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Shakespeare's //Hamlet//: A Pathfinder for High School Students

  **Considered to be the most famous and popular of all Shakespearean plays, //Hamlet// is a story rich with layers of drama, tragedy, revenge, power. From the most basic reading of a son seeking revenge to more intricate philosophical debates about the nature of human response, //Hamlet// appeals to the widest of audiences. A vast array of information is available regarding the play, ranging from adaptations, criticisms, reviews, summaries, art, and more. Set in Denmark, the opening of the play envelopes the audience in a dark, cold, mysterious atmosphere. Much like the opening scene, without proper guidance, researching //Hamlet//may leave readers feeling many of these same elements. However, this pathfinder serves to lighten the overwhelming sense that tends to accompany researching the //Tragedy of Hamlet//.**


The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. provides a wealth of resources for the study of //Hamlet.// For a general discussion of the play, visit [|www.folger.edu/template.cfm?cid=916].


//When conducting research, identify the type of information you are interested in obtaining. Consider the purpose of your research in order to determine relevant search terms. Use boolean operators to specifically define your search and produce results relevant to your search purpose. In order to produce results about the play rather than the actual text of the play itself, make sure to search by subject or topic.

**Common Search Terms when researching** //Hamlet  English Literature English Literature - Early Modern, 1500-1700 English Literature - Early Modern, 1500-1700 - History and Criticism Hamlet Shakespeare's Hamlet Shakespearean Drama Shakespearean Heroes Shakespeare - Tragic Heroes

// Reference Books //  Reference books come in a variety of formats including encyclopedias, thesauri, dictionaries, bibliographies and more. Conduct subject and topic searches to locate information pertinent to your search. Most reference books are accompanied by indexes, simplifying the search process. Most indexes are organized in a variety of ways including primary source authors, secondary source authors, and title.

When searching by author, look for the last name of the author in order to locate the information. Example: Shakespeare, WIlliam TItles are most commonly organized alphabetically, however, some indexes organize titles by literary movements. Example: The English Renaissance - This is the time period in which Shakespeare's works are recognized.

Kermode, Frank, ed. //Oxford Anthology of English Literature//. New York: Oxford University Press, 1973. Call Number: PR1105.K4

Sampson, George. //The Concise Cambridge History of English Literature//. London: Cambridge University Press, 1970. Call Number: PR85.S34

Spevack, Marvin. //The Complete and Systematic Concordance to the Works of Shakespeare//. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard Univesity Press, 1973. Call Number: PR2892.S66

Wells, Stanley, ed. //The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies//. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986.  Call Number: PR2976 .C29

 // Books //

The supply of books about Hamlet, Shakespeare and his tragedies, Elizabethan drama, and Shakespearean tragic heroes is endless. Search the catalog by entering the search term "Shakespeare" in a subject search. This search will produce books written about Shakespeare and his works rather than works by Shakespeare himself. The search can be narrowed by entering the search term "Hamlet" in a subject search. This search will produce books written about the play rather than the play itself.

//**Hamlet Specific**//

Knights, L.C. //Approach to "Hamlet"//. California: Stanford University Press, 1961. Call Number: PR2807. K58

Lidz, Theodore. //Hamlet's Enemy: Madness and Myth in Hamlet//. New York: Basic Books, 1975. Call Number: PR2807. L5

Walker, Roy. //Time is Out of Joint: A Study of Hamlet//. London: A. Dakers, 1948. Call Number: PR 2807. W3


 * //Shakespeare//**

Campbell, James ed. //The Reader's Encylopedia of Shakespeare//. New York: Crowell, 1966. Call Number: PR2892.C3

//Shakespearean Criticism: Excerpts from the Criticism of William Shakespeare's Plays and Poetry, from the First Published Appraisals to Current Evaluations//. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1984. Call Number: PR2965.S44


 * //Literary Criticism

Murfin, Ross. T he Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2003. Call Number: PN44.5.M86 2003

Riley,Carolyn. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1973. Call Number: PN771.C53 //** 

<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 120%; color: rgb(27, 27, 167); text-align: center; display: block;">// Bibliographies

<span style="font-size: 64%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Bibliographies provide lists of resources available on a given topic. While bibliographies specific to Hamlet are difficult to locate and are not typically independently published, a good place to locate bibliographies specific to the play is at the conclusion of books and journal articles. // <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 80%;">Howard-Hill, T.H. Shakespearian Bibliography and Textual Criticism: A Bibliography. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.24px; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"> Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971. Call Number: Z8811.H67

Smith, Gordon Ross. A Classified Shakespeare Bibliography. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1963. Call Number: Z8811.S64

<span style="display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; color: rgb(27, 27, 167);">//<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(27, 27, 167); font-size: 110%; text-align: center; display: block;"> Databases and Indexes <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(27, 27, 167); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 96%;"><span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-style: normal;"><span style="display: block; font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Databases contain abstracts and full text from a variety of periodical resources. Database selection is dependent upon the type of research being conducted and the subject matter. The following databases and indexes are typically used for literary based research. Consult the search terms portion of the pathfinder for specific terminology that will assist in the search process. <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left; display: block; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Dissertation Abstracts Online Gale Virtual Reference Library MLA Directory of Periodicals MLA International Bibliography NoveList <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 80%; font-style: normal;">EBSCO may also be used, however, it is not the most efficient search tool when looking for literary criticism. //

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(27, 27, 167); text-align: center; display: block;">//Internet Resources// <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; display: block; font-style: normal; line-height: 17px;">The Internet provides a seemingly endless supply of Shakespearean resources. When using Internet resources, consider the credibility of the websites. Attempt to use websites for which an author is identified and credentials are avaialable. It is also helpful to be able to identify the sponsoring organization responsible for hosting the website. Use advanced search features to limit searches to the EDU domain when possible. Google also allows for specific searches using Google Scholar which will provide results lists that contain books, book reviews, periodicals, and more.

www.ipl.com www.folger.edu www.shakespeare.palomar.edu www.webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/shakespeare.htm www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/hamlet

// Constructed by Amanda Templeton 4/10/09 //

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