The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, usually shortened to just Hamlet, was written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599-1602. It is arguably one of his most famous tragedies. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Shakespeare homepage | Hamlet | Entire play 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. The story of Hamlet is based on a Danish revenge story first recorded by Saxo Grammaticus in the 1100s. In these stories, a Danish prince fakes madness in order to take revenge on his uncle, who had killed the prince's father and married his mother. Hamlet is a tragedy in five acts written by William Shakespeare about 1599–1601 and published in a quarto edition in 1603 from an unauthorized text. Often considered the greatest drama of all time, the play tells the story of the troubled titular prince of Denmark. Get all the key plot points of William Shakespeare's Hamlet on one page. From the creators of SparkNotes. A short summary of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Hamlet. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his attempts to exact revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother. Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark; he is son to the late King Hamlet, and nephew to the present King Claudius. Claudius is the King of Denmark, elected to the throne after the death of his brother, King Hamlet. Claudius has married Gertrude, his brother's widow. HAMLET. Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vision here, It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you. For your desire to know what is between us, O’ermaster’t as you may. And now, good friends, As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers, Give me one poor request. HORATIO. What is’t, my lord.