Take a photo of a barcode or cover
jameskeates 's review for:
Hamlet
by Jonathan Bate, Eric Rasmussen
[Hint: plays should be seen as well as read!]
It probably is the greatest work of English literature, but only gets 4 stars because, while I can see it would have the most to debate as a work to study, and the most to work on character-wise as a director or actor, I just didn't enjoy it as much as some. Perhaps I need to see a production that really connects with me (Still good though!)
Don't get me wrong, there are some good speeches (obviously) and so many phrases that have entered the English language that it probably suffers from them jumping out at you (hence the old joke about the woman who criticised it as 'a load of quotations strung together'). Some interesting bits to think about as Hamlet muses on mortality and suicide, but the plot is a bit ridiculous in places (poison in the ear?) and perhaps as a reader (rather than an actor) I'd like to see a bit more of some of the other characters.
Definitely worth reading though, as it does give you time to go over "to be or not to be" with footnotes, and get what all the fuss is about!
It probably is the greatest work of English literature, but only gets 4 stars because, while I can see it would have the most to debate as a work to study, and the most to work on character-wise as a director or actor, I just didn't enjoy it as much as some. Perhaps I need to see a production that really connects with me (Still good though!)
Don't get me wrong, there are some good speeches (obviously) and so many phrases that have entered the English language that it probably suffers from them jumping out at you (hence the old joke about the woman who criticised it as 'a load of quotations strung together'). Some interesting bits to think about as Hamlet muses on mortality and suicide, but the plot is a bit ridiculous in places (poison in the ear?) and perhaps as a reader (rather than an actor) I'd like to see a bit more of some of the other characters.
Definitely worth reading though, as it does give you time to go over "to be or not to be" with footnotes, and get what all the fuss is about!