Historical Background
There is general agreement about the sources for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. About 400 years prior to the Elizabethan version, Saxo Grammaticus told a similar tale in his Historia Danica (c. 1200). About 15 years before Shakespeare’s version, François de Belleforest adopted the essential story in his Histoires Tragiques (1576), a popular collection of tales in French. Both of these sources survive as literary manuscripts.
However, most critics believe that another source, the so-called Ur-Hamlet, is the version most directly responsible for many of the elements which Shakespeare incorporated into his play. Although no written version of this precursor exists, and historians can only work backwards from documents which mention the Ur-Hamlet, it is believed that this play, probably written by Thomas Kyd, was acted in 1594 by the Lord Admiral’s Men and the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the latter of which company Shakespeare belonged to.
While the earlier versions included similar elements to Shakespeare’s Hamlet (the hero’s love interest, fratricide, feigned madness, adultery, spies, and revenge), only Kyd’s version includes the Ghost who seeks revenge. In fact, Kyd’s famous play, The Spanish Tragedy, includes other elements which Shakespeare seems to have incorporated into Hamlet: “a procrastinating protagonist who berates himself for talking instead of acting and who dies as he achieves his revenge; … a play within a play, a heroine whose love is opposed by her family, and another woman who becomes insane and commits suicide” [Boyce, 238–39]. However, if Kyd did not author the Ur-Hamlet, both he and Shakespeare may have borrowed from this same “Ur-” source for their respective works.
There are other sources, both real and fictional, which may have contributed to Shakespeare’s version, including women who killed themselves for love (1577), and a barber who confessed (in 1538) to murdering an Italian duke by putting lotion in his ears. In the second instance, Gonzago was the name of the plotter, rather than of the victim, as in Shakespeare’s “mousetrap.”
Hamlet was most likely performed in 1600, almost exactly at the midpoint of his writing career, which had begun as early as 1588 with The Comedy of Errors, and ended as late as 1613 with Henry VIII. Shakespeare’s allusions to his Julius Caesar (1599) in Hamlet, and references by other playwrights in late 1600 (John Marston’s Antonio’s Revenge) place the performance of Hamlet fairly precisely. However, the Player’s dialogue with Hamlet about the child actors is a direct reference to actual competition between rival theater companies in the spring of 1601; perhaps this scene was added later, or perhaps Shakespeare used Marston’s play as a source rather than the other way around [Boyce, 239–40].
The first performance is held to be that of the Chamberlain’s Men, in 1600 or 1601. Shakespeare’s longtime theatrical associate, Richard Burbage, was the first Hamlet; tradition has it that Shakespeare himself played the Ghost in the original production.
The first publication of Hamlet was in 1603 in a quarto edition known as Q1, and generally regarded as reconstructed from actors’ memories who had performed in the play. In 1604, Q2 was published, most likely from Shakespeare’s own manuscript; however, passages were edited out of Q2 because they were politically sensitive or simply dated. Between 1611 and 1637, Q3, Q4, and Q5 were published as reprints of each foregoing edition.
The First Folio edition of Shakespeare’s plays (1623), known as F, contained Hamlet and seems to have used Q2 as its source. Significant differences include the restoration of the passages cut from Q2, the modernization of words thought by the editors to be out of date, and inclusion of some lines which seem to be actors’ ad libs rather than Shakespeare’s text. Modern editors usually use Q2 because it is closest to Shakespeare’s text, but also because it has the restored passages and other minor improvements [Boyce, 240].
Hamlet is regarded as one of Shakespeare’s finest tragedies, along with Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all of which followed in the next five or six years (along with four other major plays). Over the years it has been the most often performed of Shakespeare’s plays, and has been filmed at least 25 times and televised 5 times [Boyce, 241]. Most performances use an abridged text, since the original could take four to five hours. Beginning in 1775 with Sarah Siddons, women began playing the title role, including, in 1971, Judith Anderson at age 73 [Boyce, 240].
Expert Q&A
What do Laertes' lines in Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet mean, and do they relate to the play's era?
In Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet, Laertes' lines imply that even a modest woman can be seen as immodest if she reveals her beauty under the moonlight. This metaphor suggests that women who engage in secretive deeds, even if they appear virtuous during the day, are not truly modest. This reading reflects societal norms of the era, where young women were seen as susceptible to corruption and ruin, particularly if they attracted male attention. Therefore, Laertes warns Ophelia against such behavior.
What is the contextual and contemporary relevance of Hamlet's request to Horatio?
Hamlet's request to Horatio to report the events accurately is crucial contextually because Horatio is the sole survivor who knows the truth behind the tragic events, including Claudius's betrayal and Hamlet's innocence. This ensures Hamlet's name is cleared and legitimizes the transfer of power to Fortinbras. Contemporary relevance lies in the importance of eyewitness accounts for truth and justice, as Horatio's narrative becomes the authoritative account of the Danish court's demise.
What was the political situation during the composition of Hamlet? Did it influence the plot?
The political situation during the composition of Hamlet was marked by uncertainty over Queen Elizabeth I's succession, reflecting the fraught atmosphere in England. Shakespeare's play warns of the dangers of violent power transitions, as seen in Claudius's usurpation, which destabilizes Denmark. The play mirrors Elizabethan England's conspiracies, with Hamlet's revenge plot highlighting the tragic consequences of political schemes. Both Denmark and England were characterized by espionage and Machiavellian politics, emphasizing the need for stability and peaceful succession.
How does Act 2 of Hamlet reflect its original context?
What do Hamlet’s instructions to the players reveal about Elizabethan period's acting style?
Hamlet's instructions to the players reveal that Elizabethan acting often involved exaggerated, melodramatic performances with overly loud delivery. Shakespeare, through Hamlet, criticizes these tendencies, advising actors to avoid overacting and unnatural gestures, and to refrain from shouting excessively. This reflects a preference for more natural and convincing portrayals, aiming for realism to effectively engage the audience and, in Hamlet's case, to observe Claudius's reaction during the play within the play.
The impact of historical context on the characters, plots, and interpretations of Hamlet
In Hamlet, the historical context significantly influences characters, plots, and interpretations. Set in a time of political intrigue and social upheaval, the play reflects concerns about power, legitimacy, and moral corruption. Characters like Hamlet and Claudius navigate these turbulent dynamics, while audiences interpret the play through the lens of contemporary issues, enriching its depth and relevance.
A passage from Hamlet that requires understanding of Elizabethan cultural or political aspects
An example of a passage from Hamlet that requires understanding of Elizabethan cultural or political aspects is the gravedigger scene in Act V, Scene 1. This scene reflects contemporary attitudes toward death, social class, and the afterlife, as well as the political instability of the time, which would have resonated with Shakespeare's audience.
How Act 4 of Hamlet targets its audience in the original Elizabethan context or later dramatic versions
Act 4 of Hamlet targets its audience by highlighting themes of revenge, madness, and political intrigue, which resonated with the Elizabethan audience's interest in complex human emotions and power struggles. Later dramatic versions often emphasize these universal themes, allowing contemporary audiences to connect with the characters' psychological depth and moral dilemmas, thus maintaining the play's relevance across different eras.
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