The story of Hamlet takes place in Elsinore Castle located in Denmark. The play starts with Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, returning home from university to attend his father's funeral and mother's wedding. Readers soon realize that Hamlet’s mother married her deceased husband's brother, Claudius, less than a month after his death and Hamlet is furious at his mother and himself. But little does Hamlet know, he's not the only member of the royal family returning to Elsinore Castle. Hamlet is soon alerted by his childhood best friends that the ghost of his dead father has been wandering the castle grounds. Hamlet, desperate to see his father again, decides to talk to the ghost. The ghost shocks Hamlet by telling him that Claudius murdered him and that Hamlet must avenge him by killing Claudius. After lots and lots of thinking, Hamlet devises a plan to ensure Claudius is in fact responsible for his father’s murder and to make his mother feel guilty.

Hamlet, a play based on the mythological story of Amleth, is a timeless classic that has been around for centuries. This enthralling novel is a popular book amongst teens as it offers a large variety of recurring themes for students to write essays about, such as appearance vs. reality, and the plight of women. Hamlet can appeal to students of all subjects as English students may like to analyze literary devices in the novel, while psychology students may prefer analyzing characters' behaviors. I must say, this is by far my favorite Shakespearian novel as I thought the plot was very interesting and quick-paced enough for me to not lose interest. If you enjoy classics like this, I recommend you read the stories Othello and Romeo and Juliette, both of which are written by William Shakespeare.