The dilemma has risen again. One couldn’t even say that the student at least experiences reading a drama. The above quoted version abolishes the dramatic format completely. Hamlet’s famous monologue transforms into a mere description of the Danish prince’s state of mind. There might be rewritings that do the original one more justice, but my choice of this particular one was intentional. NoSweatShakespeare is a website that was created with the exact purpose to support helpless students’ literary studies.

Can we still call it Hamlet though? One thing is certain: this is not Shakespeare’s anymore. Hence, the result is hardly the timelessness of national heritage. What is important to keep in mind though is the audience for whom the preservation of a national heritage is intended for. Not many authors write with the objective in mind for their work to live on forever and be relevant for the generations to come. Every era and author, even an individual work, can have its own specific target audience, its implied reader. The implied reader of a literary, and in this case a dramatic, work changes with time. That is universal. It cannot be expected of children/teenagers who are the motors of language renewal – by inventing slang, for example – to understand and be able to relate to a work that is unrecognizable to them, even though it was written in their native language. As opposed to the 17^th century, more people are able to read, reach and understand literature. Information reaches the population much faster and in greater amounts. Consequently, the audience is larger and more diverse. People now have a bigger selection to choose from, decide which piece to consume and in what format. Hence, the perception of the implied reader has to be broader. Even though this transformation of Hamlet from lyre to prose hurts my inner drama geek, I am not at all surprised. Prose is a more common genre nowadays and so it is more relatable for many. The language of lyre is considered unfamiliar compared to that of prose, which is ironic since lyre is dustier in terms of age and time, meaning that it has been around for longer. But just as the use of language shifts and goes through a renewal every now and then, so does the literary audience’s personal preference for the most liked genre.

So, all in all… on the one hand, Hamlet is indeed timeless on many levels and is rightfully recommended for many to read. On the other hand, it is an objective fact that there is a recognizable and challenging difference between old English and modern English. Just like Hamlet has taught us, not every dilemma can be easily decided on. As for the ministry of education, I would suggest abolishing the goal of trying to make the national cultural heritage live on forever and instead try to get kids to like reading in the first place. The former is the job of the ministry of culture anyways.