Shakespeare: Hamlet

Aimed at students of all levels, this series provides a companion to key works of world literature. This volume attempts to take a fresh look at Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Hamlet's status as a tragic hero and the central enigma of delayed revenge.

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Paul Cantor provides a new and clearly structured introduction to Shakespeare's most famous tragedy. Hamlet's status as tragic hero and the central enigma of the delayed revenge are seen in the light of the play's historical place in the Renaissance at the crossroads of the Christian and the classical traditions. The dramatic and poetic techniques used in the play are discussed, and a final chapter deals with the uniquely varied reception of Hamlet on the stage and in literature generally, from the seventeenth century to the present day.