The plot in six lines
The Ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius murdered the old king and demands revenge, while Hamlet pretends to be mad as he seeks certainty about the accusation.
Hamlet rejects Ophelia and stages a play of the murder before the court, where Claudius’s reaction convinces Hamlet of Claudius’s guilt.
Hamlet spares Claudius at prayer, then kills Polonius in Gertrude’s room, where Polonius hides behind a curtain during Hamlet’s encounter with his mother.
Claudius sends Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and a plan for Hamlet’s death, but Hamlet escapes the plan at sea and returns.
Laertes returns from France to avenge his father and finds Ophelia mad with grief; Ophelia drowns, and Claudius turns Laertes against Hamlet through a plan for a duel with a poisoned blade and a poisoned cup.
During the duel, Gertrude drinks poison, and Hamlet and Laertes are cut by the poisoned blade; Laertes confesses, Hamlet kills Claudius and dies, Fortinbras takes the throne, and Horatio survives to tell Hamlet’s story.
Themes
Thought and action: Hamlet seeks certainty before acting, but evidence cannot resolve his concerns about conscience, death, and the consequences of revenge.
Appearance and reality: Hamlet's adopted behavior and the court's concealed purposes make it uncertain how outward conduct relates to private intentions.
Grief: Hamlet's mourning shapes his distrust of the royal marriage, while his real distress complicates the behavior he deliberately adopts.
Power and control: Claudius protects his crown through surveillance, while Ophelia faces family demands and political interests that restrict her choices.
Revenge and conscience: The ghost demands revenge, but Hamlet questions what justice requires and whether action against corruption makes him share its violence.
Characters
- HamletThe grieving prince tries to establish his uncle's guilt while struggling with revenge, conscience, and his own capacity to act.
- ClaudiusHamlet's uncle rules Denmark and works to protect his crown against the danger posed by Hamlet.
- GertrudeHamlet's mother marries Claudius soon after her husband's death, intensifying her son's grief and distrust.
- OpheliaPolonius's daughter faces conflicting demands from her family and Hamlet, with little power to choose her own course.
- PoloniusClaudius's chief counsellor and the father of Ophelia and Laertes hides behind a curtain, where Hamlet kills him.
- LaertesPolonius's son and Ophelia's brother returns from France to avenge his father; Claudius turns Laertes against Hamlet, whom Laertes fights in the final duel.
- HoratioHamlet's trusted friend offers a steady presence in a court shaped by spying and concealed motives.
- The ghostThe spirit resembling Hamlet's father accuses Claudius of murder and places the demand for revenge on Hamlet.
For the A level English Literature exams, summer 2027
- The summer 2027 A level exams run from 10 May to 22 June 2027.
- AQA (Literature B): Paper 2 (7717/2), Elements of crime writing, Thursday 20 May 2027, morning, 3 hours.
- Pearson Edexcel: Paper 1 (9ET0/01), Drama (Shakespeare), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning, 2 hours 15 minutes.
- OCR: Paper 1 (H472/01), Section 1 (Shakespeare), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning, 2 hours 30 minutes.
- WJEC Eduqas: Component 2, Section A (Shakespeare), Thursday 20 May 2027, morning, 2 hours.
A two-week plan
- Day oneRead the 15-minute summary of Hamlet from start to finish, then tell the story back to yourself in five sentences.
- Days two to threeNotice how the court's promise of a fresh beginning contrasts with Hamlet's sense of betrayal.
- Days four to fiveFollow how doubt about the ghost turns a demand for revenge into a question about justice.
- Day sixWatch how family authority and political interests shape the ways others interpret Hamlet's behavior.
- Day sevenNotice how performance offers a test of guilt without settling Hamlet's struggle to act.
- Day eightConsider how concealed purposes and attempts at control connect private anguish with the court's violence.
- Day nineThe cast: Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia and Horatio. Write one line on what each of them wants.
- Day tenThemes: Thought and action; Appearance and reality; Grief; Power and control; Revenge and conscience. Pick one moment in the story for each.
- Day elevenForm: study how the play is built: its scenes, its speeches and its turning points.
- Day twelvePractice: plan and write an essay on one theme, then read your argument back and test it against the story.
- Day thirteenPractice: try a second question with a different focus, such as a character or the form.
- Day fourteenRecap: reread your notes and the summary, say the plot out loud once, then rest.
From the boards' published specifications and final summer 2027 timetables, read on 23 October 2026. Ask your school which board and papers you sit.
Questions
What is Hamlet about?
Hamlet is about a grieving prince whose search for proof of murder brings revenge into conflict with conscience. His uncertainty about the ghost and the consequences of action connects a family crisis with Denmark's political danger.
Who are the main characters in Hamlet?
The main characters are Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Horatio, and the ghost resembling Hamlet's father. Claudius is Hamlet's uncle and Denmark's king, Gertrude is Hamlet's mother, Ophelia is Polonius's daughter, and Horatio is Hamlet's trusted friend.
What are the main themes of Hamlet?
The main themes are revenge, conscience, grief, political power, and the contrast between appearance and reality. Hamlet's effort to establish guilt also explores the distance between thinking about an action and carrying it out.
Is Hamlet a set text for A level English Literature?
Yes. AQA (Literature B) lists it in Paper 2 (7717/2), Elements of crime writing. Pearson Edexcel lists it in Paper 1 (9ET0/01), Drama (Shakespeare). OCR lists it in Paper 1 (H472/01), Section 1 (Shakespeare). WJEC Eduqas lists it in Component 2, Section A (Shakespeare).
When are the A level English Literature exams in 2027?
The summer 2027 A level exams run from 10 May to 22 June 2027. AQA (Literature B): Paper 2 (7717/2), Thursday 20 May 2027, morning. Pearson Edexcel: Paper 1 (9ET0/01), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning. OCR: Paper 1 (H472/01), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning. WJEC Eduqas: Component 2, Thursday 20 May 2027, morning.