To be or not to be...

I bet most people would agree that Shakespeare's works are difficult to read and understand. Even as an AP English student, I have trouble understanding the plays, and Hamlet is no exception. One of the best ways to understand the play is to find other sources and research the play, and one of the greatest wealths of information is the internet. But watch out, there are a lot of bad sites with incorrect information. So how do you distinguish the good sites from the bad? With a lot of time, patience, and reading the really helpful websites can be found. Here I have compiled some of the best websites I could find on different aspects of Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Themes, Symbolism, and Background Information

The website LitCharts.com offers much information about Hamlet. It discusses themes such as appearance vs. reality, action and inaction, revenge and many more. These are central themes in the play and understanding them is essential to understanding the play. It also offers background information such as information about William Shakespeare as well as key facts about the play such as setting, genre, protagonist, and antagonist. A brief plot and character summary is included as well as summary and analysis of each act and scene and the most memorable quotes. The symbol of Yorick's skull is discussed as being the only easily distinguished symbol in the play. Overall, this website is very helpful and informative on the different literary elements of theme and symbolism, background information, and summary of each part.

http://www.litcharts.com/lit/hamlet/themes
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