Hamlet is a play written by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601. The play is set in Denmark and follows the story of Prince Hamlet, who seeks revenge on his uncle, King Claudius, for killing his father, King Hamlet, and marrying his mother, Queen Gertrude.The play explores themes of betrayal, revenge, madness, and mortality, and is considered one of Shakespeare's most famous and influential works. Hamlet's famous soliloquy, "To be or not to be," is often quoted and studied in literature classes.The characters in the play include Hamlet's close friend and confidant, Horatio; Ophelia, Hamlet's love interest; Polonius, Ophelia's father; and Laertes, Polonius's son, who seeks revenge on Hamlet for killing his father.Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's longest plays and has been adapted into various forms, including films, television shows, and operas. It remains a popular and influential work in literature and has been studied and analyzed by scholars and readers for centuries.