"Hägar the Horrible" is the title and main character of an American comic strip created by cartoonist Dik Browne, and syndicated by King Features Syndicate. It first appeared in February 1973, and was an immediate success. Since Browne's retirement in 1988 (and subsequent death), his son Chris Browne has continued the strip. As of 2010, Hägar is distributed to 1,900 newspapers in 56 countries and translated into 12 languages. The strip is a caricature commenting modern day life in America through a loose interpretation of Viking Age Scandinavian life.

Hamlet was Hägar and Helga's intelligent, clean, obedient and studious young son, almost always seen reading a book. He shows no interest in becoming a Viking (he wants to be a dentist), which makes him the shame of the family to Hägar—though Helga and Honi are more tolerant and encourage his education. Even when Hägar forces him to practice his Viking skills, he's shown to be terrible at them. He is the victim of his would-be girlfriend Hernia's unrequited affection. Other times Hägar would try to make an effort relate to his son Hamlet, and the punchline being his dumbfoundedness, such as Hamlet asking the chicken and egg question. Hägar answers "the chicken!" but when Hamlet rhetorically asks "where was the egg it hatched from?", it then shows that day has turned to night and Hägar is still considering it (although it may also appear he is in deep thought about that philosophy).

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