186 Hamlet Essay Topics & Thesis Ideas

We know how long students search for interesting Hamlet essay topics. In this post, you will find a list of the most debating Hamlet essay titles and thesis ideas. We’ve also developed a guide on how to write a Hamlet paper and included some helpful Hamlet essay examples.

Here, at IvyPanda, we know how daunting can be the task of writing a Hamlet Essay. In this post, you will find out how to write a paper that would get top marks.

👍 Hamlet Essay Writing – Tips & Ideas

Tip #1. Read critically before starting hamlet essay outline

Critical reading will help you to prepare for writing your paper. There are a lot of techniques that can increase your reading speed. You may try some of them, described below:

Highlighting

Grab a few highlighters and use them to underline things that might suit for various topics. For example, use green when you see something pertaining to a tragic hero character analysis; pink for a particular symbol, etc. Don’t forget to make a key, so you know what each color means.

This method helps you to organize your evidence and allows you to see if you have enough support to write your essay.

Note-taking

Take notes and record your ideas and critical aspects while reading the plot. This approach will help you to avoid multiple re-readings. However, be sure to remark what part of the essay your notes pertain to.

Annotating

Making annotations in the margins of the book, you will ensure that you understand what is happening in a text after you’ve read it. Note the author’s key points, central areas of focus, and your thoughts.

Annotating will help you to summarize, highlight crucial pieces of information, and prepare yourself for writing Hamlet essay prompts that your professor may give you

You can use the methods mentioned above or try any other, or even come up with your own technique. This simple exercise will help you to recall which points to write about in your paper.

Tip #2. Write a detailed outline

Now, when you’ve done the prewriting work, it’s time to focus on what you’re going to write in and create your Hamlet essay outline.

Here’s the trick: the more detailed your outline will be, the less time you will spend on the writing process. If you put a lot of detail in the outline, all you will have to do is connect arguments and make it readable.

If you have to turn in a formal outline, as part of your essay, check that each level has at least two parts.

Tip #3. Write your Hamlet essay thesis statement

A thesis statement is among the crucial parts of your entire essay. It tells your readers what you will write in the rest of the paper. It should correspond with the essay title and act as a short preview of the assignment.

You will bring up may points in the paper, although the thesis should tie all of them together.

Write your Hamlet essay thesis statement during outlining and refine it when you start writing. It is possible to revise it when the essay is already finished, and you see ways to improve the thesis.

Tip #4. Start writing your Hamlet essay

When you begin to write an essay, you can check available samples and titles to get inspiration. However, make it personal. Ask yourself questions.

Here are some question examples: What interests me about the play? Is it Hamlet’s monologues? Is it the figure of the Ghost of Hamlet’s father? Or is it something even more obscure?

If you are still struggling to find your Hamlet essay topics or ideas to add to the paper, check these free samples of high-quality papers!

🏆 Best Hamlet Essay Examples

1. Hamlet’s Relationship with His Mother (Gertrude) – Attitude Towards Her
   The conversation between Hamlet and his mother brings back Gertrude to her senses where she feels guilty and ashamed of her actions.
2. A Critical Analysis of Hamlet’s Constant Procrastination in Shakespeare’s Hamlet
   Claudius is successful in his ambition and Hamlet is left with the decision on whether or not to kill his uncle so as to avenge his father’s death.
3. Psychoanalytic Study of Hamlet by Ernest Jones (Critical Writing)
   I agree with the author regarding the dialogues, the flow of the play, and the sequence of the events in it.
4. Shakespeare: Hamlet
   The scene that is the subject of this report refers to a scene in the play that takes place at the graveyard following the death of Ophelia.
5. Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras: Revenge for the Deaths of Their Fathers
   He thinks about the fact that revenge is not a good action to make his soul get to heavens. His is a prince of Norway, but likewise Hamlet did not receive the crown, he was […]
6. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: The Use of Allusion and Metaphors
   Shakespeare’s use of allusion and metaphors in Hamlet is vital to creating the dramatic imagery surrounding the play and foreshadowing the extent of the growing conflict.
7. Why Is Hamlet a Complex Character: Critical Analysis
   When Hamlet’s father requests him to avenge his death against King Claudius, he is unable to carry out his revenge. In addition, Shakespeare mission to delay Hamlet’s plan to avenge his father’s death highlights the […]
8. Hamlet vs. Oedipus Compare and Contrast Essay
   In his speech to his brother-in-law Creon, the proud king voices the desire to find the murderer to secure not only the wellbeing of his state but his safety as a ruler as well.
9. Hamlet’s Attitude Toward Women in Shakespear’s “Hamlet”
   The event that gives birth to his hatred is Gertrude’s marriage to her brother-in-law Claudius very soon after the untimely death of her husband, King Hamlet.
10. William Shakespeare: Hamlet and Macbeth
    It is important to examine the role that the setting plays in Hamlet and Macbeth in relation to the tragic flaw and developments of the plot.
11. Hamlet Analysis Essay: Shakespeare’s Play Analysis Example
    The writer used the name of the play as the name of the main actor while other characters in the play helped in development of the predominant theme in the main character.
12. Father-Son Relationships in Hamlet – Hamlet’s Opinion
    In the case of Hamlet, he surrenders his own life and future to the will of his father, albeit following significant hesitation, not to mention the passage of an entire play.
13. Resilience of Hamlet and Oedipus
    The plot of the tragedy of Sophocles is built on a chain of accidents, which are in fact the fatal will of the powerful gods.
14. Gertrude’s Character in “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
    However, in the second part of the play, when Gertrude faces the truth of her first husband’s dead, she immediately stands a reformed character, sympathetic to Hamlet’s cause.
15. Blindness in Oedipus Rex & Hamlet
    Therefore, in this play, the sighted like Oedipus and Jocasta are ‘blind’ to the truth whilst the blind like Teiresias can see the truth.
16. Literary Analysis of “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
    They are the symbolic image of Hamlet’s father the ghost of the King, the flowers and Ophelia, the skull, and the grave of Yorick.
17. Comparison of “Hamlet”, “King Lear” and “Othello” by Shakespeare
    Iago’s reports and the loss of the handkerchief appear to Othello reliable proofs of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, and under the effect of anger the protagonist is both unable and unwilling to do further investigation.
18. Hamlet & Laertes: Fathers’ Death Reactions
    King Hamlet’s ghost then informs prince Hamlet of the person who killed him; consequently, Hamlet accepts the ghost’s demands, swears his accomplices to secrecy and reveals to them his intention of killing the king to […]
19. “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare: To Be or Not to Be
    It begins with supernatural such as the presence of the ghost and Hamlet attempting to glance into Claudius’ soul, to the mystery of the crime and the need for revenge. The masterful use of style, […]
20. Hamlet in the Film and the Play: Comparing and Contrasting
    There is a certain discrepancy in the way Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Gibson’s hero unveil the tragic style of the play. This assumption is justified by the scenes from the movie because many of the dialogues […]
21. Hamlet’s Renaissance Culture Conflict
    The death of Hamlet as the play ends indicates that though he was the definite answer to all the questions before him as he faced death, he was not in any position to give any […]
22. Shakespeare versus Olivier: A Depiction of ‘Hamlet’
    The presentation of the Ghost in the film builds the main theme of revenge and tragedy. Olivier shows that the Oedipus complex is a crucial aspect in understanding the play especially the character of Hamlet […]
23. Creative Process in William Shakespeare Works
    Creativity in his works, Merchant of Venice and Hamlet, is portrayed by the manner he makes choice of characters, the way themes are tied up with stylistic language to reflect hidden meanings reflective of the […]
24. “Hamlet and His Problems” by Thomas Stearns Eliot
    Hamlet assumes the role of both the father and the son and the need to detect his identity about his idea of the father becomes problematic in the presence of his mother.
25. Characterization of Hamlet
    When Hamlet learns in a dream that he is supposed to revenge the death of his father, he promises to do so “with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep […]

📜 Hamlet Research Paper Topics & Thesis Ideas

1. “The Lion King” Movie as Adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
   The film parallels Hamlet as the main characters in the play and the film are both princes, and the antagonists are uncles who murder their brothers to gain power.
2. Minor Characters in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
   Some of the stories that the reader comes to know, about some people or events in the play, come inform of narrations from the minor characters. The minor characters give most of the information known […]
3. Horatio (Hamlet): Character Analysis
   Hamlet does not follow his friend’s caution and goes with the ghost, where he learns of his father’s murder and swears to avenge him.
4. The Theme of Revenge in Shakespeare’s Hamlet
   The latter, after seeing his father’s ghost and learning the truth, feels that he is taken over by revenge and sets up a performance that copies Claudius’s, the murderer’s, plan and results in a tragic […]
5. “The Prince” by Machiavelli and “Hamlet” by Shakespeare
   The author tries to bring to light the concepts of life when he uses the different aspects of death in the piece of work.
6. Hamlet and King Oedipus Literature Comparison
   This essay compares the characters and roles of both Hamlet and King Oedipus as the sons who have to deliver justice to their fathers’ killers.
7. Hamlet’s Choice of Fortinbras as His Successor
   Choice of Fortinbras is an act to usurp his place as the rightful king and avenge for the injustice done to Fortinbras, as well as him. Another reason could be an act to reconcile with […]
8. Hamlet And Laertes: A Comparison
   Hamlet, shocked by the revelation and shaken to the core by the knowledge of his mother’s role in the act, immediately makes his intention clear in the presence of the ghost.
9. Role of Women in Twelfth Night and Hamlet by Shakespeare
   Purpose of the research The purpose of this study is to compare specific women characters in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Hamlet and to explore their similarities in terms of their passivity, relationships with other characters […]
10. Lying, Acting, Hypocrisy in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
    This paper will argue that, although the concepts of hypocrisy, lying, and acting are brought up directly only a few times in Hamlet, the manifestations thereof can be found throughout the poem, the Dutch prince […]
11. Appearance vs. Reality in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”
    In preparing for the performance, Hamlet provides the players with specific lines and actions to include within the overall play they are about to perform and gives them lengthy instructions as to the acting of […]
12. Education and Knowledge in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare
    Shakespeare portrays that in a world of complexity, instability, and unpredictability, people are struggling to make sense of the changes and to situate themselves within the new milieu.
13. Act 1 Scene 2 of the “Hamlet” Play by Shakespeare
    The use of honorifics, stichomythia, and imagery is discussed, as well as the aside, the motif of spying, and the overall mood of the scene will be discussed and evaluated. The overall mood of the […]
14. The Function of the Soliloquies in Hamlet
    This happens when it influences the plot, the characterization in the play, and the play’s mood, on top of expressing themes that could be termed to be the main themes.
15. Hamlet’s Hesitation in Revenge: Four Separate Theories
    The play within a play is one of many tactics Hamlet employs over the course of the play to delay the revenge and therefore avoid his own death.
16. The Importance of Paintings in Hamlet
    The play revolves around the two opposing forces: truth and deceit, and we see a contrast between the importance of being true to one’s self and the importance of being truthful with others.
17. A Play “Hamlet” by William Shakespear
    Hamlet decides to prove whether Claudius really killed his father and in act three, he uses the play “The Murder of Gonzago” to get the truth.
18. The Play “Hamlet Prince of Denmark” by W.Shakespeare
    Hamlet, a Denmark Prince, is the main character in the play. In the climax of the play, Claudius appears to be responsible for the death of King Hamlet.
19. The Hamlet’s Emotional Feelings in the Shakespearean Tragedy
    The grief that Hamlet feels at the death of his father is tempered by a Claudius’s statement to him that grief is ‘unmanly.’ He also associates women with deception beginning with his mother with whom […]
20. Hamlet: A New Type of Independent Thinker
    Hamlet considers the plan to disturb Claudius and convince the audience of his guilt distracting attention from prayer and confession. Such innovations permeate the entire text, which allows the reader to assert that Hamlet did […]
21. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Hamlet as a Masculine Character
    Initially, the themes and scenes of the play were designed for staging at the Shakespeare theatre, and the costumes and the actors’ play were supposed to evoke awe for the rich life of medieval nobles.
22. Hamlet’s Mental State and Issues That Affected Him
    To begin with, it is evident to the reader that the main character is overwhelmed by the grief and mourning of his father.
23. Human Nature in Shakespearean Tragedy “Hamlet”
    Soliloquies maintain significant place in the play Hamlet, which start with the beginning of the play, and chase the protagonist almost near the close of the end of the play.
24. Hamlet: Gertrude’s Complicit Character
    However, Queen Gertrude seems to be more on the inside of the plotting and scheming occurring within the castle than an innocent woman should have.
25. Macbeth and Hamlet Characters Comparison
    The queens in Hamlet and Macbeth play a pivotal role in the life of the heroes of the play. She is portrayed as a mother who, in her awareness of Hamlet’s crisis, feels guilty and […]

📌 Catchy Hamlet Essay Titles

1. Canonical Status of Hamlet by William Shakespeare
   However, the technique has been defended by some of the scholars who argue that Shakespeare’s skill is to develop and emphasize the purpose of duality and dislocation in the play.
2. The Role of Queen Gertrude in Play “Hamlet”
   Whether or not Queen Gertrude, Prince Hamlet’s mother, was guilty of being part of the conspiracy that led to the murder of her husband, King Hamlet is debatable.
3. Deceiving Appearances in “Hamlet” and “The Lion King”
   In particular, Claudius and Scar represent villains under the guise of well-wishers, while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern from Hamlet and hyenas from The Lion King appear worse than they seem.
4. Themes in “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
   With consideration of critical responses, use of language and structure, and through a close analysis of Hamlet’s soliloquies, the role of Shakespeare’s characterization of Hamlet in shaping the enduring power of the text is appreciated […]
5. Ophelia from Shakespeare’s ”Hamlet”
   Shakespeare employs the traditional view of the woman as a means of illustrating its more dangerous elements through his portrayal of Ophelia in her innocence, the ease with which others use her, and the suspicion […]
6. Hamlet: The Circumstances That Lead Hamlet to Soliloquy
   Out of his anger, he worries about the death of his father and the hasty marriage of his mother to his uncle.
7. Comparing Dr. Faustus and Hamlet
   Hamlet kills numerous characters in the play and this goes to show his excessive pride or in other words his sin of pride.
8. Aeschylus’ Oresteia and Shakespeare’s Hamlet
   One such device in Hamlet is Shakespeare’s placing of the Danish prince in the context of Fortinbras and Laertes as the characters that, like Hamlet, find themselves in the role of having to avenge their […]
9. Comparison of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Perrault’s “Cinderella”
   The paper also includes the analysis of the narratives in accordance with the epic laws introduced by Axel Olrik. In Cinderella’s story, the presence of royalty is only limited to the prince.
10. Shakespeare’s Hamlet’s Behavior in Act III
    In the end, he comes to the conclusion that this obscurity is the reason people do not want to die and prefer to lead the lives full of suffering.
11. Anti-Heroism in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Cervantes’ Don Quixote
    This ghost will only talk to Hamlet, and when the time is right, he will share his side of the account with the prince.
12. The Idea of Insanity in “Hamlet”
    He is maybe a bit spoiled and used to getting his own way, but he knows he has a duty to the state and to his family and he knows he is destined to someday […]
13. Human Nature and Morality in “Hamlet” and “Dr. Faustus”
    These are the problems we are going to discuss in the current essay, and we are going to address for help with it such masterpieces of literature as the play “Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark” […]
14. Elements of Literature Used in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
    The audience may be able to show a degree of empathy with Hamlet as the play was written in a slightly satirical manner and shows that he is very much human in his qualities and […]
15. “Hamlet” and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead”
    The link of “Hamlet” and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” to the present days can be seen in the lost characters.
16. The Reflection of Time in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare
    Thesis Human existence and purpose of life were considered unimportant because the human soul had a divine nature, thus, they were afraid of death as an unknown state of human existence.
17. Hamlet and Forgiveness: A Personal Reflection
    Some of the most prominent themes in the story are the ideas of mutual forgiveness, people’s motivation to be proactive and take risks, and their willingness to forgive and ask for forgiveness.
18. Resiliency in Sophocles’ Oedipus and Shakespeare’s Hamlet
    According to the information provided the reader rises with the question dealing with the resiliency of both Hamlet and Oedipus and what does it mean to them.
19. Hamlet’s Descent Into Darkness: A Tale of Revenge, Death, and Uncertainty
    Hamlet was thinking about the afterlife and suicide to achieve peace, and during this speech, a reader might feel the pain and despair of the main character.
20. Hamlet vs. Oedipus Rex: Who Is More Resilient?
    In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus is a protagonist; he is seeking the truth and is unconcerned about the harm it may pose.
21. Reality and Illusion in Shakespeare’s Hamlet
    The last and the greatest deceiving character is Claudius, who is far from being the brave brother of the monarch who ascended to the throne in order to protect the kingdom. It is evident that […]
22. “Hamlet the Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare
    The first one is the plot of the play that lasts from the beginning till the scene when Hamlet meets the ghost of his father.
23. Coping With Changes in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and O’Connor’s “A Good Man…”
    Tragedies in “Hamlet” and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” lead characters to rely on the change as a coping mechanism.”Hamlet” narrates the story of an individual dealing with a loss which leads him […]
24. “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” and “A Raisin in the Sun”
    In this regard, the decisions of Hamlet, Claudius, Walter, and Lena illustrate the character’s commitment to family despite differences of opinion and disagreements.
25. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and the Modern World
    The tragedy of Hamlet addresses eternal problems: the incompatibility of lofty ideals and dreams with reality, the mismatch between the goals and the means of achieving them, and the role of the individual in history.

🌟 Best Hamlet Thesis Ideas

1. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Play: Then and Now
   Hamlet’s cynicism, as well as his sense of meaning, distinguish him as a uniquely contemporary figure and a watershed moment in the theatrical past.
2. Does Shakespearean Hamlet Love Ophelia?
   The love that Hamlet has for Ophelia is demonstrated in letters that he wrote to her. Hamlet reminds Ophelia that he is in love with her in the later stages of Act 3 of the […]
3. Hamlet and Gertrude Relationships in Shakespeare’s Play
   However, even though Hamlet threatens to murder Gertrude to “wring” her heart, the audience can understand that he loves his mother and wants her to repent of her sins and end the relationship with Hamlet’s […]
4. Power and Importance of Hamlet’s Role in Shakespeare’s Play
   The first striking problem of Hamlet is the one of choice, which may be considered a reflection of the main conflict of the tragedy.
5. Gender Roles and Representation of Women in “Hamlet”
   Specifically, the author refers to the problem of being confined in the prison of gender stereotypes that can be experienced when reading Shakespeare’s works.
6. Consideration of the Ghost in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare
   The Ghost in the play is charitable because it helps Hamlet to know the truth about the way his father died and to begin finding clues for the murder.
7. Is Shakespeare’s Hamlet Really Crazy?
   According to the first one, Hamlet pretends to be mad, so that he is not taken seriously and is not considered as dangerous, under the guise of a madman, he can say anything.
8. Oedipus and Hamlet Characters’ Contrast and Comparison
   The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast one of the main characters of literature – Oedipus and Hamlet, as well as to determine the qualities and skills of people which make them […]
9. “Oedipus King” by Sophocles and “Hamlet” by Shakespeare
   The protagonist is on the verge of madness: an intelligent and unexcelled humanist in the world, which is an enemy to his ideas. However, Oedipus later comes to terms with his fate and takes responsibility […]
10. Hamlet: Analyzing Various Scenes
    On top of this, Hamlet hopes that seeing a replay of the murder of his father would move the king’s conscience to a point where he would be forced to admit his crime.
11. Shakespearean Hamlet’s Character Interpretation
    For example, Hamlet believed that his mother was loyal to his father and to the kingdom, but he felt unhappy with how events unfolded when grieving.
12. Hamlet’s Relationship With His Mother and Uncle
    Hamlet’s assessment of his issues is accurate in the sense that he already associates Claudius with problems, but the prince is too quick to judge his mother.
13. Supporting Characters in “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”
    Shakespeare utilizes secondary characters to depict the theme of friendship and loyalty, as these aspects are influential on the main character.
14. “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare: Overview
    In the play Hamlet is a noble soldier with admirable qualities but he avenges the death of his father using his free will.
15. Genji, Hamlet, Oedipus and Jesus Christ Character Analysis
    This paper will attempt to asses the characters in the following set of books and plays: The New Testament, Oedipus the King, Shakespeare Hamlet and Shikibu the tale of the Genji.
16. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” as the Central Tragedy for Revenge Understanding
    The core concept of revenge in Hamlet, Shakespeare’s play, is the hesitation of the main character and his doubt moral and philosophical maxims in the whole world; the main idea of the play may be […]
17. The Use of Revenge in William Shakespeare`s “Hamlet”
    The only character in the play to claim to have first-hand knowledge of the murder of Hamlet’s father and who speaks aloud about them to another character is the ghost of Hamlet’s father.
18. The Vision of the Main Character in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
    The main character of the tragedy is Hamlet, a young man who comes to know about the real reasons of his father’s death from the ghost that claims to be the spirit of his father. […]
19. Protagonist in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
    The Protagonist plays a major part to achieve the goals of the story while the antagonist is an adversary who struggles against the efforts of the protagonist.
20. William Shakespeare: Hamlet’s Actions and Inactions
    This paper is an attempt to analyze Hamlet’s actions and inactions to prove the authenticity of the application of these maxims to the protagonist.
21. Hamlet’s Parental Relationships
    The death of his father, the actions of his mother and his existing relationship with his uncle all have Hamlet confused regarding the true nature of the world.
22. The Character of Gertrude in ‘Hamlet’
    The character of Ophelia is responsible for projecting an aura of guilt and deception to the role of women in ‘Hamlet.’ She is not treacherous or complicated, but instead weak and insensibly dependent on the […]
23. “Hamlet” Scene Comparison: Hawke’s and Gibson’s Films
    In both Hawke’s and Gibson’s versions of Hamlet, the original text is used for dialogue between Hamlet and Ophelia as she is sent to trap the reasons for Hamlet’s insanity out of him.
24. William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Drama Play
    These soliloquies are dramatic and ironical, Harold Wilson submits, with an irony that is implicit and eloquent in the extravagances of Hamlet’s rhetoric.
25. The Issue of Human Manipulation in ‘Hamlet’ by W. Shakespeare
    It seems the love he contains in his heart is not enough for him to forgive and forget what has happened.

🔍 Easy Hamlet Essay Topics

1. Hesitation and Indeterminacy of Hamlet
   There is no denying the importance of the fact that the whole fabric of Shakespeare’s tragedy unfolds in Hamlet subjective perception and interpretation of his uncle and mother’ treason.
2. Hamlet, Ophelia and Insanity in Shakespear’s “Hamlet”
   The knowledge the Queen has as to the specific nature of Ophelia’s death calls into question her sincerity in her lament.
3. Gender Equality Question: “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
   For the past few centuries, the rise of various movements have marked a certain change in the ideas and philosophies of man regarding the true nature of his existence, the pronounced inequalities of not only […]
4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare: A Filmic Event
   In bringing Shakespeare’s classic story of Hamlet to the big screen and reset into a modern context, director Michael Almereyda is forced to reinterpret the role of Ophelia due to significant changes in modern women’s […]
5. A Play Within a Play: Hamlet and Second Shepherd’s Play
   In contrast to Hamlet, the role of ‘a play within a play’ is to underline onstage and offstage characters and their qualities.
6. Roles of Poison in Shakespeari’s “Hamlet”
   It is obvious that Hamlet is the representative of the new world. I think that the answer to this riddle is that his ways of revenge are not good.
7. Characters in “The Scarlet Letter” and “Hamlet” Film
   Hester returns to Boston just before her death, in order to be buried in the same grave as Dimmesdale, with ‘A’ inscribed on their tombstone. Much to her son’s anger and disgust, she marries Claudius […]
8. Freud and Hamlet’s Relationship with His Mother
   When analyzing the relationship between Hamlet and his mother, one can note that even at a young age, the Oedipus complex manifests in the boy, which reflects a number of his conflicting experiences about his […]
9. Ghost in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Play
   In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the titular character begins plotting his revenge after he encounters the ghost of his father, who informs him of the murder as well as the culprits.
10. Ophelia and Hamlet’s Dialogue in Shakespeare’s Play
    In some ways, this scene represents the conflict between Hamlet and the society he lives in, as no one is capable of understanding his concerns.
11. The Masks of William Shakespeare’s Play “Hamlet”
    The first thing that has to be determined is the truth behind the claim that Hamlet saw the ghost of his departed father.
12. Ghosts and Revenge in Shakespeare’s Hamlet
    Despite the common beliefs concerning the existence of ghosts, it seems that the ghost’s presence is still supported by the testimonies of all characters in the story, including Horatio, Francisco, and the protagonist himself.
13. Depression and Melancholia Expressed by Hamlet
    The paper will not attempt and sketch the way the signs or symptoms of depression/melancholia play a part in the way Shakespeare’s period or culture concerning depression/melancholia, but in its place portrays the way particular […]
14. Act II of Hamlet by William Shakespeare
    The King is worried about Hamlet’s madness and starts to suspect that he might have found out the real reasons for his father’s death.
15. Meditative and Passionate Responses in the Play “Hamlet”
    This is seen in his soliloquy “to be, or not to be: that is the question; /Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer?
16. Portrayal of Hamlet in Shakespeare’s Play and Zaffirelli’s Film
    In fact, Mel Gisbon’s power as an act does not provide a sufficient understanding of his ability to penetrate to Shakespeare’s world and reach the ideas in the play.
17. Psychiatric Analysis of Hamlet Literature Analysis
    However, he tells the doctor that he is not actually aware of the reasons that are taking him to his death.
18. The Value of Source Study of Hamlet by Shakespeare
    In regards to the intended significance, Stopes, Belleforest, and Shakespeare report that Shakespeare designed the role of the ghost to appear to Hamlet relentlessly to enhance the melancholy motif of the play.
19. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
    Generally, the main idea of the play is considered to be the impact of people’s actions on their future.”The ghost of Hamlet’s father does urge him to action”.
20. Relationships Among Individuals in Shakespeare’s Plays
    The events that take place in Athens are symbolic in the sense that they represent the sequence of events during the day whereas the events in the forest represent the dream like circumstances.
21. Shakespeare Authorship Question: Thorough Analysis of Style, Context, and Violence in the Plays Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night
    It should be stated that even though most of the scholars point to the fact that Shakespeare was not the author of the plays, I would like to contradict this opinion and prove that Shakespeare’s […]
22. Key Themes in “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
    Among the characters in this play include Claudius, hamlet, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Horatio, Laertes, Voltimand, Rosencrantz, Osric, ghost of Hamlet’s father, Barnardo to mention but a few Mystery of death is one theme that clearly […]
23. Oedipus the King and Hamlet
    However, the fact is both Oedipus and Claudius managed to get the post of kingship after killing the former kings leaving the seats vacant. In conclusion, both Oedipus and King Claudius attained their crown after […]
24. How a Film Interprets Hamlet
    Laurence Olivier’s need to focus on less traditional approaches, his need to shorten the production, and the need to perform a psychological analysis of the characters determine his interpretation of the play ‘Hamlet’.
25. Recurring Theme of Revenge in Hamlet
    On top of this, Laertes wants to revenge the insanity and subsequent death of his sister, which he blames on Hamlet.
26. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the “Hamlet”
    Hamlet is a son to the former King and a nephew to the current King Claudius These two characters seem indispensable throughout and serve as informants of Claudius. In the play, they fit in as […]

⁉️ Research Questions about Hamlet

1. In Hamlet, act 1, scene 2, which dramatic convention does Shakespeare employ most?
2. Which statement best describes why Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a complex character?
3. Which line would most likely be written by a reader analyzing Hamlet through the formalist lens?
4. Do you think Hamlet is a problem play or a tragedy? Why?
5. How perennial issues of the human condition are imaged in Hamlet?
6. Which best describes a change an adaptation would make if Hamlet was set in modern times?
7. If Shakespeare kills the character of Hamlet, what dramatic convention would he be using?
8. Which theme in Hamlet is reinforced by the scene with the Gravediggers?
9. How do the actors’ physical appearances affect their adaptations of Hamlet?
10. Why did Shakespeare choose loyalty and betrayal as lead themes in Hamlet?
11. Which statement best explains why Hamlet alludes to Pyrrhus throughout act 2, scene 2 of Hamlet?
12. When Polonius says, “brevity is the soul of wit,” why is it ironic?
13. What does Hamlet mean when he refers to the “pangs of dispriz’d love”?
14. What is corruption and how its rampant impact is depicted in Hamlet?
15. Which statement best describes why King Claudius is a complex character in act 3 of Hamlet?
16. What is Hamlet’s concluding thought after he has mused over the skulls and the idea of death?
17. What does Marcellus’s and Horatio’s characterization of the ghost imply?
18. How does Shakespeare use conflict in Hamlet as a way of exploring ideas?
19. What excerpt from act 3 of Hamlet supports the conclusion that Hamlet is critical of women?
20. Where does Claudius send Cornelius and Voltimand? Why?
21. How does the play-within-a-play in act 3 of Hamlet represent Elizabethan drama?
22. Which statement best describes Gertrude’s development between act 1 and act 4?
23. Which statement best describes Laertes’s development between act 1 and act 4?
24. How does Shakespeare present women and sex in Hamlet?
25. Which passage from Hamlet, act 2, scene 1 is an example of setting?
26. What line from act 3 of Hamlet supports the conclusion that Claudius fears his own fate?
27. What’s the meaning behind “…for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so” in act 2, scene 2?
28. Which detail in Hamlet best reflects the time the play was written in?
29. In what sense is Hamlet wrong in his plotting against and killing of Claudius and in what sense he is not?
30. Which excerpt from Hamlet, act 1, scene 1 is a stage direction?

❓ Hamlet Essay Questions

1. What are the inward and outward conflicts in Hamlet?
2. Why does Polonius think Hamlet is mad?
3. What is “get thee to a nunnery” meaning?
4. Why is the ending of Hamlet ironic?
5. What is Hamlet’s opinion about theater?
6. Why does Hamlet act crazy?
7. What best describes Hamlet’s view of death?
8. Which words best describe Gertrude in act 4 of Hamlet?
9. What conflict(s) does Hamlet experience inside himself?
10. What does Hamlet teach us about humanity?
11. Why is Reynaldo obligated to follow Polonius’s instructions?
12. What does Hamlet mean by “shuffled off this mortal coil”?
13. Why does Hamlet kill Polonius?
14. What best describes how Laertes feels about his father’s death?
15. Which word best describes Laertes in act IV of Hamlet?
16. What advice does Polonius give Laertes?
17. Which Word does Hamlet use to describe those who choose to live?
18. What was the “moment of final suspense” in Hamlet?
19. Is Shakespeare’s Hamlet based on a true story?
20. Why did Hamlet choose not to kill Claudius when he was praying?
21. What plot event prompts Hamlet to become suspicious and resentful?
22. What are examples of dramatic irony in Hamlet?
23. What incident serves to initiate the conflict in Hamlet?
24. Which details in Hamlet reflect Elizabethan society?
25. How is Laertes a foil for Hamlet?
26. What is the the meaning of soliloquy in Hamlet?
27. What words suggest that Claudius plans to control Hamlet?
28. What does the first soliloquy reveal about Hamlet?
29. What does the Ghost tell Hamlet?
30. Why does Polonius send Reynaldo to Paris?