Interesting Introductory Facts About William Shakespeare and his poignant play, Hamlet

You have probably seen this iconic image before in connection with Shakespeare or Hamlet… But there is so much MORE to know about this author and his memorable play!

Interesting Fact #1 Shakespeare named all of his tragedies after the play’s protagonist (a trend for tragedies written at the time), and his comedies were often named using a phrase or to capture a particular mood.

Interesting Fact #2 There are several references to a debated earlier revenge play entitled, Hamlet, that was written in the early 1590’s, and may not have been written by William Shakespeare.

Interesting Fact #3 The play Hamlet is much more popular now than in was at the beginning of the 16th century, likely because it was ahead of its time, and dealt with more modern ideas about identity and selfhood.

Interesting Fact #4 Shakespeare’s popularity blossomed after the Romantic period and during the Victorian period – receiving the praise of authors such as Victor Hugo and John Keats. ‘Bardolatry’ was a term coined by George Bernard Shaw to illustrate the reverence held by many Victorians for anything Shakespeare related.

Interesting Fact #5 Even though Shakespeare took many of his ideas for Hamlet from other sources, the doubling of names between fathers and sons (Hamlet and Fortinbras) is unique to Shakespeare’s version.

Result, Hamlet does not have his own, independent identity. Interesting Fact #6 The first time the audience hears the name Hamlet, it is in reference to the dead King, and therefore there are many questions surrounding which Hamlet the play is actually named after. Result, Hamlet does not have his own, independent identity.

Interesting Fact #7 The play Hamlet is preoccupied with events that have occurred in the past. The former King’s death The previous appearance of the ghost (the ghost pulls Hamlet away from his future) The relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia Past battles Old friendships

Interesting Fact #8 When Hamlet agrees not to return to university in Act 1, scene 2, his development becomes arrested. He becomes childlike, which adds to the debate concerning Hamlet’s age in the play.

Interesting Fact #9 Hamlet ‘undoes’ a lot of things in the play rather than really acting within the plot of the play Hamlet’s attachments are to dead characters rather than living characters (his father, Yorick)

Interesting Fact #10 Many critics of the play argue that Young Fortinbras was added into a later version of Hamlet, because he is not integral to the action within the text. (He is too similar to Hamlet in many ways, and yet he is a character foil to Hamlet).

Interesting Fact #11 By 1592, Shakespeare was receiving his first literary criticism with playwright Robert Greene, criticising Shakespeare for being a ‘Jack of all trades’ – a second-rate tinkerer with the work of others.

Interesting Fact #12 Shakespeare’s plays contain 200 references to dogs and 600 references to birds (Birds are an important motif in Hamlet)

Interesting Fact #13 Before Shakespeare, the English language was much less codified with no official dictionary and many variations on spelling. Even Shakespeare never seemed to spell his name properly, often signing his name “Willm Shakp,”

Interesting Fact #14 Shakespeare has given many memorable insults, “Thou art like a toad; ugly and venomous.”, “You scullion! You rampallian! You fustilarian! I’ll tickle your catastrophe!”, “Thou clay-brained guts, thou knotty-pated fool, thou whoreson obscene greasy tallow-catch!”

Interesting Fact #15 Shakespeare’s grave includes a curse against anyone who tries to move his bones.