Hamlet

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

5.0

Word count: 164K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Hamlet by William ShakespeareAuthor: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jul 1, 2000

Editor's review

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most discussed tragedies, and its appeal lies not only in the revenge plot but in the psychological space opened up by the protagonist's delay, hesitation, and self-interrogation. The soliloquies build layer upon layer, weaving personal conscience, court politics, and reflections on life and death into one fabric, and many lines have long since entered everyday language. As a public-domain electronic text, this edition makes it easy to consult the original at any time and check lines against it, and is well suited as a starting point for close reading of Shakespeare. It is worth treating as a script to be read aloud: the wit, puns, and rhythm of the dialogue are easily missed in silent reading, and only by speaking the lines can one feel the weight of the language. It can serve classroom discussion and also rewards repeated private rereading, for each return may reveal details and character relationships previously overlooked.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literature lovers new to Shakespearean tragedy
Theatre and English majors who need to study the play's original text
Readers who enjoy psychological portrayal and philosophical soliloquies
Members of drama societies preparing to stage or analyze Hamlet

Not a good fit for

Casual readers who want only a fast-paced revenge story
Beginners who find early modern English difficult and have no annotated edition at hand
Classroom users seeking detailed notes and an introduction

Reading tips

Read a plot summary first, then go through the original text so that character relationships do not slow the pace.
Choose famous soliloquies to read aloud and feel the stresses and pauses of the lines.
After finishing, revisit key scenes and sort out the reasons for and changes in the protagonist's delays.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I understand this edition without notes?

This is the public-domain original text without notes, and the wording and allusions of early modern English may pose obstacles. It is advisable to learn the plot summary and main character relationships first; for difficult sentences, consult an external annotated edition or a reliable translation for comparison, then return to the original.

Should I read Hamlet in translation or in the original first?

If the aim is mainly to understand the plot, read a reliable Chinese translation first to gain an overall impression; if you want to appreciate the language and the wit of the puns, return to the English original. Reading the two side by side ensures comprehension without missing Shakespeare's linguistic distinctiveness.

Is this play suitable for middle and high school students?

Yes, but with guidance. The play involves death, revenge, and court intrigue, and the language is also somewhat difficult. It is advisable, with the company of a teacher or parent, to learn the background and plot first, then read selected important soliloquies and scenes, without insisting on finishing the whole play in one go.

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was the greatest playwright, poet and actor of the English Renaissance. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he is known as the "Bard of Avon." He wrote roughly thirty-seven to thirty-nine plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and narrative poems. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. His works span tragedy, comedy and history play, distinguished by rich, poetic language and profound characterization. His explorations of human nature, power, love and fate have had a lasting influence, and his works have been translated into many languages and circulated widely around the world.