Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is in mourning for his dead father, the king. He's also disturbed by how quickly his mother, Gertrude, has remarried - and by the fact that her new spouse is Claudius, her late husband's brother (and thus Hamlet's uncle). Hamlet's disgust at this incestuous union, which has also robbed him of his succession to the throne, turns to fury when his father's ghost appears and reveals that he was murdered by Claudius. Vowing revenge, Hamlet decides to feign madness until an opportunity presents itself. Polonius, the lord chamberlain, thinks that Hamlet's strange behaviour springs from love for his daughter, Ophelia, but Claudius soon begins to suspect otherwise. The arrival of a travelling theatre company gives Hamlet the idea of re-enacting his father's murder to startle Claudius into revealing his guilt. Claudius is indeed shocked by the performance, but Hamlet's triumph is short-lived; while arguing with his mother in her bedroom, he stabs an eavesdropper hiding behind a curtain, only to discover that it is Polonius he has killed, not Claudius. Claudius sends Hamlet to England, secretly intending to have him put to death there. Meanwhile, Ophelia, driven mad by grief, commits suicide. Hamlet escapes, however, and returns to Denmark, whereupon Claudius urges Laertes to challenge him to a fencing match, in which Laertes will secretly poison the tip of his sword. But when both combatants receive mortal wounds, the dying Laertes reveals the plot, whereupon Hamlet kills Claudius before succumbing to his own inevitable fate. Subscribe and click the bell icon to get more arts content every week: youtube.com/c/PerspectiveArts Perspective is YouTube's home for the arts. Come here to get your fill of great music, theatre, art and much, much more! You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more. Get an exclusive release every week by signing up here: https://bit.ly/4pyExyn Any queries, please contact us at: perspective@littledotstudios.com #Painting #Art #History

The Hunt for the Lost Faberge Eggs - History’s Greatest Treasure Mystery
3.6K views

Top 10 Most Iconic Opera Houses and Concert Halls in the World
926 views

The Secrets and Stories Behind America's Most Iconic Church Architecture
1.8K views

The Science and Secrets Behind Art Conservation and Restoration
4.2K views

Why Classical Music Still Matters - The Power of Music Explained
3.2K views

The Secret Messages Hidden in Henry VIII’s Wives’ Portraits
48.5K views