answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

He wrote the play Hamlet. You might think that the name was developed from his son's name- Hamnet, who died about five years before he wrote the play. But you'd be wrong. Shakespeare's son was named after his neighbour Hamnet Sadler, and his daughter, Hamnet's twin, was named for Hamnet Sadler's wife Judith Sadler. The character in the play was called Hamlet (or some variation on that) for three hundred and fifty years before Shakespeare got hold of it.

Thinking that Shakespeare named the character after his son is like thinking that he named the main character in King John after his father, or one of the main female characters in Henry VIII, Anne Bullen, after his wife.

User Avatar

Wiki User

βˆ™ 12y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

βˆ™ 12y ago

The Ur-Hamlet is the name given to scholars to a hypothetical source for Shakespeare's Hamlet. The Ur-Hamlet is an older play, also called Hamlet, which is now lost (if it ever existed). Some scholars speculate that it may have been written by Thomas Kyd, in very much the same style as his Spanish Tragedy. Hamlet, as presented by Shakespeare, has many dramatic characteristics in common with the Spanish Tragedy.

Reasons for believing in the existence of the Ur-Hamlet are apparent references to Hamlet long before Shakespeare appears to have written it, questions as to the availability of the Belleforest source, and the existence of a German play called Die Brudermord, which reads a lot like we would expect a German translation of the Ur-Hamlet to read.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

βˆ™ 9y ago

The "Ur-Hamlet" is the name given to a play on the story of Hamlet written before Shakespeare's and used by him as a source. Some people think the Ur-Hamlet was by Thomas Kyd. Some think that the German play Der Brudermord is a translation of the Ur-Hamlet. One of the reasons for believing that there was such a play is a record in Henslowe's diary of a play Hamlet being performed June 9, 1594, about five years before the Shakespeare play we know was apparently written. Nevertheless we have no copy of the script of the play (unless it is the same as Der Brudermord) so we cannot say much about it.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

βˆ™ 13y ago

you could use it as context for the play hamlet and say how shakespeare drew on the works of authors before his time, while also creating an innovative work of his own!

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: How does the name Hamlet relate to Shakespeare?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What is Shakespeare's last name?

Shakespeare did not have a middle name. When you translate it from Latin it is William Shakespeare.


Who was Gertrude in Shakespeare's plays?

Gertrude is the name of Hamlet's mother in Hamlet.


Is Hamlet a name?

Yes, Hamlet is the surname of the Prince of Denmark in Shakespeare's tragedy, which is also named Hamlet.


What according to Shakespeare was the name of Hamlet's mother?

Gertrude


'Vanity thy name is woman' is from what Shakespeare play?

The line "Frailty, thy name is woman!" is from William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet".


Which play does William shakespeare take the name of his son from?

Hamlet


Why did Shakespeare call Hamlet Hamlet?

The story of Hamlet was around long before Shakespeare and in the form given to it by Belleforest was published about thirty years before Shakespeare wrote his play. The story had most likely previously been turned into a play. In all cases, the main character's name was Hamlet, which is why Shakespeare used this name for his play. It has nothing to do with Shakespeare's son. A play about an American President assassinated in a theatre by a guy called Booth would not be called Lincoln because the playwright had a son of that name.


In Shakespeare's hamlet does hamlet have a brother?

No, Hamlet is an only child.


What Shakespeare play was a prince of denmark from?

The prince of Denmark character is from the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare.


What is the name the Shakespeare play about the Prince of Denmark?

the play is called Hamlet and was writing by William Shakespeare.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet


Is Hamlet is an essay?

No hamlet is a play by William Shakespeare


Is the Hamlet a book?

Hamlet is a play. It is by William Shakespeare.