Shakespeare’s Hamlet has captivated audiences for centuries, but it doesn’t have to be hard to understand. This quick guide offers 20 key insights into both the play and its creator, William Shakespeare—ideal for deepening your understanding before the performance.
20 things You might want to know about Hamlet – Spoiler alert!
- Shakespeare wrote Hamlet around 1600
The play was written in the late 1500s or early 1600s, during the Renaissance. - It’s a tragedy
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s great tragedies, alongside works like Macbeth and Othello. - Setting
In Hamlet, the story is set in Denmark, primarily at Elsinore Castle, known in Danish as Kronborg Castle. This castle, located in the town of Helsingør on Denmark’s eastern coast, is famously associated with Shakespeare’s play and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. - Prince Hamlet is the main character (played by Jesper Fransson)
Prince Hamlet, the son of the recently deceased king, is the central figure and one of Shakespeare’s most complex characters. In Svenska Teatern’s version, Ophelia also takes on a more prominent role. - Ophelia, Hamlet’s love interest (played by Sonia Haga)
Ophelia is Hamlet’s love. Their relationship is complicated by Hamlet’s mental state and the political intrigues at court.
- One Theme is Revenge
The play revolves around Hamlet’s quest for revenge against his uncle Claudius, who murdered Hamlet’s father and married his mother, Gertrude (Sophia Heikkilä). - “To Be or Not to Be”
This is one of the most famous soliloquies in world literature, where Hamlet reflects on life and death. In our version, another character delivers this monologue. - Claudius is the Villain (played by Niklas Åkerfelt)
Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle and antagonist, murdered Hamlet’s father and took the throne. - Play Within a Play
Hamlet stages a play, “The Murder of Gonzago,” to expose Claudius’s guilt. The character “the actor” (Mitja Sirén) plays this role. - Hamlet’s Inner Struggle
A central element is Hamlet’s psychological conflict and hesitation to carry out revenge. - Ghost of King Hamlet
Hamlet’s deceased father appears as a ghost and reveals that Claudius murdered him. - Morality and Corruption
The play explores themes of morality, guilt, betrayal, and corruption within the royal family and society. - Laertes and Hamlet Duel
Laertes (played by Dennis Nylund), Ophelia’s brother, seeks revenge on Hamlet after losing both his father and sister. - Ophelia’s Tragic Fate
Ophelia goes mad after her father, Polonius (Mikael Anderrson), is killed by Hamlet and later dies under mysterious circumstances—often interpreted as suicide. - Rosencrantz (Patrick Henriksen) and Guildenstern (played by Dennis Nylund)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s childhood friends, are summoned by Claudius to spy on him. They become pawns in Claudius’s schemes, but Hamlet uncovers their loyalty and they meet a tragic fate. - Hamlet Dies at the End
Hamlet dies from a poisoned sword during the duel with Laertes. Nearly all main characters perish by the play’s end. - Hamlet at Svenska Teatern 60 Years Ago
Hamlet premiered at Svenska Teatern on April 24, 1964, directed by Carl-Axel Heiknert, with Kurt Ingvall as Hamlet and Gunvor Sandkvist as Ophelia. - Humor in Tragedy
Despite being a tragedy, the play contains many elements of humor and satire. - Origin of the Story of Hamlet
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is based on an older Danish legend about Prince Amleth, as told in the Norse saga Historia Danica. - Universal Themes
Themes like revenge, love, power, death, and morality make Hamlet timeless and relevant to modern society (read more in our interview with director Dritëro Kasapi).
…and 20 Truths About William Shakespeare
- Born in Stratford-upon-Avon
William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon, England. - He Was a Playwright, Poet, and Actor
Shakespeare wrote not only plays but also poems, and he was also an actor. - Shakespeare Wrote 37 Plays
A total of 37 plays are attributed to him, including tragedies, comedies, and historical dramas. - Famous Works
Some of his best-known plays are Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. - Sonnets
Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, a specific type of 14-line poem. - Globe Theatre
Many of his plays were performed at the Globe Theatre in London, built in 1599.
- No Original Manuscripts Remain
There are no preserved original manuscripts of Shakespeare’s works. They were compiled after his death in the First Folio. - Master of Language
Shakespeare introduced over 1,700 new words to the English language, including “assassination” and “eyeball.” - Mixed Genres
Shakespeare often blended genres. For example, A Midsummer Night’s Dream includes both comic and serious elements. - Shakespeare’s Verse
He mostly wrote in blank verse, a rhythmic structure with five iambs per line. - Popular in His Time
Though revered today, Shakespeare was also popular with the public during his lifetime. - Mystery Surrounding His Life
Little is known about Shakespeare’s private life, with certain periods, like 1585-1592, called “The Lost Years.” - Married Young
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at 18, and she was 26. They had three children together. - Plagiarism or Inspiration?
Many of Shakespeare’s plays are based on earlier works and stories, which was common in his time. - Politically Sensitive Time
Shakespeare lived during a period of political tension and change, reflected in his historical plays. - Early Success
His first major hit was Henry VI, a historical drama about the life of King Henry VI. - Humor in Tragedies
Despite their dark themes, his tragedies often include humor and comic characters, like the Fool in King Lear. - Shakespeare’s Death
He died in 1616 at age 52 and is buried in Holy Trinity Church in his hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. - Known as “The Bard”
Shakespeare is often called “The Bard” for his profound impact on English poetry and theater. - Shakespeare is Timeless
His works are continuously reinterpreted and performed worldwide, and his themes of love, power, and human flaws remain relevant today as in the 1600s.
Love, doubt, and generational rebellion drive Dritëro’s Hamlet
When staging the world’s most famous play by the greatest playwright in theatre history, you need something to say—both about the play and the present time. This is what director Dritëro Kasapi brings to his reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, premiering on November 7th at Svenska Teatern in Helsinki.
Hamlet – The Classic of Classics
Hamlet by William Shakespeare – a timeless masterpiece brought to new life under the direction of Dritëro Kasapi.
We offer surtitles in English, Swedish and Finnish through the mobile application Subtitle mobile. Language on stage is Swedish.
Dritëro Kasapi’s adaptation focuses particularly on the generational conflict portrayed in Hamlet, a theme highly relevant to our own time.
Wars and the ever-advancing climate catastrophe have set our world ablaze, much like Hamlet’s world, which is similarly ridden with war and the constant threat of destruction. In Kasapi’s interpretation, the values and worldviews of the young protagonists, Hamlet and Ophelia, clash with the older generation’s selfishness, ruthlessness, and complacency.