Rune Myrland

Mimetic Depth in Hamlet reconstructs the theory of character and the perspectives on interpretation inherent in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. More than 400 years after the play was written, its ideas are still novel, and they belong at the center of contemporary discussions about how human behavior and intelligence work. The book argues that Shakespeare had a conceptual understanding of the dynamics that govern his characters.
This theme forms a common thread through chapters on the play's conception, the poetics of early modern England, and an analysis of the work that unveils Shakespeare's thinking on interpretation and character.