Deaths!
It was very scary to read this book because of its reputation and the old English and so forth. I spent about 6 weeks to read and study slowly and I am very happy with the experience. My appreciation and understanding of this masterpiece probably is very limited, to say the least, and I will have to read it again many times, (and I intend to do so), but I am mostly impressed by the depth of the anguished soul of Hamlet, his philosophic mind as well as perpetual ambivalance about deaths (suicide, murder, human decay, etc). The story is surprisingly easy to follow even in the old English, and although understanding the poetry was more challenging, it was so grand and beautiful, I didn't mind reading several times first, then guess, and then read them again in modern English version.
Great timeless literature
I haven't read much Shakespeare, but this story is a great introduction. The characters are for the most part interesting and dynamic, and Shakespeare uses a good amount of humor to lighten the mood of the story at parts. His command of the English language is so advanced that it can be hard to discern what certain phrases mean, so footnotes are helpful. Spend a couple weeks reading this story slowly and thoroughly to fully appreciate it, it's worth the effort!
It harrows me with fear and wonder
"Hamlet" doesn't need any introduction -- the tortured Dane, the ghost, meditations on suicide and a climax full of death. But as well-known as the storyline is, the play itself is what deserves the attention, both for Shakespeare's shadowy plot filled with uncertainty and treachery -- and for his brilliant, immortal writing, which takes on a new dimension when read on the page.
Prince Hamlet of Denmark is understandably upset when, only a short time after his father's death, his mother Gertrude marries his uncle Claudius, who is now the new king. Who wouldn't be unhappy? But when Hamlet encounters the tormented ghost of his father ("I am thy father's spirit/Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night"), he learns that his dad was murdered by his uncle -- but he's plagued by indecision, since he's unsure if the spirit was truly his dad.
In response to this vision, Hamlet's behavior becomes more bizarre and erratic -- he dumps his girlfriend Ophelia, arranges a play that mimics real life a little too closely, and generally acts like a loon. But when an argument with his mother ends in tragedy -- and the death of one of Ophelia's loved ones -- Hamlet's fate is sealed as Claudius begins plotting to get rid of him too.
Small warning: like all Shakespeare's plays, it's best to read "Hamlet" after you've seen a good performance, because the entire thing was intended to be acted out. Otherwise, it's like reading a movie script to a movie you haven't seen -- easy to get lost, and the dramatic effects aren't easy to connect to.
But if you HAVE seen a good performance of "Hamlet," then the play will just jump off the page. The plot is a relatively simple one, but it's tangled up in all sorts of moral dilemmas, personal doubts, deteriorating personal relationships, and a creeping undercurrent of darkness. The best part is that Shakespeare leaves you with all sorts of questions that are left up in the air -- is Hamlet crazy or just faking it? Is the ghost really his dad?
And, of course, it contains some of the most intense, powerful examples of Shakespeare's work here -- vivid, nasty imagery ("In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed/Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love/Over the nasty sty"), some bleak humor ("you're a fishmonger"), and Hamlet's immortal soliloquies. It's also one of Shakespeare's most quotable plays -- obviously you've got bits like "Alas, poor Yorick," "to be or not to be" and "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," but there are countless other familiar phrases littered through the text.
On the page, Hamlet is basically an embittered young man who is torn between his doubts and convictions, but is still determined to fix things ("O cursed spite,/That ever I was born to set it right!"). A lot of the supporting cast are hard to follow, but there are some brilliant and enduring roles here -- the incestuous queen Gertrude, the subtle menace of Claudius, the windbag Laertes, and Ophelia, whose uncertainties spiral into madness after her ex-boyfriend kills her dad.
It's best to get a grip on this classic tragedy by watching an actual performance, but reading "Hamlet's" text is a vivid experience on its own. Brilliant, complex and intense.
An Unmatched Masterpiece!
*Hamlet* is truly one of the finest masterpieces that human civilization has ever produced. This Shakespearean drama explores every facet of the human condition in a remarkable way and leaves you astonished at Shakespeare's genius.
Shakespeare is Shakespeare
Teacher said this was required reading. As far as I can tell, it's true to The Bard's style and penchant for requiring 10-15 minutes per page to read. For me, pure homework.
(43 reviews)
