SHAKESPEARE’S

Hamlet

REIGNING MONARCHY

Queen Elizabeth

Received a formal education

Never married

Loved the theater

Ruler after Queen

Elizabeth—King James

SHAKESPEARE’S LIFE

Parents John and Mary Arden

Born April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon

Died April 23, 1616, buried at Holy Trinity

Church

Children: Susanna-1st born, Judith and

Hamnet-twins

THE WRITER

Types of plays-histories, comedies, and

tragedies

Wrote 154 sonnets

Hamlet-Main theme of revenge

Other plays-King Lear, Othello, Richard III,

Taming of the Shrew, etc.

THE THEATER

The Globe

All actors were boys

Theaters were prosperous until the Plague closed

many theaters

Shakespeare was a member of Lord Chamberlain’s

Men, which later became the King’s Men

Eventually the Globe burned down

TRAGEDY

Tragedy: main character is brought to

ruin by a tragic flaw, moral weakness,

or inability to cope with unfavorable

circumstances

Tragic 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

Revenge

Deception

Death

Madness

Sin and Corruption

DRAMA

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act IV

Act V

Catastrophe

Falling Action

Climax

Rising Action

Exposition

Inciting Incident