Hamlet
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Overview
In this illuminating study, Anthony Dawson surveys the stage history of Hamlet from its appearance in Shakespeare’s time to the efflorescence of new and challenging productions in our own. He vividly re-creates more than a dozen representative performances across three centuries. Bringing together theatre history and the interests of cultural criticism and performance theory, Dawson traces the Anglo-American acting tradition and provides a succinct account of the interpretative problems associated with texts, character, design, and the production of meaning. The final chapters extend the analysis to a number of film versions, notably those of Olivier, Kozintsev and Zeffirelli, as well as to several important European stage productions.
Presents the original text of Shakespeare's play side by side with a modern version, with discussion questions, role-playing scenarios, and other study activities.
Synopsis
The story of Hamlet in production, from Burbage at the Globe to Branagh on film.
Dallas Morning News
It serves up all the tragedy, pathos, intrigue, humor and emotional impact of the original in a contemporary, but not gimmicky package.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Many consider the tragedy of "Hamlet" to be Shakespeare's masterpiece and one of the greatest plays of all time. It has entertained audiences for centuries and the role of Hamlet is one of the most sought after by actors. It is the story of Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark who learns of the death of his father at the hands of his uncle, Claudius. Claudius murders Hamlet's father, his own brother, to take the throne of Denmark and to marry Hamlet's widowed mother. Hamlet is sunk into a state of great despair as a result of discovering the murder of his father and the infidelity of his mother. Hamlet is torn between his great sadness and his desire for the revenge of his father's murder. "Hamlet" is a work of great complexity and as such has drawn many different critical interpretations. Hamlet has been seen as a victim of circumstance, as an impractical idealist, as the sufferer of an Oedipus complex, as an opportunist wishing to kill his Uncle not for revenge but to ascend to the throne, as the sufferer of a great melancholy, and as a man blinded by his desire for revenge. The true motivations of Hamlet are complex and enigmatic and have been debated for centuries. Read this classic tragedy and decide for yourself where Hamlet's true motivations lie and how they influence his ultimate demise.Christian Science Monitor
HAMLET ESP is not a distortion of Hamlet, but an echo that reverberates in the audience long after the curtain has fallen.Dallas Morning News
It serves up all the tragedy, pathos, intrigue, humor and emotional impact of the original in a contemporary, but not gimmicky package.San Antonio News
It's boldness, logic of interpretation, consummate theatricality and insightfulness will surely qualify the staging as unforgettable in the years to come.VOYA -
If your library's clientele is like mine, decent books of literary criticism on Shakespeare's works are always welcome. These three collections of essays written by leading authors and literary critics are designed to aid readers in forging their own evaluations of the literary works discussed. Essays in these Literary Companion Series titles date from as early as 1806 in "The Story of the Star-Crossed Lovers" (Romeo and Juliet) to the latest essay from 1997, "An Uncut Film Version of Hamlet."Each essay is preceded by a succinct summary of what will be presented, and falls into broader sections that discuss themes, plot and structure, historical context, characters, and staging and film interpretation. The same foreword appears in each title, followed by an introduction geared to the specific play, then a biographical overview of Shakespeare. The books listed in "For Further Reading" include general critical Shakespeare studies, books on Elizabethan theater, and sources about the specific play. Readings on Macbeth even lists and describes several Shakespeare societies that have information or publications that may be of interest to the reader. These titles will be welcome additions for students doing research on Shakespeare and these plays in particular. Index. Map. Source Notes. Further Reading. Chronology.
Note: this review was written and published to address three titles-Readings on Hamlet, Readings on MacBeth, and Readings on Romeo and Juliet. VOYA Codes: 3Q 1P J S (Readable without serious defects, No YA will read unless forced to for assignments, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).