Hamlet - William Shakespeare

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for Hamlet - William Shakespeare

Rating Summary based on 30 reviews

		24

		5

		1

		0

		0

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	4.7

	4.5

	4.4

	3.1

	4.6

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89 of 89 Ciao users found the following review helpful

ChemicalRomance

Member since 01/08/2005

Reviews written: 208

To be or not to be? Not to be personally! 19/01/2009

User recommends the product

Advantages The last production had David Tennant as Hamlet!
Disadvantages Reading and analysing can be painful and lengthy!

Just to warn you now, regardless of the fact I am putting this on two review sites and I am using it as a revision tool too.. I have a Hamlet exam on the 20th of January and my revision - well I'm trying!!! So I am using this as an aid to remind myself about the play and the characters and also give you all a review of the play! Well obviously my reason for reading this play in the first place is for my exam, because I am not going to lie to you I would not have read this under normal circumstances.. I'm not sure anyone would! Well someone must because it is probably one of Shakespeare's most ... more
35 of 35 Ciao users found the following review helpful

Baskin

The Play's the Thing. 02/12/2003

User recommends the product

Advantages A superb play.
Disadvantages It may take a bit of effort if you are new to Shakespeare.

It is a fine summer afternoon in the year 1601. In the Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames the crowd waits in eager anticipation to see the new tragedy, Hamlet. The noise is deafening. In the covered galleries sit the merchants, the professional classes, the students. A few nobles and court gallants are actually sitting on the apron stage itself, and if they do not care for the play they will make their displeasure known. But the most din comes from the groundlings, standing in the body of the theatre, under the open sky. They are not easy to please, though they have their favourites ... more
54 of 54 Ciao users found the following review helpful

sottovoce82

An Artistic Failure? 17/05/2008

User recommends the product

Advantages The best play ever written
Disadvantages Um, Hamlet is the prince of my dreams

Hamlet by William Shakespeare Far from being an "artistic failure" as my favourite poet T. S. Eliot describes it, Hamlet is my favourite play of all time. Perhaps the best thing about this masterpiece, in addition to Shakespeare's very well-known mastery of language and fantastic characterization, remains to be how it raises an endless number of questions. And, contrary to what one might expect, the more you read it, the more questions you end up with. I always remember certain lines of it, and every time I read it or watch it I cry when Horatio says: "Good night, sweet prince,/And flights of ... more
26 of 26 Ciao users found the following review helpful

loz989

Help, more Shakespeare 02/04/2004

User recommends the product

Advantages Lots to write about
Disadvantages Very long

Hi everyone, its good to be back!! Been away a while studying, but im back for a bit to get your valued opinion on my last peice of English Literature corsework, i struggle with Shakespeare and I would greatly appretiate your honest opinion, which i know you will do otherwise you would not be a ciaoer!!!! thanks. #################################### H ow would a modern day audience respond to the presentation of women in Hamlet? William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in 1603. Hamlet is a play of its time in the presentation of female characters. There are only two women in Hamlet. Gertrude, Hamlets ... more
35 of 35 Ciao users found the following review helpful

Thehonesttruth

Member since 26/05/2004

Reviews written: 730

To be or not to be .... 11/08/2007

User recommends the product

Advantages -
Disadvantages -

This is Shakespeare’s longest play, and of all Shakespearean characters, and Hamlet himself has more words in this play than any other Shakespeare character. It’s one of the most performed of his plays, and is one of the most quoted plays – I’m sure we’ve all heard ‘To be, Or not to be …’ even if perhaps not all have us have read Hamlet. Hamlet is a tragedy, and the main themes are revenge and death – in the play, we get to see the feelings of five sons who have lost their fathers through murder, and in the famous to be or not to be speech, Hamlet grapples with the concept of death. At another ... more
18 of 18 Ciao users found the following review helpful

Amadahn

'Most foul, strange and unnatural' 03/03/2001

User recommends the product

Advantages Best play ever written
Disadvantages Language might put some off

This is Shakespeare’s longest play, and of all Shakespearean characters, Hamlet has the most words to say. The main theme of the play is death, which is why the enduring image of Hamlet is of him holding up Yorick’s skull – a symbolic representation of humanity confronting death. In brief, Hamlet discovers that his recently deceased father was in fact murdered by his uncle who has married Hamlet’s mother and assumed the throne. Hamlet vows revenge but fails to take immediate action. As a result of his inability to act, various innocent people die until, finally, Hamlet ... more
13 of 13 Ciao users found the following review helpful

GrUnGe_GaL

SoMeThInG is RoTTeN in the StAtE of DeNmArK 01/02/2001

User recommends the product

Advantages It broadens your mind
Disadvantages it is better to study and read it because you will appreciate it more then

It is so hard to try and write an overall review of Hamlet as there are endless subjects and things to explain, but I will try and explain as much as I can. Also as we all know, there have been professers trying to explain the play, all their loves and there are chronicles written about this play, so forgive me, because I am aware of missing out lots of themes. As I am one of those 'sad' people that is obssessed with English Literature and absolutely love anything to do with English Literature, in my English Lit class, we all chose to do this and we all LOVED IT! This is one of Shakespeare's ... more
12 of 12 Ciao users found the following review helpful

Jackal123

Is Hamlet a real tragic hero 30/12/2002

User recommends the product

Advantages great entertainment
Disadvantages ?

The Elizabethan play Hamlet is one of William Shakespeare's most popular works. One of the possible reasons for this play's popularity is the way Shakespeare uses the character Hamlet to exemplify the complex workings of the human mind. Hamlet is undoubtedly my favourite Shakespeare play and only recently I went to watch it performed at the theatre, with a few friends. Hamlet is a traditional Elizabethan revenge tragedy and a thrillingly entertaining spectacle. I had originally read the book before watching a modern adaptation of it at the theatre. It always makes it more exciting when you ... more
18 of 19 Ciao users found the following review helpful

Medusa

Hamlet should have been drowned at birth 18/03/2001

User recommends the product

Advantages A good psychological drama
Disadvantages Too too long

'Hamlet' is Shakespeare's longest play. It is devoted to the mental perambulations of an oedipally confused Danish prince who, at the age of 33, is unable to come to terms with many of life's unpleasant surprises. For those who are unfamiliar with the story, Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark, returned home from university due to the untimely death of his father, the noble king Hamlet the elder. Shortly after the funeral his mother, Gertrude, marries Claudius, brother of the dead king. This sends Hamlet into a 'slight' depression (spot the example of lytotes here). This depression is not helped ... more
12 of 12 Ciao users found the following review helpful

crapitoche

Femmelette 19/09/2001

User recommends the product

Advantages lots
Disadvantages few

First, a quick summary. Hamlet is very sad, because his father, the King of Denmark, has just died. His mom remaries soon , with his uncle Claudius. He learns that his dad has been killed and must revenge. Thanks to some sub-plots, he finally succeeds and kills Claudius. I think it's a quite interesting name, Hamlet. Shakespeare did not create this story, it is a legend in Denmark. And there were other authors who wrote about it, but most of the time they chose an other name, for instance "Antonio's revenge". Hamlet is interesting, because of its meaning. First -let refers to something ... more