HAMLET
For Kids
A study of Hamlet For Kids, created for the Grade 5 classes
at The Sterling Hall School.
Developed by Mr. Adamson & Ms Sprules.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare was born in 1564 on April 23rd. The same date that he died.
But little was known until the age 18. He was probably educated at Stratford
Grammar School. He had a pretty big family. The first time he saw a play
was when he was 4. He didn't understand the words but loved the sound of
them and loved the costumes.
He also loved watching his father make gloves. That was one of his jobs
later on. His school was very strict and the days were long. They had very
harsh punishments so he had to study a lot. There were no TVs, movies,
arcades, computers, telephones, or other modern technology. Sometimes he
had to walk many miles to watch a play that traveling actors put on. And if
no one came with him he would tell all about it when he got home.
If you were thinking all this sounds like Shakespeare was a perfect child,
once just for fun, Shakespeare and his friends stole deer and rabbits from
woods that belonged to Sir Thomas Lucy. That's called poaching. For
punishment, Will had to pay a big fine. To get even, he wrote a poem that
made fun of Sir Thomas. He nailed this poem on the Lucy estate, and Sir
Thomas was red hot mad. Many people laughed and felt sorry for Will.
Shakespeare left many mysteries behind. His early jobs could have been a
butcher, a law clerk, a schoolmaster, or a gardener. He could have assisted
his father, a glovemaker. He could have been a trader in commodities*, or a
publisher, or a soldier. He could have been all of these things because he
knew so much about them in his plays and poems.
(A commodity is a product like wool or coal. A commodity broker is the middle person who asks
if they want a product. Then the broker goes to the producer and the producer tells the broker a
price. If the price is $25.00, the broker will sell it for $30.00 and he or she will get the extra
$5.00. But if the buyer says that it is too much the broker will say "ok, $28.00" and he will get the
extra $3.00.)
He married a girl named Anne Hathaway in 1582. Soon after, they had a
baby girl named Susanna. Then they had twins named Hamnet and Judith.
They were very excited! But it was also difficult because they lived with
William’s father, and the house was very crowded.
Shakespeare moved to London in 1587 and his family followed a few years
later. He had odd jobs working in theatres there, and began writing plays.
He did well. Then in 1592 the black plague (a deadly disease) swept
through England causing a great deal of death. The theatres were all closed.
Everyone feared they would die. Things did improve, and he became
famous for his work. He even performed for the Queen of England in 1594
at her Greenwich Palace. Among his great works are these plays:
The Tempest (A story of Prospero and his daughter, Miranda)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (A tale of fairies and mortals)
Richard 3 (A story of wanting power)
Much Ado About Nothing (Much ado about nothing)
Richard 2 (A tragedy about King Richard)
The Merchant of Venice (A Story of owing money)
King Lear (A king not wanting to be that much)
Love's Labour's Lost (A comedy about four princesses)
Two Gentleman of Verona (Two Gentleman very much the same)
A Comedy Of Errors (A tale of mixed up twins)
Romeo and Juliet (Two lovers, with one thing between them)
Taming of the Shrew (Taming a young girl)
Sadly, young Hamnet died at age 11. This made Shakespeare very sad. In
1597, he bought the biggest house in the town, but this still could not make
him feel happy. In 1599 he built his own theatre called “The Globe”. It was
huge and was open to the air. It was a popular place! But in 1613, it was
burned to the ground. He was very depressed. Shakespeare died in 1616 on
his birthday, which was April 23, at Stratford-upon-Avon, which is in
England. He died when he was 53. It is not known for sure how he died.
However, it is certain that he left a lot of his estate to the poor. He is buried
under a stone that warns the living – in verse – never to disturb his bones.
THE LIFE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Using the facts you have learned, design a timeline of Shakespeare’s life.
Use the template on this page. You should include dates (where possible),
colour illustrations, and a short text description for each event. You may
divide some of the boxes if you wish.
ACTIVITIES
1. Pretend to be Shakespeare and write a diary entry mourning the loss of his son,
Hamnet.
Dear Diary,
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A mournful William Shakespeare
2. Write letters between Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway.
Date: ____________________________________
Dear Anne,
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Love William
Date: ____________________________________
Dear William,
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Love Anne
3. Write an interview between a reporter and Shakespeare after he performed for the Queen.
Reporter:
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Shakespeare:
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Reporter:
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Shakespeare:
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Reporter:
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Shakespeare:
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Reporter:
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Shakespeare:
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HAMLET
There are two types of plays: the tragedy and the comedy. In a comedy, there are a
series of funny or crazy events and they have a happy ending with the main characters
usually getting married. In a tragedy, there is usually a sad ending and the main
characters usually die.
Hamlet is a tragedy. There will be a lot of action, with poisoning, stabbing, and betrayal.
Good stuff indeed! Enjoy the book. In your free time, see if you can complete this
wordsearch full of Shakespeare words. No list of words is provided. See how you do!
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 6-12
Describe the vision the men saw at the beginning of the play.
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Draw a picture of this vision.
HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 6-12
Why was Hamlet not happy at the wedding celebration?
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What did Queen Gertrude mean when she said:
“Thou knowest ‘tis common. All that lives must die.”
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What does King Claudius say to Hamlet about his grief and how he can help Hamlet?
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 13-21
On page 13 Hamlet says:
Within a month they married. Oh most wicked speed!
Frailty, thy name is woman! How could she concede?
These strange events, my soul have wrung,
But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.
Explain what this means going through the passage line by line.
Within a month they married. Oh most wicked speed!
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Frailty, thy name is woman! How could she concede?
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These strange events, my soul have wrung,
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But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.
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What does the word yesternight mean? Try to use it in a sentence.
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 13-21
What five pieces of advice does Polonius give to his sons? Explain each below.
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What good advice have your parents given you?
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 13-21
What did Polonius tell his daughter Ophelia? Why do you think Polonius gave her this
command?
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What happened on the platform of the castle?
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 13-21
What does the ghost mean when it said:
Murder most foul! Tis said, that a serpent bit me.
And I died in my orchard, in tranquility.
Indeed, a serpent did sting thy father’s life.
But it now wears the crown, and has married his wife.
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What is the ghost asking Hamlet to do?
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Draw a picture of this scene (colour).
HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 22-30
What is the secret that is locked in Hamlet’s heart?
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What does Hamlet mean when he says to his friends:
And if I pretend madness, and
you see me acting odd,
Do not even hint you know the
cause for this façade.
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Ophelia tells her father that she knows why Hamlet is acting so strange. Explain what
she tells her father.
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 22-30
Why does Claudius use Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to help him?
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Write a letter from Hamlet to Ophelia.
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 31-39
“To be, or not to be, that is the question.” What is Hamlet referring to in this quote?
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When Ophelia and Hamlet meet, each one goes away feeling bad but for very different
reasons. Explain.
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Hamlet tells Horatio:
Help me observe the king tonight
Note if the words, his conscience will ignite
If he shows no guilt, as the crime is revealed,
The spirit ghost is a liar and I will yield.
Explain what you think Hamlet is saying to Horatio.
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 31-39
What was King Claudius’s reaction to the play and why did he react that way?
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What have Hamlet and Horatio learned from this experience?
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 40-47
Before Hamlet went to talk to his mother, he said, “I will speak daggers to her, but use
none.” Describe their conversation.
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Why did Hamlet not kill King Claudius while he was praying?
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Who did Hamlet kill? Explain the situation and how it happened?
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 40-47
When the spirit ghost appeared again, what did it tell Hamlet?
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Explain how Queen Gertrude is feeling about her son.
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Draw a picture from pages 40-47 and describe the scene.
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 48-53
What is Hamlet’s fate?
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Describe what has happened to Ophelia.
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Draw a picture of Ophelia.
HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 48-53
Describe how Laertes is feeling.
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Describe what has happened on Hamlet’s journey to England.
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King Claudius has joined forces with Laertes. Describe their plan.
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HAMLET FOR KIDS
Hamlet for Kids – pgs. 54-63
Explain what has happened to Ophelia.
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What goes wrong with Claudius and Laertes’s plan?
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Describe how the play ends. Provide as much detail as possible.
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Draw a picture of the final scene in the play and explain what is
happening.
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