Hamlet (Classic Drama - William Shakespeare) (Clasicos de La Literatura) (Publicaciones del Complejo Teatral de Buenos Aires, #2)

by William Shakespeare

Dr. Barbara A. Mowat (Editor) and Paul Werstine (Editor)

Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most popular, and most puzzling, play. It follows the form of a “revenge tragedy,” in which the hero, Hamlet, seeks vengeance against his father’s murderer, his uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. Much of its fascination, however, lies in its uncertainties.

Among them: What is the Ghost—Hamlet’s father demanding justice, a tempting demon, an angelic messenger? Does Hamlet go mad, or merely pretend to? Once he is sure that Claudius is a murderer, why does he not act? Was his mother, Gertrude, unfaithful to her husband or complicit in his murder?

The authoritative edition of Hamlet from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes:

-Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play
-Newly revised explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
-Scene-by-scene plot summaries
-A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases
-An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language
-An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play
-Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books
-An up-to-date annotated guide to further reading

Essay by Michael Neill

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.

• ISBN10: 074347712X
• ISBN13: 9780743477123
• Publish Date: 15 September 2003 (first published 1 January 1920)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 5 July 2010
• Publish Country: AU
• Imprint: Downtown Press
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

[jeannamichel]

Kenneth Branagh is a genius among men. Most of this book is the transcript of Hamlet by Shakespeare since Branagh’s film uses the full story. Still, the film diary and Branagh’s introduction was enlightening. It certainly made me want to watch his film again.

[nightingalereads]

Loved Hamlet. (Both the character and the play)

[celinenyx]

Whew, old English people talk weird!

The only Shakespeare play I know is Romeo and Juliet, which I listened to as audio-play (is that a thing?). I missed a lot of what was going on in that one, but since it was people talking I didn't rewind to try to understand it better. When reading Hamlet as a book, I noticed I don't understand a thing this guy is saying.

Seriously.

I barely notice that I'm a non-native English speaker when I read normal books. I'm at that stage where you just understand the words instead of translating them to your own language in your head, and I read English as fast as I do Dutch. For me it seems that Shakespeare doesn't speak English at all at times. I understand the words - but in the sentences he makes they just don't make sense at all. I was constantly rereading parts to no avail. I understood what was happening and the general story, but once a character started a monologue I was completely lost.

I did enjoy the parts that I did understand. A girl that completely loses her mind, an incestuous marriage, emo dude that sees ghosts, what's not to like? People drop like flies in Hamlet, which I found amusing.

I'll try to watch the play - maybe that will help me understand it better. As for now, I feel a bit lost.

[Linda]

Reading this again started out like a chore, because I HAD to read it for classes, however, I liked it a lot more now than when I was in my teens - wonder why?
I guess I got the subtle things a lot more, and the betrayal that was all around. I wonder if such a story would be as famous if it was written now?