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A review by saucy_bookdragon
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Entering my Shakespeare era with this play about a guy gaslighting a little too close to the sun.
I've been thinking lately that I should read some more classics now that I'm long out of high school and am no longer forced against my will to read them. I found Libby has some full cast audiobooks of Shakespeare and so I may or may not listen to a few.
And honestly, that's the way to do it. Shakespeare wrote plays, not books. Therefore it hits different when you listen/watch it. I actually tried to read Hamlet back in my freshmen year of high school for a class and only got about halfway through. Listening to it I appreciated the story much more.
Shakespeare was the it girl, Hamlet is incredibly written, filled with metaphors and monologues that complicate the characters and a plot that makes you question what's going on. There really are many ways to interpret what's happening in Hamlet. It's kind a ye olden psychological thriller in that way, questioning every character's sanity as Hamlet himself spirals.
I don't really have many intelligent thoughts right now as I listened to it all not to long ago and need to do more research, but yeah if you've been wanting to try out Shakespeare, maybe try a full cast audiobook. It's actually quite entertaining.
I've been thinking lately that I should read some more classics now that I'm long out of high school and am no longer forced against my will to read them. I found Libby has some full cast audiobooks of Shakespeare and so I may or may not listen to a few.
And honestly, that's the way to do it. Shakespeare wrote plays, not books. Therefore it hits different when you listen/watch it. I actually tried to read Hamlet back in my freshmen year of high school for a class and only got about halfway through. Listening to it I appreciated the story much more.
Shakespeare was the it girl, Hamlet is incredibly written, filled with metaphors and monologues that complicate the characters and a plot that makes you question what's going on. There really are many ways to interpret what's happening in Hamlet. It's kind a ye olden psychological thriller in that way, questioning every character's sanity as Hamlet himself spirals.
I don't really have many intelligent thoughts right now as I listened to it all not to long ago and need to do more research, but yeah if you've been wanting to try out Shakespeare, maybe try a full cast audiobook. It's actually quite entertaining.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, and Incest