Hamlet (Oxford Bookworms Playscripts, Stage 2)

By William Shakespeare

Book Overview

Why does Hamlet, the young Prince of Denmark, look so sad? Why does he often say strange things? His family and friends are worried about him. Perhaps he is mad But Hamlet thinks that he has discovered a terrible secret about a recent crime in his family. Now he has no time for Ophelia, the sweet girl who loves him, or his friends, who were at school with him. He sits alone, and thinks, and plans. What will he decide to do? Will he ever be happy again? This famous play by William Shakespeare, written in about 1600, is one of the finest in the English language.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0194232204
• ISBN13: 9780194232203
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 54 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 4.9" x 0.1" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Retold by Alistair McCallum - Dialogue Rewritten - 54 Pages Long:

You will be absorbed into the story. Hamlet is Hamlet. If you are buying the revised edition, it is for the add-on information. This really is "The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," and not only the prince but also his family. Not only his family but also his friends. The tragedy started in the previous generation. Will it end with Hamlet? Many people are interested in dissecting underlying themes and reading more into the characters' actions than was probably intended. Many phrases from Hamlet now challenge the Bible for those popular quotes that no one remembers where they came from. The real fun is in just reading the story, and as you find that it is not as foreign as you may have thought, you see many characters like these around you today. A synopsis: Old Hamlet conquered Old Fortinbras, seizing Fortinbras' land. Now that Old Hamlet is dead, Young Fortinbras wants his land back and is willing to take it by force. Meanwhile, back in Dänemark, Prince Hamlet, who is excessively grieving the loss of his father, the king, gets an interesting insight from his father's ghost. Looks like Old Hamlet was a victim of a "murder most foul". On top of that, Hamlet’s Uncle and Mother even get married before the funeral meats are cold. The story is about Hamlet's vacillation as to what to do about his father's murder. However, he does surprise many with his persistence and insight. You will find many great movie presentations and imitations of the story; this is an intriguing read, but it was really meant to be watched.