Hamlet: From Tragedy to Comedy to Children’s Toy

Hamlet is regarded by many as Shakespeare’s masterpiece, performed and adapted around the world, from “traditional” Elizabethan stagings to Kurosawa’s film The Bad Sleep Well, to Disney’s The Lion King. Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the crown prince of Denmark, mourns his father’s death and sulks over his mother’s marriage to her brother-in-law, Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle. Hamlet is visited by his father’s ghost, who reveals that Claudius was his murderer. Hamlet struggles to decide whether to avenge his father’s murder. His decisions and his actions ultimately lead to violence, bloodshed, and tragedy.

Perhaps it is due to the great popularity of Hamlet that, in spite of its violence and bloodshed, many adaptations have been created that are humorous or were written for children.

Cover of the pamphlet celebrating 100th consecutive night of Booth performing Hamlet at the Winter Garden Theatre, New York.

Cast of characters and text of opening scene of Hamlet in pamphlet celebrating 100th consecutive night of Booth performing Hamlet at the Winter Garden Theatre, New York.

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Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York, [1866].

Edwin Booth, a well-known 19th century American actor who toured in America and throughout Europe performing Shakespeare, was famous for playing the role of Hamlet for 100 consecutive nights. To people of his time, Edwin Booth was Hamlet. He was revered for his performance of Hamlet, and much of his career was based on this role.

Ophelia, from Richard Armour's Twisted Tales from Shakespeare, pages 34-35

Ophelia, from Richard Armour's Twisted Tales from Shakespeare, pages 36-37

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Armour, Richard. Twisted Tales From Shakespeare.New York, 1957.

Armour rewrites Shakespeare in prose riddled with puns and bad jokes. His description of Ophelia’s death simultaneously downplays her potential suicide, while still making morbid jokes:

"It seems that Ophelia was hanging garlands on the limb of a willow tree, trying to improve on nature, when the limb broke and she fell into the brook. The Queen, a frustrated pulp writer, describes the scene vividly.... But then, she adds sorrowfully, 'Her garments, heavy with drinks, pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay to muddy death.'”

Paperdoll of Hamlet featuring child actor William Henry West Betty, also known as Young Albert, the Roscius

Paperdoll heads featuring child actor William Henry West Betty, also known as Young Albert, the Roscius

Paperdoll bodies in costumes, to be paired with doll heads featuring child actor William Henry West Betty, also known as Young Albert, the Roscius

"To be or not to be" monologue from Hamlet in booklet accompanying paperdolls featuring child actor William Henry West Betty, also known as Young Albert, the Roscius

"To be or not to be" monologue conclusion from Hamlet and opening lines of Othello, in booklet accompanying paperdolls featuring child actor William Henry West Betty, also known as Young Albert, the Roscius

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Young Albert, the Roscius, exhibited in a series of characters from Shakespeare and other authors. London, 1811.

Children could play with these paper dolls, performing famous soliloquies like Hamlet’s introspective monologue, “To be or not to be.” Also featured in this booklet are characters Richard III, Othello, and King Henry IV, all as portrayed by a popular young actor of the time, William Henry West Betty, known as the “young Roscius,” a term synonymous with “actor,” from a famous Roman actor.

Cover of pamphlet, Mrs. Jarley's Far-famed Collection of Waxworks

Text describing the Ophelia character from Mrs. Jarley's Far-famed Collection of Waxworks

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Bartlett, George Bradford. Mrs. Jarley’s Far-famed Collection of Waxworks. London, [18--].

Written as a spin-off about a minor character from Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop, this 1873 play is a comedic monologue framed as the catalogue of a waxwork shop. Mrs. Jarley gives humorous, often sardonic descriptions of historical figures and fictional characters. The tone taken in describing Ophelia is not unlike that in Armour’s Twisted Tales. The suicide is thinly masked, with Ophelia “catching a violent cold in the head that rushed her swiftly to her grave.” She did, however, “attempt a little business as flower girl with fair success” before passing.

Cover from the “model theatre” of Hamlet, with figures based upon the 1948 film by Laurence Olivier and with original set designs by Roger Furse.

Characters from Olivier's Hamlet, which could be cut out and used in the “model theatre” of Hamlet

Set design by Roger Furse for the Great Hall in Olivier's Hamlet, reproduced for the toy theater

Set design by Roger Furse for a room in the castle in Olivier's Hamlet, reproduced for the toy theater

Set design by Roger Furse for the Queen's bedroom in Olivier's Hamlet, reproduced for the toy theater

Set design by Roger Furse for the graveyard in Olivier's Hamlet, reproduced for the toy theater

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Hamlet. Furse, Roger, and Laurence Olivier. [London], [1948].

This booklet provides a brief prose synopsis of the plot, drawings of the original stage designs by Roger Furse for Olivier’s Hamlet, and cutouts of favorite characters in various positions. Written for children, the synopsis makes some changes: for example, Ophelia’s death is described as an accident. Although these changes make it more appropriate for children, central issues of Shakespeare’s Hamlet like indecision, grief, and guilt are lost.

Children can act out scenes described in the synopsis of the action. They can reenact the murder of Polonius, the final battle, and many other favorite scenes using the cutout characters.

Cover of "To Be or Not to Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure"

Ophelia (image used with permission, Vera Brosgol, verabee.com)

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North, Ryan. To Be or Not To Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure. [New York], 2013.

A choose-your-own-adventure version of Hamlet, this interactive book has the feel of a graphic novel in tone and design. Readers can choose to play as Hamlet, Ophelia, and Hamlet Sr. Possible endings range from Hamlet arm-wrestling the Incredible Hulk to Ophelia going on a killing spree, ridding the castle of her enemies.