Characters in Hamlet He is the courtier sent by Claudius to invite Hamlet to participate in the duel with Laertes. (This character is called "Ostricke" in the Second Quarto.) Osric, as well as Polonius, attempts to engage with Hamlet in the elaborate, witty discourse, fully consistent with Baldassare Castiglione's 1528 work, "The Courtier". This work outlines several courtly rules, specifically advising royal retainers to amuse their masters with inventive language. The Players are a company of actors who arrive at Elsinore Castle. Friends of Hamlet, they had earlier performed in "the city" (presumably Copenhagen), but faced stiff competition from boy performers, so they
Hamlet (Thomas) was recently found at the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris. The uncut duet is performed in the video recording with Simon Keenlyside as Hamlet. It is included as an appendix in the recording with Thomas Hampson as Hamlet (see Recordings). Recitative. At the conclusion of the duet Hamlet enters, and the orchestra plays Hamlet's Theme. When the 8-bar theme has concluded, the King calls to Hamlet (The King: "Cher Hamlet" – "Dear Hamlet"), and Hamlet responds "Sire!". Claudius asks Hamlet to refer to him as Father, but Hamlet responds that his father is dead. Claudius offers his hand, in