Hamlet, an Actor (Classic Reprint)

S. M. Perlmann

ISBN 10: 1330678281 / ISBN 13: 9781330678282

Published by Forgotten Books, 2018

About this Item

Print on Demand. This book reinterprets the classic tragedy Hamlet through the allegorical lens of the author's own abilities as a performer. The author argues that Shakespeare's Hamlet is not simply a prince feigning madness, but a multifaceted actor who is constantly playing a variety of roles. The book explores the ways in which Hamlet's histrionic nature informs his actions and motivations, providing a unique perspective on one of literature's most enigmatic characters. The author's deep understanding of both Shakespeare and theater shines through in this thought-provoking analysis, which will appeal to scholars and casual readers alike. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book.

Seller Inventory # 9781330678282_0

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Hamlet, an Actor (Classic Reprint)
• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1330678281
• ISBN 13: 9781330678282
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Book Type: print-on-demand item
• Seller catalogs:
  • Shakespeare's Drama

About this title

Synopsis

Unmask the stage behind the prince. This thoughtful study argues that Hamlet’s most defining role is himself, a running performance shaped by fear, wit, and theatrical instinct.

In Hamlet an Actor, S. M. Perlmann treats the prince as a born actor whose life becomes a perpetual performance. The book traces how Hamlet’s hesitations, clever wordplay, and strategic delays reveal an ongoing tension between action and illusion. Through close reading of scenes, the author shows how theater, self-awareness, and the impulse to play drive the action and moral questions of the play.

Readers will explore how Perlmann situates Hamlet’s choices as part of a broader actor’s craft—where bravado, doubt, and scheming are all part of a larger dramatic role. The argument treats performance not as backdrop but as the engine that moves plot, motive, and fate forward in Shakespeare’s tragedy.

• Clear, step-by-step reading of Hamlet as a performer’s self-fashioning.
• Analysis of key scenes that link action, speech, and stagecraft.
• Explanation of how “playing a part” reframes motives and consequences.
• Quotes and examples that illuminate the connection between theater and tragedy.

Ideal for readers interested in Shakespeare, performance, and literary interpretation, this edition offers a focused look at how a character’s rhetoric and stage presence shape the story.