“Notes on Hamlet”

When I first picked up Hamlet my first thought was, “Great! Another book I need a word for word dictionary for with the bonus of the language being my native tongue!” I was constantly flipping to the foot notes and side definitions at the beginning of the play. While I have not come far in understanding the Shakespearian language, my knowledge of the play has increased quite a bit. At the beginning I thought Hamlet was just a cry baby and his friends were very superstitious; now I know that behind the wish washy and sometimes erratic appearance, Hamlet is actually very cunning for his age and that there are millions of circles within the play that are all pretty much trying to ensnare each other. The relationship between the characters could be seen as a scale with ever increasing weight on it so that when the scale tips then everyone goes down with it. I see the play evolving more mistrust and more deception in the plot and the eventual deaths of more of the players. Hamlet himself said that Polonius was only a casualty! I wonder how many more will die though.