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This book is a narrative retelling of the play that is often considered to be Shakespeare's masterwork. Set in medieval Denmark, Hamlet tells the story of a young prince who is caught between a seeming obligation to avenge the murder of his beloved father and the doubts and questions of his own conscience.
As the play opens, Hamlet is deep in mourning over the death of his father, King Hamlet. With unseemly haste, Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude, has married Claudius, the brother of the dead King and Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet bitterly resents the marriage and the apparent disrespect for the memory of his father.
Hamlet's grief turns to rage when the ghost of his father tells him that Claudius seduced Gertrude and then murdered King Hamlet. Hamlet swears to avenge his father, but his resolution soon dissolves into doubts and hesitation.
Hamlet's delay leads to tragedy, yet his doubts are part of his goodness. Had he acted as rashly as another young man in the play, Laertes, Hamlet would be a far less interesting and noble character.
Four hundred years after Shakespeare transformed existing tales of Hamlet into a profound meditation on conscience, thought, and action, his story of the tragic young prince continues to fascinate readers and viewers around the world.
Guided Reading Level: Q
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