The Folger Guide to Teaching Hamlet

The authoritative guide to teaching Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching Hamlet is an invaluable resource for teachers, students, and Shakespeare fans alike. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most popular and most puzzling play. It follows the form of a revenge tragedy, in which the hero, Hamlet, seeks vengeance against his father’s murderer, his uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. Much of its fascination, however, lies in its uncertainties.

Among them: What is the Ghost–Hamlet’s father demanding justice, a tempting demon, an angelic messenger? Does Hamlet go mad, or merely pretend to? Once he is sure that Claudius is a murderer, why does he not act? Was his mother, Gertrude, unfaithful to her husband or complicit in his murder?

Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching Hamlet breaks down the play in easy-to-understand sections and features essays from prominent Shakespeare scholars. This guide is an essential part of any teacher’s toolkit.