"The single greatest contribution to Shakespeare scholarship in recent memory." Hamlet Made Simple and Other Essays: - Presents the most compelling and original reading of Hamlet since A.C. Bradley; - Dispenses once and for all with the psychoanalytic interpretation of the play; - Explains the actual meaning of the Oedipus myth; - Provides the "smoking gun" which establishes Shakespeare's true identity; - Explodes the fable of Shakespeare's appearance; and - In the process of correcting misreadings of Shakespeare's poetry and drama, Hamlet Made Simple offers vital insights and indispensable guidance on how this challenging writer can be fairly and productively approached today. "The definitive exposition of Shakespeare in our time. Nothing else compares." This book, that combines wit with learning, will delight all who love Shakespeare and commentary on Shakespeare. - Theodore Dalrymple, author of Life at the Bottom and Farewell Fear Professor Gontar has provided us with a fresh, energetic, searching and sometimes acerbic look at Shakespeare, and, especially, some of his modern critics. Equally adept at expositing the texts and engaging the most distinguished readers, Gontar always encourages us to re-examine our own preconceptions as a way of discovering and reappropriating Shakespeare's genius in our day. - Dr. William R. Long, author of Wisdom Seeking: Thirty Days with the Book of Proverbs As a contemporary of the future, Shakespeare is forever. Prof. Gontar offers original and penetrating insights into the fabric of Shakespeare's plays and into the souls of their unforgettable characters. - Jimmie Moglia, author of Your Daily Shakespeare