book review of william shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet

By william shakespeare.

Shakespeare creates an absolute masterpiece here with his groundbreaking ideas underpinned by his legendary writing skills. 

Article written by Lee-James Bovey

P.G.C.E degree.

Romeo and Juliet almost speaks for itself. However, in keeping with the other articles on Book Analysis , we will try and review it honestly. (As honest as can be from a self-proclaimed Shakespeare fanboy!)

Characterization

It is not as straightforward to show characters in a play. Often the actors themselves help bring a text to life. However, having done some amateur theatre what I can say categorically is that with a dull script the talent of the actors is irrelevant. That is not an issue here. There is a range of characters and they all feel distinct from one another.

We see a range of motivations and people adapting the way they behave to suit their situation. Take for instance the character Lord Capulet who is defensive about the idea of Juliet marrying given her age but in the wake of Tybalt’s death and facing her showing a rebellious side he transforms completely appearing to threaten violence against her.

It is well known that Shakespeare borrowed plot ideas liberally from ancient Greek plays . However, with Romeo and Juliet , he broke new ground. Of course, it wasn’t the first tragedy but it was the first to use love as the hero’s fatal flaw. Up until this point, of course, we had seen love in plays but usually in comedy. It was considered not serious enough to warrant being a factor in a tragedy. The impact of this has shaped culture immeasurably.

But is the plot any good? It is not his most complex. There are no multiple side plots at play. However, it is such a good story. It truly is timeless and has been borrowed and liberally ripped off for centuries since. Personally, it is one of my favorites.

Language use

There is no doubt that Shakespeare was a master of his craft. So much of what he has written has shaped and bled into modern society. What he always did beautifully is use speech patterns to denote class or changes in status. Or in the case of Rome and Juliet to signify love. You know how they say when people are in love they “complete one another” Shakespeare subconsciously shows us that. When Romeo and Juliet first talk to one another their words form a perfect Shakespearean sonnet. Isn’t that beautiful? Plus looking beyond that you have the subtle difference in the way Romeo describes Juliet compared to Rosaline.

His metaphors are all about war and misery with Rosaline signifying his inner turmoil while his imagery when describing Juliet draws on religion and light. These skills combined with the masterful use of foreshadowing and the beautifully crafted witty exchanges between Romeo and Mercutio prove just how good the bard was.

It might not be the literary critic’s favorite. That honor seems to lie with Hamlet but can you really argue with the lasting appeal of Romeo and Juliet ? Here is a play that is still discussed and performed more than 400 years after it was written in an era where the language has developed so much that people struggle to understand everything which is said and yet it maintains its mystique. Some could point to the literary canon and suggest that it is full of dead white men and of course that is correct. I would suggest that not all of those dead white men deserve their place either.

However, I do not believe that you can extend that critique to the works of Shakespeare who was clearly ahead of his time in terms of the issues he was tackling. He also consistently displayed a masterful use of language and was as good at turning a phrase as anyone who has ever picked up a quill or sat in front of a typewriter. So, yes while I do display a certain degree of bias towards Shakespeare I still believe that Romeo and Juliet is an absolute masterpiece.

Should you read it?

This is a slightly more complex question to answer than you might expect. Yes, Shakespeare was a phenomenal writer but he was not an author. You can read his works and get enjoyment from them but truly to see them brought to life I’d recommend going to the theatre and seeing them performed and if you can’t bring yourself to do that watch one of the movies adaptations. So yes by all means read it. But if you ever get the opportunity to see it performed, do that! Especially if it is by somebody who does it well like the RSC in the UK.

Romeo and Juliet: Still as relevant today as it was in its day

Book Title: Romeo and Juliet

Book Description: Shakespeare's famous tale of two star-crossed lovers.

Book Author: William Shakespeare

Book Edition: Norton Critical Edition

Book Format: Paperback

Publisher - Organization: Folger Shakespeare Library

Date published: March 1, 2004

ISBN: 978-0-393-91402-5

Number Of Pages: 320

• Writing style
• Lasting effect on reader

Romeo and Juliet Review

• Impeccable use of language
• Iconic story
• The music scene near the climax is dated
• Some of the humour is lost on a modern audience
• Language can be tricky to understand

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About Lee-James Bovey

Lee-James, a.k.a. LJ, has been a Book Analysis team member since it was first created. During the day, he's an English Teacher. During the night, he provides in-depth analysis and summary of books.

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'Shakespeare'; 'A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare': Straight Out of Stratford

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By John Simon

• Oct. 23, 2005

SHAKESPEARE

The Biography.

By Peter Ackroyd.

Illustrated. 572 pp.

Nan A. Talese/Doubleday. $32.50.

A YEAR IN THE LIFE

OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

By James Shapiro.

Illustrated. 394 pp.

HarperCollins Publishers. $27.95.

TIME was when we knew little about the life of Shakespeare. Like the good Victorian he was, Tennyson exulted: "The less you know about a man's life, the better. I thank God day and night that we know nothing about Shakespeare." Like the true skeptic he was, Mark Twain jeered that writing a biography of Shakespeare was like reconstructing a brontosaurus skeleton from "nine bones and 600 barrels of plaster of Paris."

This last comes from "History Play," an amusing fantasy life of Christopher Marlowe by Rodney Bolt, who ridicules a typical Shakespeare biographer: "All references in the plays to dolphins are lined up to suggest that, maybe, as a boy Shakespeare traveled 12 miles to see a water pageant staged by the Earl of Leicester in his castle grounds at Kenilworth." And so, Bolt continues, "a story is stitched together." Well, yes, a Shakespearean biography requires stitching, but some people are handier than others with the needle. The two books under review here are both sartorial successes.

"Shakespeare: The Biography," by Peter Ackroyd, is longitudinal; it tackles the entire life, with just enough about the ancestors and a brief look at the afterlife. "A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare," by James Shapiro, is latitudinal, focusing on 1599, in some ways Shakespeare's annus mirabilis. It addresses in detail the four plays and background events of that year, but with a good many flashbacks and flash-forwards.

Both approaches have their merits. Ackroyd's are preponderantly those of a fellow writer and literary historian, with savvy observations from the heights of hindsight; Shapiro's are largely those we associate with a cultural critic and political journalist in full immersion. Needless to say, there is a good deal of overlapping, as there must be, but nobody who has read the one will fail to find pleasure and profit in the other.

By now research and criticism have shed so much light on Shakespeare that anyone interested enough to read these books knows the broad outlines of his life: childhood and schooling in Stratford in a household probably hiding condemned Roman Catholicism under a Protestant facade; marriage at 18 to the 26-year-old Anne Hathaway and the births of three children; the so-called lost years, during which Will may have worked for a butcher (unlikely) or tutored in the homes of Lancashire nobility (more likely). The coming to London as actor, playwright and poet, involved in the rivalries among various acting companies and competition with fellow playwrights. Perhaps also something about the mainly good relations with two monarchs, Elizabeth and James, and with certain prominent noblemen. Finally, the retirement to Stratford and life as a wealthy landowner, only sporadically punctuated by collaboration with other dramatists.

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Theresa Smith Writes

Delighting in all things bookish, book review: the complete works of william shakespeare.

By now, regular readers will have gotten wind that I’m a Shakespeare tragic. Combine this with my love of collecting beautiful books, and you get this:

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare is an elegant edition boasting the entire credited catalogue of William Shakespeare including 16 comedies, 10 histories, 12 tragedies, as well as all of his poems and sonnets.

Be still my beating heart. This book is indeed beautiful, but even better, it has all of Shakespeare’s work, and while it’s far from compact and not even a little bit portable, it has presence: a stately hardcover, elegant end papers, and a thick ribbon bookmark (trust me – these things matter to a book collector). The text is presented in the traditional two column format which appeals to the traditionalist in me. There’s a short introduction at the front and a short life and times of Shakespeare at the back, but other than this, it’s all Shakespeare, not someone else’s reinterpretation, not a whole heap of ‘translated’ meanings, and no deconstructed text analysis – just The Bard, in his own words, as they were always intended to be appreciated.

Now, clearly, I’m not going to sit down and read this book from cover to cover and review it in the usual way. This is more of a dip in and dip out kind of book, so I thought I’d just tell you all about the edition itself, just in case you were thinking about acquiring a collection of Shakespeare for yourself or to give as a literary gift. I highly recommend this one from an aesthetic point of view. And besides, Shakespeare is above review – his work speaks for itself.

‘But Shakespeare does not simply deliver eternal truths from on high, despite being the most quoted poet in history. His writing is like one side in the best imaginable conversation. To access the riches in Shakespeare’s writing, readers, performers, and audiences need to bring their own experience and their own imaginations to bear, to converse with what they see and hear. The works then come alive, in different ways in different places and times, but always with the potential for astonishing creativity.’ – Introduction by John Lotherington

Thanks is extended to The Quarto Group (via Allen & Unwin) for providing me with a copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare for review.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Published by The Quarto Group – Rock Point Released 1st October 2019 Buy from Booktopia

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22 thoughts on “ book review: the complete works of william shakespeare ”.

Like Liked by 1 person

It’s in pride of place in the glass fronted book case, aka, the place only the best and beautiful books get to rest.

Like Liked by 2 people

A glass fronted book case! Ooh, that’s special! Would love to see a photo some time.

It’s only a low one, nothing extravagant!

Beautiful edition! Very timeless style.

It does have a timeless style, you’re right!

It’s definitely a beautiful edition. I have a hardcover edition of Shakespeare’s works too, but the print is so small! I was thinking it would be nice to have a set of individual titles – beautifully bound of course.

I was happy to see that the print is regular sized in this edition. There’s nothing worse than having to squint at your book!

Beautiful Theresa. I would probably never read it but I love having beautiful books to look at.

I have some like that too. Ones that are for looking only because the contents are not to my taste.

How lovely! What size is the font? I have a complete Shakespeare but the font is too small for me to read it in bed. I think I”ll have to order this one and pass the one I have on. I”ve just watched the first couple of acts of Hamlet, BBC production, 2009; in modern dress, but it’s holding me because the poetry is there, the words are projected clearly; though i get a bit irritated by Tennant’s mannerisms!!\

At a guess I’d say 10pt font.

I’ve just searched for the book and can only find an NZ site, but no way of ordering it! Where did you get your copy?

Ah, I just saw the link to Booktopia, and have ordered my copy! Thank you.

Excellent. It’s a good price too, I was surprised. Enjoy! 😊

From the publisher. I have included a buy link for Booktopia at the bottom of the post.

What a wonderful collection to have. If you are ever in the UK, I hope you would have time to visit Stratford Upon Avon and see a performance from the RSC. I try to see something there every year, and it is a great experience.

That is something that I would definitely make time to do! It would be fantastic.

I love the showcase style review – fabulous! What a gorgeous book. I have a similar one in my keeps cabinet, an anniversary gift from my husband.

Thank you! What a thoughtful anniversary present!!

Oh, how beautiful! We already have two hardcover Collected Works in our house, both beautiful and both inherited from grandparents, so neither of us can bear to part with them 😅 but this one looks gorgeous!

Well that’s a couple of special editions there! How excellent!

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Biography.com’s Ultimate William Shakespeare Study Guide

Everything you need to know about the world’s most famous playwright, including how his life influenced his work and how his legacy lives on today

Learning Objectives

Through this study guide, students will: 1. demonstrate an understanding of themes and characters in three of Shakespeare’s most important plays. 2. demonstrate an understanding of language and literary structure in Shakespeare’s sonnets. 3. examine Shakespeare’s life and times to understand the historical context for his work. 4. explore Shakespeare’s lasting legacy on our language and popular culture.

Shakespeare’s Plays

Shakespeare’s sonnets, shakespeare today, shakespeare onscreen, how to cite shakespeare in mla style, additional resources, who was william shakespeare.

While many details surrounding the life of William Shakespeare remain unclear, scholars believe he was born around April 26, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, a market town some 100 miles from London. His father was John Shakespeare, a glove-maker who also served as an elected official before suffering business losses that left his family in debt beginning when William was in his teens. William’s mother, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a wealthy nearby landowner.

William was the third of eight children, two of whom died in infancy and another who died before age 10. His younger sister, Joan, was the only sibling to outlive the famous playwright, who left her money, clothing, and the deed to the family home in his later will. Scholars believe there is strong evidence that the Shakespeare family was Catholic, a fact they would have likely kept secret due to anti-Catholic sentiment following the Reformation of the English church earlier in the 16 th century.

Shakespeare likely attended the nearby grammar school, and while some scholars have expressed doubt that Shakespeare’s education was comprehensive enough to allow him to create his later work, it’s now believed that the Stratford school was well-regarded and Shakespeare would have received a solid education, including Latin and the Classics.

He left school in his mid-teens and, unlike some of his contemporaries including Christopher Marlowe , didn’t attend college. Shakespeare was expected to become an apprentice, but that plan was interrupted in 1592 when the 18-year-old married Anne Hathaway , a woman eight years his senior who was already pregnant with their first child. Their daughter, Susanna, was born the next year, then the couple had twins, Hamnet and Judith, in 1585. Hamnet died in 1596 at age 11, but by that time, Shakespeare had moved to London, returning to Stratford only intermittently over the next several decades. Shakespeare retired from his writing career around 1613 and returned permanently to his family in Stratford where he died in late April 1616 at age 52 of unknown causes.

Little is known about Shakespeare’s life in the years immediately after his marriage, a period scholars consider “the lost years.” But by 1592, Shakespeare had moved to London and established himself as an actor in The Lord Chamberlain’s men, a theater group led by its star Richard Burbage. The troupe eventually made their home in the newly-built Globe Theatre on London’s Southbank. Shakespeare helped with the Globe’s construction, and his partial ownership stake brought him much-needed financial security.

However, it was through his work as the group’s primary playwright that he found fame. Between the late 1580s and 1613, Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays. Some scholars believe he might have made contributions to plays by other people or that some original Shakespearean works were subsequently lost. Despite their place in the literary canon, there has been much debate over whether Shakespeare was actually the author of his plays . Opponents claim Shakespeare didn’t have the educational background and knowledge displayed in the works and have proposed several alternate candidates, but the consensus among scholars is that he was indeed the real author.

His works drew deeply on historic events and were frequently set in foreign lands few of his audience had ever visited. As with much of Shakespeare’s life, the timeline of the writing of his plays remains unclear. He likely started on his first plays around 1589. Although there is continued debate surrounding which came first, his earliest works are the three Henry VI plays, The Taming of the Shrew , and The Two Gentlemen of Verona . Shakespeare’s plays are generally grouped into three categories:

🎭 Comedies:

• The Two Gentlemen of Verona (written between 1589–1591*)
• The Taming of the Shrew (1590–1591)
• The Comedy of Errors (1594)
• Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594–1595)
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595)
• The Merchant of Venice (1596–1597)
• The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597–1598)
• Much Ado About Nothing (1598–1599)
• As You Like It (1599–1600)
• Twelfth Night (1601)
• Troilus and Cressida (1602)
• Measure for Measure (1603–1604)
• All’s Well That Ends Well (1606–1607)
• Pericles (1607)
• The Winter’s Tale (1609–1610)
• Cymbeline (1610–1611)
• The Tempest (1610–1611)
• The Two Noble Kinsmen (1613)

→ Get an overview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream , including key themes and characters, by downloading our Shakespeare study guide PDF

🎭 Tragedies:

• Titus Andronicus (1592)
• Romeo and Juliet (1595)
• Julius Caesar (1599)
• Hamlet (1600–1601)
• Othello (1603–1604)
• King Lear (1605–1606)
• Timon of Athens (1606)
• Macbeth (1606)
• Antony and Cleopatra (1606)
• Coriolanus (1608)

→ Get an overview of Romeo and Juliet , including key themes and characters, by downloading our Shakespeare study guide PDF

🎭 Histories:

• Henry VI, Part 2 (1590–1591)
• Henry VI, Part 3 (1591)
• Henry VI, Part 1 (1592)
• Richard III (1592–1593)
• Richard II ( 1595)
• King John (1596)
• Henry IV , Part 1 (1596–1597)
• Henry IV, Part 2 (1597–1598)
• Henry V (1598–1599)
• Henry VIII (1613)

→ Get an overview of Richard III , including key themes and characters, by downloading our Shakespeare study guide PDF

*Editor’s Note: Sources vary on when Shakespeare wrote many of his plays. Data based on The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works (Second Edition ) and the Royal Shakespeare Company

Shakespeare also wrote poetry, including at least 154 sonnets. The sonnets were first published in 1609 likely without his permission. Each sonnet is 14 lines long, divided into three stanzas of four lines each (known as a quatrain ) followed by a two-line couplet . Like his plays, the sonnets were written in iambic pentameter rhyming scheme with 10 syllables in each line.

Scholars believe 126 of the sonnets are addressed to a handsome, young aristocratic man, known as the “Fair Youth.” In these poems, Shakespeare details his close relationship with the Fair Youth, praising his beauty and urging him to marry and procreate to carry on his line. While some scholars believe these sonnets depict a romantic intimacy between the two men, others believe that the relationship was platonic.

Each sonnet is 14 lines long, divided into three stanzas of four lines each (known as a quatrain ) followed by a two-line couplet . Like his plays, the sonnets were written in iambic pentameter rhyming scheme with 10 syllables in each line

Approximately two dozen of the sonnets were addressed to the “Dark Lady,” a woman who infatuates Shakespeare. Based on his physical descriptions, some scholars believe the Dark Lady might have been a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I , a female poet, or even a London prostitute. As in the case of the Fair Youth, the Dark Lady’s identity hasn’t been confirmed. In any case, these sonnets alternate between desire, obsession, jealousy, and anguish.

In addition to the sonnets, Shakespeare wrote several longer narrative poems. The two most important of which were Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594).

📝 Activity Time

Download our complete William Shakespeare Study Guide to delve into Sonnet 18, arguably the most famous of his sonnets. Read and discuss the text, plus test your own sonnet-writing ability.

Download Study Guide

Shakespeare’s influence on our language is deep and everlasting. But did you know that he even invented words we still use today? Scholars estimate he used more than 20,000 different words in his work. Among them are some 1,700 words that Shakespeare either invented or published for the first time in his works.

Check out a few of his inventions:

• Alligator ( Romeo and Juliet )
• Bedazzled ( The Taming of the Shrew)
• Cold-blooded ( King John )
• Eyeball ( Henry VI, Part 1 )
• Fashionable ( Troilus and Cressida )
• Gossip ( The Comedy of Errors )
• Obscene ( Love’s Labour’s Lost )
• Rant ( Hamlet )
• Swagger ( A Midsummer Night’s Dream )
• Uncomfortable ( Romeo and Juliet)

He didn’t just stick to innovative words and phrases, either. Shakespeare’s plays also introduced or popularized names that have become widespread in the centuries that followed, including Jessica, Miranda, Olivia, and Viola.

Shakespeare’s works are also full of some of the best examples of Elizabethan humor: insults.

Here are five of his best put-downs, with modern-day translations in the dropdown:

.css-13m1f6i{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;cursor:pointer;scroll-margin-top:0rem;background-color:#ffffff;color:#000;width:100%;border:0;border-top:thin solid #d4d4d4;text-align:left;padding-top:0.3125rem;border-bottom:none;padding-bottom:0.3125rem;}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-13m1f6i{scroll-margin-top:3.375rem;}} .css-b4ahb2{border-radius:50%;width:1.875rem;border:thin solid #737373;height:1.875rem;padding:0.4rem;margin-right:0.625rem;} .css-jlx6sx{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;width:0.9375rem;height:0.9375rem;margin-right:0.625rem;-webkit-transform:rotate(90deg);-moz-transform:rotate(90deg);-ms-transform:rotate(90deg);transform:rotate(90deg);-webkit-transition:-webkit-transform 250ms ease-in-out;transition:transform 250ms ease-in-out;} “[thy] tongue outvenoms all the worms of the nile.” — cymbeline.

Translation: They have a poisonous tongue and spread lies.

“His wit’s as thick as Tewkesbury mustard.” — Henry IV, Part 2

Translation: He’s stupid.

“Sell when you can, you are not for all markets.” — As You Like It

Translation: Take whatever offers you get because you’re unattractive and not everybody’s “cup of tea.”

“You have a February face, so full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness.” — Much Ado About Nothing

Translation: You have a sour, cold, and deadpan expression.

“I am pigeon-livered and lack gall” — Hamlet

Translation: I’m a coward.

Shakespeare’s plays have been continuously performed around the world for more than 425 years, and several of them have been made into movies . Some are straightforward versions of the original plays, while others have used Shakespeare’s stories as a launching pad for original works. These include musicals like West Side Story (based on Romeo and Juliet ) and Kiss Me Kate ( The Taming of the Shrew ).

The creators of the Disney musical The Lion King based much of its plot and several characters on Hamlet . Simba is a prince whose father is murdered just like Hamlet, and he also receives ghostly visitations from his father. Simba must avenge his father’s death and vanquish his murderous uncle Scar (a stand-in for Claudius). The Lion King also makes nods to other Shaskpearian works, including a character named Timon (the lead character’s name in Timon of Athens ) and Pumbaa, the gluttonous warthog many scholars believe resembles the character of Falstaff, who appears in three of Shakespeare’s history plays.

🎞️ Films Based on Shakespeare Works

The Taming of the Shrew also served as inspiration for 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), reusing several of the original character’s names to tell the story of Katherine “Kat,” an unlikable “shrew” who is tricked into a fake relationship with Patrick so that her father will allow her younger sister, Bianca, to date.

Another adaptation involving high school is She’s the Man (2006), which stars Amanda Bynes as Viola, a teen who switches places with her twin brother, Sebastian, as in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night . Both are set in Illyria, an island in the play and a boarding school in the film. In both versions, Olivia falls in love with “Sebastian,” not realizing it’s really Viola in disguise.

When listing Shakespeare’s plays in your works cited, include the author’s last name then first name separated by a comma. Next comes the italicized play title followed by the book or website name. For book citations, include the version or edition information, editor(s), publisher, publication year, and page range. Web sources should be followed by the URL and access date. Examples:

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark . The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: The Cambridge Edition , edited by William Aldis Wright, Doubleday & Company Inc., 1936, pp. 731–779.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Folger Shakespeare Library , www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.

Including Shakespeare’s poetry in your works cited follows similar rules. Remember the name of the sonnet or poem should appear in quotation marks. Examples:

Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 116.” The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: The Cambridge Edition , edited by William Aldis Wright, Doubleday & Company Inc., 1936, p. 1418.

Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds.” Poetry Foundation , www.poetryfoundation.org/poems /45106/sonnet-116-let-me-not-to-the-marriage-of-true-minds. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024.

To cite Shakespeare using an in-text parenthetical citation, include the italicized play name then the act, scene, and line number(s). For sonnets, include the author’s last name and the line number(s). The citation should appear at the end of the sentence. Examples:

( Hamlet 3.1.55-57)

(Shakespeare 1-2)

As each edition of Shakespeare’s work has different line numbers, make sure to check the accuracy based on the edition you are using.

• Biography.com’s Complete Biography of William Shakespeare
• Why Is William Shakespeare’s Life Considered a Mystery?

Was Shakespeare the Real Author of His Plays?

• Shakespeare Wrote Three of His Famous Tragedies During Turbulent Times
• 20 Famous Shakespeare Quotes That Show the Bard’s Wit and Wisdom
• How Did Shakespeare Die? What the Few Intriguing Clues Tell Us
• Folger Shakespeare Library
• Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
• Poetry Foundation: William Shakespeare

Barbara Maranzani is a New York–based writer and producer. She is a frequent contributor to HISTORY and Biography.com , covering American and European history, politics, pop culture, and more. In her free time, she enjoys planning and plotting her next travel adventure.

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• Lit2Go - "Hamlet"
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• Internet Archive - Shakespeare's Hamlet
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Hamlet , tragedy in five acts by William Shakespeare , written about 1599–1601 and published in a quarto edition in 1603 from an unauthorized text, with reference to an earlier play. The First Folio version was taken from a second quarto of 1604 that was based on Shakespeare’s own papers with some annotations by the bookkeeper.

Shakespeare’s telling of the story of Prince Hamlet was derived from several sources, notably from Books III and IV of Saxo Grammaticus ’s 12th-century Gesta Danorum and from volume 5 (1570) of Histoires tragiques , a free translation of Saxo by François de Belleforest. The play was evidently preceded by another play of Hamlet (now lost), usually referred to as the Ur-Hamlet , of which Thomas Kyd is a conjectured author.

As Shakespeare’s play opens, Hamlet is mourning his father, who has been killed, and lamenting the behaviour of his mother, Gertrude , who married his uncle Claudius within a month of his father’s death. The ghost of his father appears to Hamlet, informs him that he was poisoned by Claudius, and commands Hamlet to avenge his death. Though instantly galvanized by the ghost’s command, Hamlet decides on further reflection to seek evidence in corroboration of the ghostly visitation, since, he knows, the Devil can assume a pleasing shape and can easily mislead a person whose mind is perturbed by intense grief. Hamlet adopts a guise of melancholic and mad behaviour as a way of deceiving Claudius and others at court—a guise made all the easier by the fact that Hamlet is genuinely melancholic.

Hamlet’s dearest friend, Horatio, agrees with him that Claudius has unambiguously confirmed his guilt. Driven by a guilty conscience , Claudius attempts to ascertain the cause of Hamlet’s odd behaviour by hiring Hamlet’s onetime friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on him. Hamlet quickly sees through the scheme and begins to act the part of a madman in front of them. To the pompous old courtier Polonius , it appears that Hamlet is lovesick over Polonius’s daughter Ophelia . Despite Ophelia’s loyalty to him, Hamlet thinks that she, like everyone else, is turning against him; he feigns madness with her also and treats her cruelly as if she were representative, like his own mother, of her “treacherous” sex.

Hamlet contrives a plan to test the ghost’s accusation. With a group of visiting actors, Hamlet arranges the performance of a story representing circumstances similar to those described by the ghost, under which Claudius poisoned Hamlet’s father. When the play is presented as planned, the performance clearly unnerves Claudius.

Moving swiftly in the wake of the actors’ performance, Hamlet confronts his mother in her chambers with her culpable loyalty to Claudius. When he hears a man’s voice behind the curtains, Hamlet stabs the person he understandably assumes to be Claudius. The victim, however, is Polonius, who has been eavesdropping in an attempt to find out more about Hamlet’s erratic behaviour. This act of violence persuades Claudius that his own life is in danger. He sends Hamlet to England escorted by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern , with secret orders that Hamlet be executed by the king of England. When Hamlet discovers the orders, he alters them to make his two friends the victims instead.

Upon his return to Denmark, Hamlet hears that Ophelia is dead of a suspected suicide (though more probably as a consequence of her having gone mad over her father’s sudden death) and that her brother Laertes seeks to avenge Polonius’s murder. Claudius is only too eager to arrange the duel. Carnage ensues. Hamlet dies of a wound inflicted by a sword that Claudius and Laertes have conspired to tip with poison; in the scuffle, Hamlet realizes what has happened and forces Laertes to exchange swords with him, so that Laertes too dies—as he admits, justly killed by his own treachery. Gertrude, also present at the duel, drinks from the cup of poison that Claudius has had placed near Hamlet to ensure his death. Before Hamlet himself dies, he manages to stab Claudius and to entrust the clearing of his honour to his friend Horatio.

For a discussion of this play within the context of Shakespeare’s entire corpus, see William Shakespeare: Shakespeare’s plays and poems .

William Shakespeare | 4.36 | 724,830 ratings and reviews

Ranked #1 in Drama , Ranked #1 in Theater — see more rankings .

Reviews and Recommendations

We've comprehensively compiled reviews of Hamlet from the world's leading experts.

Ryan Holiday Author Philosophy runs through this play–all sorts of great lines. There are gems like “..for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” which I used in my last book and “Beware of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, bear it, that the opposed may beware of thee.” was a favorite of Sherman. (Source)

Tim Lott I love the speech when Hamlet’s uncle Claudius admits to being inflicted with the primal eldest curse for killing his brother, and begs on his knees for forgiveness for this ultimate violation of the law of nature. (Source)

Rankings by Category

Hamlet is ranked in the following categories:

• #94 in 10th Grade
• #33 in 11th Grade
• #4 in 12th Grade
• #92 in 15-Year-Old
• #33 in 16-Year-Old
• #4 in 17-Year-Old
• #4 in 18-Year-Old
• #25 in Academia
• #45 in Acting
• #23 in Archives
• #81 in Betrayal
• #32 in Broadway
• #54 in Bucket List
• #59 in Character
• #75 in Character Development
• #12 in Class
• #37 in Classic
• #28 in Classical
• #55 in Death
• #52 in Dramatic
• #23 in English Vocabulary
• #18 in English Writer
• #33 in Existential
• #57 in Existentialism
• #12 in Family Law
• #71 in Ghost
• #79 in Ghost Story
• #59 in Gilmore Girls
• #10 in High School
• #12 in High School Reading
• #77 in Human Nature
• #91 in Influential
• #93 in Ireland
• #71 in Literary
• #38 in Literature
• #20 in Murder
• #42 in Period
• #55 in Poster
• #19 in Procrastination
• #70 in Project Gutenberg
• #35 in Public Domain
• #2 in Renaissance
• #2 in Revenge
• #86 in Royalty
• #14 in Screenplay
• #2 in Shakespeare
• #70 in Soul
• #33 in Suicide
• #87 in Top Ten
• #3 in University
• #67 in Used
• #24 in Vocabulary

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Hamlet is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, and is considered to be one of the greatest works of English literature. The play explores themes of revenge, madness, and the corruptions of power, and remains relevant to audiences today.

Table of contents

Plot summary, character analysis, themes and motifs, legacy and significance, language and style, performance and adaptations, notable quotes and analysis.

Hamlet follows the story of Prince Hamlet, who is consumed by grief after the death of his father and the remarriage of his mother to his uncle, who becomes the new king. Hamlet feigns madness in order to uncover the truth behind his father’s death and eventually seeks revenge. The play is filled with deception, intrigue, and ultimately tragedy, as many of the characters meet their downfall.

Hamlet is the central figure of the play, Hamlet , and his character is complex and multi-dimensional. He is deeply conflicted, torn between his desire for justice and his struggle with his own morality. Other notable characters include Claudius, the corrupt king; Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother; and Ophelia, the innocent victim. Each of these characters plays a crucial role in the play and contributes to its themes and motifs.

The play, Hamlet , explores themes of revenge, mortality, and the corruptions of power. These themes are woven throughout the play, as Hamlet struggles with the morality of seeking revenge for his father’s death and the corrupt actions of the kingdom’s new rulers. The motif of madness is also prominent, as Hamlet feigns madness in order to hide his true intentions and gain insight into the actions of those around him.

Hamlet is considered to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest works, and its impact on literature and popular culture is undeniable. Its themes and characters continue to resonate with audiences today, making it a timeless classic that has stood the test of time. The play has been adapted and reinterpreted countless times, solidifying its place as one of the greatest works of English literature.

Hamlet is written in a unique and complex style, making use of puns, soliloquies, and poetic language. Shakespeare’s masterful use of language adds depth and meaning to the play, and contributes to its timeless appeal. The soliloquies in particular provide insight into the inner thoughts and emotions of the characters, and are considered to be some of the greatest examples of this literary device in the English language.

Hamlet has been performed countless times since its original staging, and has been adapted in numerous ways, including film, television, and even musical productions. These adaptations often bring new perspectives and interpretations to the play, but the core themes and characters remain constant. Many notable actors have portrayed Hamlet over the years, each bringing their own unique interpretation to the role.

• “To be, or not to be: that is the question.” – Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1.:

This is perhaps one of the most famous quotes from Hamlet, and it is a reference to the question of existence and the human condition. Hamlet is contemplating the pros and cons of life and death, and is considering whether it is nobler to endure the trials and tribulations of life or to simply give up and end it all.

• “The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.” – Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2.:

In this quote, Hamlet is referring to the play he is preparing, which he hopes will reveal the guilt of his uncle, the king, for the murder of his father. Hamlet believes that the play will be an effective tool for exposing the truth, and he uses it as a means of getting revenge.

• “Frailty, thy name is woman.” – Hamlet, Act I, Scene 2.:

In this quote, Hamlet is expressing his disappointment and frustration with women, and is suggesting that they are inherently weak and susceptible to temptation. This sentiment reflects the patriarchal attitudes of the time in which the play was written, but it also highlights Hamlet’s own prejudices and biases.

• “To thine own self be true.” – Polonius, Act I, Scene 3.:

This quote is spoken by Polonius, and it encourages the idea of being honest with oneself. Polonius believes that one should be true to one’s own beliefs and values, and should not be swayed by external influences. This quote is often seen as a lesson for the reader or audience, reminding them of the importance of staying true to oneself.

Hamlet is filled with memorable quotes and powerful themes, and Shakespeare’s mastery of language and storytelling is evident in every line. These quotes provide insight into the characters, themes, and motifs of the play, and are a testament to its lasting impact and significance. Whether you are a fan of Shakespeare or a newcomer to his works, Hamlet is sure to captivate and inspire you.

Hamlet is a powerful and timeless play that continues to captivate audiences. Its themes of revenge, mortality, and corruption remain relevant today, and its complex characters and masterful use of language have made it one of the greatest works of English literature. Whether you are a fan of Shakespeare or a newcomer to his works, Hamlet is a must-read that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

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By William Shakespeare Written between 1601-1602

General Note: In January 2009 I decided that I�d like to go back and read all the plays of William Shakespeare, perhaps one a month if that works out. I hadn�t read a Shakespeare play since 1959, 50 years ago! But I had read nearly all of them in college. I wanted to go back, start with something not too serious or challenging, and work my way through the whole corpus. Thus I began with The Two Gentlemen of Verona. At this time I have no idea how the project will go, nor if it will actually lead me through the entire corpus of Shakespeare�s plays. However, I will keep a separate page listing each play I�ve read with links to any comments I would make of that particular play. See: List of Shakespeare�s play�s I�ve read and commented on

COMMENTS ON TWELFTH NIGHT OR WHAT YOU WILL

Twelfth Night is a quick read, fun in the main, mean in places, but not one of Shakespeare�s more exceptional works.

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BOOK REVIEW: Othello by William Shakespeare

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“Othello” is Shakespeare’s tragic take on a plot device he uses in comedies such as “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” “Cymbeline,” and “The Winter’s Tale.” It’s the story of a jealous husband who falsely accuses his [in fact] virtuous wife of infidelity. Othello is a Moorish military commander, well regarded for his prowess in battle. Unlike Ford from “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” Othello isn’t particularly jealous by nature, but he’s masterfully manipulated by one of Shakespeare’s most famously treacherous villains, Iago. In fact, it could be argued that Othello’s virtuous nature blinds him Iago’s duplicity.

[Spoiler warning: I discuss plot details in much greater detail in my Shakespeare reviews than I usually would, because: a.) the plots are generally familiar anyway, b.) many people aren’t comfortable reading Elizabethan language and find it easier to follow if they have a basic idea of what is going on. At any rate, from this point forward plot details are discussed.]

The play opens with a furor that is created when Desdemona’s father (Brabantio) is informed by Iago (and Rodrigo) that Desdemona has been “making the beast with two backs” with Othello (still one of my favorite euphemisms for intercourse.) In the court of the Duke, Othello is accused of defiling Desdemona, but the Moor claims that he and Desdemona are legally wed, having eloped and married. Desdemona is summoned, and she confirms this to be true. Iago’s initial plot peters out here because Brabantio has always respected Othello. As it turns out, Othello is being deployed to a military action by the Duke.

Not one to give up easily, Iago advances his treachery while deployed by getting Othello’s right-hand man (Cassio) drunk. Cassio is on Iago’s blacklist, because Iago thinks the Moor should have granted him a post that was instead given Cassio. Cassio loses favor with Othello when the Moor finds him drunk. This ploy sets up a two-pronged plan by which Iago intends to wreck the marriage of Othello and Desdemona. (Iago’s wife, Emilia, is Desdemona’s attendant and bestie. So, while Othello’s virtuous nature seems to create a blind spot of Iago’s duplicity, the villainous Iago appears to suspect imagined treachery everywhere – including the possibility that Othello is bi-backed beasting Emilia [whether he imagines this being a coupling or a menage-a-trois with Desdamona is unclear.])

The twin prongs of the plot are: first, get Cassio to ask Desdemona to smooth things over with Othello about the drunkenness (which will make it look like Desdemona has a more intense interest in Cassio than she actually does,) and second, subtly start planting the notion in Othello’s mind that he should keep and eye on Cassio.

Like an evil genius, Iago plays it subtle – a reluctant accuser. This keeps Iago’s own motivation from being made clear because it seems like he’s just trying to do the right thing. He plants sees but lets other do the obvious work of tending. However, Iago knows some hard evidence will be necessary because Othello isn’t going to go off the rails without at least some circumstantial evidence. He achieves this by obtaining from Emilia a handkerchief that was gifted from Othello to Desdemona. He nags Emilia to steal it, which she won’t, but when Desdemona mislays it, Emilia figures she can shut her ne’er-do-well husband up. [Emilia doesn’t know it’s for some grand homewrecking design. She is dubious of her husband, but figures it’s just a patch of cloth. How much trouble could be caused by letting her husband borrow it for some juvenile prank?] The handkerchief is planted in Cassio’s room.

It turns out that when Othello sees the handkerchief in the hand of a woman known to associate with Cassio, it’s all the evidence he needs to turn things murderous. He asks Iago to kill Cassio (a job Iago outsources to Rodrigo, suggesting that Rodrigo can finally have a chance with Desdemona if Cassio is killed because Othello will have to stay at home rather than the couple moving on to a foreign posting abroad.) Rodrigo ends up severely wounding Cassio while being mortally wounded himself (Iago making sure his treachery doesn’t come out while Rodrigo can still talk.)

Othello kills Desdemona after accusing her of cheating. [Desdemona, of course, thinks he’s lost his mind.] When Emilia questions Othello’s motives, the Moor cites the handkerchief as evidence of Desdemona’s scandalous behavior. Emilia tells him that Desdemona dropped the handkerchief and that Iago took possession of it. It’s at this point that Othello realizes he’s been scammed. Iago dies. Othello takes his own life.

This play is more than a cautionary tale about jealousy. It also shows how an honest man may be too quick to see honesty in others, while a dishonest man feels the need to preempt all manner of imagined plots. It’s among Shakespeare’s more popular works. It’s a simple story, but features richly developed characters. It’s definitely a must-read.

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The Tempest Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Sir Ian McKellen, fresh from his performance as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings , is Prospero, and heads a strong cast in Shakespeare’s last great play. The wronged duke raises a tempest to shipwreck his old opponents on his island so that he can ensure justice is done. With Emilia Fox as Miranda, Scott Handy in the pivotal role of the sprite Ariel, and Ben Owukwe as Caliban, this new production, directed by John Tydeman, balances the magic and the earthiness, with music playing a key role.

• Listening Length 2 hours and 7 minutes
• Author William Shakespeare
• Narrator Sir Ian McKellen, see all
• Audible release date August 18, 2011
• Language English
• Publisher Naxos AudioBooks
• ASIN B005HV1MMM
• Version Unabridged
• Program Type Audiobook
• See all details

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"...There is so much complexity within this brief play , that it is no wonder that people study Shakespeare to such lengths!..." Read more

"...It's very creatively done and quite entertaining . It is an adequate read for young adult readers and older." Read more

Customers find the book funny. They mention that it has revenge drama, romance, and magic.

"...a classic tale of adventure that combines revenge drama, romance, and comedy , all of it driven by magic and the supernatural...." Read more

"...It brought home the humor as well as the pathos of questions of relationships with family members, the relationships between characters with..." Read more

" Good memes ..." Read more

Customers find the setting of the book great. They also say the notes are helpful and the writing is clear.

"A good choice for The Tempest . Binding is solid and print is clear. As for The Tempest itself, an excellent read. Must-read classic for everyone." Read more

"This is a great version of the Tempest . The notes are helpful and it is written clearly...." Read more

" Tempest is good !..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the readability of the book. Some mention that it's readable, the layout is very attractive, and it gives the reader very subtle details. They appreciate the notes on the text, the modern typeface, and the apt presentation for a Shakespeare play. However, others say that it’s hard to read and understand, with too much forced speaking. They also say the editors were clearly confused, and this is reflected in their writing.

"...It is just an attractive presentation of a one of Shakespeare's most tightly-constructed plays, with a supplement...." Read more

"...The AmazonClassics Edition has the text in its purity, with a professional formatting and a modern typography that makes it an example of a proper..." Read more

"...7. That sappy, stilted , and pretentious "masque" scene doesn't belong there. Or at least not at such length...." Read more

"This is a genuinely good work of drama , which I had to read for my Intro. to Drama class...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the content depth. Some find the edition of The Tempest informative, entertaining, and useful for studying the play. They also appreciate the general summaries of each scene and interesting essays. However, some customers feel the introduction has a peculiar dullness, and the plot is essentially plotless. They mention that the book lacks visual cues and is not as provocative as other Shakespeare's play.

"...The characters are memorable, and reading the story helps a great deal in understanding the numerous references to it that can be found elsewhere..." Read more

"...I loved the infusion of music, poetry and magic within this play . There is obvious brilliance to the themes and the structure of the play...." Read more

"...transferred from Project Gutenberg, and, somehow, the art is actually missing -- it just has the selected texts Crane chose to illustrate...." Read more

"...But whatever it's shortcomings, this edition of 'The Tempest' is informative and even entertaining and has much to offer to anyone interested in..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the characters. Some mention they are memorable and interesting, while others say there are too many characters and no visual cues.

"...It's a bit odd, but quite good fun as well. The characters are memorable , and reading the story helps a great deal in understanding the numerous..." Read more

"...He is the most wooden, uncompelling, and uninteresting major character in any of the plays I have read...." Read more

"...of love, revenge, redemption, and political intrigue, full of well-drawn characters and unexpected plot turns...." Read more

"...Because there are so many characters and no visual cues it is hard to keep the group of noblemen straight." Read more

Customers find the annotations in the book lacking.

"...text of "The Tempest" is in unusually good condition, the lack of annotations or glossary is a relatively minor concern...." Read more

"...These can be found in many places. It does not include the Folger's introductions to Shakespeare, or to this play in particular, nor does it..." Read more

"...art, an attractive jacket, compact size, readable font, and helpful footnotes . These editions are my favorite way to read Shakespeare." Read more

"...It lacks footnotes and explanatory text , which is a handicap, though The X-Ray feature is of some help...." Read more

Customers find the Kindle version useless, with no line numbers and explanatory notes. They also say the publication was totally useless and printed out of page order. Readers also say that the editorial matter is disappointing and irritating.

"This publication was totally useless as it was printed out of page order!!!" Read more

" Kindle version is useless . No line numbers. No explanatory notes whatsoever." Read more

"The play's great but the editorial matter is disappointing and irritating..." Read more

Reviews with images

Binding on the Folger Shakespeare Library edition is terrible

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