Andrew Matthews ’ retelling of (from his popular collection A Shakespeare Story: Hamlet
The story opens not in the castle court, but on the cold battlements of Elsinore. Matthews emphasizes the weather—"bitter cold"—to set the tone. Prince Hamlet is grieving. His father has died, and his mother, Gertrude, has married his uncle, Claudius, with "unseemly haste."
| Act | Scene | Plot Summary | Main Characters Involved | Matthews’ Commentary (key points) | Your Thoughts / Questions | Key Quotation (Act·Scene·Line) | |-----|-------|--------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------| | 1 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | | 1 | 2 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | hamlet andrew matthews pdf
Repeat until you’ve covered all 5 acts. At the end, use the completed table to:
A key scene in the PDF version is the "Mousetrap" play. Hamlet hires actors to perform a murder exactly like his father’s. Watching Claudius shout and flee the room is the "proof" Matthews uses to confirm the ghost was telling the truth. This is a turning point where the reader feels Hamlet’s adrenaline. Andrew Matthews ’ retelling of (from his popular
ACT I 1.1 – Fortinbras’ troops march; the Ghost appears 1.2 – Claudius’s court; Hamlet’s grief 1.3 – Hamlet’s “To be…?” soliloquy 1.4 – The Ghost speaks to Hamlet 1.5 – Hamlet vows revenge
The story begins not just with a ghost, but with a profound sense of abandonment. Matthews highlights Hamlet’s isolation within Elsinore Castle His father has died, and his mother, Gertrude,
Matthews concludes with Horatio’s famous farewell: "Goodnight, sweet prince." There is no long political speech; the PDF ends with the weight of bodies on the floor, leaving the reader stunned.