Book Review on Hamlet

The timeless Hamlet 

Shakespeare has written countless plays, but one of the most popular that still continues to be taught and studied, is the Hamlet. Hamlet was written in the early 17th century and first performed in 1602. This was written during the Renaissance era and Shakespeare wanted to explore the real and raw human experience.   Through Hamlet he explored these struggles and real human experiences through his characters in the play. The story of Hamlet follows, The King of Denmarks son, Hamlet, through tragedy, betrayal, revenge, and friendship.

 The play begins when Hamlets father, the king, passes away and his wife, Gertrude marries his brother, Claudius. Hamlet then sees the ghost of his father and the ghost tells Hamlet he was murdered,  “foul and most unnatural murder” (I.v.25) by Gertrude his brother. After learning about his father being murdered and being told to avenge Claudius, Hamlet tries to unravel the details of his fathers murder. He is then faced with his own ethical dilemma, Hamlet wants to get revenge of his uncle, but because Hamlet is thoughtful by nature he becomes too hesitant to act, even when faced with the opportunity. The play revolves around Hamlets internal struggle with how to avenge his father, without damning himself internally in the process. 

There are many themes presented in Hamlet, but the strongest and most important theme to me was, betrayal. The theme of betrayal is consistent among all the characters, they betray the people closest to them in order to achieve their own selfish gains and status. For example, Hamlet feels betrayed by his mother after marrying his fathers brother right after his death, “Mother, you have my father much offended …You are the queen, your husband’s wife …” (3.4.10-15). His mother betrayed Hamlet and his father, by disregarding their feelings in order to achieve her own personal gain. Hamlet did not just experience betrayal from his close friends and family, but within himself. Hamlet betrays his fathers ghost and himself, when he was presented with the opportunity to kill Claudius and he couldn't do it because his indecisiveness took over. After missing his opportunity Hamlet filled with regret says, "Oh what a rogue and peasant slave am I…/ Am I a coward…/I am pigeon-livered and lack gall/ To make oppression bitter” (Act 2 scene 2). Shakespeare uses the theme of betrayal through these characters to further explain the raw human experience of experiencing betrayal from within yourself and the people closest around you. 

Shakespeares, Hamlet
Book Cover

I have read and researched many Shakespeare plays throughout my education, but none of them I really resented with until reading the Hamlet. Although I have not experienced the ghost of my father beckoning me to avenge his murder, I found myself relating to many of Hamlet's ethical human experiences. Hamlet was written over 400 years ago, but because of Shakespeare's aim of capturing the raw human experience, it still addresses the same ethical dilemmas the average person experiences. In that sense, Hamlet is a timeless character because his flaws can be related to every human being struggles. 

Works Cited 

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by G. R. Hibbard, Oxford UP, 2008.