Should Hamlet Still Be Taught In Schools Today?

Hamlet is William Shakespeare's iconic tragedy of a young royal whose deterioration ultimately results in his death. This play was written in the sixteenth century in a language difficult to understand today, in the midst of an anti-feminist society, and is set on a stage of challenging themes. Such a play should be outdated and undeserving of the frequent screen and stage adaptions it receives—definitely unworthy of study. Yet, its popularity is astounding; Hamlet is considered a literary masterpiece and is taught in schools around the globe. This speech will examine the source of this popularity, and through inspection of the treatment of women, themes and language explain why Hamlet should still be taught in schools today. Hamlet was

Hamlet's words "Frailty, thy name is woman" seemingly express a misogynistic view frowned upon heavily in today's society, and many have argued Shakespeare's view of women in a negative capacity. These opinions can be challenged, however, because against the backdrop of a heavily patriarchal society, Shakespeare created one of his arguably most interesting and powerful female characters (Nicole Smith, 2012.); Gertrude, the Queen of Denmark. An surprising yet striking justification is that Gertrude's power and influence, uncharacteristic for Shakespearian times, rests in her "ability to create upheaval." (Rogers, W. 2009). She is the driving force for both the political instability of the play and Hamlet's mental deterioration. The King's death and her subsequent, hasty marriage to Claudius caused an abrupt shift in power, in turn serving as a catalyst for rage and grief

O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Hamlet's soliloquy captures the numb exhaustion and ennui of grief perfectly, and editor and author Megan O'Rourke labels the play as one of "the best expressions of grief."
"Grief, Shakespeare understands, is a social experience," she continues. Hamlet is surrounded by people who do not share his woe, and who offer insights to the inevitability of death—"all that lives must die"—instead of empathy. Hamlet, of course, is famous for its treatment of death, showcasing it in its facets as a mystery (the ghost of Hamlet's father), unavoidable and finally peaceful ("the rest is silence"). A thorough resource on the human themes of death and mourning, Hamlet should be studied for the relatable and real way it portrays human themes; having an understanding of such themes is important, as every human being will experience it. Grief remains the same, isolated and raw; 400 years after the tragedy first moved an audience, Shakespeare is