote 154 sonnets

H

amlet-Main theme of revenge

O

ther plays-King Lear, Othello, Richard III, Taming of the Shrew,

etc.

THE THEATERT

he Globe

A

ll actors were boys

T

heaters were prosperous until the Plague closed many theaters

S

hakespeare was a member of Lord Chamberlain’s Men, which later

became the King’s Men

E

ventually the Globe burned down

TRAGEDY

T

ragedy: main character is brought to ruin by a tragic flaw,

moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable

circumstances

T

ragic hero: makes an error in judgment or has a fatal flaw

that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a

tragedy

THEMES-TAKE NOTES AS YOU READ THE PLAY

R

evenge

D

eception

D

eath

M

adness

S

in and Corruption

DRAMA

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act IV

Act V

Catastrophe

Falling Action

Climax

Rising Action

Exposition

Inciting Incident