"One may smile, and smile, and be a villain." —Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

Look Inside the Book

"Hamlet holds a mirror up to our lives, for we too must act in a fallen world, even when the way is unclear and when our proof is dismissed by others. We too are called to kill serpents, to 'lose all' for the kingdom. Because it takes great courage to confront the enemy head on and might cost us our reputation or our lives, we, like Hamlet, would rather think and play with words than act." -From Jayson Grieser's Introduction

"Prince Hamlet discovers that his father was murdered by his uncle Claudius—who is now on his father's throne and his father's bed. When he is charged with vengeance by his father's ghost, Hamlet coldly plans the killing even as he questions his dark role as avenger. After he accidentally kills the wrong man, Hamlet flirts with insanity, old lovers, and sychophantic courtiers while the whole Danish court destabilizes around him.

This Canon Classic is world-famous for its tragic themes of supernatural intervention, madness, and murder. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book’s materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.

This Worldview Edition features an introduction divided into sections on The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Plot Summary, Worldview Analysis, and 21 Discussion Questions & Answers.