The Real Shakespearean History Behind 'Hamnet'

The Real Shakespearean History Behind 'Hamnet'

Warning: This story contains spoilers for Hamnet. Many scholars have attempted to read personal history into the writings of William Shakespeare. One work that has often intrigued them is The Tragedy of Hamlet (1603), the Bard’s story of an anguished Danish prince who seeks to avenge his father’s death. Their keen interest stems in part from the closeness of that prince’s name to that of the playwright’s only son, Hamnet, who tragically died bef…