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Hamlet

by William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

  • Free to read
  • 2 hours to read
  • 20 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"Hamlet" by William Shakespeare is a tragedy written between 1599 and 1601. Set in Denmark, the play follows Prince Hamlet as he grapples with his father's sudden death and his mother's hasty marriage to his uncle Claudius. When a ghost resembling the late king appears and reveals a terrible secret about murder and betrayal, Hamlet vows revenge. But uncertainty, madness—feigned or real—and deadly court intrigue complicate his mission in this powerful exploration of vengeance, mortality, and human nature.

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  • Tragedies (Drama)
  • Hamlet (Legendary character)
  • Kings and rulers · Succession
  • Murder victims' families
  • Fathers · Death
  • Revenge
  • Princes
  • Denmark

Read the opening

Scene I: Elsinore. A platform before the Castle

Enter Francisco and Barnardo, two sentinels.

BARNARDO.
Who’s there?

FRANCISCO.
Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself.

BARNARDO.
Long live the King!

FRANCISCO.
Barnardo?

Keep reading Hamlet →

Contents

  1. Scene I: Elsinore. A platform before the Castle
  2. Scene II: Elsinore. A room of state in the Castle
  3. Scene III: A room in Polonius’s house
  4. Scene IV: The platform
  5. Scene V: A more remote Part of the Castle
  6. Scene I: A room in Polonius’s house
  7. Scene II: A room in the Castle
  8. Scene I: A room in the Castle
  9. Scene II: A hall in the Castle
  10. Scene III: A room in the Castle
  11. Scene IV: Another room in the Castle
  12. Scene I: A room in the Castle
  13. Scene II: Another room in the Castle
  14. Scene III: Another room in the Castle
  15. Scene IV: A plain in Denmark
  16. Scene V: Elsinore. A room in the Castle
  17. Scene VI: Another room in the Castle
  18. Scene VII: Another room in the Castle
  19. Scene I: A churchyard
  20. Scene II: A hall in the Castle

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About this edition

This free edition of Hamlet by William Shakespeare comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #1524, released 1998-11-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Plays/Films/Dramas, Classics of Literature, British Literature.

Other editions: eBook #27761, eBook #1122, eBook #1787, eBook #2265, eBook #9077, eBook #10606.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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