Tamara Eaton - The Author's Assistant
  • Home
  • Editing Services
  • Client Publications and Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy

A digression--Hamlet, as it might have been seen by a theatre patron of Elizabethan London

1/23/2014

0 Comments

 
I am taking a course at Future Learn on Shakespeare's Hamlet. As part of the course I am posting a the creative writing assignment--a fictional blog entry as if I had just seen a production of Hamlet starring Richard Burbage in Elizabethan London.

What a show I was privileged to see last evening! Though you might have heard that William Shakepeare's Hamlet was just a redux of Kyd's production, I encourage everyone to seek out this new version. Shakespeare has tapped new ground in the portrayal of this classic story and he does not disappoint.

 The same man who brought you Julius Caesar just a few years ago has turned his hand to tragedy once more after a couple of comedies. While Julius Caesar portrayed a tragedy of what happens to a man of ambition and follows Brutus through a good man doing an unspeakable act for love of his country, this new play covers territory which delves into what affects revenge has on his soul. And yet it is not merely a story of revenge as you may remember from Kyd's Spanish Tragedie or indeed Kyd's Hamlet, which was an oh so paler version.

The playwright has captured the nuances of the Danish Prince as none other could. Melancholy, and tortured, Hamlet is not nearly as focused on taking action as you may have seen in Kyd's play. 

Burbage's typical and wonderful acting style, takes on the Princely role as if it was made for him. I suffered as he suffered, grieving over the loss of his father and his mother's betrayal when she married his Uncle Claudius. Burbage left me wondering whether he himself has skirted the edges of madness, so great is his immersion into the role.

I encourage you to take in the play at your earliest opportunity and answer the question for yourself whether Prince Hamlet is indeed mad, or if he is merely faking it in order to exact his revenge. As I said, Kyd's play has nothing on this one. Though Shakespeare keeps the essence of the story, he plummets the depths of character, exploring the varied of lunacy from the poor Ophelia, how tragic, even now she brings tears to my eyes, to the title character's struggle with the great questions of life.

Don't delay, schedule your visit to The Globe. If you do get a chance to see it, please post back here and let me know what you thought.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Tamara Eaton

     is an author and editor. Her former career as an English teacher assists her to help others through editing services. She's available for workshops. See her Editing Services Page for details. Be sure to get updates by clicking the RSS feed below for continuing writing tips.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2019
    January 2014
    October 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011

    Categories

    All
    Absence
    Action Verbs
    Agent
    A Good Editor
    A To Z
    Author Intrusion
    Backstory
    Back Story
    Balance
    Beginning
    Beginnings
    Beginning Writer's Trap
    Blog Hop
    Character Action
    Character Arc
    Characterization
    Character Paralysis
    Characters
    Cliffhanger
    Conflict
    Connections With Readers
    Creative Writing
    Description
    Deus Ex Machina
    Dialogue
    Emotion
    End
    Endings
    Epilogue
    First Chapter
    First Person
    Flashbacks
    Future Learn Course
    Goal Setting
    Grammar
    Head Hopping
    Hook
    I
    Jumpcut
    Keith Publications
    Kill Your Darlings
    KimandTamara
    Libertyhallwriters.org
    Linear Writing
    Maslow
    Merry Christmas
    Middle
    MindMorsels
    Multiple Pov
    Nanowrimo 2011
    Narration
    Narrator
    Narrator Voice
    Non-participating Narrator
    Objectivity
    Omniscient Narration
    Overwriting
    Page Turning Writing
    Persephone's Song
    P Is For Point Of View
    Plots
    Point Of View
    Pronouns
    Query
    Reading Pleasure
    Resolution
    Revise
    Revising
    Revising Tips
    Revision
    Risky Writing
    Sensory Writing
    Showing Vs Telling9b85a64ffd
    Showmeyourlits
    Show Vs. Tell
    Show Vs Tell94248b61ba
    Story
    Subplots
    Subtext
    Summer
    Tcljtoastedcheesecoma9c588cebe
    Tension
    Universal Story
    Vivid Verbs
    Weeping Women Springs
    Where To Start
    Workshop
    Writer Links
    Writer's Voice
    Writing
    Writing Challenges
    Writing Contests
    Writing Exercise
    Writing Habits
    Writing Styles
    Writing Tips

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from joiseyshowaa