Quick overview
- Tragedy by William Shakespeare, c. 1600
- Set at the royal court of Elsinore, Denmark
- Contains the speech beginning To be, or not to be
What is Hamlet about?
Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play, written around 1600. Prince Hamlet of Denmark returns home from university to find his father dead and his mother already married to his uncle Claudius, who is now king.
A ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius murdered his father. Hamlet must decide what to do about it, and he pretends to be mad while he tests the truth. The play is known for its soliloquies on duty, doubt, death and action. It has been staged and adapted more often than almost any other play in English.
Read Hamlet online
How to read it on a Kindle, Kobo or phone
Kindle: download the EPUB and send it with Amazon's Send to Kindle (web, app or email). Amazon converts it for your device. Kobo, Pocketbook, Apple Books and Google Play Books open the EPUB directly. The PDF keeps the page layout and suits printing or a large tablet.
Is Hamlet free to download?
Yes. Hamlet was first published c. 1600, so it is in the US public domain. William Shakespeare died in 1616, so it is also free in the EU, where copyright ends 70 years after death. This edition comes from Standard Ebooks, which releases its texts under CC0.
What is Hamlet about?
A Danish prince is told by his father's ghost that his uncle committed murder, and he struggles to act on it.
Where is Hamlet set?
It takes place at Elsinore, the royal castle of Denmark.
MacbethWilliam Shakespeare
AntigoneSophocles
OthelloWilliam Shakespeare
A Doll’s HouseHenrik Ibsen
The Importance of Being EarnestOscar Wilde
Oedipus RexSophocles