Hamlet

[Ric.ror]

How old was hamlet?

[Jomlett]

The Gravedigger says that he has been in his profession since the day that Old Hamlet defeated Old Fortinbras, which was "the very day that young Hamlet was born." Then, a little later, he adds that "I have been sexton here, man and boy, thirty years."

[Quizmonkey]

If you study the whole play, Hamlet cannot be one single age - there are several discrepancies. The possibilities (if I remember correctly) range from early 20s to early 30s. If you play him as 22, some plot doesn't make sense; if you play him as 30, others don't make sense.

[Ric.ror]

I would like to give you both the best answer

[jourdain2]

They both deserve it.

[Quizmonkey]

Thank you! I once played Horatio to a wonderful Hamlet fresh out of drama school. He was perfect for the ages of all the other actors and characters - but then we started trying to do the maths for later scenes. Best to gloss over it and hope the audience are engaged enough in the play not to start questioning logic!

[Ric.ror]

That's why I asked Monkey - it certainly makes you wonder when you consider he is supposed to be 30 - yet he was not married and, also, a student

[Jomlett]

I'd give BA to Qm, Rr!

[Ric.ror]

I liked the old system best where you could different scores for different answers

[Canary42]

He is a FICTITIOUS character.

[jno]

what do you think he was studying at uni, Canary? A BSc in venemology maybe.

[DaisyNonna]

Old enough to know better.

[Obiter]

Hamlet joke.

Rich guy in his roller is stopped at traffic lights when there is a knock on the window. He rolls down the window and there is a tramp asking, "Give us a few bob for a cup o' tea, guv".

Rich man says, "Neither a lender nor a borrower be, Shakespeare"

When stopped at the next set of lights the same tramp appears. When the window was rolled down again the tramp said, "****, DH Lawrence".