Hamlet: Context

We cannot be absolutely sure when William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet, but in 1603 a badly written and unauthorised edition was published. Hamlet is a very detailed play and has entertained audiences for over 350 years. The main character, Hamlet the Prince of Denmark, is an intellectual, emotional and soul-searching young man who completely dominates the stage like no other Shakespearean hero. As an audience we need to unravel the riddle of his personality. By the end of this title, you will need to decide whether you think that Hamlet is a clever and manipulative man, or whether, as his mother suspects, he is truly mad.