Prince Hamlet

Prince Hamlet
Sarah Bernhardt as Hamlet, 1880-1885
Creator	William Shakespeare
Play	Hamlet
Family	King Hamlet (father) Gertrude (mother) Claudius (Uncle)
Associates	Horatio
Role	Prince of Denmark
Quote	"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio"

Prince Hamlet is the title character and protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew to the usurping Claudius, and son of King Hamlet, the previous King of Denmark. At the beginning of the play, he struggles with whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and struggles with his own sanity along the way. By the end of the tragedy, Hamlet has caused the deaths of Polonius, Laertes, Claudius, and two acquaintances of his from the University of Wittenberg Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He is also indirectly involved in the deaths of his love Ophelia (drowning) and of his mother Gertrude (poisoned by Claudius by mistake).

The play opens with Hamlet deeply depressed over the recent death of his father, King Hamlet, and his uncle Claudius' ascension to the throne and hasty marriage to Hamlet's mother Gertrude. One night, his father's ghost appears to him and tells him that Claudius murdered him in order to usurp the throne, and commands his son to avenge his death.

Claudius sends for two of Hamlet's friends from Wittenberg, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to find out what is causing Hamlet so much pain. Claudius and his advisor Polonius convince Ophelia—Polonius' daughter and Hamlet's true love—to speak with Hamlet while they secretly listen. Hamlet enters, contemplating suicide ("To be, or not to be"). Ophelia greets him, and offers to return his remembrances, upon which Hamlet questions her honesty and tells her to "get thee to a nunnery."