Syed Shehzed Abdullah

1st Prof 1st Semester

Group: B
Roll: 61
Session : 2016-2021

Presented for:
Mr. Jamal Ahmed
Hamdard Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Introduction
 William Shakespeare through 'Hamlet' exposes the corruption amongst rulers
both through his use of disease imagery and in Hamlets continuous
comparisons between Old Hamlet and King Claudius. Shakespeare portrays
Claudius as a typical Machiavellian king, in his exploration of the necessary
qualities of a King, made clear in Claudius' astuteness as a politician.
Shakespeare brings to question the traditional view of the King being above the
law, punishment and correction, exposing Claudius' human faults, as well as
pushing the audience to morally question whether Claudius' means of
accession was acceptable. A Shakespearean king differs from that of the
Revengers Tradegy, as unlike the Duke, Claudius still has some
acknowledgment of his wrongs as seen in his prayer scene, whereas the Duke is
openly lecherous and unjust seen in the delay the Youngest sons punishment
despite his lack of remorse.
Biography of William Shakespeare
 Name : William Shakespeare
 Occupation : Poet, Playwright, Philosopher.
 Birth Date : April 23, 1564
 Death Date : April 23, 1616
 Education : King's New School
 Place of Birth : Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
 Place of Death : Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
 Nickname : "Bard of Avon“ "Swan of Avon” "The Bard“
 Works : Poem (154 Sonnets) & Drama: 37 Plays
William Shakespeare( 1564-1616)
Original Identity of HAMLET Drama
 Full title : The Tragedy of
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
 Author : William Shakespeare
 Type of work : Play
 Genre : Tragedy
 Language : English
 Written : ( 1600 or 1601)
 Performed : July 1602
 Published : 1603 (Printed)
 Age : The Renaissance
A short View of Hamlet Film
 Hamlet is a 1990 drama film based
on the Shakespearean tragedy of the
same name directed by Franco
Zeffirelli and starring Mel Gibson as
the eponymous character. The film
also features Glenn Close, Alan Bates,
Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena
Bonham Carter, Stephen Dillane, and
Nathaniel Parker. It is notable for
being the first film from Icon
Productions, a company co-founded
by Gibson.
 Plot: In Denmark, Prince Hamlet
finds himself involved in a conspiracy
of power to the royal palace. Cruel
uncle Claudius kills his brother and
takes the power of the kingdom. After
an encounter with the restless ghost
of his murdered father, Hamlet feigns
madness and plots to take vengeance.
Cast:
 Mel Gibson as Prince Hamlet
 Glenn Close as Queen Gertrude
 Alan Bates as King Claudius
 Paul Scofield as the ghost of King Hamlet
 Ian Holm as Polonius
 Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia
 Stephen Dillane as Horatio
 Nathaniel Parker as Laertes
 Michael Maloney and Sean Murray as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
 Trevor Peacock as The Gravedigger
 Pete Postlethwaite as the Player King
 Christopher Fairbank as the Player Queen
 John McEnery as Osric
 Richard Warwick as Bernardo
 Christien Anholt as Marcellus
Characters Map of the Film Hamlet
The Ghost of Hamlet Claudius
Hamlet Ophelia
The Story in Brief
 Hamlet’s father, king of Denmark has just dead. His brother Claudius takes the
throne and married Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother.
 Horatio sees king Hamlet’s ghost and tells it to Hamlet. A night king’s ghost
appears to Hamlet and tells him that Claudius murdered him, so Hamlet
decides to avenge him.
 Hamlet pretends to be mad so Claudius and Gertrude give to Polonius the task
of discovering the cause of his madness.
 Polonius attributes the cause of madness to Hamlet’s love for Ophelia, Polonius
daughter
 Hamlet tries to stage a play with a company of actors, in order to re-enact his
father’s murder and determine Claudius guilt or innocence.
 Gertrude asks to Hamlet the reason of his behaviour and he tells her the truth
about his father’s death
 Hamlet believing to kill Claudius murders Polonius while he is hidden
 Ophelia goes mad for her father’s death and drowns in a river.
 After this, Claudius sent Hamlet with his close friend, Horatio to England to
study there, even though the real goal is to expel Hamlet from Denmark.
 At the Ophelia’s funeral procession her brother Laertes and Hamlet brave
themselves
 When Hamlet returned back to Denmark. There was an Ophelia’s funeral
procession. Hamlet was very sad for losing her and suddenly he jumped into
Ophelia’s grave when the funeral took place. Laertes, her brother was angry of
what Hamlet did.
 Laertes decided to kill Hamlet in revenge for his father’s death. He challenged
Hamlet to a sword fight. Laertes pierces Hamlet with a poisoned blade but is
wounded by it himself
 Gertrude drinks a poisoned wine and dies
 Hamlet manages to kill Claudius and names Fortimbras as his heir
 Finally, the film is ended with morning song
Kingship in Hamlet
 Shakespeare through Hamlet puts up for the debate the rights of a king to the
throne, allowing the audience to question whether Claudius' accession to the throne
was acceptable.

 In 'Hamlet' Shakespeare explores the necessary qualities of a king and compares

and contrasts these with the necessary qualities put forward by King James I,
Machiavelli and Erasmus.

 Shakespeare questions the traditional view of whether or not the king was above the
law and so could do whatever he willed.
 Shakespeare draws connections with the state of the court and kings land and the
state, with the power of a king and his control over his people.

 Shakespeare looks at whether a morally inept king is beyond punishment or

correction.

 Shakespeare criticizes above-humanity and the almost super-human view of kings

and through Claudius reiterates the human element of Kings.

 Through the violence and the way in which Claudius gained the throne,
Shakespeare presumably is questioning/criticizing the conventional view that
Kingship is a God-given rights.
Ideas and Themes to Notice in Hamlet

• Deception / Appearance and Reality

• Passion and Reason
• Decay and Corruption
• Melancholy
• Madness and Sanity
• Revenge
• Misogyny
Conclusion:
 William Shakespeare is regarded by many as the greatest dramatist of
all times. An Englishman, Shakespeare was also a poet and an actor. His
works such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet hold a significant place in
world literature and occupy a major part of literary academics. Often
referred to as England’s national poet, Shakespeare is one author whose
works have been translated into every major language of the world and
his plays are performed more than that of any other playwright living
or dead. However, Shakespeare’s great skill is that in Hamlet he is aware
not only of English concepts of kingship, but is conscious of, and adept
at including, European ideas on kingship to add levels of political
theory which complicates the play even further.
 Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.
 No need for revenge, just sit back and wait. Those who
hurt you will eventually screw up themselves and if
you are lucky God will let you watch.
 We know what we are, but not what we may be.
 There is nothing either good or bad but thinking
makes it so.
Thank you