2. Hamlet by William Shakespeare

*Spoiler Alert*

Alright, I couldn't help myself. My second choice Hamlet I'll be very honest when to comes to Shakespeare: I don't like nor understand his writing. You are all probably thinking: OMFG! BLASPHEMY! Well, if you are, I don't really care, okay? There's something rotten in the state of New York and that would my strong dislike for Mr.S! No matter how many works I've read of his, I can't seem to grasp the language, not one bit (perhaps I should lay off the Canteburry Tales?). But Hamlet happens to be my favorite out of Shakespeare's collection so here it goes.

This is probably by far William Shakespeare most prominent plays. It is believed that William wrote this between 1599 to 1601, and you must understand that anything concerning our beloved Mr. S, dates seem to be a mystery.
Here's a quick synopsis:
The play recounts the story the Prince of Denmark and his revenge on his uncle Claudius, whom Hamlet believes killed his father for the crown. You have to feel SOME pity for Hamlet--he seems to be the only one in Denmark mourning the recent death of his father (wearing black garb and being oh so melancholy)while Claudius goes off and marries Gertrude, Hamlet's mother. Let's pause right here. Now how to explain Gertrude in less than 10 seconds? Foolish-woman-who-falls-for-a-power-hungry-bastard-and-wait-do-her-and-Hamlet-have-a-little-incest-thing-going-on? WOAH! Alright, not going ANY further-but if you're curious, watch the version with Glenn Close and Mel Gibson or read the goddamn play! Hamlet is absolutely furious at his mother and he has every right to. What woman marries another man after their husband just died!? See, foolish!
Now, Claudius has his right hand man, Polonius. The poor fellow does get stabbed while listening in on a conversation shared between Gertrude and Hamlet--the Prince thinks it's Claudius behind the curtain. Bye-bye Polonius. But why, may you ask, was Hamlet conversing to his mother about? Well, naturally, he was trying to get some sense into her dense head that the true culprit behind his father's death is the exact man she's sleeping with. Hamlet has to go far enough as to put on a play about how Claudius killed the King because Gertrude just didn't get it.
Oh there is also Horatio,one of my favorite characters in literature (second to Holden Caulfield). He is Hamlet's best amigo. And I mean very best. He's the sort of guy who in school who's friends with everybody, and never says too much but when he does it has a deep meaning behind it, you know? I am sure that if you have read this you will agree with me that he is by far the best character in this--Hamlet is wonderful but he does whine a lot, as seen in the famous soliloquy in Act 3 Scene 1:

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action. - Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

If you didn't quite catch it, this is the scene where Hamlet questions why he is still alive, that he must suffer--at this point he's having a hard time as it is contemplating the killing of Claudius. He is questioning his afterlife if he commits suicide. Simply: Is it better to live or to die? And---HEY! I haven't even METNIONED Ophelia. Well! Ophelia is the chick that's totally into Hamlet and Hamlet does like her very much, otherwise why would he even mention her in his famous soliloquy. Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius, first of all. And second of all, she's crazier than Hamlet. At one point Hamlet tells her: GET THEE TO A NUNERY! And she flips, goes mad and starts singing some terrible song and goes and drowns herself. PLEASE I IMPLORE THAT YOU WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW BEFORE READING THE REST OF THIS POST:

Speaking of Ophelia, she has a brother Laertes who returns from France and wantsto revenge his father. It's classic, this is the part where EVERYBODY DIES:

Claudius tries to kill Hamlet by poisoning his drink-Gertrude drinks it instead and dies, Laertes and Hamlet's ensues, Danis style, they both stab one another--Hamlet goes over and stabs Claudius--and finally Hamlet names Prince Fortinbras of Norway as the heir to the throne, and DIES. THE END. Tragedy it was!

Look, I can't tell you EVERYTHING that happens but I'll list a few things I didn't mention before and some of my other thoughts:

• Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are two buffons. They don't much add to the plot but I do applaud them for being comical, useless, back stabbing friends. Well done, chaps!


• Hamlet gets exiled to England but he miraculously returns. I was swooning at that part, literally, my hero has indeed returned!
  
• There's a GREAT scene at the graveyard during Ophelia's funeral where Hamlet goes on and on holding a skull in his hand. By far my favorite part of the play. He is truly human and you just connect with this tormented soul.


• There has been numerous adaptions of Hamlet since it's debut. But c'mon, Jude Law!? He's too damn hot. Now if I had seen his Broadway performance, I'd be drooling instead of listening to the words. In film though, Kenneth Branagh (the dude who played Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) outdid himself! The bleached blonde hair absolutely did his eyes wonders and his acting! My God! He has done multiple works by Shakespeare but he DELIVERS! Highly recommend watching this version--Kate Winslet even makes an appearance as Ophelia! Can't get any better than Rose Dewitt Bukater from Titanic!

Below you will find some of the best clips concerning Hamlet. Enjoy and until next time! Adieu!