Hamlet

Hamlet is deeply concerned with questions of truth and falsehood. What role does truthfulness play in the events of the story, and how is truthfulness shown to be more complex than it might at first seem?

In the middle of Hamlet, we watch a play within a play, “The Mousetrap.” But first, we hear Hamlet’s opinions on theater: The stage should hold up a mirror to nature. What role does “The Mousetrap” play in Hamlet’s examination of the nature of reality?

Hamlet’s lines, particularly when he is pretending to be mad, are riddled with puns and wordplay. What does the play have to say about the slipperiness of language?