Hamlet or Macbeth, that is the question...

[Joan in GE]

My dh studied Hamlet in high school, while I studied Macbeth.

 

I understand (from books and my dh) that Hamlet is more famous and has more famous quotes. He thinks my teacher was just tired of Hamlet.

 

Would there be any good reason to choose to do Macbeth over Hamlet? My literature study ended in high school, but I would like to be able to explain to ds the comparison and condoning of one over the other apart from "Hamlet is basically about revenge and Macbeth about ambition".

 

Any Shakespeare lovers have time to explain?

 

Thanks,

Joan

[Jane in NC]

Oh, do both! Or draw a name from a hat since I think both plays have their merits.

 

Joan, dear. I miss seeing you around the boards! I was just thinking this morning that I need to contact you.

 

Hugs,

Jane

[Lori D.]

Just my opinion, but I think Macbeth is especially "teen boy-friendly", high-interest, and immediate, with blood, witches, battles, fate vs. choice, ambition, etc. In some ways, it connects much more with what kids see in history and politics today!

 

Hamlet is more adult with all that angst-ridden "should-I-or-shouldn't-I-act" internal struggle -- that is also interesting, but less action and more internal, and more of a mid-life concept. Both have large numbers of famous quotations, so I wouldn't use that as your final factor in deciding. ;)

 

Brightest Heaven of Invention by Peter Leithart covers both -- perhaps get your hands on a copy of this great Christian guide to 6 of Shakespeare's plays and read about both plays and see which way you want to go. (Even going over the free guides for each at http://www.sparknotes.com might help you decide.)

 

Either way, though, you win when you read Shakespeare. (lol!) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[In The Great White North]

Just my opinion, but I think Macbeth is especially "teen boy-friendly", high-interest, and immediate, with blood, witches, battles, fate vs. choice, ambition, etc. In some ways, it connects much more with what kids see in history and politics today!

 

Hamlet is more adult with all that angst-ridden "should-I-or-shouldn't-I-act" internal struggle -- that is also interesting, but less action and more internal, and more of a mid-life concept. Both have large numbers of famous quotations, so I wouldn't use that as your final factor in deciding. ;)

 

 

:iagree: MacBeth is often a 9th grade assignment, while Hamlet is usually 12th grade

[Guest Katia]

Not that this will sway you, but I just asked my 17yo dd if she had to choose one which would it be (she studied both last year), and she immediately said, "Hamlet".

 

Why? She said the Macbeth story is just so, so, whereas Hamlet is a better story with deeper and more complex characters. In Hamlet, things are not always as they seem to be.

 

So, there you have her opinion for whatever it is worth. :001_smile:

[Kim in Appalachia]

but I would say Hamlet. I think Hamlet is more of a mystery. Is Hamlet really crazy? Is he correct in his suspicions? Who is telling the truth? How can you be sure? It is a great story. Macbeth is more staight forward, but also excellent. :001_smile: Maybe you read Hamlet and watch Macbeth (the version with Dame Judy Dench and Ian McKellian :D. My kids yelled, hey, it's Gandolf!)

[Laura Corin]

I'm going with Hamlet because I think the personality of the central character will appeal more to Calvin.

 

Laura

[Carol in Cal.]

I did Macbeth with DD this year--she is 13. It was great for her, but she already knew the story quite well because I previewed it with "Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth" which is one of my favorite middle school books. It doesn't have any pesky, embarrassing romance like Romeo and Juliet, and it's an engaging plot--very external, with a lot of twists and turns. Something that was very interesting about it was to compare it with the story of Oedipus Rex--the idea of the fates, and of unlikely prophecies playing out as true after all, and mortals attempting to and deluding themselves to believe that they can beat the gods--those are themes in both plays, and kids who have not heard the story lines before are enthralled with them.

 

Hamlet, of course, has less of a story line and is played out more internally, as others have said. So I would see it as more of a follow on, later piece for discussion at a more psychological and moral level.

[Lori D.]

I did Macbeth with DD this year--she is 13. It was great for her, but she already knew the story quite well because I previewed it with "Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth" which is one of my favorite middle school books. It doesn't have any pesky, embarrassing romance like Romeo and Juliet, and it's an engaging plot--very external, with a lot of twists and turns. Something that was very interesting about it was to compare it with the story of Oedipus Rex--the idea of the fates, and of unlikely prophecies playing out as true after all, and mortals attempting to and deluding themselves to believe that they can beat the gods--those are themes in both plays, and kids who have not heard the story lines before are enthralled with them.

 

 

 

I had forgotten that! When we did Macbeth, it was at the beginning of the schoolyear, and we had just finished the Greeks (fate themes -- esp. in these works that we had read: Oedipus Rex, various myths, and The Odyssey) at the end of the previous school year, so we had some great discussions too! :D

 

We also did Beowulf that year, either just before or after Macbeth (can't remember now) and it really fit in well thematically too!

[Laura Corin]

in many ways the angst of discovering that the adults around you are corrupt/imperfect (especially one's parents), is a very teen experience as is the self-doubting, spending hours brooding, etc...

 

 

Laura

[Joan in GE]

so much everyone!!!

 

I appreciate the diversity of ideas and comments!

 

Happy studying,

Joan

[Mrs Mungo]

Personally, I would recommend doing Macbeth before Hamlet. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both face their own struggles-him in the beginning, her struggles are at the end. There are the issues of greed, ambition and fate.

 

I will never forget trying to explain to my high school class that the witches didn't turn on Macbeth, that they were never on his side.

 

I'd also like to give a plug to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead if you do Hamlet, there's a great movie version.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Mrs Mungo

[Carmen_and_Company]

Just my opinion, but I think Macbeth is especially "teen boy-friendly", high-interest, and immediate, with blood, witches, battles, fate vs. choice, ambition, etc. In some ways, it connects much more with what kids see in history and politics today!

 

Hamlet is more adult with all that angst-ridden "should-I-or-shouldn't-I-act" internal struggle -- that is also interesting, but less action and more internal, and more of a mid-life concept. Both have large numbers of famous quotations, so I wouldn't use that as your final factor in deciding. ;)

 

<SNIP>

Either way, though, you win when you read Shakespeare. (lol!) Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

I concur about McBeth, as my son now loves Shakespeare, and it was because of that one play.

[Jane in NC]

Let me add that my son read neither although he has seen a local production of MacBeth. Instead he read Richard II and Henry IV, Part I, as preludes to seeing a production of Henry V at the American Shakespeare Center (Staunton, VA--go if you are in the neighborhood).

 

My general high school advice would be to try to include a stage production or two. We have seen Much Ado at the Globe in London and Midsummer's Night in Stratford, Ontario. They were wonderful productions, but a local production of Romeo and Juliet with teen actors in the title roles was a gem.

 

Jane (who simply enjoys her Shakespeare--all of it--in almost any form)

[Lori D.]

I concur about McBeth, as my son now loves Shakespeare, and it was because of that one play.

 

 

Similar experience with our 2 boys. After reading Macbeth last year (and seeing Akira Kurasawa's samurai version of the story in the film "Throne of Blood"), later in the semester they LOVED the Kenneth Braughnah film of Much Ado About Nothing. And then they really enjoyed seeing some high school friends in a very fun production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

 

And this year, completely unprompted and on his own, older DS read Taming of the Shrew, and then we watched (Netflix live) the 1980s made for TV production of Taming of the Shrew with John Cleese. VERY fun!

 

They are both looking forward to more Shakespeare next year during our British Lit. time. :001_smile: That's when we'll tackle Hamlet.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Lori D.
added info

[Joan in GE]

All these comments have stirred up my motivation to teach both!

 

Thank you all for your enthusiasm, which is contagious. :D

 

And now I have all the reviews for the different versions of Macbeth and Hamlet.

 

Joan

Edited January 21, 2010 by Joan in Geneva

[Julie in MN]

MacBeth is often a 9th grade assignment, while Hamlet is usually 12th grade

 

:iagree:

[emubird]

We watched Branagh's Hamlet. My kids found the sets the most interesting part of it, but they're into that kind of thing. My kids also really enjoyed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, as someone else suggested. I thought it was going to be too weird for them, but apparently not.

 

Then we watched a really short version of MacBeth. I'm thinking it was all of about 30 minutes. It was made for middle school kids (although still with plenty of violence) and included all the major quotes, while cutting out what were assumed to be the boring bits. MacBeth rode around on a motorcycle instead of a horse (although he still called it his steed). I can't remember who put that out, but if you were to find it, it might be a quick way to "do" MacBeth if you just can't stand another tragedy and you're already doing Hamlet.

 

I saw a stage version of MacBeth when I was in high school. I think it may have had Charlton Heston in it (or someone else like that). It was the only time I've ever fallen asleep during a play.

 

But I'd vote for doing both if you're unsure. I might not do them both in depth, just one. Watch the play for the other, discuss a little, and move on...

 

Emu