Hamlet. A wicked king who poisons his brother and marries his wife, a brave but fiery son who wants to take revenge, a young woman who loses her mind, and her brother who then wants also to take revenge. At the end, nobody is left, either poisoned by a drink or killed by an equally poisoned sword. As for The Odyssey, I read this during the midst of reading Ulysses this year because I realised there were also numerous references to Hamlet in the book. The story is a real tragedy, not always easy to stay focused on with the old English language, but also very funny in some parts, especially coming from Hamlet. Delighted to have read this story.
“- Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius?
– At supper.
– At supper? Where?
– Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e’en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service – two dishes, but to one table. That’s the end. – Alas, alas!
– A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.
– What dost thou mean by this?
– Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar.”