"Hamlet Betrayal and Tragedy"

Scenes from Shakespeare's Hamlet
(Act I, Scene V)
Kean Collection, 2019

Hamlet is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1599-1601, he was born April 1564 and died in April 1616. I read the Updated Edition Folger Shakespeare Library of Hamlet, I really enjoyed it. In Hamlet, betrayal and tragedy are a few things he experiences with the death of his father who was King. He felt alone since his mother married the King's brother Claudius. As Hamlet seeks vengeance, his uncle starts to fear for his life. The King, "I like him not, nor stands it safe with us.." (Act 3, Scene 3, Line 1) If you love a story about drama, this genre is for you. 

In Hamlet, a ghost comes forth to Hamlet which appears to be his father the King. The ghost wants Hamlet to avenge his death and to kill the new King which is his uncle. The Ghost, "Murder most foul, as in the best it is" (Act 1 Scene 5, lines 33) Hamlet sets out on a journey to avenge his fathers death but not without death, deception, and tragedy along the way. 

Betrayal began with his mother Gertrude, the Queen. Hamlet, "You are the Queen, your husband's brother's wife, And would it were not so you are my mother." (Act 3, Scene 4, lines 20-21) Hamlet felt betrayed because his mother married his uncle straight away after his fathers death. In addition, Hamlet is in love with Ophelia but he betrays her by telling her he doesn't love her; he is putting on an act as if he's mad. And the Queen betrays him again, she tells the King Hamlet killed Polonious, the Councillor to the King. Betrayal continues and ends with the King not telling the Queen the cup is poisoned during a duel between Hamlet and Laertes.  I think the author does a magnificent job displaying the betrayal throughout the book. Hamlet has obviously been betrayed by the ones he thought loved him.     

Queen drinks from poisonous cup and Hamlet and Laertes duel.
 

To gain a better understanding of Hamlet, I paired the book with YouTube videos such as Crash Course with John Green. There's plenty of different videos to go along with the Acts. Thanks to Professor Moore for introducing this to our Humanities class. This has helped me break down the different acts and scenes more clearly. I do recommend reading the book but take your time because this time around helped me reflect on the parts I may have missed or didn't understand. "To be or not to be -that is the question." (Act 3, Scene 1,line 64) To live or not to live. 

Hamlet Summary (video 6:33)

Citations:

Kaye, Briana. Hamlet and Laertes. Pinterest, 2022, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/306526318358200140/.

Kean Collection. "Scene's from Shakespeare's Hamlet" 20 Jan 2019. Fine Art America. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/scene-from-shakespeares-hamlet-kean-collection.html.

Mowat Barbara A, and Werstine, Paul." Hamlet" Updated Edition, Folger Shakespeare Library, 1992. Shakespeare, William.

The CRC Humanities. "Ghost, Murder, and More Murder-Hamlet Part 1: Crash Course Literature 203" YouTube, 13 Mar. 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My14mZa-eq8&t=18s. Accessed 19 Apr. 2022

Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet. Accessed 19 Apr. 2022.