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Gertrude and Claudius.(Review)(Young Adult Review)(Brief Article)
UPDIKE, John. Gertrude and Claudius. 212p. Knopf. 2000. Tr $23. ISBN 0-375-40908-4. LC number unavailable.
YA--This engrossing prequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet is rife with relationship drama. Confidences between father and daughter, mother and son, husband and wife, and siblings and servants provide an archival view that stops at Hamlet's 30th birthday, where the Bard takes up his tale. Updike relates the action at a cinematic clip reminiscent of many of the recent Shakespeare-influenced movies. Characters speak with assured and eloquent tongues. Enjoyment of the titillating castle chatter is not hampered by the fancy Old English associated with inspirational texts. …
