Hamlet Characters
Every major character in Hamlet by William Shakespeare, with a portrait, who they are and the chapters they appear in.
HamletProtagonist · 18 chaptersThe grieving Prince of Denmark who seeks to expose and avenge his father's murder while feigning madness.
ClaudiusAntagonist · 13 chaptersDenmark’s new king: politically adept, smooth-speaking, and the principal obstacle Hamlet must expose and punish.
PoloniusMajor character · 11 chaptersTalkative chief counselor to King Claudius, meddling father who manages his children and court affairs with officious maxims.
GuildensternMinor character · 10 chaptersAn old schoolmate of Hamlet, summoned by the king to spy on Hamlet and report back to the throne.
HoratioMajor character · 10 chaptersA calm, scholarly friend and steady witness who supports Hamlet and reports what he sees at Elsinore.
RosencrantzMinor character · 10 chaptersAn old university friend of Hamlet, summoned by the king to observe Hamlet and report back to Claudius and Gertrude.
GertrudeMajor character · 9 chaptersQueen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, recently married to Claudius and striving to maintain courtly stability.
LaertesMajor character · 8 chaptersYoung Danish noble, hot-tempered son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia, driven to avenge his father's death.
OpheliaMajor character · 7 chaptersPolonius’s dutiful daughter and Laertes’s sister caught between love for Hamlet and obedience to her father.
FortinbrasMajor character · 5 chaptersYoung Norwegian prince who raises an army to recover his father's lost lands and whose march frames and ultimately inherits the Danish throne.
The GhostMajor character · 5 chaptersThe dead King of Denmark’s ghost who returns to demand justice and drive Hamlet toward vengeance.- MMarcellusMinor character · 4 chaptersA watchman at Elsinore who helps witness the Ghost and escorts Hamlet to confront it.
OsricMinor character · 2 chaptersA fussy, fashion‑obsessed courtier who flatters and delivers Claudius’s invitation to a rigged fencing match for Hamlet.
GravediggerMinor character · 1 chapterA cheerful, plainspoken grave-digger who jokes while handling bones and forces Hamlet to confront mortality.
All chapter summaries ›Characters ›
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