Visit us at https://www.gradesaver.com/hamlet/gui... to read the full video transcript and our study guide for this classic play, including a complete list of characters, themes, and more. Hamlet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare and published in 1603. Dating back to a 12th-century Latin writing, the play's story is about a Danish prince named Hamlet who seeks to avenge the murder of his father at the hands of his uncle, Claudius. The play is not only Shakespeare's longest, but also one of his most iconic. At the beginning of the play, the King of Denmark has died, and his brother Claudius has assumed the throne and married the late king's widow, Queen Gertrude. Consumed with grief at his father's sudden death, Prince Hamlet is horrified by his mother's marriage to Claudius, whom he views as inferior to his late father. What Hamlet does not know is that the ghost of his dead father appeared to his skeptical friend Horatio and two castle guards the night before. When Horatio tells him what he has seen, Hamlet decides to see the ghost for himself that evening. It soon appears. Addressing Hamlet alone, the ghost tells him that it has come from purgatory to exact vengeance on his brother Claudius, who murdered him by pouring poison into his ear. Shocked, Hamlet vows to avenge his father's death by murdering his uncle. Meanwhile, Polonius, King Claudius' chief advisor, is concerned about his daughter Ophelia, who loves Hamlet but is disoriented by the gloomy mood he has taken on lately. At first, Polonius orders his daughter to stay away from Hamlet, but then becomes convinced that Ophelia's lack of affection is the cause of the prince's sadness. Polonius then decides to secretly observe them together, hiding behind a curtain with Claudius. But when Ophelia attempts to flirt with Hamlet, his attention is drawn to his father's death and he rejects her advances, proving Polonius wrong. Claudius then summons two of Hamlet's schoolmates, Richard and William, to uncover the reasons for Hamlet's temper, but Hamlet quickly realizes that his friends are operating against him as spies. Evading his questions, Richard and William tell Hamlet that they passed a group of actors on their way to the castle and invited them to perform for the court. Hamlet decides to have the actors perform a play based on his father's murder to see how Claudius reacts. If he is nervous about the performance, this will prove his guilt. Meanwhile, Claudius learns that Fortinbras, prince of enemy Norway, has expressed interest in going to war with Denmark, due to the country's recent change in leadership. Claudius is reassured, however, when he learns that the King of Norway has forbidden Fortinbras to invade Denmark and that the Norwegian army is planning to invade a small part of Poland instead. To do so, they need Claudius' permission to travel through Denmark, which he grants. That evening Claudius is indeed disturbed by the performance of Hamlet's play, and even storms out of the room, thus convincing Hamlet of his guilt. Claudius decides to tell his mother, but on the way to his room he overhears Claudius confessing his sins, including murder, to God. Hamlet nearly kills him, but stops short, realizing that if he were to murder his uncle while he is praying, Claudius would go straight to heaven. Hamlet goes to Gertrude's room and tries to convince his mother of Claudius' evil character. Meanwhile, Polonius is again spying on the conversation from behind a curtain. At one point, Gertrude misinterprets Hamlet's words, thinking he wants to kill her. She screams for help, causing Polonius to scream as well. Assuming it is Claudius who is hiding behind the curtains, Hamlet stabs Polonius through the fabric, killing him. Following Polonius's death, Hamlet's friends Richard and William escort the prince on a diplomatic mission to England at Claudius' request. Unbeknownst to Hamlet, however, Claudius has given them a letter to the English king, instructing him to kill Hamlet upon his arrival. Hamlet soon discovers this letter in Richard and William's possession and secretly replaces it with one that asks instead that his friends, and not him, be killed. Meanwhile, Polonius's son Laertes, furious at his father's death, confronts Claudius and threatens to seize his throne with the help of an angry mob. Claudius assures him that Hamlet is responsible, and together they decide to arrange a duel between Hamlet and Laertes, who is a skilled swordsman.