Figures

Here is a list of figures, other than the play characters, that are mentioned in Hamlet. Some are real historical persons, some are Biblical, others are figures of legend, myth, or fiction.

The figures are presented in the order in which they're mentioned in the Hamlet playtext, Scene by Scene. They're only briefly described here. The goal is to assist the reader in understanding the playtext, and to provide enough information to guide the reader in learning more, if desired, by doing a web search, or by using library facilities. Some figures are mentioned more than once in the play, but only the first mention is listed here.

The name of each figure is followed by a quote of the line where the figure is mentioned, or referenced implicitly. The spelling may, or may not, be modernized, depending on whether the original spelling appears to have significance.

Scene 1

Julius Caesar

Scene 1#01-124   A little ere the mightiest Julius fell
Julius Caesar was a leader of ancient Rome, slain by Brutus and others on the Ides of March. In Hamlet, all the major events relate, in one way or another, to the death of the King. The well-known fact of Caesar dying on the Ides of March is part of what tells us Hamlet is set in the springtime.

Neptune

Scene 1#01-129   Upon whose influence Neptune's Empire stands
Neptune is the Roman god of the sea, and is usually equated to the ancient Greek god Poseidon. Poseidon is the brother of Zeus and Hades, which are equivalent to the Roman gods Jupiter and Pluto. Neptune/Poseidon is also the god of horses, relevant to the Horse Motif in Hamlet. Poseidon was on the side of the Greeks in the Trojan War. The sea is most obviously relevant to events in Hamlet when Hamlet is sent away on a voyage to England, but unexpectedly returns.

Jesus Christ

Scene 1#01-170   Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated
I decline the opportunity to insult the reader's intelligence.

Scene 20

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© 2014 Jeffrey Paul Jordan

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