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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help
First off, I am not proposing that Shakespeare intended this, the theory highlights the interesting fact that Hamlet seems to be, essentially, everyone's worst nightmare.
The idea is that Hamlet never existed, all Denmark is mad and he is but a result of their collective subconscience, exposing those repressed fears. Claudius commits the perfect crime but fears the consequences; Gertrude enjoys her life with Claudius, but her conscience bugs her about the whole incest thing; Polonius fears for the honour of his daughter, tell her and thereby causing doubt to spring in her mind, and then both their fears are confirmed when Hamlet rejects Ophelia; Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are shown to be disloyal and petty; Laertes is one-upped by Hamlet at Laertes' prize skill of fencing; Polonius is constantly reminded that he is a tedious old fool. In the second scene, Hamlet is the uneasy reminder that the sudden wedding is not quite right.
Now I post this to (1) share this view with others and (2) to see if anyone can help me elaborate. Obvious points that need to be smoothed involve the ghost and the fact that Ophelia loves Hamlet. The physical presence of Hamlet's body among the slain is also a matter of concern, but one that I think is impossible to reconcile with this slant interpretation. Anyway, what do y'all think?Posted by Martin on April 01, 1997 at 14:43:17
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help