Hamlet: Act I

Hamlet is one of famous of Shakespeare’s four tragedies that are Macbeth Othello, King Lear, and Hamlet. I read Hamlet with another language instead of English and read English version now. The words are little different what I am used to use in the school or with friends; and this uses literary language. We do not use ‘hath,’ ‘’tis,’ ‘thyself,’ and ‘doth.’ Currently, we use ‘have’ instead of ‘hath’ and use ‘you.’ Moreover, we do not write ‘’tis’ and ‘’e’en’ anymore; and we write ‘it is’ instead of ‘’tis.’ For example, beginning of act I, Francisco say, ‘for this relief much thanks: ‘tis bitter cold and I am sick at heart,’ and when ghost enters, friend to Hamlet, Horatio, say ‘As thou art to thyself.’ The word ‘thou’ is also word we do not use now; this uses many old sayings that we do not use now. Therefore, it is little hard to understand because of many old words if I do not know Hamlet’s story, but since this is one of very famous literature, most people know this story, so we can guess or presume what the characters want to say. People who grow up in America and live long time in America may know these words commonly, but I am not born in America and also do not live in America long, and I may not know these words. As we know, Hamlet is main character that is in grievous situation. In the part I, he meet his dead father’s sprit. His dead father’s sprit comes to see Hamlet and tell him how his father died. Ghost also asks to him to revenge his murdered father. End of Act I, there are three people that are Hamlet, Marcllus, and Horatio assure that they will not say anything about they have seen and go together and will develop this story.