HAMLET "This is the very ecstasy of love, Whose violent property fordoes itself And leads the will to desperate undertakings As oft as any passion under heaven That does afflict our natures." — Polonius, 2.1.104-8 BUY THE PLAY Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | Powell's Indie Bound | Random House | Other Retailer

Notes from the explanatory text on the facing page:

"ecstasy" — madness

"property fordoes" — nature destroys

About the Play

One of the greatest plays of all time, the compelling tragedy of the tormented young prince of Denmark continues to capture the imaginations of modern audiences worldwide. Confronted with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, and with his mother's infidelity, Hamlet must find a means of reconciling his longing for oblivion with his duty as avenger. The ghost, Hamlet's feigned madness, Ophelia's death and burial, the play within a play, the "closet scene" in which Hamlet accuses his mother of complicity in murder, and breathtaking swordplay are just some of the elements that make Hamlet an enduring masterpiece of the theater.

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