The most recent adaptation of Hamlet which I am familiar with is 2014 Bollywood movie Haider which was a critical and commercial success. Although many people might have heard of this Shakespearean play but movie adaptations by mainstream media is often why contents of this play is brought to the attention of larger audience. The Reading community, however is probably well-versed with this due to its popularity and its character-driven nature.
The story allows readers and viewers explore psychological process behind hate, revenge and murder which is what makes it captivating and engaging. The very genre that it belongs to guarantees its evergreen success since tragic stories tend to resonate better with people as it tends to focus on character’s suppressed emotions and desires. For instance, In the story Ophelia’s desire to be with Prince Hamlet are suppressed by her own people which subsequently make her mad and eventually leads to her death.
“To be or not to be”
“To be or not to be”, is one of the most quoted phrases in the English language whether to die or to avenge his father’s death. His hesitancy in killing King Claudius is what makes this play more aligned with the modern thinking. Throughout the play Prince hamlet is unable to kill Claudius despite provided with several opportunities due to his self-preservation and unwillingness to lose his morality. This causes an inner turmoil in him as he is torn in between choosing to avenge his father or retain his morality.
Conclusion
Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects about this story is Prince Hamlet’s character development. From being virtuous at the beginning of the play to ultimately avenging his father, the character sheds off his humanity in the course of the play. By the end of the play, he has no remorse whatsoever in killing off innocent people in his way to reach his goal. Hence, due to its various psychological interpretations, the play despite being 400 years-old has not lost its charm and continues to puzzle people around the globe
