Hamlet: The OG Emo King & Why He Still Slaps Today 🎭🔥

Alright, squad, let’s talk about Hamlet—the ultimate sadboi, the original overthinker, and a guy who could probably use a therapy session (or ten). You might be thinking, "Ugh, Shakespeare? Isn’t that just old dudes talking fancy?" But nah, Hamlet is straight-up drama, tea, and plot twists that still hit hard in 2025.

So, let’s break it down: the plot, where Shakespeare got his inspo, the major themes, and why Hamlet is still running the pop culture game. Buckle up—it's about to get tragic.📜 The Plot – Hamlet’s a Mess, and We Love It

So boom—Prince Hamlet is chilling in Denmark when his dad’s ghost pulls up like, "Yo, I got yeeted by your uncle Claudius. He took my crown AND married your mom. Fix this." And instead of handling business like an action hero, Hamlet has an existential crisis.

He fake-acts crazy, talks to skulls, roasts everyone in the kingdom, and delivers the most famous ‘Should I even be alive?’ speech in history. Meanwhile, Ophelia (his maybe-GF) is stuck in the crossfire, gets gaslit, and then meets a tragic end. Fast forward: revenge plan goes sideways, almost everyone gets wrecked in a chaotic sword fight, and Hamlet finally offs Claudius—but not before taking an L himself.

Shakespeare really said: What if NO ONE wins?

📖 The Real Tea – Where Shakespeare Got This Drama

Surprise! Shakespeare didn’t invent Hamlet from scratch. He was out here remixing old stories before TikTok mashups were a thing. The main inspo? An old Viking legend about a prince named Amleth, who also played the long game against his uncle. Shakespeare just cranked up the drama, added ghostly apparitions, and hit us with deep existential crises.

🔍 Themes & Symbols – The Vibes Are Heavy

So why does this 400-year-old play still hit different? Because Shakespeare was talking about things we STILL stress over.

💀 Life & Death: Hamlet is basically the CEO of overthinking mortality. The whole “To be or not to be” speech? Peak existential dread.

🎭 Reality vs. Acting: Fake it till you make it? Hamlet pretends to be crazy, but everyone in this play is performing in some way. (Looking at you, Claudius.)

⚖️ Revenge vs. Morality: Hamlet wants justice, but at what cost? Shakespeare basically asks: Is revenge ever worth it, or will it just ruin you too?

🖤 Madness & Mental Health: Hamlet and Ophelia both spiral, but the way people react to them is totally different. Sound familiar?

🎬 Pop Culture Impact – Hamlet’s Legacy Is Lowkey Immortal

This dude is still everywhere. The Lion King? That’s Hamlet with lions. Sons of Anarchy? Hamlet on motorcycles. Even The Batman (2022) had major brooding-Hamlet energy. And don’t get me started on all the emo bands and literary nerds who vibe with Hamlet’s existential angst.

💡Shakespeare Is More Than Just Fancy Words

People get caught up in the old-timey language, but Hamlet isn’t just some outdated relic—it’s about grief, revenge, identity, and questioning life itself. And let’s be real, who hasn’t had an overthinking moment where they stared into the void?

So next time someone says Shakespeare is boring, hit ‘em with this: The man practically invented drama, and Hamlet is still that guy.

Now, who’s up for a Shakespeare movie night? 🍿🎭