Hamlet in popular culture
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Numerous cultural references to ''Hamlet'' (in film, literature, arts, etc.) reflect the continued influence of this play. ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' is one of the most popular of
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
's plays, topping the list at the Royal Shakespeare Company since 1879, as of 2004.


Plays

The following list of plays including references to ''Hamlet'' is ordered alphabetically. *The
Reduced Shakespeare Company The Reduced Shakespeare Company (RSC) is an American touring acting troupe that performs fast-paced, seemingly improvisational condensations of different topics. The company's style has been described as "New Vaudeville," combining both physical a ...
's ''
The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) ''The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)'' (also known as ''The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged)'') is a play written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield. It parodies the plays of William Shakespeare with all of ...
'', has been performed in versions where ''Hamlet'' is done in about 43 seconds. *The comedy ''
Fortinbras Fortinbras is either of two minor fictional characters from William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Hamlet''. The more notable is a Norwegian crown prince with a few brief scenes in the play, who delivers the final lines that represent a hopeful future ...
'' covers the beginnings of the Norwegian Prince Fortinbras's reign in Denmark immediately following the events of ''Hamlet''. Fortinbras is experiencing difficulty assuming the crown; Horatio attempts to get Fortinbras to tell Hamlet's story; other characters (Hamlet, Polonius, Ophelia, etc.) haunt Fortinbras as ghosts. *Paul Rudnick's ''
I Hate Hamlet ''I Hate Hamlet'' is a comedy-drama written in 1991 by Paul Rudnick. Plot Set in John Barrymore's old apartment in New York City – at the time, the author's real-life home – the play follows successful television actor Andrew Rally as he ...
'' (1991), tells the story of a TV actor from Los Angeles who gets talked into doing ''Hamlet'' for
Shakespeare in the Park Shakespeare in the Park is a term for outdoor festivals featuring productions of William Shakespeare's plays. The term originated with the New York Shakespeare Festival in New York City's Central Park, originally created by Joseph Papp. This c ...
in New York. He rents Shakespearean actor
John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly att ...
's old apartment, and is soon haunted by the ghost of Barrymore himself. *
W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...
's ''
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Hamlet''. They are childhood friends of Hamlet, summoned by King Claudius to distract the prince from his apparent madness and if possible to ascertain the cause of ...
'' (1891) is a parody on ''Hamlet''. Gilbert himself took the role of Claudius in a 1904 production of his play. *
Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...
's ''
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Ham ...
'' (1966), tells the story of ''Hamlet'' from the perspective of two minor characters in Shakespeare's play. He has also written other ''Hamlet''-inspired drama, including ''Dogg's Hamlet'' and ''The Fifteen-Minute Hamlet.'' * Anton Chekhov's plays ''
The Seagull ''The Seagull'' ( rus, Ча́йка, r=Cháyka, links=no) is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 and first produced in 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramatises th ...
'' and ''
The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate editio ...
'' include elements from ''Hamlet''. *
Richard Curtis Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis (born 8 November 1956) is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, producer and film director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known primarily for romantic comedy films, among them '' ...
's parody '' Skinhead Hamlet'' (1982), consists of about 600, mostly rude, words. "To be or not to be" becomes "To fuck or be fucked". *In the musical ''
Something Rotten! ''Something Rotten!'' is a musical comedy with a book by John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick and music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Set in 1595, the story follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who struggle to find succes ...
'' ''Hamlet'' is the play that Nostradamus sees in the future as Shakespeare's biggest play, but instead of 'Hamlet', he misinterprets it to be called 'Omelette'. *Richard Nathan's ''A Night In Elsinore'' is a parody of Hamlet, if it had been performed by classic film comedians, such as
The Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...
, Laurel and Hardy, and
The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...
.


Film and television


Film

The following list is ordered alphabetically. * Egyptian director
Youssef Chahine Youssef Chahine ( ar, يوسف شاهين, Yūsuf Shāhīn ; 25 January 1926 – 27 July 2008) was an Egyptian film director. He was active in the Egyptian film industry from 1950 until his death. He directed twelve films that were listed ...
has included elements from ''Hamlet'' in his films. ''Alexandria... Why?'' (1978) feature performances of soliloquies from the play. In ''Alexandria Again and Forever'' (1990), ''Hamlet'' appears as a film within the film. * Shakespeare has been used as a base for
pornographic parody film A pornographic parody film is a subgenre of the pornographic film industry genre where the basis for the production's story or plotline is the parody of a mainstream television show, feature film, public figure, video game or literary works. This ...
. One example is
Luca Damiano Luca Damiano (born Franco Lo Cascio; 29 August 1946) is an Italian film director. Born in Rome, Lo Cascio started his career as the assistant director of Fernando Di Leo in almost all the films he directed between 1967 and 1974. In 1974, he ...
's ''Hamlet: For the Love of Ophelia Parts 1 and 2'' (1996). * The 2006 Chinese film '' The Banquet'' (also known as ''Legend of the Black Scorpion'') has a storyline loosely based on the story of Hamlet. * In the Star Wars film ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a stor ...
'', Chewbacca tries to reassemble the body of the robot
C-3PO C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise who appears in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, was designed as a protocol droid intended to assis ...
. At one point, he holds C-3PO's head in much the same way that Hamlet is traditionally depicted as holding Yorick's skull. This reference was intentional on the part of the director. * In Ingmar Bergman's ''
Fanny and Alexander ''Fanny and Alexander'' ( sv, Fanny och Alexander) is a 1982 period drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. The plot focuses on two siblings and their large family in Uppsala, Sweden during the first decade of the twentieth century. ...
'', ''Hamlet'' is strongly alluded to. The children's father is rehearsing the part of the Ghost for a production of the play when he dies, and then appears to Alexander later in the film as an actual ghost. The play's plot is also referenced in other ways, including Alexander's hatred for and confrontation with his new stepfather. A character explicitly tells Alexander that he is not Hamlet. * In the 2008 comedy ''
Hamlet 2 ''Hamlet 2 '' is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Andrew Fleming, written by Fleming and Pam Brady, and starring Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler, and David Arquette. It was produced by Eric Eisner, Leonid Rozhetskin, and Aaron ...
'' a teacher creates a sequel to ''Hamlet'' in an effort to save his school's drama program. Apart from some of the names of his characters, there are very few similarities to the original. * The plot of the 2012 Indian
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...
drama '' Karmayogi'' ("The Warrior") is adapted from ''Hamlet''. According to Shakespeare scholar Poonam Trivedi, Shakespeare "has many affinities with an Indian 'classical vision of art'..." * ''
Last Action Hero ''Last Action Hero'' is a 1993 American fantasy action comedy film directed and produced by John McTiernan and co-written by Shane Black and David Arnott. It is a satire of the action genre and associated clichés, containing several parodies ...
'' (1993) includes elements from the play, with Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing as an action-version of Hamlet. * Themes and plot elements from the
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
's ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' are inspired by ''Hamlet''. * The horror movie ''
A Nightmare on Elm Street ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' is a 1984 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. It is the first installment in the ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' franchise and stars Heather Langenka ...
'' alludes to ''Hamlet'' in connection with the protagonist Nancy. * In the psychological drama ''
The Ninth Configuration ''The Ninth Configuration'' (also known as ''Twinkle, Twinkle, "Killer" Kane'') is a 1980 American psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by William Peter Blatty, in his directorial debut. The second installment in Blatty's "Fa ...
'', characters discuss ''Hamlet'' at length, and asylum-inmates intends to do a production of the play with dogs. * In both the musical and the 2005 film adaptation of ''The Producers'', Max Bialystock's musical version of ''Hamlet'', ''Funny Boy'', closes on opening night, one of his many failures. * ''Hamlet'' features prominently in ''
Renaissance Man A polymath ( el, πολυμαθής, , "having learned much"; la, homo universalis, "universal human") is an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific pro ...
'', in which a reluctant teacher uses its plot and characters to introduce a group of under-achieving soldiers to critical thinking. * ''
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead'' is a 2009 American independent film written and directed by Jordan Galland. The film's title refers to a fictitious play-within-the-movie, which is a comic reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s ''Hamlet'' ...
'' is a 2009 American independent vampire film. The film's title refers to a play-within-the-movie, which is a comic reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s ''Hamlet'' and its aftermath. * In ''
Soapdish ''Soapdish'' is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Michael Hoffman, from a screenplay by Robert Harling and Andrew Bergman. The film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Alan Greisman, and executive produced by Herbert Ross. The film tells ...
'', Jeffrey Anderson ( Kevin Kline) expresses his desire to perform a One-Man ''Hamlet'', which he justifies by saying the whole thing is happening in Hamlet's head, so you only need one actor. * The title for '' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' (1991) is a reference to the soliloquy in Act 3, Scene 1. The
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids c ...
s Gorkon and Chang are Shakespeare aficionados, and opines that Shakespearian works are best experienced in the 'original'
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids c ...
. Shakespeare's plays are liberally quoted throughout the film. In 1996, '' The Klingon Hamlet'', a translation of the play into the constructed Klingon language was published, and parts of it have been performed by the Washington Shakespeare Company. * The 1983 comedy ''
Strange Brew ''Strange Brew'' (also known as ''The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew'') is a 1983 Canadian comedy film starring the popular '' SCTV'' characters Bob and Doug McKenzie, portrayed by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, who also served ...
'' is loosely based on ''Hamlet''. Prince Hamlet is represented by Pam, daughter of a murdered brewery-owner who's spirit haunts the brewery's electrical system. * In the 1995 comedy ''
Billy Madison ''Billy Madison'' is a 1995 American comedy film directed by Tamra Davis. It stars Adam Sandler in the title role, Bradley Whitford, Bridgette Wilson, Norm Macdonald, Darren McGavin, Mark Beltzman, and Larry Hankin. The film was written by Sandl ...
'', Billy Madison and Eric reenact
To be, or not to be "To be, or not to be" is the opening phrase of a soliloquy given by Prince Hamlet in the so-called "nunnery scene" of William Shakespeare's play ''Hamlet'', Act 3, Scene 1. In the speech, Hamlet contemplates death and suicide, weighing the pai ...
to settle their feud with the winner getting to take over Madison Hotels. * Both film versions of ''To Be or Not to Be'' (
Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...
's in
1942 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Declaration by United Nations is signed by China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and 22 other nations, in w ...
and
Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...
' in
1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...
) heavily alludes to the play. * The cult British comedy ''
Withnail and I ''Withnail and I'' is a 1987 British black comedy film written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson's life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and "I" (portrayed by Richard E. Gran ...
'' quotes and alludes to the play. *The title and elements in Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 ''
North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film, produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture ...
'' has been seen as references to the play. *''Hamlet Goes Business'' (Hamlet liikemaailmassa) (1987), written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki, is a comic reworking of the story as a power struggle in a rubber duck factory. * In the 2009 children's film ''"
Coraline ''Coraline'' () is a dark fantasy horror children's novella by British author Neil Gaiman. Gaiman started writing ''Coraline'' in 1990, and it was published in 2002 by Bloomsbury and HarperCollins. It was awarded the 2003 Hugo Award for Best ...
"'' Hamlet's "What a piece of work is man" soliloquy is recited as part of a circus act.


Television


Comedy and cartoons

Sitcoms alluding to ''Hamlet'' include '' Gilligan's Island'', ''
Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...
'', '' Skins'', '' Mystery Science Theater 3000,'' ''
Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...
'' and ''
Upstart Crow Upstart or upstarts may refer to: * HMS ''Upstart'', a Royal Navy U-class submarine *Upstart (company), an online lending marketplace *Upstart (software), a process management daemon used in several operating systems. *Upstart (sculpture), a public ...
''. Cartoons include ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'', '' South Park'', ''
Animaniacs ''Animaniacs'' is an American animated comedy musical television series created by Tom Ruegger for Fox Broadcasting Company's Fox Kids block in 1993, before moving to The WB in 1995, as part of its Kids' WB afternoon programming block, until ...
'' and ''
The Brak Show ''The Brak Show'' is an American adult animated sitcom created by Andy Merrill, Jim Fortier, and Pete Smith for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. ''The Brak Show'' serves as a spin-off of the animated television series, ...
'', Looney Tunes shorts
A Ham in a Role ''A Ham in a Role'' is a 1949 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes short starring the Goofy Gophers along with an unnamed dog who is based on stage/film actor John Barrymore. The cartoon was planned by Arthur Davis, but was finished and directed by Robert ...
and A Witch's Tangled Hare.


Drama

* The Canadian series '' Slings and Arrows title is from ''Hamlet'', and the first season follows a production of the play. The play's artistic director is haunted by the ghost of his predecessor. * ''The Sons of Anarchy'' series draws many elements from the play and has been described as "''Hamlet'' on motorcycles". * The Pakistani television series ''
Sang-e-Mah ''Sang-e-Mah'' (Urdu: سنگِ ماہ, ) is a Pakistani television series, and second series in the trilogy preceded by ''Sang-e-Mar Mar''. Having central plot line inspired from William Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', it is written by Mustafa Afridi, ...
'' is loosely based on the play, with some additional subplots.


Horror

*In the 1991 ''
Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt may refer to: * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s ** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...
'' episode "Top Billing", a struggling actor commits murder for the role of Hamlet, only to realize he was actually auditioning for the role of
Yorick Yorick is a character in William Shakespeare's play ''Hamlet''. He is the dead court jester whose skull is exhumed by the First Gravedigger in Act 5, Scene 1, of the play. The sight of Yorick's skull evokes a reminiscence by Prince Hamlet of t ...
.


Mystery and detective shows

*The British detective drama''
Lewis Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...
'' has referenced Shakespeare, including ''Hamlet'', more than once. *A 2008 episode of the anime-series '' Black Butler'' features a production of ''Hamlet''.


Science fiction

* An episode of the original '' Star Trek'' series, entitled "
The Conscience of the King "The Conscience of the King" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science-fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Barry Trivers and directed by Gerd Oswald, it was first aired on December 8, 1966. The episode tak ...
" (1966) features a production of ''Hamlet'', and alludes to the play in other aspects. * In an episode of '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' entitled " Hide and Q" (1987), the god-like entity Q is quoting Shakespeare to
Captain Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the captain of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''T ...
to justify his tormenting of humanity, and Picard counters him with an earnest quotation of Hamlet's "What a piece of work is man" speech. * ''Hamlet'' has been referenced in '' Doctor Who''. In '' The Chase (1965),'' the Doctor and his companions watch as
Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...
gives Shakespeare the idea to write a play about Hamlet. In ''
City of Death ''City of Death'' is the second serial of the seventeenth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor. It was produced by the BBC ...
'' (1979), the Doctor claims to have written down Shakespeare's original draft of ''Hamlet'' due to the Bard's sprained wrist, but criticises the mixed metaphor "To take arms against a sea of troubles." In
The Shakespeare Code "The Shakespeare Code" is the second episode of the third series of the revived British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 7 April 2007. According to the BARB figures this episode was seen by 7.23 mi ...
(2007), the Doctor meets Shakespeare and quotes the play, saying "the play's the thing." Later on, Shakespeare coins the phrase "to be or not to be." The Doctor suggests he write it down, but Shakespeare remarks that it is "too pretentious."


Radio

*
Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two ...
wrote a play for television called ''Denmark Hill'', which sets ''Hamlet'' in " a leafy south London suburb" in the 1980s. The TV-play was unproduced, but later broadcast as a radio-play.


Literature


Books

*The ninth chapter of
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...
's '' Ulysses'', commonly referred to as
Scylla and Charybdis In Greek mythology, Scylla), is obsolete. ( ; grc-gre, Σκύλλα, Skúlla, ) is a legendary monster who lives on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite her counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait are within an arrow's ran ...
, is almost entirely devoted to a rambling discourse by Stephen Daedalus on Shakespeare, centering on the character Hamlet. As a character predicts more or less accurately in the very first chapter, " aedalusproves by algebra that Hamlet's grandson is Shakespeare's grandfather and that he himself is the ghost of his own father." *''
Gertrude and Claudius ''Gertrude and Claudius'' is a novel by John Updike. It uses the known sources of William Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'' to tell a story that draws on a rather straightforward revenge tale in medieval Denmark, as depicted by Saxo Grammaticus in his tw ...
'', a John Updike novel, serves as a prequel to the events of the play. It follows Gertrude from her wedding to King Hamlet, through an affair with Claudius, and its murderous results, up until the very beginning of the play. *'' The Dead Fathers Club'', a novel by
Matt Haig Matt Haig (born 3 July 1975) is an English author and journalist. He has written both fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults, often in the speculative fiction genre. Early life Haig was born on 3 July 1975 in Sheffield. He went ...
, retells the story of ''Hamlet'' from the point of view of an 11-year-old boy in modern England. * Anton Chekhov wrote a
feuilleton A ''feuilleton'' (; a diminutive of french: feuillet, the leaf of a book) was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art critici ...
titled ''I am a Moscow Hamlet'' (1891), the mutterings of a gossip-mongering actor who contemplates suicide out of sheer boredom. *
Jasper Fforde Jasper Fforde (born 11 January 1961) is an English novelist, whose first novel, '' The Eyre Affair'', was published in 2001. He is known mainly for his '' Thursday Next'' novels, but has published two books in the loosely connected '' Nursery Cr ...
's novel ''
Something Rotten ''Something Rotten'' is the fourth book in the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. It continues the story some two years after the point where '' The Well of Lost Plots'' leaves off. Plot introduction The book sees Thursday return fro ...
'' includes Hamlet – transplanted from the BookWorld into reality – as a major character. This version of Hamlet frets about how audiences perceive him, complains about the performances of actors who have portrayed him, and at one point resolves to go back and change the play by killing Claudius in the beginning and marrying Ophelia. *In
Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
's 1965 novel, '' God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater'', the protagonist, Eliot Rosewater, writes a letter to his wife while pretending to be Hamlet. *David Bergantino's novel ''Hamlet II: Ophelia's Revenge'', set in modern Denmark, portrays Ophelia rising from the dead to get revenge on Hamlet. *Nick O'Donohoe's 1989 science fiction novel ''Too Too Solid Flesh'' portrays a troupe of android actors designed specifically to perform ''Hamlet''; when the androids' designer is murdered, the Hamlet android decides to investigate. *In
Kyle Baker Kyle John Baker (born 1965) is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series ''Plastic Man''. Baker has won numerous Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards for his wor ...
's 1996 graphic novel ''The Cowboy Wally Show'', Cowboy Wally's masterpiece is the film ''Cowboy Wally's HAMLET'', a modernized version produced in secret while Wally was in prison. He had planned to film ''Hamlet'' professionally, but was jailed for an unspecified offense, before he could cast actors, and so used his cell-mates for the cast. *
David Foster Wallace David Foster Wallace (February 21, 1962 – September 12, 2008) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and university professor of English and creative writing. Wallace is widely known for his 1996 novel '' Infinite Jest'', whi ...
's novel ''
Infinite Jest ''Infinite Jest'' is a 1996 novel by American writer David Foster Wallace. Categorized as an encyclopedic novel, ''Infinite Jest'' is featured in ''TIME'' magazine's list of the 100 best English-language novels published between 1923 and 2005. ...
'' takes its name from Hamlet's speech about Yorick, and features a main character struggling with his uncle's influence following the suspicious death of his father. *The plot of
David Wroblewski David Wroblewski (born 1959) is an American novelist whose first novel was ''The Story of Edgar Sawtelle''. Early life David Wroblewski was born in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee. He earned his master's degree from the Warren Wilson Colleg ...
's novel ''
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle ''The Story of Edgar Sawtelle'' is the first novel by American author David Wroblewski. It became a ''New York Times Best Seller'' on June 29, 2008, and Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club on September 19, 2008. Winfrey also included the bo ...
'' closely follows the story line of ''Hamlet'', and several of the novel's main characters have names similar to their corresponding characters in the play. * John Marsden's ''Hamlet: A Novel'' is a reinterpretation of the original for young adults. It is set in Denmark and the characters keep their names, their personalities and their functions in the story. * In '' A Christmas Carol'',
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
underscores
Jacob Marley Jacob Marley is a fictional character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol'', a former business partner of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who has been dead for seven years.Hawes, Donal''Who's Who in Dickens'' Routledge (1998), Goog ...
's death by an analogy to ''Hamlet'': *
Ngaio Marsh Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh (; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand mystery writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966. As a crime writer during the "Golden Age of De ...
's detective Roderick Alleyn often talks and thinks of ''Hamlet'' in her novels. *
Pamela Dean Pamela Collins Dean Dyer-Bennet (born 1953), better known as Pamela Dean, is an American fantasy author whose best-known book is ''Tam Lin'', based on the Child Ballad of the same name, in which the Scottish fairy story is set on a midwestern ...
's novel ''
Tam Lin Tam (or Tamas) Lin (also called Tamlane, Tamlin, Tambling, Tomlin, Tam Lien, Tam-a-Line, Tam Lyn, or Tam Lane) is a character in a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. It is also associated with a reel of the same name, also ...
'' prominently features a production of the play which her characters attend and discuss. * The book ''
To Be or Not to Be To Be or Not to Be may refer to: * ''To be, or not to be'', the soliloquy from ''Hamlet''. Films and TV, theatre and books * ''To Be or Not to Be'' (1942 film), directed by Ernst Lubitsch * ''To Be or Not to Be'' (1983 film), a remake produced ...
'' by
Ryan North Ryan North (born October 20, 1980) is a Canadian writer and computer programmer. He is the creator and author of '' Dinosaur Comics'', and has written for the comic series of ''Adventure Time'' and Marvel Comics' ''The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl''. ...
uses the play as its core, rendering it as a branching narrative based on the ''
Choose Your Own Adventure ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actio ...
'' series and other
gamebook A gamebook is a work of printed fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making choices. The narrative branches along various paths, typically through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages. Each narrative typically does not ...
s. The reader is able to follow the play's plot by following the "Yorick Skulls", or to take it in wildly different directions, including bypassing the story altogether. *
Ian McEwan Ian Russell McEwan, (born 21 June 1948) is an English novelist and screenwriter. In 2008, ''The Times'' featured him on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945" and ''The Daily Telegraph'' ranked him number 19 in its list of th ...
's novel ''
Nutshell A nutshell is the outer shell of a nut. Most nutshells are inedible and are removed before eating the nut meat inside. It covers and protects the kernel which may be edible. Usage Most nutshells are useful to some extent, depending on the circum ...
'' (2016) retells the play from the point of view of an unborn child. * Prince Hamlet is the main character in the 2010 comic book ''
Kill Shakespeare ''Kill Shakespeare'' is a twelve-issue comic book limited series released by IDW Publishing. It was produced by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, who also served as co-writers, with Andy Belanger as artist, Ian Herring as colourist, and Kagan ...
''.


Poetry

* The line, "Good night, ladies, good night, sweet ladies, good night, good night," ends the second part of T. S. Eliot's ''
The Waste Land ''The Waste Land'' is a poem by T. S. Eliot, widely regarded as one of the most important poems of the 20th century and a central work of modernist poetry. Published in 1922, the 434-line poem first appeared in the United Kingdom in the Octob ...
''. * T.S. Eliot's poem, "
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", commonly known as "Prufrock", is the first professionally published poem by American-born British poet T. S. Eliot (1888–1965). Eliot began writing "Prufrock" in February 1910, and it was first publishe ...
", includes the line, "No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was I meant to be". * The poem ''
The Night Before Christmas ''A Visit from St. Nicholas'', more commonly known as ''The Night Before Christmas'' and ''Twas the Night Before Christmas'' from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously under the title ''Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas'' i ...
'' includes the line "Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." This may derive from Act 1 Scene 1's "Not a mouse stirring." * The poem "Hamlet" by Boris Pasternak opens the collection of poetry in the novel '' Dr Zhivago'' attributed to the title character.


Short stories

*In the short story "Much Ado About (Censored)" by
Connie Willis Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis (born December 31, 1945), commonly known as Connie Willis, is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards for particular works—more major SF awards tha ...
, a pair of high school students volunteer to help their teacher edit the play in a satire on political correctness. * "In the Halls of Elsinore", a short story by Brad C. Hodson, takes place in an Elsinore occupied by Fortinbras. Told from Horatio's point of view, the story is about a malignant presence that resides in Elsinore – the same presence that appeared to young Hamlet as his father. * Margaret Atwood's 1992 collection '' Good Bones and Simple Murders'' includes "Gertrude Talks Back," in which Hamlet's mother responds to Hamlet's harsh criticism during Act III, Scene 4, and reveals that it wasn't Claudius who killed his father: "It was me."


Music


Opera

Several operas have been written based on ''Hamlet'', including: *'' Ambleto'' by
Francesco Gasparini Francesco Gasparini (19 March 1661 – 22 March 1727) was an Italian Baroque composer and teacher whose works were performed throughout Italy, and also on occasion in Germany and England. Biography Born in Camaiore, near Lucca, he studied in ...
(1706). Though the creators probably were aware of Shakespeare's work, this opera is based on ''
Gesta Danorum ''Gesta Danorum'' ("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th-century author Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark an ...
''. *''Amleto'' by Domenico Scarlatti (1715) *''Amleto'' by Gaetano Andreozzi (1792) *''
Amleto ''Amleto'' is an opera in four acts by Franco Faccio set to a libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play ''Hamlet''. It premiered on 30 May 1865 at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa and was revised for a La Scala production given on ...
'' by
Franco Faccio Francesco (Franco) Antonio Faccio (8 March 1840 – 21 July 1891) was an Italian composer and conductor. Born in Verona, he studied music at the Milan Conservatory from 1855 where he was a pupil of Stefano Ronchetti-Monteviti and, as scholar Wil ...
(libretto by
Arrigo Boito Arrigo Boito (; 24 February 1842 10 June 1918) (whose original name was Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito and who wrote essays under the anagrammatic pseudonym of Tobia Gorrio) was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, librettist and composer, best ...
) (1865) * ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' by
Ambroise Thomas Charles Louis Ambroise Thomas (; 5 August 1811 – 12 February 1896) was a French composer and teacher, best known for his operas '' Mignon'' (1866) and ''Hamlet'' (1868). Born into a musical family, Thomas was a student at the Conservatoire de ...
(1868) *''Hamlet'' by
Humphrey Searle Humphrey Searle (26 August 1915 – 12 May 1982) was an English composer and writer on music. His music combines aspects of late Romanticism and modernist serialism, particularly reminiscent of his primary influences, Franz Liszt, Arnold Schoen ...
(1968) *''Hamlet'' by
Sándor Szokolay Sándor Szokolay (30 March 1931 – 8 December 2013)Elhunyt Szokolay Sándor zen ...
(1968) *''Hamlet'' by
Sergei Slonimsky Sergei Mikhailovich Slonimsky (russian: Серге́й Миха́йлович Слони́мский; 12 August 1932 – 9 February 2020) was a Russian and Soviet composer, pianist and musicologist. Biography He was the son of the Soviet wri ...
(1990) * ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' by
Brett Dean Brett Dean (born 23 October 1961) is an Australian composer, violist and conductor. Biography Brett Dean was born, raised and educated in Brisbane. He started learning violin at the age of eight, and later studied viola with Elizabeth Morgan ...
(2017)


Instrumental

Instrumental works based on ''Hamlet'' include: * Hector Berlioz – ''Funeral March for Hamlet'' (orchestra) and ''Mort d'Ophélie'' (chorus). Berlioz did several other Shakespeare-inspired works. *
Frank Bridge Frank Bridge (26 February 187910 January 1941) was an English composer, violist and conductor. Life Bridge was born in Brighton, the ninth child of William Henry Bridge (1845-1928), a violin teacher and variety theatre conductor, formerly a m ...
– ''There is a willow'', impression for orchestra * Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. History The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...
in G minor, Op. 15, No. 3, said to have been inspired by ''Hamlet'' *
Joseph Joachim Joseph Joachim (28 June 1831 – 15 August 1907) was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer and teacher who made an international career, based in Hanover and Berlin. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
– ''Hamlet'' Ouverture (1853) * Guillaume Lekeu – ''Hamlet'' symphonic study, ''Marche d'Ophélie'' * Franz Liszt – ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' (1858), symphonic poem *
Edward MacDowell Edward Alexander MacDowell (December 18, 1860January 23, 1908) was an American composer and pianist of the late Romantic period. He was best known for his second piano concerto and his piano suites '' Woodland Sketches'', ''Sea Pieces'' and '' ...
– ''Hamlet and Ophelia'', symphonic poem *
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most pop ...
– ''Hamlet (Tchaikovsky), Hamlet'', Overture-Fantasy in F minor, Op. 67a (1888)


Contemporary

Contemporary popular music mentions include: * ''Hair (musical), Hair: The Tribal Love-Rock Musical'' (1967) by James Rado and Jerome Ragni, contains the song "What A Piece of Work Is Man", which is taken completely from ''Hamlet'' and set to music by Galt McDermott. * "Cruel to Be Kind" is a 1979 single by Nick Lowe. The title of the song is taken from ''Hamlet'', Act III, Scene 4: "I must be cruel only to be kind. Thus bad begins and worse remains behind." * Steampunk band Abney Park (band), Abney Park recorded a song entitled "Dear Ophelia", in which the vocalist sings as Prince Hamlet, and apologizes to Ophelia for all the things he had done, even telling the story of his father, who died when "his brother crept out, and poured poison in his ear" * The title track of the album Elsinore (album), ''Elsinore'' by Swedish musician Björn Afzelius is about a prince locked up in the castle of Elsinore. * The title track off of the 2017 album ''To Kill a King'', by American heavy metal band Manilla Road is based on Hamlet. * The Birthday Party (band), The Birthday Party recorded a song called "Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow)" on the ''Junkyard (album), Junkyard'' album. * The Dream Theater song "Pull Me Under" is influenced by, and makes reference to, ''Hamlet''. *"Hey There Ophelia" is the thirteenth track off the album, ''This Gigantic Robot Kills'' by MC Lars. It features lyrics about Ophelia, Claudius, and Hamlet's father's ghost from Hamlet's point of view. * The Serbian hard rock band, Riblja Čorba, released an album entitled ''Ostalo je ćutanje'' (trans. "The Rest Is Silence") in 1996. Album features a track entitled "Nešto je trulo u državi Danskoj" (trans. "Something's Rotten in the State of Denmark"), the song itself referring to Serbia. Album cover features band's frontman Bora Đorđević holding a skull. * Richard Thompson (musician), Richard Thompson, British singer/songwriter, sings a live version of the story of ''Hamlet'' on "The Life And Music Of – CD 4 – The Songs Pour Down Like Silver". The interpretation is not terribly serious ("Like a hole in the head, Denmark needed that prince"). * Suicide is Painless from the MASH (film), film and M*A*S*H (TV series), tv-series ''M*A*S*H'', written by Mike Altman, contains the line "Is it to be, or not to be?" * This Mortal Coil were a British Musical collective, music collective led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Whose name is a reference to a line in the ''To be, or not to be'' soliloquy.


Video games

* ''Hamlet'', a 2003 interactive text game by Robin Johnson * ''Hamlet (video game), Hamlet!,'' a 2010 point-and-click adventure game by Denis Galanin * ''To Be or Not to Be'', a 2015 video game adaptation of the To Be or Not to Be (book), book of the same name * ''Elsinore (video game), Elsinore'', a 2019 time travel game by Golden Glitch


Other

The play has contributed many phrases to common English vernacular, including the famous "
To be, or not to be "To be, or not to be" is the opening phrase of a soliloquy given by Prince Hamlet in the so-called "nunnery scene" of William Shakespeare's play ''Hamlet'', Act 3, Scene 1. In the speech, Hamlet contemplates death and suicide, weighing the pai ...
". It (as well as the Shakespearean canon as a whole) is frequently given as an example of a text which would be reproduced under the conditions of the infinite monkey theorem.


Gallery

Artworks inspired by the play includes works by Eugène Delacroix, Henrietta Rae and William Blake. File:Nicolai Abildgaard - Hamlet hos sin moder - KMS1019 - Statens Museum for Kunst.jpg, ''Hamlet hos sin moder'', Nicolai Abildgaard, c.1778 File:Hamlet, Act IV, Scene V (ophelia Before The King And Queen), Benjamin West, 1792.jpg, ''Hamlet: Act IV, Scene V (Ophelia Before the King and Queen)'', Benjamin West, 1792 File:William Blake Hamlet and his Father's Ghost 1806 British Museum.jpg, ''Hamlet and his Father's Ghost'', William Blake, 1806 File:Hamlet und Horatio auf dem Friedhof (Eugène Ferdinand Victor Delacroix).jpg, ''Hamlet und Horatio auf dem Friedhof'', Eugène Delacroix, 1839 File:John Everett Millais - Ophelia - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Ophelia'', John Everett Millais, c.1851 File:The Young Lord Hamlet.jpg, ''The Young Lord Hamlet'', Philip Hermogenes Calderon, 1868 File:Jehan-Georges Vibert - Polonius behind the curtain.jpg, ''Polonius behind the curtain'', Jehan Georges Vibert, 1868 File:Czachórski Actors before Hamlet.jpg, ''Actors before Hamlet'', Władysław Czachórski, c.1870 File:Alexandre Cabanel, Ophelia.JPG, ''Ophelia'', Alexandre Cabanel, 1883 File:Pascal Adolphe Jean Dagnan-Bouveret - Hamlet and the Gravediggers.jpg, ''Hamlet and the Gravediggers'', Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret, 1883 File:Ophelia - Henrietta Rae.jpg, ''Ophelia'', Henrietta Rae, 1890 File:Barry Sullivan as Hamlet statue.jpg, Barry Sullivan (stage actor), Barry Sullivan (1821-1891) as Hamlet, funeral monument by Thomas Farrell (sculptor), Thomas Farrell File:Hamlet the Prince of Denmark (by Adi Holzer 2010).jpg, ''Hamlet the Prince of Denmark'', , 2010


References


Further reading

*


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:References To Hamlet References to literary works, Hamlet Hamlet Works based on Hamlet