* The University of Wittenberg was not founded until 1502, and again, there is no reason to imagine Shakespeare did not know that.  Even if he never bothered with the exact date, he knew it was relatively recent, and not an ancient university.  The university attendance, at Wittenberg, of Hamlet, Horatio, and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern says "Renaissance," loud and clear.

* The University of Wittenberg was not founded until 1502, and again, there is no reason to imagine Shakespeare did not know that.  Even if he never bothered with the exact date, he knew it was relatively recent, and not an ancient university.  The university attendance, at Wittenberg, of Hamlet, Horatio, and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern says "Renaissance," loud and clear.

* The rapier, prominently mentioned in the play, is a Renaissance weapon.  Its invention, development, and adoption began in the 1500s, and its widespread adoption in England began not too much before Shakespeare's own day.  Some rapiers, especially in the German style, although they have intricate handguards, have a long, obvious crosspiece on the hilt, which can well serve Hamlet using his sword to symbolize the Christian cross.  It is not necessary to go back to medieval weaponry, the long sword or the broadsword, to have a "cross" handguard.  The point there being, there is no conflict between the Renaissance rapier, stated in the play, and the "cross" symbolism also stated.  The Renaissance setting is again implied.

* The rapier, prominently mentioned in the play, is a Renaissance weapon.  Its invention, development, and adoption began in the 1500s, and its widespread adoption in England began not too much before Shakespeare's own day.  Some rapiers, especially in the German style, although they have intricate handguards, have a long, obvious crosspiece on the hilt, which can well serve Hamlet using his sword to symbolize the Christian cross (as Hamlet does several times in the play.) It is not necessary to go back to medieval weaponry, the long sword or the broadsword, to have a "cross" hilt.  The point there being, there is no conflict between the Renaissance rapier, stated in the play, and the "cross" symbolism also stated.  The Renaissance setting is again implied.

* Effective cannonry is post-medieval, especially when set up as a multi-cannon battery.  A multi-cannon battery is implied when Claudius says at the fencing match, "Let all the battlements their ordnance fire."

* Effective cannonry is post-medieval, especially when set up as a multi-cannon battery.  A multi-cannon battery is implied when Claudius says at the fencing match in Scene 20, "Let all the battlements their ordnance fire."

* Merely as a practical matter, a contemporary setting is much easier to stage for costuming, since most of the costuming can be based on street clothes.  This fact could hardly have escaped Shakespeare or any of his company.

* Merely as a practical matter, a contemporary setting is much easier to stage for costuming, since most of the costuming can be based on street clothes.  This fact could hardly have escaped Shakespeare or any of his company.

So, the Elsinore Castle location as the royal residence, the University of Wittenberg, the rapier, the topicality of Elsinore Castle, the cannon in batteries, and the simple practicalities of staging all point to a contemporary play, in the Renaissance era.

So, the Elsinore Castle location as the royal residence, the University of Wittenberg, the rapier, the topicality of Elsinore Castle, the cannon in batteries, and the simple practicalities of staging all point to ''Hamlet'' being a contemporary play, set in the Renaissance era.

Against the above, are the following:

Against the above, are the following: