Thoughts on Hamlet

Being a pretty avid Shakespeare fan (I own the giant "completed works" book with the gold pages that weighs about two hundred pounds), I have to say this play is still probably pretty high on my favorites list. My favorite tragedy would be King Leer, favorite comedy would be Midsummer's Night Dream, and my favorite history would be Cleopatra and Antony, just in case you wanted to know.

I actually really liked Hamlet. I had read it before in my freshman year of high school, so it was nice to visit it again. I definitely had much more appreciation for the absurdity of the play. For some reason I didn't remember the scene with Yorick's scull. It really caught be my surprise the second time around.  

I, however, don't really see the supposed incest in Hamlet. I don't understand how the queen, Gertrude, being married to her brother-in-law is considered incest. It doesn't make sense to me! They aren't related at all! (Well, by marriage, but I still don't think that counts as incest). And I do agree that Hamlet and Gertrude have a pretty close relationship, but I think things were different back then. I think it was a little more acceptable for a mother and son to have a close relationship. They never do anything together, and absolutely nothing happens in the infamous bedroom scene. (Besides some lewd jokes. But what Shakespeare play doesn't have some lewd jokes???)

Although, I think I understand why Hamlet delays, and it's not because he's a wimp. I think he is simply confused. A ghost claiming to be his dad tells him to kill his uncle. I don't think I would have jumped right on that. It really was a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't situation. If Hamlet kills his uncle, and he was innocent, Hamlet screws himself over. But if he doesn't kill his uncle, he's also screwed. I don't blame the guy for waiting! That's a confusing, difficult situation!!!