Hamnet(2025)

POOPER:
William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), working as a Latin tutor, falls in love with a local woman named Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley), said to be the daughter of a “forest witch” (in reality, she taught Agnes how to use herbs for healing). Despite discouragement from their families, the two wed, and Agnes gives birth to a daughter, Susanna. As Will starts working with the theater company in London, Agnes gives birth to twins, Hamnet and Judith. Judith appears stillborn, but Agnes manages to revive her.

As children, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe) and Judith (Olivia Lynes) are very close. When Judith contracts the plague, Hamnet lays by his sister’s side in the hopes that he will die with her, or the sickness may take him instead. While Judith recovers, Hamnet suffers a painful death in his mother’s arms. Agnes and Will are overcome with grief, and their relationship strains.

Will returns to London and begins working on “The Tragedie of Hamlet” as a tribute to his son. Agnes and her stepbrother Bartholomew travel to watch the show, and although she is hesitant at first, she comes to acknowledge Will’s intent, and she sees her son in the actor playing Hamlet. Agnes sees a vision of Hamnet walking by the stage before disappearing, and she smiles and laughs for the first time since his death.

NOTE: Curt, The Grand Poop-bah, chimes in to remind us that Hamnet Shakespeare died at the age of 11 years.