44 pages • 1 hour read
William FaulknerThe Hamlet
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1940A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Hamlet by William Faulkner chronicles the rise to local power of the Snopes family in rural Frenchman’s Bend, Mississippi. Led by the ambitious Flem Snopes, the family displaces the influential Varner clan. Through episodic stories narrated often by V. K. Ratliff, a sewing machine salesman, the novel explores themes of ambition, deceit, and the shifting dynamics of power in this small community. This novel contains racist and sexist language and a portrayal of the sexual assault of a teenager.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
The Hamlet by William Faulkner is often lauded for its rich Southern atmosphere, intricate narrative, and deep character development, reflecting Faulkner's mastery of prose. However, readers may find its complex structure and dense language challenging. Overall, it remains a significant, though demanding, work in American literature.
Who Should Read The Hamlet?
A reader who would enjoy The Hamlet by William Faulkner is likely someone who appreciates Southern Gothic literature, intricately woven narratives, and complex character studies. Fans of Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood or Cormac McCarthy’s The Orchard Keeper will find similarities in the atmospheric prose and exploration of human nature.