Why Hamlet is cool!!!!!

Hamlet. Oh where do I start!

Why?

I find it amusing, crass, stimulating, intellectual, cunning.

Hamlet has a strong personality. He knows he’s being played. He’s not going to take this shit. His Uncle for the king? To take place of his beloved father? What? How does his mother dare marry his Uncle. ” But two months dead-nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king.” “So loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth! Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown. By what if fed on; and yet within a month-Let me not think on’t! Frailty, thy name is woman!”

See…..he knew something was up. Then….his good friend Horatio gave him greetings, and also told him that he was visited by his fathers ghost! (OOhhh..you know I love ghost stories!) As Horatio and two members of the King’s guard, were keeping watch one night, they saw the King, Hamlet’s father appear before them. Hamlet was marveld. “ For God’s love, let me hear!” As Horatio, Barnardo, and Marcellus told Hamlet about this, the four of them made of a plan to keep watch that night, in hope to see the King ghost again.

Now, Hamlet has some suspicion that there was indeed foul play on his father’s death. But, he must make sure..in hope to meet the ghost that night, find out information, see if this is truly his father’s spirit.

Let’s meet some other characters of the story.

We have Laertes. A fine lad who is the son of Polonius. Polonius is a councillor to the King. Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius. Ophelia is also the love of Hamlet.

At this time of the story, Laertes is now packing to go on a trip. He is involved in a conversation with his sis Ophelia. Basically telling her that Hamlet’s affections are simply…a passing one. This won’t last. As he is saying his goodbye’s, doesn’t Polonius walk in….they say their farwells to Laertes. Polonius gives one last bit of advice to his only son…”To thine own self be true.” (Now, tell me you have not heard that one before! I’m sure you have, just didn’t know where! I digress…I’ll move on.) So, if you have not yet figured out yet, Polonius is a  pain in the butt. He is a big time eavesdropper. He just has to know every ones buisness. The man can’t sleep without getting the daily dish of gossip. So, Polonius walks up to Ophelia and wants to know what Laertes said to Ophelia. “So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet.” He just was not pleased about that. He didn’t want his daughter to have anything to do with Hamlet. Do not be alone with him, nor talk with him. He is bad news. “I shall obey, my lord.”

That night, as Hamlet was keeping watch with the others, waiting for something to happen, he observes his Uncle, the King, and his mother and others eating supper. Disgusted from what he’s watching all the drinking, celebrating..every night! Just then….”Look, my lord, it comes.” “Look with what courteous action. It waves you to a more removed ground. But do not go with it.” His friends were worried that this spirit could be dangerous in such a way. They begged Hamlet to not follow it, they even tried to block him from going. “I do not set my life at a pin’s fee, and for my soud, what can it do to that, being a thing immortal as itself? It waves me forth again. I’ll follow it.” Going against the grain at this point, he then follows this ghost to a destination to where he is to speak with it. “Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing to what I shall unfold.” The dead king father tells his son that he was murdered by the kings brother, while taking a nap in his garden. He had poured poison in his ear as he lay there sleeping. Then, he was dead. Revenge!!! The ghost king seeks revenge! Now, Hamlet must come up with a plan to seek that revenge. But how? He made the men sware that they will keep this visitation from his ghost father a secret. As they put their hands upon Hamlet’s sword to swear secerecy, Horatio said “O, day and night, but this is wondrous strange.” Then Hamlet’s response is…come on….you all know this one….”There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

I think that is enough Hamlet for now. Let it absorb in your mellons for a little while, and ponder. This is just the tip of the story! I have not even started the really good stuff yet. Look for part 2 of my series of “Why Hamlet is cool!!!

Farewell.