HamletHamlet andand thethe HistoryHistory ofof DenmarkDenmark

According to William Shakespeare TwoTwo KingsKings

Norway:Norway: OldOld FortinbrasFortinbras OneOne son:son: FortinbrasFortinbras OneOne (younger)(younger) brotherbrother KilledKilled byby KingKing HamletHamlet HisHis brotherbrother takestakes over,over, notnot hishis sonson andand rightfulrightful heirheir Denmark:Denmark: OldOld HamletHamlet OneOne son:son: HamletHamlet OneOne youngeryounger brother:brother: ClaudiusClaudius KilledKilled byby hishis brotherbrother HisHis brotherbrother takestakes over,over, notnot hishis sonson andand rightfulrightful heirheir TwoTwo PrincesPrinces

NorwayNorway FortinbrasFortinbras becomesbecomes angryangry GathersGathers aa groupgroup ofof thugsthugs andand criminalscriminals behindbehind hishis uncle’suncle’s backback ThreatensThreatens toto invadeinvade DenmarkDenmark IsIs toldtold offoff byby hishis uncleuncle GoesGoes againstagainst PolandPoland insteadinstead DenmarkDenmark HamletHamlet becomesbecomes angryangry DecidesDecides toto killkill hishis uncleuncle ThenThen doesdoes nothingnothing forfor aa veryvery longlong timetime exceptexcept getget aa lotlot ofof innocentinnocent peoplepeople killedkilled TheThe DanishDanish RoyalRoyal FamilyFamily

GhostGhost == OldOld Hamlet,Hamlet, KingKing ofof DenmarkDenmark GertrudeGertrude HamletHamlet Claudius,Claudius, KingKing ofof DenmarkDenmark TheThe PoloniusPolonius FamilyFamily

Polonius,Polonius, advisoradvisor toto thethe DanishDanish KingKing LaertesLaertes OpheliaOphelia TheThe FriendsFriends

HoratioHoratio RosencranzRosencranz GuildensternGuildenstern SoldiersSoldiers

MarcellusMarcellus BernardoBernardo FranciscoFrancisco CourtiersCourtiers

VoltimandVoltimand CorneliusCornelius OsricOsric TheThe NorwegiansNorwegians

FortinbrasFortinbras CaptainCaptain OthersOthers

Grave-diggersGrave-diggers (clowns)(clowns) ReynaldoReynaldo PlayersPlayers AmbassadorsAmbassadors AA priestpriest AA gentlemangentleman PeoplePeople WhoWho Don'tDon't SaySay AnythingAnything == spearspear carrierscarriers

LordsLords SailorsSailors LadiesLadies MessengersMessengers OfficersOfficers AttendantsAttendants SoldiersSoldiers TheThe StoryStory SoSo FarFar -- 11

OldOld FortinbrasFortinbras ofof NorwayNorway challengeschallenges OldOld HamletHamlet ofof DenmarkDenmark toto dodo battlebattle TheyThey makemake anan agreementagreement ofof landslands thethe victorvictor shouldshould receivereceive afterafter thethe battlebattle OldOld HamletHamlet killskills OldOld FortinbrasFortinbras inin battlebattle andand getsgets thethe landslands promisedpromised byby himhim Fortinbras’sFortinbras’s brotherbrother takestakes powerpower inin NorwayNorway TheThe StoryStory SoSo FarFar -- 22

YoungYoung FortinbrasFortinbras gathersgathers aa groupgroup ofof thugsthugs behindbehind thethe king’sking’s (his(his uncle’s)uncle’s) backback andand threatensthreatens toto taketake backback thethe landslands hishis fatherfather lostlost OldOld HamletHamlet decidesdecides toto dodo battlebattle andand preparesprepares forfor warwar ClaudiusClaudius decidesdecides hehe cancan dodo better,better, killskills hishis brotherbrother andand takestakes powerpower inin Denmark.Denmark. ClaudiusClaudius marriesmarries hishis brother’sbrother’s wife.wife. AndAnd thethe PlayPlay BeginsBegins

Claudius’sClaudius’s firstfirst officialofficial actact isis toto telltell thethe kingking ofof NorwayNorway whatwhat FortinbrasFortinbras isis upup toto TheThe kingking ofof NorwayNorway tellstells FortinbrasFortinbras notnot toto attackattack DenmarkDenmark andand allowsallows himhim toto attackattack PolandPoland FortinbrasFortinbras movesmoves hishis armiesarmies throughthrough DenmarkDenmark toto getget toto PolandPoland TheThe GeographyGeography

ShakespeareShakespeare hadhad absolutelyabsolutely nono ideaidea ofof howhow Denmark,Denmark, NorwayNorway andand PolandPoland areare arranged.arranged. TheThe GeographyGeography

ShakespeareShakespeare hadhad absolutelyabsolutely nono ideaidea ofof howhow Denmark,Denmark, NorwayNorway andand PolandPoland areare arranged.arranged. AccordingAccording toto him,him, thethe shortestshortest wayway fromfrom NorwayNorway toto PolandPoland isis throughthrough DenmarkDenmark