Life Imitating Art?

In a coincidental turn of events, we see the real-life Prince of Denmark in the spotlight this year. In his own bid for happiness, we will see him wed his true love, Mary Donaldson of Australia.

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark is to marry Mary Donaldson of Sandy Bay, Hobart at Copenhagen Cathedral on May 14, 2004.

Prince Frederik will show that it is possible to marry the woman you love and rule a country at the same time, a task that Hamlet could not carry out.

Will this Danish Prince attain the happiness that his Shakespearean counterpart could not? Only time will tell.

Activities

1.  Compare and contrast the lives of Prince Frederik and Prince Hamlet. How are they similar? How do they differ?

Examples

• Both must hold duty to country ultimately.
• Both are restricted in their love affairs by the expectations of society.

2.  Compare also Ophelia and Mary Donaldson. Do they share anything in common?

Examples

• Both are prepared to make sacrifices for their lovers.
• Both find their relationships governed by society's beliefs.

3. Make a chart that displays these differences, to compare modern royalty to Shakespeare's characters.