Reimagining Hamlet
In the Hill Memorial Library on the Louisiana State University campus, in the Shakespeare collection resides a copy of William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. This book was published by High Wycombe, and printed exclusively for the members of the Limited Editions Club by Hague and Gill in 1933.
The Limited Editions Club was founded in 1929 by George Macy and they were located in New York. Their purpose was to publish finely made and illustrated limited editions of classic literature. There are a couple of places that have collections from the club, including for example; the Library of Congress, the Harry Ransom Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and The Nashville Public Library. This edition of Hamlet took a full two years to complete. It is considered one of the crowning achievements of the Limited Editions Club and ranks as one of the most beautifully illustrated Hamlets of all time. Only 1500 copies of this version was made. This book had been purchased and owned by an American. This item was acquired for Hill Memorial Library through bid in an auction. The item is semi-rare for it is one out of fifteen hundred copies, but does not fetch a price higher than $200 to $300 max.
The name “Hamlet” is carved into the spine of the book. The front and back covers have carved illustrations designed by Eric Gill. The front cover has an etching of most likely the ghost of the deceased king of Denmark, Hamlet’s father. The back cover has an etching of a wolf and a tree that seems perhaps to be the family seal of an imaginary noble Nordic family, similar to Hamlet’s royal Danish family. The overall exterior appearance of the book is relaxed due to the texture of the pigskin that covers the book. The book is not large enough to diminish portability, and is light enough to be carried on one’s person, unlike other larger collections of Shakespeare’s plays. Because of the frayed edges of the book’s pages, the book appears older than it actually is. The uneven binding of the pages makes it look more personal and intimate for the reader. However, the interior of the book is even more impressive than the exterior of the book.
The Norse-style illustrations within the book depict several of the more dramatic scenes of the play in a very elaborate and detailed fashion. The pages around the illustrations feature watermark signatures of the illustrator. Pages of play are framed with large margins without annotations from publisher, although there is a brief introduction at the beginning of the book.
For the final project, our group chose an edition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet from 1933 by the Limited Editions Club. Our creative interpretation focuses on the story of Hamlet and how it parallels the major themes and characters of Game of Thrones. By presenting this classic story in a manner that appeals to a more modern audience, we hope to reach a wide variety of people who might not have considered studying Shakespeare otherwise. Our final product will be a list of Hamlet and Game of Thrones characters and their relation to one another, as well as pictures that highlight their likenesses.
Hamlet will be represented by Daenerys Targaryen, as they are both ambitious children of murdered kings in pursuit of their rightful place on the throne. Revenge is a persisting theme in both of their lives, and shapes them as characters throughout their stories.
Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle and his father’s murderer, will be represented by Petyr Baelish. Both use manipulation to achieve selfish goals, which is notable because neither relies on brute strength or physical power. They represent a different villain –one that is perhaps even scarier than the stereotypical antagonist. They possess intelligence and wit, and are excellent players in the “game” of power.
Hamlet’s murdered father appears as a ghost in the play, but will be represented by Ned Stark. Though he never haunts his children in the series, the similarities between Ned and King Hamlet are remarkable. Both loved their families, both were noble in their pursuits. What is most striking, however, is their commitment to what is right. Just as Ned is dedicated to finding the rightful king of Westeros, King Hamlet is adamant in his pursuit for justice.
Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, will be represented by Cersei Lannister. Both are queens renowned for scandals regarding incest, be it biological or symbolic. These instances of incest give rise to the main dramatic plot in each story, suggesting that both queens possess more power than what the reader initially perceives.
Ophelia, Hamlet’s lover, will be represented by Sansa Stark. Both are lovesick princesses with relatively simple desires. Both want to marry the men they love, but are impeded by the terrible situations at hand. Amidst scandal, neither can find happiness, and both are directly affected. Like Ophelia, Sansa has a tragic story in which she learns that the man she loves is not who he once seemed.
Polonius, Ophelia’s father, will be represented by Stannis Baratheon. Both are notable for their struggles as fathers. Neither knows exactly how to handle their daughters, and the result is the daughters’ early deaths. Both are reserved and misguided in their actions.
Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, will be represented by Brienne of Tarth. Both are fiercely loyal and renowned for their fighting skills. Additionally, both possess a commitment to restoring order. They are two of the only characters in either story that have unselfish intentions. Both work towards justice and vengeance.
Hamlet’s best friend Horatio will be represented by Davos. Just as Horatio is one of Hamlet’s few loyal comrades, Davos is Stannis’s most faithful knight. They are quick to do whatever their friend asks of them, even if it is morally wrong. They are both dedicated and protective of their kings.
Marcellus will be represented by Jorah Mormont. Marcellus is a sentry that tells Hamlet of his father’s ghost. Though he is not a major character, and though he is largely ignored by Hamlet throughout the play, he is loyal to who he believes is the rightful king. Similarly, Jorah is loyal to Daenerys despite her mistreating him and ignoring his advice at times.
Fortinbras, a prince on a mission to reclaim his father’s lost land, will be represented by Robb Stark, a prince on a mission to reclaim the throne he believes belonged to his father. Both are obstacles to Hamlet and Daenerys, and both act in the names of their fathers. They are both skilled leaders and war commanders.
A collection of pictures will work to represent each of these characters and their counterparts. In the end, these depictions will help encapsulate some of the key features of each character as well as the themes of both stories. These prevailing themes serve the purpose of drawing a direct link between stories of the past and the stories of today. Some plots work well, and many are often reused to gain attention and notoriety. This is the conclusion we want people to come to when they see our creative interpretation of Hamlet.
The link below is to a Prezi our group designed that includes the pictures of Hamlet characters and their Game of Thrones counterparts.