Hamlet by William Shakespeare

It's always a fun challenge to visit Shakespeare, and Hamlet is a particularly fun read. Once you get past the language (which is part of the fun of reading it, especially if you get a good annotated edition), it is impossible not to get sucked up into the drama. Everyone who has see The Lion King is familiar with the general storyline of Hamlet, even if they don't realize it yet. It is a warning against the dangers of seeking revenge, nonetheless nail biting even when the ending is known. My favorite part of all Shakespearean works are his plays on words. I love his brilliant double entendres and I get such a kick out of my students realizing dusty old Shakespeare throws in a dirty joke or two. The ambiguity of the ghost is one of my favorite aspects of this story, second only to poor Ophelia, whose tragic story I would love a spinoff of! Not really too much I can say about this that hasn't been said already, but if you haven't read Shakespeare and would like to, Hamlet is a great place to start!