Word: hamlets
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...fall of 1983, and my mom was already deeply immersed in her classes, teaching Shakespeare to 10th and 12th graders. Her leather bag was stuffed with copies of "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet" and "King Lear." I remember wondering, as I reached for the bright yellow booklet, what my mom, an inveterate and notoriously demanding teacher, would want with what were commonly known as "cheater books...
...There were, of course, instances where a question would slip through the cracks. Maybe a new edition of the Cliffs Notes for "Hamlet" had passed under my mom?s radar. Maybe two pages of her "Henry V" notes got stuck together. Whatever the reason, there were occasional lapses; a quiz might allude to one of Shylock?s character traits - and one or two vigilant (and stubbornly optimistic) students might recognize the description from a passage in their Cliffs Notes. The odds of a slip-up weren?t good at all - but that may have made victory twice as sweet...
...himself probably would have cheered my mom?s diligence. He meant the books to be study guides, not substitutes. This guy probably understood better than anyone the unique and transforming power of great literature. Cliff sat in his study contemplating the books his company would eventually summarize, beginning with "Hamlet," his first project. (Not exactly an endeavor for the weak of heart: Can you, off the top of your head, discuss the emotional bond between Laertes and Ophelia? Cliff probably could...
...Horatio), is believable and communicates well Horatio’s duplicity of character through his changes in expression and mannerism. Sarah L. Thomas ’04, (in several roles), is another asset to the production. Her portrayal of Ophelia is remarkable; during the scene in which Hamlet confronts Ophelia, she conveys fear and hysteria, while managing to shed some tears! Among her other roles, minor characters like Guildenstern and a sailor, Thomas’ impeccable timing and ability to express a flaky personality add to the comic relief incorporated into the play...
This counterfeit Hamlet is further strengthened by Funke’s additions and changes, making it interesting to see what would happen next. His coup de grace was definitely an altered version of the scene where Claudius is praying and confessing his sins and Hamlet is trying to decide whether to kill him then or wait. In Funke’s adaptation, both Horatio and Claudius are praying, confessing to similar sins. Though the text is very close to Shakespeare’s, Horatio and Claudius alternate lines and occasionally speak at the same time. The effect is both interesting...