Key Characters of Hamlet

Hamlet - Prince of Denmark
Claudius - King of Denmark
Gertrude - Queen of Denmark
The Ghost
Polonius - Claudius' Chief Counsellor
Laertes - son of Polonius
Ophelia - daughter of Polonius
Horatio - friend of Hamlet, from the University of Wittenberg
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern - childhood friends of Hamlet
Fortinbras - Norwegian Crown Prince

The play is set in Elsinore (a.k.a. Helsingor in modern parlance) in Kronburg Castle.

Renditions of Hamlet

Hamlet (1996) of Sir Kenneth Branagh (born 1960 in Northern Ireland) who also starred in Henry V (1989), Othello (1995).

Hamlet

Story

Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and is set in Denmark. Its full title is "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark". It's the story of how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his Uncle Claudius for murdering King Hamlet.

Famous Bits

To be, or not to be, that is the question
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune
Or to take arms against a Sea of troubles..

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.

There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio..

Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us! (uttered by Hamlet on seeing the Ghost)

Never make known what you have seen tonight.