Hamlet’s Home Away From Home: Shakespeare Was Inspired By This Danish Castle – And So Can You
To be or not to be a pushy parent. That is the question, or at least one of the questions, that confronts everyone who embarks on the epic project of raising children – and when it comes to Shakespeare, I am anything but pushy.
My son Nicholas, who is ten, was forced to read iambic pentameters from birth. I remember singing over his crib, ‘O mistress mine, where are you roaming?’ from Twelfth Night. It helped him fall asleep.
To my delight, Nicholas is a fan of Macbeth (the graphic novel version). And when I suggested that we visit Kronborg Castle in Hamlet, the basis for Elsinore Castle, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Laurence Olivier winning the Oscar for Best Picture for his film adaptation of the play, he was enthusiastic.
Central: Thomas W. Hodgkinson visits Kronborg Castle, the world-famous setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet
The castle is located in Helsingor, Denmark, and has ‘pointed turrets and cannons galore’
Helsingor Castle, on the north-eastern corner of Denmark, 45 minutes from Copenhagen, is as castle-like as you could wish for. It has limestone walls, pointed turrets and cannons galore.
Guide Louise tells us that the Bard never visited the castle, but he knew actors who did. They went there to perform, like the actors who appear in the play and perform the Murder of Gonzago at Hamlet’s request, with the aim of smoking out his uncle Claudius, who murdered Hamlet’s father, married his mother and stole his crown.
Reason enough for revenge, you might think. But instead, Hamlet ambles around delivering monologues on the meaning of life and death. The iconic image is of the prince staring at a skull as he contemplates his own mortality. So Nicholas and I brought along a life-size replica of a skull as a prop.
Helsingor is a ‘fine example of a Danish medieval town, with cobbled streets, a beautiful Carmelite monastery and a great Maritime Museum,’ writes Thomas
We bring him out and strike poses on the battlements where the ghost appears in the opening scene. We explore the richly decorated chapel where Hamlet nearly murders his uncle. And the same goes for the great hall where drums rolled and trumpets blared as King Frederick II gave a speech during a drinking party.
For those less devoted to the Bard, Helsingor offers more. It is a beautiful example of a Danish medieval town, with cobbled streets, a magnificent Carmelite monastery and a great Maritime Museum.
There is a 200 year old tradition of performing Shakespeare in the castle grounds. If you want to see it, come in early August and see Hamlet in the most atmospheric setting imaginable.
Kronborg Castle is located just 45 minutes from Copenhagen, the cool capital of Denmark
Thomas lives in Hotel Alexandra in Copenhagen, close to Tivoli Gardens (pictured)
We reach the castle as part of the Grand Day Trip offered by Hamlet Tours. This trip takes us past another castle, a Viking ship museum and the cathedral in Roskilde, where the body of King Harald Bluetooth lies (the technology is named after the Viking with a dental problem).
Afterwards, Nicholas and I crash in the stylish comfort of the Hotel Alexandra in Copenhagen. One advantage is how close it is to Tivoli Gardens.
This is his reward for Shakespeare overdose: hours of drop towers, roller coasters and video arcades. We develop a technique for dealing with scary attractions: we close our eyes and shout lines from Hamlet.
Not a nice thing for our neighbours of course. But don’t forget, it’s Oscar’s birthday. I’m sure Olivier would have been happy.
