Shakespeare's Hamlet: The First Modern Play

Arguably Shakespeare's greatest play, Hamlet will catapult us into the modern era of literature. To unpack that notion, we'll explore the following questions:

1. In what sense does Hamlet have a foothold in both the classical and modern eras?
2. How does Hamlet grapple with the Biblical, covenantal tension between man's significance, on the one hand, and insignificance, on the other?
3. Why is Hamlet's conversation with his conscience an answer to Machiavelli?

Recommended Reading: Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012. Folger Shakespeare Library.