Question

According to the author, the writers Goethe and Coleridge, when encountering Hamlet, chose mainly to _____________.

Group of answer choices
A. get caught up in the play’s excitement, and the suspense of unfolding events
B. read their own versions of the character, not that of the text
C. agree that the play has serious problems with character motivation
D. write poems based on the play

Answer 1

T.S. Eliot contends that Goethe and Coleridge projected their own versions of the character onto Hamlet, rather than studying the work as a piece of art in its own right.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the author, T.S. Eliot, the writers Goethe and Coleridge, when encountering Hamlet, chose mainly to read their own versions of the character, not that of the text. Eliot argues that these writers, through their personal creative lenses, interpreted Hamlet in a way that reflects their inner selves rather than studying the play solely as a work of art. Goethe transformed Hamlet into a Werther-like figure, while Coleridge projected his own persona onto the character. Eliot criticizes this approach, suggesting that their personal reinterpretations can lead to misleading conclusions about Shakespeare's original text.