Researched Drama Paper (Hamlet) - Research Proposal Example

The Shakespeares were a prosperous and locally prominent family. His father, John Shakespeare, was a successful businessman. A great deal is known of Stratford which enables us to understand something of Shakespeare’s boyhood there. The town supported a grammar school which was free to the sons of Burgesses of whom Shakespeare was one. He also went to Grammar school. It is not known what Shakespeare did between the time he left school and his departure for London. Some stories about him that he got into trouble for poaching deer – are possible, but unproved.

He married Ann Hathaway, daughter of a yeoman farmer. Their first child was Susan and later, twins, Hamnet and Judith. Very soon after the latter’s birth, Shakespeare departed for London without his family. Shakespeare entered the theater as an actor and was to be an actor-manager for the rest of his life. He made money also as a playwright. Shakespeare died in Stratford in 1616 at the unbelievably early age of 52. Shakespeare wrote the following plays in a period of eight and nine years.

Julius Ceasar; Hamelt; All’s Well that Ends Well; Troilus and Cressida; Measure for Measure; Othello; King Lear; Macbeth; Antony and Cleopatra; Timon of Athens; Corionalus. Hamlet has been adjudged the best of men and the worst of men. Mark van Doren in his introduction to the play states that something in his personality renders him superior to decision and incapable of acting. His antic disposition has been analyzed as both a sign of abnormality as well as a device for seeming to be mad.

One judgment is as good as another. Very little can be said that will be untrue of this brilliant and abounding young man. Opinions have differed as to which other character can best bring out Hamlet’s character to the fore. Many writers would probably choose Horatio, his close friend and ally who supports Hamlet throughout the story, who echoes his way of thinking and is all praises for him. For