Shakespeare: Hamlet

by John Davies Jump (Editor)

This invaluable book includes a selection of early criticism and a wide range of informative essays from critics of the last twenty years. Contributors Ernest Jones, Wolfgang H. Clemen, D.G. James, Maynard Mack, H.D.F.Kitto, T.S. Eliot, Harry Levin, Helen Gardner, L.C.Knights, John Holloway, Patrick Cruttwell and Jan Kott.

211 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nightschool classes while on shift work were problematic. I couldn’t go when working “afters” (every other week, and often when working mornings I’d either fall asleep when I got back home or some mate or other would lure me “down the pub” or “the union". I relied heavily on MacMillan casebook studies for Hamlet, Gerald Manly Hopkins, Jane Austen, Chaucer and whatever else was on the A level syllabus in 79.
Got a good grade so it must have worked and that went on to open a lot of doors later on. Eventually freed me from shift work and, even worse, split-shift work. (But not for another couple of years).

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75 Sterne
Mehr Humor und spannender als erwartet

[Fred Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some great essays here and some not so great, but overall it's useful (though, of course, dated by now). Reading criticism from the 18th and 19th centuries is kind of fun. It's also interesting to read the 20th century critics debating each other, starting with T. S. Eliot's famously crabby essay on the play from 1919.

[Lysergius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the thing for Higher English!

[David Kowalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb scholarship. A great summary of early opinions as well as presentation of mid 20th century analysis. Particularly enjoyed Mack and Kott’s contributions.

[Victoria Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

That's a bit much to digest in a couple sittings. My brain is a little fried.

[Sannie Hald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of Hamlet criticism

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

some essays obviously better than others. What surprised me was the certainty with which some of the essays asserted their ideas, most of which were objective points of view.