What is being mocked here? Prinz Hamlet von Dännemark is an obvious parody of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the reception of which was important in Germany as it influenced the catalogue of dramatic works of the Sturm und Drang movement – Goethe’s work in particular (in Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, 1795-1796). Schink himself had found fame as a playwright following his criticism of Johann Franz Brockmann’s (1745-1812) performance in the role of Hamlet in 1778. But the play also features a popular topic of traditional puppet theatre of the 18th century. Finally, its satirical aim is evident: it shows in the many anachronisms of the play and its allusions to political and cultural events of the time (Mozart, Kant, Fichte, Tieck, Schelling, …). As was already the case in two plays of his collection Marionettentheater (Hanswurst von Salzburg and Der Staupbesen), Schink uses puppet theatre to hold a mirror up to his times – something he does here by having a scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays performed by puppets. Besides, the first edition of the play was entitled Momus und sein Guckkasten [Momus and his peep box] – a name which hinted at older satirical motifs that the play did not mention: Momus was the god of laughter…

The ghost of Hamlet’s father reveals to him that he was murdered by his own brother, who succeeded him on the throne of Denmark. He asks his son to avenge him. Hamlet feigns madness to pull the wool over his mother’s and uncle’s eyes, as he stages a puppet play that has them believe he knows about their crime. As he argues with his mother, he discovers that they are being spied on by the courtier Oldenholm and he throws him out the window, into the moats of the castle. Oldenholm’s daughter – Ophelia – believes that his father has died and loses her sanity: but Hamlet has secretly saved him from drowning. Ophelia reunites with her father and comes back to her senses. However, the king wants to dispose of his nephew by sending him to war against Napoleon, under Admiral Nelson’s commands. Hamlet finds out about this conspiracy. During the farewell dance organised for him, he has the king drink the poison that was meant for him. He then ascends the throne of Denmark and marries Ophelia. His uncle, who was saved at death’s door, is exiled to Greenland.