Hamlet

I was looking for music to relate to Hamlet, but no matter where I searched I could not find one specific song or album that could be marked as even remotely close enough. Despite my initial doubts about Shakespeare, I guess this explains why he is so respected even hundreds of years after his death: his characters are timeless. Hamlet has so many real human issues and thoughts and feelings that it is impossible to compare him to just one piece of work. The complexity of his character means that he possesses several different facets, all unique in description and impact that come together to create the whole figure of Hamlet.

Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia is often turbulent and sometimes nonexistent, but there always seems to be this underlying sense that Hamlet does really care for her even if he isn’t the best at showing it. This misunderstanding of love is awfully similar to “I THINK” and “GONE, GONE / THANK YOU” from the album IGOR by Tyler, The Creator. The album describes the feeling of falling in love with someone, the relationship failing, and then the disappointment that follows after losing someone that you’ve cared about. I find that the musical and lyrical choices made by Tyler, The Creator are uniquely similar to those made by Shakespeare, as both describe love as uncertain and not easily articulable. What someone feels may not be shown openly, and just as Hamlet’s feelings for Ophelia are hidden to be known only by himself, IGOR’s feelings for the woman that he falls in love with are hidden until the end of the album.

Similarly, Hamlet’s relationships with his father and uncle are complex, but some aspects of their unique relationship can be found in the song “Wesley’s Theory” from the album To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. Covering how American institutions upheld by white supremacy exploit Black creators for profit, To Pimp A Butterfly is a masterfully illustrated piece of work explaining a complicated societal relationship. The song pictures “Uncle Sam” as a black man’s greatest opponent, taking them away from the “hoods” and communities where they come from. I liken this metaphorical relationship of society and black men to Hamlet and his struggles. Often painted badly by the media/press, both face consequences for actions they have not done. This image continues to be tarnished as both are used by the people/organizations they are supposed to be able to trust and are misled into harming their own reputations even more. The metaphorical uncle deceiving and taking advantage of innocent, well-meaning individuals is all too relatable for both Hamlet and Kendrick Lamar, and both connect in a way that you may not think of at first. Hamlet’s complexity lies in his imperfections. He is not a hero nor a villain, he is a relatable, human character whose struggles can be understood. He is simply trying to do what is right for himself and his family but faces adversity and struggles throughout the play. Everyone has had to struggle through their own adversities, which is why Hamlet is relatable just as well as the songs that I mentioned earlier. At the end of the day, we connect with what we know, and sometimes even if we may not know what someone is going through, we can make an effort to understand their point of view and learn that (most of the time) nobody is necessarily trying to do wrong.