Prepare for Hamlet

    by | Jan 15, 2016 | Education Resources, Shakespeare for Kids by Kids

    Prepare For HAMLET

    | by Andee Kinzy |

    Here, at ImprovEd Shakespeare, we firmly believe you should get to know the story before jumping into a Shakespeare play. Therefore, in honor of our spring production, we want to share some resources with you.

    YouTube

    If you like YouTube, then we have a playlist on our channel. While you are there, subscribe, and check out our original videos. In the meantime, for more information, click Studies: Hamlet.

    [the_ad id=”4426″]

    For a short written summary

    • No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet – This website devotes itself to making the Bard of Avon less fearsome. Moreover, it has a useful modern translation alongside the original text. Although many Shakespeare academics barf at the modern paraphrasing, at the same time, however, that inflexibility makes some of us grin.
    • Shmoop – Hamlet – Okay, some families will find this site agreeable, while others less so. In this case, Shmoop is very tongue-in-cheek. There are lots of subjective observations inserted into the summary. Additionally, a few “older” annotations also exist, for example, “PITA” and “WTF?” However, it’s entertaining for a quick overview of the story. And, yes, Shakespeare academics barf at this too.
    More Short Summaries
    • Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb – So, this is an old as well as an old-fashioned book. In fact, the link above connects to one of those publishers who reproduced the out-of-print classics. We’re a bit annoyed because this particular publisher omits Mary Lamb’s name from the cover. To put it another way, it’s totally lame! Anyway, the book contains longer synopses of multiple plays, but with antiquated phrasing. Therefore, some Kids enjoy it, whereas others don’t. You might be able to find one of the older versions used. Or, you can read it online for free. Click on the link above to view it. – Hamlet
    • Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare by E. Nesbit – Another old-fashioned distribution, plus the printing situation, is similar to Lamb’s book described previously. Nesbit’s version is slightly more modernized than the Lamb version. And, it’s online for free too. The link is above. – Hamlet
    • Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield – Although out-of-print, you can, however, find a used copy on Amazon or even at your local library.
    • Tales From Shakespeare by Tina Packer – Another out-of-print presswork, but you can also find a used edition on Amazon, and again, at your local library.

    For alternative versions

    Entire play

    • MIT has all of Shakespeare’s works available for free online – Hamlet
    • Or visit your local library! As to the editions or publishers? It’s up to you, but:
      • No Fear Shakespeare: – Hamlet (No Fear Shakespeare) – As we said above, we like No Fear for younger readers. Some people hate it because they feel the paraphrasing is inadequate. But, we think it’s highly readable if you quickly want the gist of the story.
      • Arden Shakespeare Hamlet (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series) – Many actors like the footnotes found in the Arden editions.
      • Hamlet (Folger Library Shakespeare) – Quite a few readers enjoy the annotation plus layout of the Folger editions. Additionally, many high schools use this edition.
      • Simply Shakespeare Hamlet – Similar to No Fear, this is a modern translation including the side-by-side with the original verse.

    Film versions

    • Hamlet (1996) – Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet – PG13
    • Hamlet (1990) – Mel Gibson’s Hamlet – PG
    • Ethan Hawke’s 2000 Hamlet is rated R.
    • Hamlet – Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet -NR (1948)
    • Hamlet (2009) – For Dr. Who fans, David Tennant is in the BBC’s film adaptation of Hamlet for the RSC.

    CONCLUSION

    Finally, a short note about modern translations. Although serious Shakespeare academics and scholars feel that starting Kids off with these versions is abhorrent, we disagree. At ImprovEd Shakespeare, we appreciate those fresh interpretations. In fact, we view them as a jumping-off point. For example, sometimes, you come across a phrase that just doesn’t make sense. Without being immersed in Shakespeare’s language, it can be hard to understand. A current rendering helps a-plenty. In other words, it helps you to appreciate the beauty of Shakespeare’s words.

    In any case, there’s no one right way to approach Shakespeare. Indeed, the trick is to find what works for you.

    We hope these resources are helpful to get you started on your journey with this play!

    Performance

    Each fall and spring, ImprovEd Shakespeare develops a new production for live performance. In honor of the traditional Renaissance traveling troupe, during a period of a few weeks, we present Kid-friendly plays at various venues around town. Our Players, between 3rd-11th grade, gear themselves with playful, as well as engaging interpretations of works by the Bard of Avon. Suitable for all ages, each performance runs for about an hour.

    Furthermore, these shows are always FREE. However, we gladly accept Donations! Additionally, visit ImprovEd Shakespeare, Shakespeare for Kids by Kids on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. And don’t forget to click on our BLOG for the stories behind these videos.