The History Of European Theatre Hamlet Part 2: ‘Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark’
Episode 194:
Last time I left things hanging for Hamlet as, having seen the ghost of his father and resolved on revenge, he had seen his planning go awry as he mistakenly killed the old councillor Polonius while he hid behind a wall hanging. We have seen his daughter Ophelia begin her descent into madness, school friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern become embroiled in Hamlet’s feigned madness and Claudius prompted into a desire to pray, having seen the players perform a piece that replicated his actions in the matter of his brother’s murder.
That quick summary in no way does the play any sort of justice so please do listen to the previous two episodes on ‘Hamlet’, my look at the first half of the play and my conversation with Colin David Reese about the language in the play, if you have not done so already. I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.
Continuing a summary of the play picking up from the murder of Polonius, with Hamlet leaving and dragging the body behind him.
The Character of Gertrude
The female characters and the players who portrayed them
The rise of boy playing troupes reflected in ‘Hamlet’
The political position of Claudius in the Danish nation
The character of Osric and his role in the play
The themes of death and decay
The character and actions of Hamlet
Hamlet as a tragic hero
The graveyard scene
A brief overview of the performance history of the play
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