Literary sources

Saxo Grammaticus and the Danish legend

William Shakespeare frequently borrowed large parts of his plots from existing literary sources, and this goes for Hamlet, too. 

The story of Hamlet goes back to a Danish legend, which the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus wrote down in the beginning of the 13th century. He wrote in Latin and called the legend Amlethus, Prince of Denmark.

The medieval legend contained the basic framework of Shakespeare’ later drama: Amlethus, Prince of Denmark is about killing a brother and a king. The Danish king Horwendil is murdered by his brother Fengon. Shortly after the king’s death, Fengon marries the widowed queen and becomes king by fraud. The young prince Amlethus wants to revenge his father’s death. In order to put his plans into acti...