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April 26, 2008 at 18:22:52

Hamlet Adaptation (Act 1, Scene 2)

by john de herrera Page 1 of 5 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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ACT 1, SCENE 2

                                   (Enter CLAUDIUS, GERTRUDE and council,
                                   including VOLTEMAND, CORNELIUS,
                                   POLONIUS, LAERTES, and HAMLET.)

                                   CLAUDIUS
            Even though the death of King Hamlet is still present in our
            minds, we must carry on. We must remember our
            responsibilities as royals, and our duty to the kingdom. The
            Queen and I have taken the lot life has presented and played
            it in an attempt to benefit us all. To benefit and fortify
            us in this time of war. It's bittersweet to be sure, but we
            are to live it and move forward. Young Fortinbras presumes
            we're preoccupied and disjointed, and he's gathering
            mercenaries, planning to attempt to retake what his father
            lost--what King Hamlet rightfully won. (Taking out a
            document) We've written to the bedridden King of Norway
            asking him to block his nephew from proceeding any further.
            Cornelius, Voltemand, take this notice, and take it quickly.

                                   CORNELIUS & VOLTEMAND
            Yes my lord.

                                   CLAUDIUS
            A hearty farewell to you.

                                   (Cornelius and Voltemand bow and exit.)

                                   CLAUDIUS
                          (to Laertes)
            And now Laertes, what is your request? The head couldn't be
            more closely related to the heart, nor the hand more
            instrumental to the mouth, as your father is to the throne.
            There's nothing reasonable you could request that will not be
            granted. What is your wish?

                                   LAERTES
            My lord, I would like permission to return to where I came
            from. I willingly came to Denmark to show my duty to your
            coronation, and with that done, my thoughts and desires bend
            back to France.

                                   CLAUDIUS
            And you have your father's blessings? Polonius, what do you
            say?

                                   POLONIUS
            He's pleaded with me, and of course I'd rather have him near,
            but please, grant him leave to go.

                                   CLAUDIUS
            Very well. Enjoy yourself Laertes, off to France with you.

                                   (Laertes bows and exits.)

                                   CLAUDIUS (CONT'D)
            And now, Hamlet, my cousin, my son--

                                   HAMLET
                          (as an aside)
            A little more than kin, and less than kind.

                                   CLAUDIUS
            How is it that the clouds still hang on you?

                                   HAMLET
            Not so my lord, I'm too much in the sun.

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8 comments

Geezer with a 3-stage life (so far): birth to 26, USA; 26-56, Scotland; 56 to present, France. Background: South, then New York (Bronxville H.S.), USMC corporal, BA in English from Chapel Hill, 2nd degree (M.Ed.) Edinburgh University, thirty-year teaching career in Scotland, retired to France in '93. Boy and girl, one in the US, the other in London, five grandchildren, second wife, no religion. 1st activism: anti-racist picketing in N.Carolina '60-'61; B...

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Scott GriffithGeezer with a 3-stage life (so far): birth to 26, USA; 26-56, Scotland; 56 to present, France. Background: South, then New York (Bronxville H.S.), USMC corporal, BA in English from Chapel Hill, 2nd degree (M.Ed.) Edinburgh University, thirty-year teaching career in Scotland, retired to France in '93. Boy and girl, one in the US, the other in London, five grandchildren, second wife, no religion. 1st activism: anti-racist picketing in N.Carolina '60-'61; B...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Shakespeare and US schooling

Good work. Not the original, but not bad. Yet, how, tell us, is schooling in the US to progress - as you seem to wish it would - in the face of puritanisms like 'c*ck' and grammar like 'hopefully'? Keep trying.

by Scott Griffith (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 18 comments) on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 3:07:32 PM

Writer from California
john de herreraWriter from California

well....

the puritanism is because the oped site does not allow the word, thus i had to modify.

as far as u.s. public education, i believe the only hope of properly funding it would be to enshrine such into the constitution. pretty difficult task. if you get a chance, check my next op-ed piece. i attempt to make the case on how such can be done. or visit these two websites if you have time.

http://www.articlev.org

http://www.foavc.org

thanks for commenting on this. i've been told by high school students that they read all the way through my adaptations, so that's saying something, and that's my goal--to make the drama easily accessible.

by john de herrera (34 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 148 comments) on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 3:52:35 PM

Wolfie

MY DEAR JOHN LETTER.

Tis so simple that I had it within my grasp sooner than the cock crows!

Take a que from the great Bialystock. Sell shares of your wonderful

adaptation of Homelotte. The yeggs will be there sooner than you could yell

"Gertrude is a slut".

By selling a small amount of percentages to your etude in the amount of

two hundred ten thousand percent, you will have amassed the sum

required by the doabs and the S E C.

Wolfie says that "I am the herdy Gerdie man singing a song of love!'

pardon me Donovan and McNabb.

by Wolfie (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 31 diaries, 1189 comments) on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 6:30:04 PM

Writer from California
john de herreraWriter from California

wow

that's a lot to think about. thanks for taking the time to comment. watch, everything i do, is for consciousness like you. like me. we are not alone.

by john de herrera (34 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 148 comments) on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 8:45:41 PM

I'm a college English teacher working on my dissertation. I am an anime junkie and a Shakespeare scholar, a voracious reader and a political rebel.
Debbie ScallyI'm a college English teacher working on my dissertation. I am an anime junkie and a Shakespeare scholar, a voracious reader and a political rebel.

What about the Bard?

Nicely done adaptation so far, but it raises some questions. I teach Shakespeare (he is my favorite writer), and I find it disturbing that students rely so much on No Fear Shakespeare and Sparknotes and other "dumbed down" versions of Will's words. Hamlet, in particular, contains so many phrases of Shakespeare's that have become familiar expressions in our language. How can any adaptation convey that to a student? I think it is important to read it the way he wrote it and struggle a little with the language, because any adaptation, even the good ones, are incapable of representing the wit and intelligence behind Shakespeare's use of the English language, and he was a master wordsmith. I do applaud your effort, and it is nice to hear that students read your version, but I've found that they are just as capable of translating and understanding the actual text.

by Debbie Scally (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 52 comments) on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 10:57:12 PM

Writer from California
john de herreraWriter from California

...

the drama of the story is more important than the phrases, at this point at least. it's dynamic. i want the story for those who have a vague notion of it, and best i can, i'll float the wisdom. where i can recount a phrase of course i will. i try and retain exact words where i can. thanks for your comment, i'm happy to hear others.

by john de herrera (34 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 148 comments) on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 11:20:40 PM