Moral Stories

The Hamlet

Introduction:

The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark , often shortened to Hamlet ,is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play with 29551 words. Set in Denmark,the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his attempt to exact revenge against his uncle Claudius who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother. Hamlet is considered among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English language, with a story capable of seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others .

Act 1:

Late night, guards on the battlement of Denmark s Elsinore castle are met by Horatio, Prince Hamlet's friend from school.The guards describe a ghost they have seen that resembles Hamlet's father, the recently deceased king. At that moment, the ghost reappear and the guards and Horatio decide to tell Hamlet. Claudius, Hamlet's uncle married Hamlet's recently widowed mother becoming the new king of Denmark. Hamlet continues to mourn for his father's death and laments his mother's lack of loyalty. When Hamlet hears the ghost from Horatio he wants to see it for himself.. Elsewhere the royal attendant poanius says farewell to his son Laertes , who is departing for France. Laertes warns his sister, Ophelia away from Hamlet and thinking too much of his attention towards her.