The play, set in Denmark, was in its first drafts in the early 1600s when the idea of a revenge drama was new and very popular. With "Hamlet," Shakespeare took that concept and turned it on its ...

Watching “Hamlet,” we think that it’s about revenge—a familiar, safe subject. In fact, “Hamlet” is about desire. The real engine of the play is Oedipal. Caught up in Hamlet’s quest ...