What is "Hamlet"'s major dramatic question?

What is "Hamlet"'s major dramatic question?

Before I answer this question, it's worth pointing out that there could be several possible answers, "Hamlet" is a huge, complex play which accommodates a whole variety of interpretations.

I think, however, that the major dramatic question of the play is the first line spoken in the text: "Who's there?". "Hamlet" is a play constantly uneasy about identity and personality, in which no-one is ever sure who they are looking at, or who is looking at them.

There isn't space here to give you my full argument, so I'm just going to list in bullet points some places to look where you can legitimately ask "who's there":

• Is the ghost really the ghost of Hamlet's father? Is it a spirit or a "goblin damned", trying to trick him?
• Claudius is a "smiling, damned villain" - how can he be a villain when he doesn't appear to be one?
• Hamlet is aware of being watched by Polonius and Claudius - and kills Polonius behind the arras when he thinks he knows "who's there" (he doesn't!).
• Does Gertrude know about Old Hamlet's murder?
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern pretend to be Hamlet's friends when in fact they work for Claudius.
• Actors appear at court to put on a play in which they play a variety of roles (and even Polonius acted when he was at university).

Of course - you see why "who's there?" is precisely a dramatic question. It points to the pretendness of theatre itself.

thank you