'?what is this quintessence of dust?In Shakespeare's most famous play, a young prince, alienated and betrayed, struggles to make a decision; in a court where every friend is a spy, and every loving act somehow leads to murder, the sanest person is he who pretends to be mad. A brilliantly controlled plot, complex and convincing characters, and, above all, wonderful poetry have won Hamlet a deserved place as Shakespeare's most popular and frequently-performed play. Any young person who has been deceived or disappointed by an adult has been the young prince; anyone who has ever felt alone in the modern world has wandered the castle at Elsinore. Thus Hamlet, who asks, ?Why am I here? is a hero for our times, as well as his own. To make Hamlet more accessible for the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition includes a glossary of the more difficult words, as well as convenient sidebar notes to enlighten the reader on aspects that may be confusing or overlooked. In doing this, it is our intention that the reader may more fully enjoy the beauty of the verse, the wisdom of the insights, and the impact of the play.