Hamlet – William Shakespeare

‘The Mona Lisa of literature’ T. S. Eliot

In Shakespeare’s verbally dazzling and eternally enigmatic exploration ofconscience, madness and the nature of humanity, a young prince meets hisfather’s ghost in the middle of the night, who accuses his own brother – nowmarried to his widow – of murdering him. The prince devises a scheme to testthe truth of the ghost’s accusation, feigning wild insanity while plottingrevenge. But his actions soon begin to wreak havoc on innocent and guiltyalike.

Used and Recommended by the National Theatre

About the Author

William Shakespeare was born to John Shakespeare and MaryArden in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (theprecise number is uncertain), many of which are regarded as the mostexceptional works of drama ever produced, includingRomeo andJuliet(1595),HenryV (1599),Hamlet(1601),Othello(1604),KingLear(1606) andMacbeth(1606), as well as acollection of 154 sonnets, which number among the most profound and influentiallove poetry in English. Shakespeare died in Stratford in 1616.