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Hamlet ( Folger Library Shakespeare) Mass Market Paperback – July 1, 1992
Purchase options and add-ons
Hamlet is Shakespeare's most popular, and most puzzling, play. It follows the form of a "revenge tragedy," in which the hero, Hamlet, seeks vengeance against his father's murderer, his uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. Much of its fascination, however, lies in its uncertainties.
Among them: What is the Ghost--Hamlet's father demanding justice, a tempting demon, an angelic messenger? Does Hamlet go mad, or merely pretend to? Once he is sure that Claudius is a murderer, why does he not act? Was his mother, Gertrude, unfaithful to her husband or complicit in his murder?
The authoritative edition of Hamlet from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes:
-Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play
-Newly revised explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
-Scene-by-scene plot summaries
-A key to the play's famous lines and phrases
-An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language
-An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play
-Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books
-An up-to-date annotated guide to further reading
Essay by Michael Neill
Enjoy this updated Folger edition of Hamlet in either the handy pocket-sized mass market paperback (ISBN 978-0743477123), elegant trade paperback featuring finer paper and wider margins (ISBN 978-1451669411), or Kindle edition (ASIN B00IWTWDA6).
- Reading age12 - 17 years
- Print length342 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Lexile measureNP
- Dimensions1.04 x 4.13 x 6.73 inches
- PublisherSimon & Schuster
- Publication dateJuly 1, 1992
- ISBN-109780743477123
- ISBN-13978-0743477123
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more
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Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Barbara A. Mowat is Director of Research emerita at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Consulting Editor of Shakespeare Quarterly, and author of The Dramaturgy of Shakespeare's Romances and of essays on Shakespeare's plays and their editing.
Paul Werstine is Professor of English at the Graduate School and at King's University College at Western University. He is a general editor of the New Variorum Shakespeare and author of Early Modern Playhouse Manuscripts and the Editing of Shakespeare and of many papers and articles on the printing and editing of Shakespeare's plays.
Product details
- ASIN : 074347712X
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster; 5th edition (July 1, 1992)
- Language : English
- Mass Market Paperback : 342 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780743477123
- ISBN-13 : 978-0743477123
- Reading age : 12 - 17 years
- Lexile measure : NP
- Item Weight : 7.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 1.04 x 4.13 x 6.73 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in British & Irish Dramas & Plays
- #9 in Shakespeare Dramas & Plays
- #200 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and was baptised on 26 April 1564. Thought to have been educated at the local grammar school, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he went on to have three children, at the age of eighteen, before moving to London to work in the theatre. Two erotic poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece were published in 1593 and 1594 and records of his plays begin to appear in 1594 for Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI. Shakespeare's tragic period lasted from around 1600 to 1608, during which period he wrote plays including Hamlet and Othello. The first editions of the sonnets were published in 1609 but evidence suggests that Shakespeare had been writing them for years for a private readership.
Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in Stratford, by now a wealthy man. He died on 23 April 1616 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. The first collected edition of his works was published in 1623.
(The portrait details: The Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. NPG1, © National Portrait Gallery, London)
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Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They appreciate the detailed footnotes that help them navigate the language and grasp subtle nuances. The content is useful for them and provides an invaluable study guide. Readers describe the book as great value for money and fun to read. However, some customers feel the line spacing could be improved, as there are no line numbers or footnotes.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book easy to read with clear language and footnotes that help them understand subtle nuances. The forward and various essays provide additional insights and clarify the play's vision and emotion. Readers appreciate the flow of the words and how the story unfolds.
"The book is well bound and the print is small, but clear and easy to read...." Read more
"...I also recommend the contemporary “translation.” Fun to see the well known phrases that are so common in our everyday language." Read more
"Hamlet, and probably like other plays of Shakespeare are difficult to read. Not smooth and I would recommend an annotated version of this p!ay." Read more
"...have imagined, thanks to the meticulous footnotes that helped me navigate the language and grasp the subtle nuances...." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for understanding Shakespeare's play Hamlet. They appreciate the annotations, images, and explanations of phrases and language that make it easier to follow. Readers mention the ideas are interesting and well-thought-out. Overall, they find the book an enjoyable read with a unique reading experience.
"...The play speaks for itself through all the centuries of its publication and all the thousands and thousands of productions that have flesh it out...." Read more
"...pithy formulation that is a principal "takeaway" from this classic Shakespearean play: "To be or not to be, that is the question."..." Read more
"...That is so helpful in understanding Shakespeare, and I enjoy seeing where words came from. What I don't like is that the play actually cost money...." Read more
"...BTW, the show in Louisville is excellent!..." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for studying and research. They appreciate the useful side explanations and footnotes. The content is easy to understand and helps with school work. It's highly recommended for students who don't like paper copies of books.
"...came alive in ways I couldn't have imagined, thanks to the meticulous footnotes that helped me navigate the language and grasp the subtle nuances...." Read more
"I bought this book for my son and the content was useful for him" Read more
"...(2) I love that I can click on a word and see its definition; but more than that, I can click again and see the origin of the word!..." Read more
"...Not a lot just a few. But for school work it’s usable." Read more
Customers appreciate the helpful notes and annotations in the book. They find the footnotes on the opposite page very helpful, as they can read them without flipping to the back. The annotations provide context and enrich the experience with insightful information. The thick pages allow space for annotations, and the book includes quotable quotes and new writing and staging techniques.
"The notes really help you understand the terms and language used in the play. In addition, it is a must read classic." Read more
"...in its authentic form but also enriches the experience with insightful annotations and context that breathe life into the intricate language...." Read more
"...The left side of each page is filled with notes, annotation, images, and explanations of the shakespearean phrases and language...." Read more
"...While the notes would be super helpful for students, the quantity of notes may also overwhelm them...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's value for money. They say it's a great option for the price and worth buying.
"...At least the price wasn't too bad (though it should be free)." Read more
"...Great price, too." Read more
"...rights have expired on this antique work, buying it is free or super cheap on Kindle...." Read more
"...This book fit the bill. It has a lot of background info on Shakespeare and his plays, including Hamlet. It arrived quickly and in good condition." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for reading and understanding Hamlet. They appreciate the activities, definitions, and explanations that enrich the experience. The book is fun to flip through and a good choice for children.
"...provides the timeless play in its authentic form but also enriches the experience with insightful annotations and context that breathe life into the..." Read more
"...This made reading and understanding the play SO much easier! I received a perfect score on my Hamlet Exam, and I credit that 100% to this edition!" Read more
"...I like how the play is broken down with definitions and explanations. It definitely is aimed for a student trying to understand Shakespeare...." Read more
"...The Shakespeare Made Easy series makes reading these great plays fun at any age; and probably a prerequisite for the undergraduate." Read more
Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it engaging and dynamic, with a well-written prose that is original and straightforward. Others find it uninspiring, boring, or difficult to follow.
"...Definitely worth a read but it wasn't mind-blowing. I can see how it would be back in the day tho." Read more
"...It's not just a book; it's a gateway to a world of tragedy, philosophy, and human emotion. "..." Read more
"...That ruse about that statement is bit too simplified. The plot is complicated and it'll need a ton of good digging...." Read more
"...The reader feels like an actor reading from the script, preparing for the stage...." Read more
Customers find the line spacing in the book unusable. They mention there are no line numbers or footnotes, and the lines are far apart. Some also mention that the lines are slightly moved or translated elsewhere, causing gaps and blank lines.
"...For one thing, the lines are slightly moved or translated elsewhere so it caused me some troubles searching for the right dialogue if my teacher..." Read more
"It is unsuitable for students and teachers, given its lack of line numbers." Read more
"...it as a class you may want another book because this book's lines are not numbered" Read more
"...It's hard to see different speakers, and the lines are so far off that it's painful...." Read more
Reviews with images
Tiny but adorable!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2024The book is well bound and the print is small, but clear and easy to read. The play speaks for itself through all the centuries of its publication and all the thousands and thousands of productions that have flesh it out. There are excellent illustrations and it fits in my pants pocket. This is like an actual keepsake. I love carrying it around with me and to read "At Will" (pun intended).
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2025The notes really help you understand the terms and language used in the play. In addition, it is a must read classic.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2024A delightful re-reading of a magnificent piece of literature. I also recommend the contemporary “translation.” Fun to see the well known phrases that are so common in our everyday language.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2024Hamlet, and probably like other plays of Shakespeare are difficult to read. Not smooth and I would recommend an annotated version of this p!ay.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2016On a dark winter night, a ghost walks the ramparts of Elsinore Castle in Denmark. Discovered first by a pair of watchmen, then by the scholar Horatio, the ghost resembles the recently deceased King Hamlet, whose brother Claudius has inherited the throne and married the king’s widow, Queen Gertrude. When Horatio and the watchmen bring Prince Hamlet, the son of Gertrude and the dead king, to see the ghost, it speaks to him, declaring ominously that it is indeed his father’s spirit, and that he was murdered by none other than Claudius. Ordering Hamlet to seek revenge on the man who usurped his throne and married his wife, the ghost disappears with the dawn.
Prince Hamlet devotes himself to avenging his father’s death, but, because he is contemplative and thoughtful by nature, he delays, entering into a deep melancholy and even apparent madness. Claudius and Gertrude worry about the prince’s erratic behavior and attempt to discover its cause. They employ a pair of Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to watch him. When Polonius, the pompous Lord Chamberlain, suggests that Hamlet may be mad with love for his daughter, Ophelia, Claudius agrees to spy on Hamlet in conversation with the girl. But though Hamlet certainly seems mad, he does not seem to love Ophelia: he orders her to enter a nunnery and declares that he wishes to ban marriages.
A group of traveling actors comes to Elsinore, and Hamlet seizes upon an idea to test his uncle’s guilt. He will have the players perform a scene closely resembling the sequence by which Hamlet imagines his uncle to have murdered his father, so that if Claudius is guilty, he will surely react. When the moment of the murder arrives in the theater, Claudius leaps up and leaves the room. Hamlet and Horatio agree that this proves his guilt. Hamlet goes to kill Claudius but finds him praying. Since he believes that killing Claudius while in prayer would send Claudius’s soul to heaven, Hamlet considers that it would be an inadequate revenge and decides to wait. Claudius, now frightened of Hamlet’s madness and fearing for his own safety, orders that Hamlet be sent to England at once.
Hamlet goes to confront his mother, in whose bedchamber Polonius has hidden behind a tapestry. Hearing a noise from behind the tapestry, Hamlet believes the king is hiding there. He draws his sword and stabs through the fabric, killing Polonius. For this crime, he is immediately dispatched to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, Claudius’s plan for Hamlet includes more than banishment, as he has given Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sealed orders for the King of England demanding that Hamlet be put to death.
In the aftermath of her father’s death, Ophelia goes mad with grief and drowns in the river. Polonius’s son, Laertes, who has been staying in France, returns to Denmark in a rage. Claudius convinces him that Hamlet is to blame for his father’s and sister’s deaths. When Horatio and the king receive letters from Hamlet indicating that the prince has returned to Denmark after pirates attacked his ship en route to England, Claudius concocts a plan to use Laertes’ desire for revenge to secure Hamlet’s death. Laertes will fence with Hamlet in innocent sport, but Claudius will poison Laertes’ blade so that if he draws blood, Hamlet will die. As a backup plan, the king decides to poison a goblet, which he will give Hamlet to drink should Hamlet score the first or second hits of the match. Hamlet returns to the vicinity of Elsinore just as Ophelia’s funeral is taking place. Stricken with grief, he attacks Laertes and declares that he had in fact always loved Ophelia. Back at the castle, he tells Horatio that he believes one must be prepared to die, since death can come at any moment. A foolish courtier named Osric arrives on Claudius’s orders to arrange the fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes.
The sword-fighting begins. Hamlet scores the first hit, but declines to drink from the king’s proffered goblet. Instead, Gertrude takes a drink from it and is swiftly killed by the poison. Laertes succeeds in wounding Hamlet, though Hamlet does not die of the poison immediately. First, Laertes is cut by his own sword’s blade, and, after revealing to Hamlet that Claudius is responsible for the queen’s death, he dies from the blade’s poison. Hamlet then stabs Claudius through with the poisoned sword and forces him to drink down the rest of the poisoned wine. Claudius dies, and Hamlet dies immediately after achieving his revenge.
At this moment, a Norwegian prince named Fortinbras, who has led an army to Denmark and attacked Poland earlier in the play, enters with ambassadors from England, who report that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. Fortinbras is stunned by the gruesome sight of the entire royal family lying sprawled on the floor dead. He moves to take power of the kingdom. Horatio, fulfilling Hamlet’s last request, tells him Hamlet’s tragic story. Fortinbras orders that Hamlet be carried away in a manner befitting a fallen soldier.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2023As a student diving into Shakespeare's world for the first time, "Hamlet" from the Folger Library Shakespeare collection has been an absolute revelation. This edition not only provides the timeless play in its authentic form but also enriches the experience with insightful annotations and context that breathe life into the intricate language.
The character of Hamlet came alive in ways I couldn't have imagined, thanks to the meticulous footnotes that helped me navigate the language and grasp the subtle nuances. The additional materials, including essays and historical information, were like a backstage pass to the playwright's mind, enhancing my understanding of the play's depth and relevance.
Whether you're a Shakespeare novice or a seasoned enthusiast, this edition caters to all levels of readers. It's not just a book; it's a gateway to a world of tragedy, philosophy, and human emotion. "Hamlet" from the Folger Library Shakespeare collection has truly made literature come alive for me, and I can't recommend it enough for anyone seeking a transformative literary journey.
Top reviews from other countries
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Agenor Freitas JuniorReviewed in Brazil on September 28, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Avaliação do produto
Excelente produto
- Book come in very good condition and good packageReviewed in India on December 31, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Product come in very good condition
Printing and conditions of the book is really good in cost.
We all go with this.
Reasonable and good quality.
Thanks Amazon for trustworthy..
Book come in very good condition and good package
Reviewed in India on December 31, 2024
We all go with this.
Reasonable and good quality.
Thanks Amazon for trustworthy..
Images in this review -
JessicaReviewed in Spain on December 2, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Gran obra
Lectura muy recomendada
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mbowReviewed in Italy on June 23, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Piccolo gioellino
Non è un’edizione perfetta, ma nonostante tutto è un piccolo gioellino e ne consiglio l’acquisto, anche solo per collezione.
Pregi:
Copertina rigida, bel disegno in sovracopertina.
Piccolo libro, tascabile e leggero, facile da trasportare.
Doratura nel filo delle pagine.
Arricchito da piccole illustrazioni.
Presente segnalibro con classica stringa di tessuto.
Per certi versi sembra un libro d’altri tempi, per la cura di alcuni dettagli.
Difetti:
Piccolo libro, piccole pagine, piccoli i caratteri.
Pagine di buona fattura ma sottili, si nota leggermente la stampa dell’altra facciata.
Rilegatura buona, ma forse un pò ballerina.
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MarianaReviewed in Mexico on February 6, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Buen libro
Shakespeare es de los mejores dramaturgos, sin duda, y ésta es una hermosa edición de Hamlet.