Hamlet By: William Shakespeare

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• Title: Hamlet
• Author: William Shakespeare
• Publisher: Riverhead Books by Penguin Group
• Publication Date: April 15, 2003
• Pages: 352
• Genre: Fiction/Play
• Recommended Age: 13+
• First Read: 2015
• Source: Purchase 
• Rating: 3.5 / 5.0 stars

Hamlet, Abridged:

  

HAMLET: My daddy's dead. And I don't like my stepdad/ uncle.
  

DEAD KING HAMLET: Go kill your uncle.

HAMLET. Should I? I should. No, I shouldn't. I should. I shouldn't.

GERTRUDE: Love your new dad and get over your actual dad's death.

HAMLET: I hate all of you. And I think I'm going to go to crazy town.

POLONIUS: blah blah blah. *death*

OPHELIA: Hammmlleeettt. Love meee. Or I'll go crazy.

HAMLET: Too late. You're crazy, I'm crazy, everyone's crazy...and dead.

LAERTES: Imma challenge you to a duel because that's what we do here. And think of three ways to kill you.

CLAUDIUS: Let's put some poison in wine and forget to label it right.

HAMLET: Ahhhh let's all fight!

GERTRUDE: Oooh. I love poisoned wine. *death*

LAERTES: *killed with his own poisoned sword*

CLAUDIUS: Yum. Wine. Oops. *dead*.

HAMLET: Well, are you happy now Dad? *also dies*

HORATIO: Where'd everyone go?

[All Exuent]

This is my third Shakespeare play to read, courtesy of my school's required reading list.

I read the No Fear Version (as pictured) which shows the original play on the left side and a translated version on the right side that reflects today's language, which I recommend for people who may have a little trouble adjusting to Shakespearean language. I definitely benefited from this because I was able to clarify some bits that I did not completely understand. I also liked it because there were helpful tidbits that explained the history and context of some of the things said in the play that may not have translated to today's audiences.

As a whole, this was an interesting play to read, especially witnessing Hamlet's fall into insanity. I laughed at Hamlet's wit and sarcasm because there is just something so likable about a character that is able to play with words so easily. And though I found Hamlet's ability with words enjoyable, I did not particularly enjoy the way he treated Ophelia. Which is, I know, purposeful on Shakespeare's part, but can you really blame Ophelia for what she did? She was a pawn in a greater game (well, you can make the argument that they all were, which is true) and did little to deserve her fate.

Ophelia is one of my favorite characters, but my absolute favorite was actually the gravedigger, who is only in the play for one act. And the fact that he is such an insignificant character in the grand scheme of things makes me like him a lot more because Shakespeare makes a point in giving him some of the most profound lines in he play. By doing this, Shakespeare gets the point across that sometimes the most interesting thoughts come not from the rich, but from the common man.
The grave digger is the only one who is able to match wits with Hamlet and even outsmarts him in word play sometimes. I also liked this particular scene because it gets the point across that everyone is equal in death- that we all return to dust and it does not matter who we are in life if we all end up in the same place. Which is a little morbid, I know, but is also very thought provoking.

My least favorite part about this play was Hamlet's relationship with his mother because I think that he is waaayyy too interested in her marital affairs, if you know what I mean. It just was not right. There is a deeper significance to that and everything, but it was still disconcerting.

I also did not like Hamlet's indecisiveness, which the entire play is built on. Make up your mind Hamlet! It takes the death of four people before Hamlet actually makes up his mind to go kill his Uncle. Which, if Hamlet wanted to kill the guy in the first place, should not have taken that long to decide.

Hamlet my friend, you are a special guy.

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And if you guys are just too lazy to read all of Hamlet's sassyness, then just watch The Lion King. But read the play too, it's one heck of a ride!