Hamlet~First+Folio

Jayme Moon Hour 7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Folio  Shakespeare’s works were put together by fellow actors after his death. They were arranged in folios and quartos. When his pieces were compiled many had missing pieces or were put together from multiple sources. This information on the composition of the folios and quartos allows us to understand that the basis of his works was to allow the audience/readers to understand the play. Since he was not around when his work was compiled it can be known that some of Shakespeare’s work is on the basis of interpretation. The actors that assembled his pieces created a reconstruction of his work that they thought would best translate to an audience. Throughout the years many companies have adapted the plays and changed certain components of the plays so that the audience can gain a better understanding of what is occurring. As mentioned on the second website, Hamlet was one of the most difficult pieces in the first folio because it is most likely a combination of multiple manuscripts sources. This knowledge allows us to grasp a basic understanding of the play and what message Shakespeare was trying to convey, although the true meaning and reason for writing may never be known.