Shakespeare did not invent the story of Hamlet's quest to bring the murderer of his father to justice. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and. With Kenneth Branagh, Julie Christie, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslet. Complicating matters are the presence of a number of other characters: Ophelia, the object of Hamlet's affections Polonius, her father and royal chancellor Gertrude, Hamlet's mother who has now married her brother- in- law and Claudius himself, who is well aware that Hamlet is Denmark's rightful heir note Typical rules of primogeniture say that the king's son takes the throne after him, even if the king has a brother, although we do hear Dennmark's monarchy is theoretically elective in the play and is scheming to remove him from the picture.ĭirected by Kenneth Branagh. As the play progresses, though, it becomes ambiguous as to whether Hamlet's really faking his madness. Hamlet receives evidence that Claudius murdered the late king to seize power, and decides to exact Revenge, covering his behavior by Obfuscating Insanity. Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark, whose uncle Claudius has succeeded the throne after Hamlet's own father mysteriously passed away. It is one of the most influential works of literature ever written. To be or not to be - Kenneth Branagh HD (HAMLET).