Context and Origins

Start with the context

The mind map “Hamlet’s context” is a useful starting point if you want an overview. It brings together political, religious and social context, with branches on monarchy, Catholicism and Protestantism, and the Renaissance. School students can follow one branch at a time and note how its ideas might connect to the play.

Next, look at “Hamlet Context”, which includes a point about ambiguity and the court. Compare that point with the monarchy branch in the broader context map. The maps offer different starting points, so use them to frame questions as you study Hamlet.

Follow the story’s origins

One map titled “Hamlet context” follows the story back to Saxo Grammaticus’s Amleth. Its excerpt describes an avenger seeking justice for his father and putting on an act of madness. Use that map to trace the outline of the earlier story, then consider the connections it suggests with Hamlet.

Other maps focus on the origins of Hamlet and include points about its composition, popularity and published versions. Comparing their branches can help you see which details each creator chose to include. There are also maps that bring in literary developments, tragedy, humanism, religion and superstition.

Use the maps across the unit

Context and Origins is a section of the Hamlet unit in Literature. As you work through the unit, return to a map when a question about the play’s background or the story’s origins comes up. A teacher could also select a map as a starting point for discussion.

This page lists mind maps rather than quizzes. To practice, turn a branch into a question, answer it in your own words, and then check the map again. Pick a branch and use it to make your own study notes.