Hamnet (Modern Plays)

by Maggie O'Farrell

First published 2023

In 1580s England, young Agnes Hathaway marries the up-and-coming playwright William Shakespeare. Years later, their son Hamnet falls gravely ill. As Agnes keeps a sorrowful vigil, the family is tested by grief and absence. Even as Hamnet slips away, William begins crafting his most celebrated work, Hamlet, in the shadow of his son's death. Hamnet is a poignant elegy to the bonds of family and the creative act.

Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, grief, family-drama

Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate

Tropes: family-drama, grief

Setting: England

Period: 1580s

104 pages · Paperback · Methuen Drama

Content warnings: death

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