Hamlet is one of the most, if not the most, famous texts in the history of English literature. Even those unfamiliar with Shakespeare's repertoire will likely recognize the dramatic image of Hamlet holding Yorick's skull, and almost everyone in the Western world has heard the phrase, "to be or not to be." Critics have long posited why Hamlet, of all Shakespeare's plays, reigns supreme as a timeless representation of English literature and drama alike. Most likely, Hamlet's lasting legacy derives from the fact that, at its core, it is a play about human psychology and emotion; Hamlet tackles universal feelings inherent to the human condition, including love, grief, familial bonds, and betrayal.
The play continues to be performed by both small companies, large theaters, and dedicated Shakespearean stages. In 1996, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in a popular film version of Hamlet. Other actors who have stepped into the role on the silver screen include Mel Gibson, Ethan Hawke, Laurence Olivier, and David Tennant. In 2009, Benedict Cumberbatch starred in the National Theatre's live performance of the play in London. Also in 2009, Hamlet opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway in New York City, featuring Jude Law as the titular main character.
Hamlet has also been reimagined and repurposed, most notably in Disney's animated film The Lion King (1994). This film takes the story of Hamlet and transfers the basic plot points to the animal kingdom, where a young lion cub must reckon with the sudden death of his father. In 2020, Maggie O'Farrell published her award-winning novel Hamnet, which tells the semi-biographical story of the death of Shakespeare's eleven-year-old son, after whom he named his most famous play. While not explicitly about the writing or production of Hamlet, Hamnet attempts to connect events from Shakespeare's own life to the first performance of the play in 1600.
