The Academy Of Denmark

If I was told to put the story of Hamlet into a different time and place I would envision it some time in the 21st century, when Hamlet has graduated from high school and is leaving for collage. Characters such as Hamlet, Ophelia, Barnardo and Francisco, Horatio, Marcellus Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and other like them would all be recently graduated students from the Academy of Denmark, the most prestigious high school in the nation generating hundreds of thousands in revenue every year. Ophelia, being Hamlets high school sweetheart has even decided to follow Hamlet to the collage of his dreams so that they could be together. But Laertes being the protective older brother and star quarterback he is an object of Hamlet and their relation ship. The whole city knows of Hamlet and everything involved in their lives because everyone who is anyone has graduated from this academy. The story would begin with Hamlet opening the door to the dorm room of the collage of his dreams. As he steps in, he receives a call, a call that would lead to a set tragic of events, a call that his father, founder and dean of the Academy of Denmark has passed away. With the call comes news that his mother will be wed within hours to his uncle, Claudius and that he being the next in line will ascend the “throne” and become dean of the academy. And so the story would begin.
Act 1 Scene 1
As Bernardo and Francisco, two rebellious, troublesome brothers, empty their lockers and prepare to leave for collage they encounter their old friends Horatio and Marcellus. They all decide to take one last walk though memory lane on the beautiful campus of the academy and reminisce over all the mischievous things they did which resulted in suspensions received in the dean’s office. As they begin their walk a gust passes over them, minutes later the silhouette or a man passes before them and as they turn the corner the boys find the deceased dean of school standing before them saying “Fear what is to come, for we are all in trouble.”
And Scene.

The First Glance at Hamlet

Hamlet is yet another play written by the renown, William Shakespeare.  The play begins with the sighting of a ghostly figure resembling the recently deceased king. This story continues by introducing the people who will later become the main characters of the play. By the end of Act 1 Scene 2, Shakespeare has introduced Claudius, the new king, Gertrude, the queen, and of course, the prince of Denmark, Hamlet himself.
As I just stated, Hamlet’s father, also known as King Hamlet has recently passed away.  His now widowed mother, Gertrude, has remarried less than a month after her husband’s death. Not only has she been quick to betray her late husband by remarrying, but she also continues to insult his legacy by being pledged to the king’s own brother, Claudius.

My first impression of Hamlet was that of a man lost and in pain. Hamlet seems to be furious with the world and more importantly his family. As Hamlet morns his father’s death, his mother continues to celebrate her marriage to Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle. His mother questions him for wearing such dark clothing, or as Shakespeare says a “knighted color” (1.2.70).  Hamlet responds by saying that it is customary to wear “suits of solemn black” (1.2.81) when in mourning. Saying that she too should be continuing to mourn the death of her husband. Shakespeare emphasizes this dark clothing to show Hamlet’s depression and sadness over his father’s death while his mother celebrates her marriage by wearing “inky cloth” (1.2.80). Gertrude has betrayed both the late king and Hamlet.  Hamlet is clearly suffering from his mother’s marriages and feels abandoned but he does not display this to his mother or the king. Once Hamlet is alone and his inner thoughts are revealed, we can finally see his true reaction to this unusual circumstance. Hamlet is in shock that his mother can so easily disregard his father’s death and their marriage. He wishes that she had never remarried, let alone married another member of their family. Although Hamlet is going through such great pain and suffering he does not express this frustration with his mother. He says that he must “hold [his] tongue” (1.2.164) to avoid any further heartache which may be revealed as the play progresses.