Introduction
for parents and teachers
Both today, with
the world at the edge of a cliff, and when the story of prince Hamlet first saw
the light at the hand of William Shakespeare four hundred years ago, the
promises to man, the lies that feed false hope, are on human lips. So, now as
in then, the uncomfortable presence of the non-conformist and indomitable
Danish prince becomes essential; especially when we talk about a literary menu
of a youth who barely understands the tides of the world they sail.
This adaptation is
a risky choice. Mainly because the immortal English drama wasn´t written for
the teenage public. What interest could the young reader have in the complex
plots that are woven around the death of a king at the hands of his brother?
How can we justify the validity of Hamlet in educational terms? The answers
will come to us after observing the society we live in. Let the world we will
leave for the young to inherit talk.
So the new marriage
of widow Gertrude, mother of prince Hamlet, the abuse and corruption of the
powerful –personified in the traitorous brother– and the internal debate into
which our main character is pushed –divided between tolerating evil or fighting
it– is nutrient-filled material for a teenage community that must become aware
of the ruins they walk in.
The familiarity
with these conflicts is where we can find the educational motivation; because
the story solidly shows, through Hamlet´s exemplary commitment to his
conscience, what is the attitude of someone who appreciates truth and justice.
Because this is what the story is about, the appreciation of nobility, truth
and justice, the substantial ingredients that make up people with integrity who
don´t tolerate submission to a power that is deceitful, that runs over and
abuses without any mercy.
To all this we must
add an extremely important detail that usually goes unnoticed: the death of the
noble king is caused by introducing poison into his ear. It is the perfect
allegory to express the risks of listening –and believing– what is not true,
what is harmful; that which is said to subdue the listener´s determining will,
in order to paralyze his/her critical spirit until his/her conscience is dead.
In short, the
tragedy of the British bard, is still highly recommended for different reasons
for young people and adults, after four hundred years.
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