DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR HAMLET
1. REVENGE: Hamlet tells the story
of three sons’ attempts to avenge
the murder of their respective
fathers. Compare and contrast
these three sons in terms of their
character, and their strategies in
exacting revenge.
2. DECISIONS: What flaws do you
see in Hamlet as a decision
maker?
3. SUSPENSE: Hamlet is a play, and as such is meant to be a dramatic
experience for the audience. Choose two or three of the most suspenseful
parts of the play… what dramatic devices (dramatic irony, staging,
soliloquies, plot etc.) does Shakespeare use to keep his audience “on the edge
of their seat”?
4. SOLILQUIES: Which of Hamlet’s 7 soliloquies was the most powerful for
you? Why?
5. OPHELIA: What comments do you have about Ophelia’s journey and choices
in this play? What personal reactions did you have to the character, and
why?
6. BETRAYAL: How significant is the act of betrayal in terms or affecting
Hamlet’s view of the world and people around him? Who betrays him, and
why do those betrayals have such impact on him?
7. CLAUDIUS: Do you have sympathy for Claudius as the play progresses? Do
you think he is a good king/politician in comparison to his brother? For
what reasons do you think he decided to kill King Hamlet?
8. APPEARANCE vs. REALITY: A major theme in the play – deception. Which
characters deceive (choose 3 or 4), either willingly, or unwillingly, and what
message do you think Shakespeare has about the act of deception?
9. EXISTENTIAL JOURNEY: Hamlet’s journey in the play is one of discovery
about the meaning of life (on both personal, and universal terms). At
various parts of the play he explores profound topics such as suicide, the
“eternity of death”, our reputation, our legacy etc. What conclusions does
he comes to as to what he thinks is most important about our existence?
10. OPINION: Which character did you like the most? Why? Which character
did you detest the most? Why?
11. What for you was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you
account for how the playwright managed to achieve that effect?
12. What do you consider the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist, and
what effect do you think these have on the believability of the play?
13. Who was your favourite or least favourite secondary character in the play?
Can you see how the playwright elicited such a response?
14. Do you think any profound human truths are being considered in this play or
do you see its main purpose as keeping an audience interested in human
behaviour?