Though this be madness, yet there is method in't

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) is best known as a dramatist. Born in Dublin, he came to London in 1876, establishing himself as a music and theatre critic (spending three years writing for the London newspaper Saturday Review) . He was also a prominent member of the Fabian Society (a socialist organisation with a commitment to social justice and a belief in the progressive improvement of society through political reform).   Pygmalion (1912) is probably his best known play. Spoiler: He's not a fan. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW: from Postscript (1945) to 'Back to Methuselah', 1921 HE took up an old play about the ghost of a murdered king who haunted his son crying for revenge, with comic relief provided by the son pretending to be that popular curiosity and laughing- stock, a village idiot. Shakespeare, transfiguring this into a tragedy on the ancient Athenian level, could not have been quite unconscious of the evolutionary stride he was taking. But he did not see his way ...

We've already met TS Eliot (1888 – 1965) - in the first critical essay that I gave out after we had read the opening scene. Now would be a good time to return to that essay, and make a kind of 'double entry' for this critic.  Thomas Stearns Eliot won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1748, and is considered one of the giants of modern literature. He is best known as a poet, famous for 'The Waste Land' and 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'  but was also a literary critic, dramatist, and editor and publisher. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri but relocated to England in 1914 at the age of 25. He was a contemporary of Virginia Woolf, and they were friends for more than twenty years. Here they are together, probably having a good old chinwag about Modernism, or, perhaps, the price of tea. T. S. ELIOT: from 'Hamlet' 1919 Few critics have ever admitted that Hamlet the play is the primary problem, and Hamlet the character only secondary. And Hamlet th...

Now we reach the twentieth century in our journey into changing interpretations of Hamlet over time. A C Bradley (1851-1935) - 'Andrew Cecil', in case you were wondering - was known as a Shakespearian scholar and literary critic. He wrote this: He was another Oxford graduate who held the Professor of Poetry role there between 1901 and 1906.  His psychological approach to the analysis of Shakespeare’s characters is considered to anticipate post-Freudian criticism. In this extract we return to the frequently discussed idea of Hamlet's inaction, but with some psychological insight and explanation. A. C. BRADLEY: from Shakespearean Tragedy , 1904 Let me try to show now, briefly, how much this melancholy accounts for. It accounts for the main fact, Hamlet's inaction. For the immediate cause of that is simply that his habitual feeling is one of disgust at life and everything in it, himself included, - a disgust which varies in intensity, rising at times into a longing for de...

The Victorian poet Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909) was educated at Eton and Oxford, was friendly with the Rossettis, and even lived with Dante Gabriel Rosetti at one time; certainly part of the of the Pre-Raphaelite circle.   He might offer a contradictory perspective to some of the earlier ideas we have seen on  Hamlet .  A. C. Swinburne: from 'A Study of Shakespeare' 1880 ... it should be plain to any reader that the signal characteristic of Hamlet's inmost nature is by no means irresolution or hesitation or any form of weakness, but rather the strong conflux of contending forces. That during four whole acts Hamlet cannot or does not make up his mind to any direct and deliberate action against his uncle is true enough; true, also, we may say, that Hamlet had somewhat more of mind than another man to make up, and might properly want somewhat more time than might another man to do it in; but not, I venture to say in spite of Goethe, through innate inadequ...

From father to son. Hartley Coleridge (1796-1849) is the eldest son of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a poet (though was also a teacher), and likewise wrote about Hamlet. It is generally accepted that he was not as successful in literary terms, or in life more generally, as his father. Perhaps burdened by the expectation of his famous name, and in the shadow of his father's genius, he is variously described as 'wayward', 'a failure'. 'melancholic' and 'solitary'. HARTLEY COLERIDGE: from Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine , November 1828 Let us, for a moment, put Shakespeare out of the question, and consider Hamlet as a real person, a recently deceased acquaintance. In real life, it is no unusual thing to meet with characters every whit as obscure as that of the Prince of Denmark; men seemingly accomplished for the greatest actions, clear in thought, and dauntless in deed, still meditating mi...

Double whammy today: not one, but two extracts from the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), best known for the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan  - which the online Encyclopedia Britannica labels 'two of the greatest poems in English literature'. He was a mover and shaker within the Romantic movement, and good mates with Wordsworth. It is probably worth reading a little more about the Romantics before you move on, since some of the ideology is reflected here in Coleridge's words. The British Library is a good place to start. S. T. COLERIDGE: from Lectures on Shakespeare , 1818 IN Hamlet he [Shakespeare] seems to have wished to exemplify the moral necessity of a due balance between our attention to the objects of our senses, and our meditation on the workings of our minds, - equilibrium between the real and the imaginary worlds. In Hamlet this balance is disturbed: his thoughts, and the images of his fancy, are far more vivid than his actual perce...

If nothing else, our foray into criticism of Hamlet is providing us with a who's who of literary greats in Europe. Next up is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), widely considered to be Germany's greatest literary figure - and clearly a man who knew a thing or two about sporting a frock coat, judging by his picture. You may have come across him already as he is also credited with writing the first Bildungsroman in Willhelm Meister's Apprenticeship .  By the 1740s, Shakespeare's work had begun to be translated into German, and, by the end of the eighteenth century, had achieved great popularity and influence in Germany. In  Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship  the protagonist, Wilhelm sets out on his travels after being disillusioned in love - and is introduced to the works of Shakespeare by the character Jarno before playing the lead role in a theatrical production of Hamlet. Much discussion of Shakespeare's work takes place within the dialogue of t...

It's not surprising that Shakespeare tops the league as the most quoted Englishman of all time; nor that  Hamlet is  the most often quoted of his plays. But Samuel Johnson, as well as being recognised amongst the most highly regarded literary figures in the eighteenth century, is regularly credited as being the second most-quoted after Shakespeare. And of course, most famous for compiling the first dictionary of the English Language in 1755. You can find out more about him here . Aside from being a handsome fellow, poet, lexicographer, essayist, and a big list of other things, he was a literary critic who wrote this about Hamlet: SAMUEL JOHNSON: from his edition of Shakespeare's plays, 1765 IF the dramas of Shakespeare were to be characterised, each by the particular excellence which distinguishes it from the rest, we must allow to the tragedy of Hamlet the praise of variety. The incidents are so numerous, that the argument of the play would make a long tale. The ...

In case you haven't had enough examination feedback, I'm sharing even more: this time on t he first part of the exam question which invited you to discuss the passage from Act 1 Scene 2, lines 65-120, exploring Shakespeare's use of language and its dramatic effects.  This scene is a gift, as it offers Hamlet’s first words and actions of the play. Because it is Shakespeare, of course they are rich with imagery and ideas that set up all sorts of themes and conflicts for the rest of the play - so there is plenty to discuss. You are interested in how Shakespeare shapes meaning through the interplay of language, form and structure . It is, in many ways, easier to deal with all three together, since that word 'interplay' is quite important. Form is really concerned with aspects of genre that appear within a text, as well as the 'form,' or type, of the text itself, in this case a play, and specifically, a Shakespearian tragedy. Form might also inclu...

Act V plays out in around thirty two minutes (if you exclude the well-deserved applause at the end of the production). The music announcing the infamous gravediggers scene has a Calypso feel which sets an appropriately lighthearted, joyful even, and certainly irreverent tone - reinforced by the Gravedigger's ad lib of 'ya bastard' directed towards Yorick's skull. Hamlet's more measured response in contrast demonstrates his fascination with the physical processes of death and beyond. Ophelia's body, wrapped in a shroud, is carried in by Laertes. He lays her down tenderly by the grave and weeps over her form - echoing Ophelia's own lament for her father in the previous act. To the evident distress of all around, Laertes leaps right down into the grave as though he cannot bear to be physically separated from her. His action provokes what turns into an unseemly graveside brawl with Hamlet. Claudius hatches his plan for Hamlet's end with Laertes after...

Ophelia makes Polonius 'present' in the absence of a body This is the shortest act of the production at just 28 minutes, but is full of pace and action. The stage is filled with ever-changing movement. Increasingly sinister and ominous music between scenes contributes to the building sense of threat, and the movement to different locations seems almost seamless; as though we are running through the castle with the characters. There are instructions, letters, machinations, plotting. Hamlet's arrest by a guard is very physical: he is thrown to the floor in a half-nelson submission hold. His insolent foot tapping and movement, and loose-limbed rebellious mocking of Claudius get the audience on side and there is much laughter - but his reactions seem those of a man who has run out of options and has nothing left to lose. Everything about Essiedu's appearance and manner is subversive; down to his shabby clothing and turned-up trousers - in such contrast to the costume...

As we move into Act III (which is the longest part of this production running at 44 minutes), the stage is draped in enormous canvases, hanging down from the ceiling and spread across the floor. They suggest Hamlet's mania from their volume, and the preoccupations of his troubled mind in the calligramatic references to serpents, crowns and skulls. The concept of the tortured artist is constructed visually before it is enacted. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's incompetence is suggested through their casual behaviour at the start of the scene, giving the idea that they don't really have their minds on the job, but are treating their time here as a holiday. Essiedu's Hamlet embarks on the 'To be or not to be' speech with a plaintive, questioning tone. You can explore the RSC's approach to this in more depth here . When Ophelia enters she is evidently still smarting from their previous exchange and attempts to return a large box of gifts and keepsakes fr...

Act two is slightly shorter than the opening act, at 31 minutes. Might we add 'stingy' to our ideas of Polonius as he has to be persuaded to give more to his emissary? Ophelia's evident distress as she explains Hamlet's behaviour towards her greatly contrasts with her composure of the previous scene. She seems to emphasise the physical: that he 'held me hard' (II.1.87), and makes reference to the transformation that we are about to witness for ourselves, 'He falls to such perusal of my face/As a would draw it' (II.i.90-91). Now Polonius switches his own shoes, and bends down for Ophelia - reversing the dynamic of the previous scene. He seems a loving, if misguided, father attempting to do the best for his daughter. The embrace at the end of this exchange emphasises their closeness. The representation of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as bumbling, white, camera and luggage-laden tourists makes them as conspicuously out of joint with their enviro...

One of the unexpected benefits of lockdown has been the proliferation of free-to-air theatrical performances. The RSC's 2016 production with Paapa Essiedu as Hamlet has been shown on BBC iPlayer as part of their Culture in Quarantine access, and now forms part of our study. Act One runs for 41 minutes. The glimpse of Wittenberg student life emphasises the kind of world that Hamlet has 'lost', in addition to the loss of his father, as he arrives home. It also reminds the audience of his youth, and the celebratory moment of having a diploma conferred contrasts effectively with the grief later in Act One; the snapshot effect is also a signifier of change: a moment lost forever. Beyond this, the production has been described as the ' most traditional of interpretations '. For the first 'ghost' scene (though no ghost appears), the low, blue-black lighting means the actors are almost imperceptible at times - certainly difficult to pick out in the stage gloo...

Today we reach our dramatic, and tragic conclusion. The final scene begins with Hamlet explaining to Horatio how he has altered the letter from Claudius condemning him to death - and substituting the names Rosencrantz and Guildenstern instead. They are interrupted by Osric, a courtier, who issues the challenge for a duel with Laertes - in order to settle a bet for the king. It probably didn't look like this. Moments later, after Hamlet issues an apology to Laertes, explaining that he acted in madness and without 'purpos'd evil' (V.ii.237), the duel begins. It can be seen as another example of a play within a play, a performance staged for a court audience as well as the theatrical one. Laertes selecting the poisoned foil and Claudius preparing the poisoned drink with a deadly jewel, 'Hamlet, this pearl is thine' (V.ii.284) as planned. Hamlet, unaware of the plot against him, wins the first points - and Gertrude drinks to his health from the poiso...

Here we are in the final act of Hamlet , and one of the most iconic scenes of the play - the bit with the skull! Clue: Not Hamlet. Two gravediggers are going about their business of digging a grave (that we immediately find out will be the final resting place of Ophelia) and making a few lighthearted observations as they do so. Though the graveyard setting foreshadows the tragedy that is about to beset Hamlet and the court, there is now a moment's pause in the chaotic hurtling towards a bitter end. It's probably worth a few words on 'comic relief' in Shakespearean tragedy. The stage direction gives us 'Enter two clowns'. Although 'clowns' in Shakespeare's time would have referred to simple country folk (in this instance two manual workers doing their job, not connected with the court),something of the modern meaning is inherent in their comic purpose at this moment in the drama. Somehow they achieve comedic banter from the burial of the dea...

Another tiny little scene, which really serves to drive the plot forward in terms of Hamlet's narrative.  As is often the case, the pace of action is increased by seeming to enter mid-conversation with the characters. Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet via some 'seafaring men' (IV.vi.2), (signifying Hamlet's remaining trust in his old friend - unlike Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who have betrayed him). The letter reveals that Hamlet's boat to England was attacked, and he himself taken prisoner by a 'pirate of very warlike appointment' (IV.vi.15), (which led to the obvious but irresistible film reference) but was well-treated and is now returned to Danish soil. Horatio must be led to his friend. A quick summary that raises some interesting ideas towards the end is here: Just keep track on this one in your own summary notes.

The famous young Fortinbras, Norwegian crown prince first mentioned in the opening 100 lines of the play and referred to subsequently in Act II, finally makes his entrance; embarking on the 'promis'd march' (IV.iv.3) - the permission earlier granted for him to cross Denmark in order to battle over a piece of land now in Polish possession. More on the significance of this in Hanratty's Episode 121 of The Hamlet podcast . I can't think of a better way to spend seven minutes of your life at this point. Fortinbras encounters Hamlet, and so there together on stage are two young princes, both caught up in the business of avenging the deaths of their fathers. Except that perhaps Fortinbras is getting on with his a little more purposefully than Hamlet who may be guilty of 'thinking too precisely on th'event' (IV.iv.41) as he himself observes.  Indeed, his soliloquy begins by stating the way in which every event and encounter reminds him of his ...

The pacy, almost real-time movement continues into another short scene as Rosencrantz announces that they have brought Hamlet to the King. Claudius reveals something of Hamlet's popularity, which hasn't been directly alluded to before. 'He's lov'd of the distracted multitude' (IV.iii.4). Hamlet's wordplay also continues - in somewhat poor taste, perhaps. He refuses to give a straight answer to the question of where Polonius' body lies, but emphasises its corporeal nature as fodder for worms, and jokes that if it isn't found within a month then the King will be able to detect his decaying corpse and 'nose him as you go up the stairs' (IV.iii.36). It is at least a hint as to the location, and enables Claudius to dispatch his attendants in search of it. The air of melancholy and general futility of life that he expressed earlier in the play underlies sentiments such as 'we fat ourselves for maggots' (IV.iii.22). But death is ...

This is another very short scene, of less than thirty lines; the shortest in the entire play, in fact. Hamlet describes the body of Polonius as 'Safely stowed' in the opening line. It's an odd description: indicating something neatly stored or packed away - perhaps concealed - but with the suggestion of later use. Hamlet's speech is disordered and irrational. He speaks in non-sequiturs and riddles when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive, emphasising his distrust of former friends in his depiction of them as foolish: mere sponges who 'soak up the king's countenance' but will get their just desserts when they are squeezed out 'dry' in the end. Gone is the iambic pentameter that has mostly shaped Hamlet's speech previously,  but there is an interesting use of double syntax or syntactic slide   at the end of the scene.  (This is where meaning is created in one line and then recreated differently in the next - one of my favourite th...