Professor John Hart to Host Hamlet-Fest

By Anthony Czelusniak

Motlow Buzz Staff Writer

         SMYRNA – Associate Professor of English John Hart extends an invitation to all students for his two-week seminar on Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" starting Feb. 5.

         Hamlet-Fest will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. in room 127 of the Arthur L. Walker Jr. building on Feb. 5, 7, 12 and 14.

         Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" is one of the most influential of Shakespeare’s plays. It is also Hart’s personal favorite work of any author. He believes that the themes in the play are universal, even in modern society.

         "'Hamlet' captures a time in everyone’s life when people aren’t in sync with the world around them," Hart explained. "Hamlet is faced with a problem that he isn’t ready for. It’s a good metaphor for deciding who you are going to be.”

 

         Hart said that each class will be self-contained, and participants won’t need a background in the play to understand the discussion. Each day, Hart will show clips from a variety of different portrayals of Hamlet. Actors include Benedict Cumberbatch, David Tennant, and more.

Hart believes that seeing Shakespeare’s work performed is a far better approach than just reading the plays.

         “Shakespeare is meant to be seen, not read," he added. "Different actors read it their own way, and that makes it far more interesting than if you had read it yourself.”

         Hart hopes that most students take something personal away from Hamlet-Fest. He believes that there is something for everyone in the play, even those people who think they don’t understand it.

         Hart concluded by saying, “The major theme is still relevant to people today. Why do good people have bad things happen to them?”