Sten F. Vedi Poradie kníh

How could such extensive knowledge about Denmark and its context be woven into the drama of ‘Hamlet, Prince of Denmark’? This question has intrigued researchers, leading to various interpretations. Our investigation highlights Polonius, a significant character in the play, who serves as an adviser to King Claudius and is the father of Ophelia, Hamlet's love interest. Scholars have speculated about Polonius's true identity and potential real-life inspirations. This work aims to trace primary sources to uncover the individual behind Polonius. We propose that Polonius refers to Henrik Ramel (ca 1550-1610), “Hofmeister” to Frederik II of Denmark. We will explore the evidence supporting this connection and examine the channels of communication between Denmark and England. Additionally, we will consider why the narrative is set in the Danish court. These inquiries lead to a broader question: who had access to these communications? Addressing this issue inevitably raises the authorship question. Who drew inspiration from the ancient myth of Amleth? Who crafted ‘Hamlet, Prince of Denmark’? Through this exploration, we aim to shed light on the intricate ties between the character of Polonius and historical figures, as well as the broader implications of the play's setting and authorship.

The narrative revolves around the Norwegian ship Constantin, which was intricately linked to the international trade of Chinese migrant workers, known as coolies. Owned by a partnership including Jens Amundsen, father of polar explorer Roald Amundsen, the ship undertook a significant voyage from Macao to Havana in 1866, carrying 295 coolies. The captain's perspective reveals a stark reality, as he deemed the death of 16 individuals during the journey a moderate loss, initially labeling them as passengers in his correspondence with the managing owner.

This book challenges the general assumption that William Shakespeare was the sole author of Hamlet . It is maintained that the plot line and the characters were drawn up by someone else. This someone is thought to have been a person of high rank, a feudal prince, in the Elizabethan society. Being a nobleman whose constant presence at Court was expected, he must have been familiar with life, gossip and intrigues of the Court. Furthermore, he had knowledge about the Danish court and Elsinore, probably imparted to him by envoys who had visited Elsinore. The scene of the play is Elsinore, but it mirrors the English court. In Elsinore is revisited we walk in the footsteps of the Queen s envoys to see if we can discover how and why the site of Elsinore entered into the play and we meet men like Ramelius alias Polonius, but also Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who all entered the portrait gallery of famous characters in world literature. The purpose of Revisiting Elsinore has been to find a key to unveil the secret co-author of Hamlet. This has been done partly by a renewed reading of some primary and secondary sources, partly by discovery of an hitherto overlooked or neglected primary source.