• Chronology; Part I. Hamlet and the Renaissance: 1. The Renaissance context; 2. Heroism in the Renaissance epic tradition; 3. Tragedy and Renaissance man; 4. The place of Hamlet in Shakespeare's career; Part II. The Tragedy of Hamlet: 5. The problem of Hamlet; 6. Hamlet and the revenge play tradition; 7. Hamlet and classical heroism; 8. Hamlet and Christianity; 9. Hamlet as tragic hero; 10. The end of Hamlet; Part III. Dramatic and Poetic Technique: 11. The drama of Hamlet; 12. The language of Hamlet; Part IV. The Heritage of Hamlet: 13. Hamlet in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; 14. Hamlet in the nineteenth century; 15. The comic Hamlet; 16. Hamlet in the twentieth century; Works cited; Guide to further reading.

'… provides a clear introduction to Hamlet …' Cahiers Élisabéthains