Bio
Hamlet or "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare at an uncertain date between 1599 and 1602. It is set in the Kingdom of Denmark and dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet is instructed to enact on his uncle, Claudius, the murderer of his brother, Hamlet's own father, who seized the throne, marrying his deceased brother's widow. It is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature. The play seems to have been one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime; it still ranks among his most-performed play, often topping the performance list of the Royal Shakespeare Company and its predecessors in Stratford-upon-Avon since 1879. It has been described as "the world's most filmed story after Cinderella."
The Castaways develop Hamlet as a musical in order to show off Ginger's talent to Harold Hecuba to get them rescued. Gilligan is Hamlet, the Skipper is Polonius, father of Ophelia, the Howells are Hamlet's parents, Ginger is Ophelia, Mary Ann is Hamlet's friend, Laertes, and the Professor is the narrator. Hecuba is intrigued by the play at first, but he takes it over and ultimately all the roles himself to show how them how to do the play, exhausting himself in the process. By morning, he takes the idea for himself and leaves the Island with it.
Trivia
- Another of Shakespeare's characters is Macbeth from the play with the same name. Mrs. Howell confesses to having played MacBeth's mother in Gilligan vs. Gilligan.