Hamlet

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most famous works. But what does it mean to the teenager of today, since it's a play of yesterday? Not very much, to be honest. Some lines are of course exquisite, but sometimes I just thought "yada, yada, yada" when I read it. Lot of talking, little action. It's not even half as moving as "Romeo and Juliett". But it is still something there that makes understand why it's a masterpiece. And I have to remind myself that it is a play, not a ordinary book. I think it might have been better to see the play than to read it.

I don't sympathize with Hamlet very much. IMO, he only feels sorry for himself and his destiny and he is a bit of an ass. I wouldn't describe him as noble. I mean, stop whining and do something about it!

But despite this, if I where Ophelia, I'd try to marry him. Yes, handsome, powerful and rich, my kind of man:shifty:.

I think the king of Denmark, Hamlet's uncle and stepfather, has some intresting lines. He sometimes seems to be regretful, but is still planning more murders.

I think that maybe I should have read a more modern version, a lot of words gave me "Bible-feeling" (My Bible is the old swedish version), the language was very far from everyday-language.

So, what did I think of it? It has aged quite well, but I don't like it. But I don't dislike it either. It just didn't move me.

Why do you think that Hamlet was handsome?

His father was very good looking, his mother was beautiful, and therefor should Hamlet be handsome. And since he's the maincaracter it's only more plausible

We don't know how his mother looked, and we have only Hamlet's opinion about his father. Good looking people need not have good looking children. Shakespeare has many main characters who are not good looking. Iago, Richard the Third.

Anyway, are not Swedes better looking than Danes?

Yes, you're right. Poor Ophelia would have had to settle with just the power and the money. But it is a bit interesting that I, born in a quite superficial time, think that it's natural that the maincaracter is pretty. If Hamlet would have been written today he probably would have been handsome, and a little more noble. (And might have been called emo)

Yes we are:a-ok:

Yes, you're right. Poor Ophelia would have had to settle with just the power and the money. But it is a bit interesting that I, born in a quite superficial time, think that it's natural that the maincaracter is pretty. If Hamlet would have been written today he probably would have been handsome, and a little more noble. (And might have been called emo)

Yes we are:a-ok:

We don't know that Hamlet was not handsome. We just do not know. We can, of course, think of how he looks in any way we like. And, I imagine, you would like to think of him as looking like Lawrence Olivier.