Is Hamnet Based on a True Story? Fact or Fiction

Is Hamnet Based on a True Story? Fact vs. Fiction

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re unpacking what’s fact and what’s fiction in Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean drama, “Hamnet.” There will be spoilers for “Hamnet”… and we guess “Hamlet,” too.

Based on Maggie O'Farrell’s novel, “Hamnet” stars Paul Mescal as a young William Shakespeare. Like the book, the film tiptoes around saying the name “Shakespeare,” although anyone even remotely familiar with his work can connect the dots. The film and book are even more about Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes (pronounced AHN-yes), played by Jessie Buckley. The two have three children: eldest daughter, Susanna, followed by twins Hamnet and Judith. Will is constantly away from his family, putting on plays in London. Whenever he returns, though, his love for his wife and children is never called into question. Will isn’t present when young Judith comes down with the plague. He returns to find that Judith survived, but Hamnet tragically didn’t. As Agnes falls into despair, Will throws himself into writing.

When Agnes learns that Will has written a new play entitled “Tragedie of Hamlet,” she assumes that he’s exploiting their son’s death. Upon arriving at the Globe Theatre, Agnes sees that the play is actually Will’s way of processing grief. Although the titular character dies, Hamlet gets to grow up, whereas Hamnet only lived to see age eleven. Will plays the ghost of Hamlet’s father, allowing him to reconnect with his late son. Agnes also finds closure as she reaches out to the actor playing Hamlet. In a clever bit of casting, Noah Jupe portrays Hamlet while his little brother, Jacobi Jupe, plays Hamnet. It’s a faithful adaptation of O'Farrell’s book, which adds up since she co-wrote the screenplay. Is it true to Shakespeare’s life, however?

Despite being the most iconic playwright who ever lived, much about Shakespeare’s personal life remains a mystery. We know this much is true. He had three children: Susanna Hall, Hamnet Shakespeare, and Judith Quiney. Shakespeare was also married, although his wife’s maiden name was Anne Hathaway. It makes sense why the film avoids calling attention to this name, as audiences would expect Mia Thermopolis to appear. There is some historical backing to calling her Agnes. In her father’s will, she was referred to as Agnes. Maybe this was her real name, or perhaps it was a glaring typo. It goes to show that there are still some significant holes in the life of Anne/Agnes Hathaway. Thus, “Hamnet” takes some creative liberties with filling them in.

“Hamnet” depicts Agnes as practically being one with nature, calling upon a pet hawk as the town dubs her a “​​forest witch.” Agnes feeds into these rumors by reading Will’s hand, suggesting she can predict the future. Given the limited historical resources concerning Hathaway’s life, we can’t definitively say that none of this is true. Of course, there aren’t any records to support these scenes either. Likewise, there’s no way of knowing if Hathaway gave birth to Susanna alone in the woods or if Judith was thought to be stillborn before pulling through. While we can chalk most of this up to dramatic license, historians agree that Shakespeare and Hathaway married in 1582. Hathaway was believed to be about three months pregnant when they got hitched, as the film portrays.

Hamnet and Judith were also fraternal twins, both baptized in 1585. This might explain why twins were prevalent in some of Shakespeare’s later works, such as Viola and Sebastian in “Twelfth Night,” not to mention the multiple twins in “The Comedy of Errors.” While young Hamnet died in 1596, the exact cause is open to discussion. Given the time and location, it was more than likely the plague, as seen in the film, but we can’t say with absolute certainty. As for the poetic scene where Hamnet “takes away” Judith’s illness and dies in her place, this feels more like something that would happen in Shakespeare’s plays rather than in Shakespeare’s life. That said, the film does echo Shakespeare’s struggle to balance work with family.

Considering that Shakespeare’s career was taking off by the time he became a father of three, it’s safe to assume that he wasn’t home much to see his children grow. Since he was busy putting on plays in London, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Shakespeare and Hathaway were living very separate lives. The “second-best bed” that Shakespeare left to Hathaway in his will has invited speculation among scholars, with some seeing it as evidence of a strained relationship, while others believe it was a sign of affection. During his time away from his wife, some argue that Shakespeare had affairs with women and men. The film leaves this vague, as there are only a handful of scenes following Shakespeare in London.

Most of the film centers on Hathaway, who runs the household with her husband constantly away. We see Shakespeare rush home as fast as he can upon receiving word of Judith’s illness. He’s too late to say goodbye to Hamnet, however. Historians debate whether Shakespeare was present when Hamnet died or if he was at his son’s funeral. Even if he wasn’t, that doesn’t mean Hamnet’s passing didn’t deeply affect Shakespeare. This leads to the film’s biggest question mark: was Hamnet the inspiration for “Hamlet?” It’s easy to see why so many have put two and two together, as the names were only one letter apart. In fact, the names Hamlet and Hamnet were considered interchangeable at the time.

The dates also line up, as “Hamlet” was written sometime between 1599 and 1601, not long after Hamnet’s death. Early in his career, Shakespeare was better known for comedies. While he’d written some tragedies, Shakespeare explored this genre more following his son’s passing, possibly drawing from personal anguish. Since writers often take inspiration from real life, it’s not unreasonable to think that the loss of a child would inspire the most famous Shakespearean tragedy. Of course, much of this ultimately comes down to speculation. Some scholars believe that any perceived parallels between “Hamlet” and Hamnet are coincidental. After all, the name Hamnet was common back in the day, with Shakespeare’s son possibly being named after a local baker.

It’s worth noting that “Hamlet” might’ve been based in part on a lost play called “Ur-Hamlet,” which Shakespeare may or may not have written. “The Spanish Tragedy” is also one of the various works that could’ve influenced “Hamlet.” While there probably wasn’t one solitary inspiration for “Hamlet,” there’s reason to believe that the play was a meditation on Shakespeare’s grief. This is reflected in one of the more surprising elements that Zhao’s film gets right in the final act. We don’t know what Hathaway thought of “Hamlet” or if she attended a performance at the Globe. However, Shakespeare did originally play the Ghost of Hamlet’s father on stage, tying into the theory that he was trying to connect with his son from beyond the grave.

Hamnet could’ve been an inspiration behind Shakespeare’s other plays. The grief that Lady Constance endures over the loss of her son Arthur in “King John” is one example. Once again, though, it’s difficult to say where Shakespeare’s mindset was when he put these plays from quill to parchment. Whether or not “Hamlet” is factual, it’s not like Shakespeare was the biggest stickler when it came to historical accuracy. If you dissect “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” or “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” you’re going to find more than a few dramatic inventions. Of course, those are some of the most timeless works ever written. Likewise, “Hamlet” is a great piece of historical fiction that will leave you seeing Shakespeare and his family in a whole new light.

Tune in next time when we explore the true stories behind “Shakespeare in Love,” “Anonymous,” and “Hamlet 2”... well, not really. Unless you want to see that? Let us know in the comments!