Monday, October 09, 2023
Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ and Its Insight Into Grief, Family and Gender
The New York Times: A few weeks ago two friends and I were talking about our obsessions. One had been sleepless all week, playing the new Zelda video game with few breaks. The other revealed that she was deep into Taylor Swift. I said I had so many fandoms that I didn’t know if I could name a favorite.
My Swiftie friend quickly set me straight. “We already know your main fandom,” she said. “Hamlet.”
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4 comments:
I do love Shakespeare and Hamlet may not be my favorite, but I can’t imagine having such a passion for one Shakespeare play. Their connections to one another are part of why I love Shakespeare. That being said, there is certainly an admiration that I have for someone that loves a piece of art as much as this author. I think this connection and deep love ties back to a question of why we teach Shakespeare. Why is it taught in schools, middle, high school, and college alike. I also find it interesting that it is sometimes, and I may venture to say frequently some of the only classical theatre that those outside of the arts are being exposed to at a young age. I think it ultimately ties back to this article. Shakespeare plays have such fluid concepts and character architypes that are all still so intrinsically relatable to today’s youth and in today’s zeitgeist. There is a bending that can be done to the material, and it is relevant to today which I can’t say is true about all of the classical works I have read.
Hamlet is the first, and one of very few, Shakespeare plays that I have read. I first read the play my sophomore year of high school, and really did not enjoy the experience or understand what the show was about. I instead after reading the play moved to YouTube to find videos that explained what happened scene by scene. Though, after reading a few more Shakespeare plays, I revisited Hamlet for another class my senior year of high school and I suddenly started to be able to translate the play into something I understood. Although I think there are brilliant lines and verses within the play, it is not one of my favorites. Though, maybe if I see a production of it in person I will think otherwise, as I believe that Shakespeare is meant to be watched rather than read. I believe there is a production of Winter’s Tale nearby and I hope I will be able to see it as it is a beautiful show, and I hope I can have the passion about Shakespeare as this author does.
Hamlet is one of my favorite plays of all time. I first encountered it when watching a recording of the MET Opera’s Hamlet in my freshman year. I instantly fell in love with it. After watching this operatic adaptation I purchased my own copy of the play to read for myself. That poor copy is now falling apart, filled to the brim with notations, tabs, and highlights. When reading this article I felt as though the author was just pulling my thoughts right out of my brain. I always considered Hamlet to be a fairly sexist play. The way it treats women is frankly pretty gross. The author of this article didn’t diminish that but explained different interpretations or adaptations that can be done to give the women in the play more character. The author also talked about Fat Ham. A play I absolutely love. I thought I’d hate it when I first heard about it but I decided to give it a go and I loved it. I ended up writing part of my senior capstone project on it. Fat Ham changes the end of Hamlet, allowing Juicy to break free of the cycle of violence present in his family. Ijames changes the end of Hamlet in such a beautiful way and I love it. I highly recommend Fat Ham.
In the context of contemporary theater, often marred by disappointments, the New York Times article on Shakespeare's enduring relevance in the realm of drama serves as a beacon of hope. Describing the "Shakespeare bubble" as a haven for universal and authentic storytelling is a poignant acknowledgment of the Bard's timeless impact on the stage. While Broadway grapples with various challenges, the enduring appeal of Shakespeare's works continues to captivate audiences with narratives that transcend time and culture. The term "Shakespeare bubble" aptly encapsulates the enduring allure of his plays, which seem impervious to the transient trends and disappointments that may plague the broader theatrical landscape. It hints at a space where storytelling transcends the ephemeral and connects deeply with the human experience. Shakespeare's exploration of fundamental themes, such as grief, resonates across generations, providing a refuge for those seeking narratives that are not just entertaining but also profound and enduring. In essence, this reflection underscores the enduring power of Shakespeare's works to provide solace and inspiration in a theatrical landscape that may sometimes falter in its ability to connect authentically with its audience.
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