Hamlet Z - A Revision of Hamlet (Hard as that is to Believe)

[Arcadian]

I recently found something on Amazon that I'm fascinated by, a revision of Hamlet called "Hamlet Z". The writer has amplified the supernatural element already present in Hamlet, setting up a situation where the murder of the king and incestuous marriage has disrupted the natural order and so all over the world the dead are rising and descending on Denmark, for what reason no one can say.

But the amazing thing about it is (other than the fact that the writer had the steely nerve to attempt such a thing), the writer has written this in the same blank verse that Shakespeare used, and the new material blends really seamlessly with the original. Here's an excerpt as an example:

"Aye, 'twas conjunct with the passing of the King
That first the dead arose to feast.
As if Heaven and Hell, in joint revolt
At marriage and wake so brazen conjoined,
The dead did vomit up, and violate the Logos
That did separate the Light from Dark, ordain
The ebb and surge of tides, and decree
The circumscriptions of the spheres themselves—
The disordering of the divine prescription,
The broken clockwork of God's device.
If such calamity adhered to my father's demise
And the taboo coupling of siblings by vow,
This rise of the lifeless, the unsouled, the damned,
Why then, what response to the fruit of their union—
My dear changeling sister, or brother—oh fie!
But the Earth sudden cease its fretful spin,
And cast us all off to the stars—the stars!"

The whole thing reads like some kind of mirror universe version of Hamlet that fell through some quantum crack. The revisions weave in and out of the original plotline in a very intriguing way (I particularly liked the gravedigger scene, completely rewritten and very funny), and I like how some of the motivations that are mysterious in the original are clarified in this version (an example I was talking about in a previous post is Hamlet attending the climactic duel, in this version hoping to have a chance to stab the King, knowing that he's delayed his revenge too long and will never get another chance to be armed in the King's presence again...it makes sense).

It's available on Amazon, and you can read the first two scenes free in the preview: http://www.amazon.com/Hamlet-Z-ebook...9503437&sr=8-2 . Definitely worth a look to anyone who enjoys Shakespeare.

[Miss Plum]

Yikes, when I read

Moderate thy tone, lest thy watch anon be like fallen dove by ants beswarmed

it was like screeching brakes.

[Charles Darnay]

I cannot tolerate such pieces. granted I started reading this with a sense of skepticism, but I tried to be as open-minded as possible...but this is just awful. I get the appeal of re-writing Shakespeare, and sometimes it can work - but not like this.

[Arcadian]

Sorry you guys didn't like it. I really enjoyed it, but I can understand how it wouldn't be for everyone and I respect your opinions.

I like that line personally, metaphorically the idea of the peace of the watch being disrupted by a swarm of these things worked for me. I got the kindle version and have read the whole play, and that line resonates in terms of the overall structure. If you hate the idea of the dead rising as presented here, then you aren't going to get into this. But in terms of theme, I was engaged. I liked how Hamlet adopting, as part of his "antic disposition", the guise of the undead was a metaphor for his suspension between action and reflection, his paralysis between poles.

And yes, I really did like the writing. I can't help but love a line like "Our forges fly embers to midnight's embrace".