Customer Reviews

Shakespeare's Hamlet (Cliffs Complete)

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This book is the essential resource for anyone who wants to understand Hamlet. I eagerly recommend it to students from 8th grade to master's level, and to anyone who plans to teach this play. This text contains the complete original play, expert commentary, and very useful additional resources. Dr. Mategrano has done a thorough job of explaining the play, providing historical, theatrical, social, and religious background information. Explanations are provided to such crucial questions as why Hamlet, the dead king's only son, did not automatically become the reigning monarch. I found the section on the status of women to be especially insightful into the behavior of Gertrude and Ophelia. Anyone who teaches, studies or attends a performance of Hamlet will benefit greatly from having read this text.

This book is a great way to make it through Hamlet and actually understand it! The sidenotes really help wtih the vocab, and at the end of each chapter is a commentary that pieces everything together so it totally makes sense.

This book is a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to read the actual text of Shakespeare's Hamlet, including those who won't typically venture into the realm of Shakespeare. The book contains the actual text of the play, as well as an extensive introduction that discusses the history of Shakespeare and his times and brief history of Hamlet itself. Each scene starts with a brief summary of its contents, which keys the reader into what they are about to read, and the thought-provoking analysis at the end of each scene helps the reader digest and more fully understand what they just read.

The real strength of this book, however, is the translation of the less common phrases on the same page as the text. The glossary allows the reader to quickly understand more obscure phrases in the context of the play without losing their place, pace, or rhythm. The glossary makes this version of Hamlet shine and it makes the play accessible to all readers. I found that I was learning phrases and getting more used to Shakespeare's language as the play progressed, so I didn't need to refer to the glossary as often near the end of the play.

Finally, although relatively simple, the index is a huge resource. I read the play for a class, and the index made flipping to a particular scene much easier. Looking up "Laertes, Apology from Hamlet" (or "Hamlet, Apology to Laertes") is far easier than trying to recall the act, scene, and line of a particular event.

Whether for education or pleasure, this is an excellent resource and a huge help for anyone who wants to read and understand Hamlet. Highly recommended.

the book was new and it arrived on time. I like the book also and it was cheap, I think it was totally worth it.