Misunderstanding Hamlet

One essay in the book Hamlet:  Enter Critic (See post on July 29, 2013) is entitled "A New Way of Misunderstanding Hamlet."  It is a piece written by Thomas M. Kettle in 1918.  Kettle's title comes from his assertion that Shakespeare has been so over-analyzed as to be "mummified into an orthodoxy."  Kettle then proceeds to analyze Hamlet himself, adding (purposely and ironically) to the misunderstanding he decries.  A few items from the essay are particularly noteworthy.

Kettle states early in the essay that the best way to restore Shakespeare to freshness is a "prolonged bath of oblivion."  He suggests that Shakespeare's works should be lost for 150 years so that future generations may come to them fresh.  He adds:

"Failing that [Shakespeare] must be excluded from all school and university courses, and forbidden under heavy penalties to any one not having attained his majority."

This writer can only hope that no one in education who might read the quote considers taking it seriously.

Later, Kettle explains his concept of misunderstanding Hamlet.  Each person studying Hamlet understands different "sub-meaning and personal colour," which may be entirely different from what the playwright intended.

"What each of us does is to construct a private understanding of Hamlet (which is certain to be a misunderstanding) out of materials furnished conjointly by ourselves, Shakespeare, a cloud of critics, and the actor who happens to be concrete before our eyes at the moment...."

One other noteworthy element of Kettle's essay is his harsh criticism of Horatio.  While many have misunderstood Horatio favorably, Kettle characterizes him as nothing more than a "wandering ineptitude."  It is a vitriolic yet thought-provoking hypothesis.

It is this humble blogger's hope that readers of the blog will continue to enjoy the misunderstandings of the play presented herein and perhaps even to formulate their own.