قصة الكتاب :
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark often shortened as Hamlet is the longest play written by William Shakespeare between 1599 and 1601. The story is of revenge enacted by young Hamlet who loses his father, the King of Denmark and discovers that he was murdered by his brother, Hamlet’s uncle, in order to seize the throne and marry his mother. The plot takes us through the twists and turns that characterize revenge sagas and ends tragically for all characters. Hamlet is considered one of the most influential works of world literature and has remained a story that has been re-told and adapted several times. The layered nature of the story and its’ characters have subject it to intense scrutiny and psychoanalysis. The story of Hamlet is believed to be inspired by the legend of Amleth, chronicled by earlier writers. Shakespeare’s play was first published in 1603 in a quarto edition, and was one of his most popular works during his lifetime.
\r\nThe play is set in Denmark and opens with a young Hamlet, who has just come home from school, mourning the death of his father, the King, and lamenting the behavior of his mother, Queen Gertrude who married his uncle Claudius within a month of his father’s death. Claudius is now the new King. This is followed by the appearance of the ghost of his father who tells him that his death was not a natural one, but a murder at the hands of his own brother. The ghost insists that Hamlet avenges his murder and this drives the entire sequence of events that follow. Hamlet pretends to be insane and depressed, which comes naturally to him, in order to elicit the truth from Claudius. He believes he succeeds in doing this when Claudius reacts furiously to a play staged by his group enacting the exact sequence of events that lead to the King’s death, as described by his ghost. Hamlet attempts to kill Claudius at this point but accidentally kills Polonius, the court councillor instead. The King orders for Hamlet to be killed but he escapes. Events are further complicated as Ophelia, Polonius’daughter, drowns. Ophelia was used by Polonius to keep track of Hamlet, whose insanity he believed was because of his love for her. Ophelia’s brother Laertes seeks revenge and plans to kill Hamlet during the fencing-duel he invites him to. In a series of events Gertrude drinks the poison drink meant for Hamlet and dies. Hamlet, himself fatally wounded in the fight, kills Laertes and the King, paving the way for a new King to inherit the throne.
\r\nThrough the tragic story of Hamlet, one can see the perils of taking matters into one’s own hands, especially at moments of grief or personal trauma, when such decisions are often never taken well. There is no dearth of themes in this vibrant story and these include revenge, relationships, tragedy, insanity, suicide, honour and politics; all of which continue to fascinate and inspire people around the world.\r\n