Having never read Hamlet before, I wanted to make sure I didn’t spoil any sort of ending for myself. I suppose I wanted to experience the play through the same eyes of those who saw or read the play centuries before me. I guess my final reaction to the ending is mixed with some anger, as killing off nearly everyone in the play seems not only incredibly absurd, but also a little disappointed to see a substantial amount of the characters we learn about in the play are either killed or kill themselves. But on the other side of the coin, I appreciate this piece of work on so many other levels that it’s ending seems to pale in comparison to some of the ideas, and endless ways the play can and should be interpreted.
Revenge really seems to come full circle by the time we finish scene in Act 5 with the deaths of Hamlet, Claudius, Laertes, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Ophelia. While I think that killing all these characters off seems a little unnecessary to the story it also feels as if though some sort of justice has been served. I found the one act dedicated to the burial of Ophelia to be especially interesting as we are finally able to see what director the story is finally heading in.
Suicide seems to be a prevalent theme throughout the entire play, but especially come Act 4 when we hear the tragic news of Ophelia’s “accidental” death. Because suicide is a mortal sin, the gravediggers wonder whether Ophelia will receive a Christian burial. Ophelia's funeral procession is short and modest. The harsh priest says that her death was suspicious. Without her royal ties, Ophelia would have been buried in unsanctified ground.
Who else had the pleasure of reading this play for the first time? What were some of your reactions? I think it’d be more interesting for us to have your visceral response as opposed to the educated response. What were some of your gut reactions to Hamlet!
I was also a first timer. I loved it... still wondering why this wasn't introduced to me in High School ... oh so many years ago.... After getting past the language issue (for me) and finding a website that converted Shakespeare into "today's language" word for word... I found it quite interesting and more understandable. I took it as what it was .. a play. A piece, for it's time, that was for entertainment only, not heavy educated discussions and that's what it did, it entertained me.
ReplyDeleteThis was not my first time to read Hamlet, however, I do remember the first time I read Hamlet and remember thinking, "Wow this is kind of intense." I love the drama you find in each scene and love the characters!
ReplyDeleteThis is about the fourth or fifth time I've had to read Hamlet, and I've enjoyed it every time. My first reaction when I finished the story the first time was the disbelief at the amount of murders that take place. Then I read some of Shakespeare's other work and wasn't surprised anymore.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the first time I read Hamlet and so it was sort of boring for me since I remember what happens and the whole story. Romeo and Juliet that Shakespeare wrote have almost the same type of tragic ending where the main characters also die, I think that he uses this emotion in his main plays to get a reaction out of people.
ReplyDeleteIt was not the first time I have read it either, however, it was the first time I had access to the background information that really pulled it all together for me. I think it is an awesome play, one that shows the frailty of human nature and also gives us a mirror to everyday humanity. Hamlet in some form or another happens everyday on this earth.
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