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William Shakespeare's son was called Hamnet. He never directly named any of his plays after his son, but the title of his play 'Hamlet' is of course very close to the name Hamnet.

Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' also features twins of different genders (Hamnet had a twin sister named Judith).

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Why did Shakespeare call Hamlet Hamlet?

The story of Hamlet was around long before Shakespeare and in the form given to it by Belleforest was published about thirty years before Shakespeare wrote his play. The story had most likely previously been turned into a play. In all cases, the main character's name was Hamlet, which is why Shakespeare used this name for his play. It has nothing to do with Shakespeare's son. A play about an American President assassinated in a theatre by a guy called Booth would not be called Lincoln because the playwright had a son of that name.


What is Shakespeare's last name?

Shakespeare did not have a middle name. When you translate it from Latin it is William Shakespeare.


Did shakespeare have a son called Hamlet?

Shakespeare did have a son, but his name was Hamnet. He died when he was eleven years old from unknown causes. Some scholars believe that this incident in his life is what inspired him to write his masterpiece, Hamlet. This seems unlikely since he did not write the play until four years later, after writing most of his great comedies.


What play did Hamnet's death inspire?

Some people think that Shakespeare was moved to write the play Hamlet because of the death of his son Hamnet in 1596. This is a very sentimental and somewhat silly idea. There are no themes in Hamlet which have to do with the grief of a parent over the untimely death of a son--such themes can be found in King John, Richard III and even in Henry VI Part I and Titus Andronicus (both written long before Hamnet's death). What is more, the Hamlet story and Hamlet's name were well-established long before Shakespeare's play, and it is believed that there was even an earlier play (the Ur-Hamlet) on the subject. Shakespeare did not change the name of the character in the play to match that of his son; if the name had not been popular in his family, one might guess that his son was named for the character in the story.


How does the name Hamlet relate to Shakespeare?

He wrote the play Hamlet. You might think that the name was developed from his son's name- Hamnet, who died about five years before he wrote the play. But you'd be wrong. Shakespeare's son was named after his neighbour Hamnet Sadler, and his daughter, Hamnet's twin, was named for Hamnet Sadler's wife Judith Sadler. The character in the play was called Hamlet (or some variation on that) for three hundred and fifty years before Shakespeare got hold of it.Thinking that Shakespeare named the character after his son is like thinking that he named the main character in King John after his father, or one of the main female characters in Henry VIII, Anne Bullen, after his wife.

Related Questions

Which play does William shakespeare take the name of his son from?

Hamlet


Why did Shakespeare call Hamlet Hamlet?

The story of Hamlet was around long before Shakespeare and in the form given to it by Belleforest was published about thirty years before Shakespeare wrote his play. The story had most likely previously been turned into a play. In all cases, the main character's name was Hamlet, which is why Shakespeare used this name for his play. It has nothing to do with Shakespeare's son. A play about an American President assassinated in a theatre by a guy called Booth would not be called Lincoln because the playwright had a son of that name.


What is Shakespeare's last name?

Shakespeare did not have a middle name. When you translate it from Latin it is William Shakespeare.


Who was Gertrude in Shakespeare's plays?

Gertrude is the name of Hamlet's mother in Hamlet.


Where is Shakespeare's Hamlet Home?

Hamlet, the main character in the Shakespeare play of the same name, was from Denmark. Because he was the son of the king, he would have stayed in whatever royal palace his father was staying at. However, Hamlet had spent a number of years in the University at Wittemburg, which was like a second home to him.


Who is laertes in Shakespeare?

Laertes is the son of Polonius and brother to Ophelia whom Hamlet loves. King Claudius poisons Laertes's sword with the intent to kill Hamlet in the tragedy play by Shakespeare titled Hamlet.


What is Hamlet's realm?

William Shakespeare's play Hamlet is subtitled "Prince of Denmark", as that is where the play takes place... Hamlet is the son of the late King of Denmark.


Is Hamlet a name?

Yes, Hamlet is the surname of the Prince of Denmark in Shakespeare's tragedy, which is also named Hamlet.


What according to Shakespeare was the name of Hamlet's mother?

Gertrude


What is the significance of the character Ur-Hamlet in Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"?

The character Ur-Hamlet is significant in Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" because he is believed to be the original source of inspiration for the character of Prince Hamlet. Ur-Hamlet represents the archetype of the avenging son seeking justice for his father's murder, a theme that is central to the play.


Did shakespeare have a son called Hamlet?

Shakespeare did have a son, but his name was Hamnet. He died when he was eleven years old from unknown causes. Some scholars believe that this incident in his life is what inspired him to write his masterpiece, Hamlet. This seems unlikely since he did not write the play until four years later, after writing most of his great comedies.


What play did Hamnet's death inspire?

Some people think that Shakespeare was moved to write the play Hamlet because of the death of his son Hamnet in 1596. This is a very sentimental and somewhat silly idea. There are no themes in Hamlet which have to do with the grief of a parent over the untimely death of a son--such themes can be found in King John, Richard III and even in Henry VI Part I and Titus Andronicus (both written long before Hamnet's death). What is more, the Hamlet story and Hamlet's name were well-established long before Shakespeare's play, and it is believed that there was even an earlier play (the Ur-Hamlet) on the subject. Shakespeare did not change the name of the character in the play to match that of his son; if the name had not been popular in his family, one might guess that his son was named for the character in the story.