#3. Hamnet
"What is given may be taken away, at any time." ~ Maggie O'Farrell
With Mother’s Day coming up, our feature book of the month explores motherhood, marriage and loss in all its complexities. Hamnet is the brilliant Maggie O’Farrell’s richly imagined, evocative look at a woman who’s been consigned to the footnotes of history - William Shakespeare’s wife. Only she had a name - Anne, or maybe Agnes (in O’Farrell’s book, she is Agnes) - and an entire, fascinating life and story of her own.
Hamnet brings the reader right into the world of Elizabethan England, where the free spirit healer Agnes is married to the temperamental, somewhat flaky artist and tutor William Shakespeare (intriguingly never referred to by name). They have a daughter, Susanna, and twins, Judith and Hamnet. When tragedy befalls the family, both Anne and William deal with it in very different ways.
Hamnet is so much more than the story behind the famous play Hamlet, although it does give Shakespeare’s immortal words a new emotional resonance and fresh perspective.
[Trigger warnings: loss of a child]
We loved Hamnet, and we think you will too.
Grab your apples (IYKYK), dust off your old copy of Shakespeare’s collected works, and let’s dive into the world of Hamnet.
Julie’s Rating: 4/5 stars
This is the book that got me back to reading literary fiction after the pandemic. After a year of beach reads and formulaic crime thrillers, I picked up my first Maggie O’Farrell book and couldn’t put it down! Hamnet checked off all the boxes for me: a beautifully written story, a strong and intriguing female primary character, and a setting that is well-defined in place and time. There is a sense of foreboding that hangs over the entire novel, and keeps the reader turning pages. And even though we may think we know the story - there is more to tell, and the telling is done with such eloquent language and crafty literary devices.
Hamnet is essentially a love story - set within the very real challenges of marriage and family. O’Farrell skillfully weaves a few doses of humour into this story of grief and loss - not to mention one memorable sex scene that “rocks”! Oh, now I’ve captured your interest?
Katie’s Rating: 3.5/5 stars
This is the sort of escapist book I love getting into bed with each night. The women behind famous, iconic men have always fascinated me, and Agnes is no exception. I kept wondering what it would be like to be left in Stratford while your husband is off gallivanting around London playhouses, indulgently writing while you raise the kids, run the business, do it all!
O’Farrell’s writing style and rhythm is very unique and lyrical, and it took me a few chapters to get used to it - it can veer into the overwrought. She takes some creative swings like tracing back the root of the plague with a flea - a swing that definitely lands.
“She grows up feeling wrong, out of place, too dark, too tall, too unruly, too opinionated, too silent, too strange. She grows up with the awareness that she is merely tolerated, an irritant, useless, that she does not deserve love, that she will need to change herself substantially, crush herself down if she is to be married.”
Hamnet on Stage!
Hamnet has now been adapted for stage (brb booking a flight to Stratford-upon-Avon now), and this interview with Maggie O’Farrell and other Shakespeare scholars looks at why Shakespeare’s wife has been equally forgotten and vilified by history. That “second-best bed” William left her in his will? This article (NYT gift) offers a fresh interpretation of what has been typically seen as a major insult by William.
Shakespeare in Love
This movie won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1999, a contentious campaign waged by Harvey Weinstein that ultimately upset Saving Private Ryan. You may not agree with the win (or the way Weinstein secured the victory), but the movie is still a fun, frothy watch and if you’re missing the Elizabethan world after Hamnet, Shakespeare in Love keeps those vibes going. And it continues to generate drama behind the scenes - check out this Variety piece on how Gwyneth Paltrow’s role originally belonged to Julia Roberts.
“She will not, she tells herself, be the first to speak. Let him decide what should be said, since he is so skilled with words, since he is so fêted and celebrated for his pretty speeches. She will keep her counsel. He is the one who has caused this problem, this breach in their marriage: He can be the one to address it.”
We just can’t stop thinking about apples …
Julie’s Day Trip/Weekend in Stratford (Ontario)
I happen to live a very short drive away from Stratford, Ontario - home to the world-class Stratford Festival (and Justin Bieber, of course!). I try to make a day trip at least once per season. My typical Day in Stratford looks like this:
If you’re travelling from further away, or in the mood for a fantastic staycation, you definitely want to make it a weekend getaway. Stratford has a wide range of accommodations and dining options. Add an audio walking tour, or maybe a tour on the Chocolate Trail. The Bacon & Ale Trail is something I could get behind. Anyone care to join me? And this year’s Stratford Festival offerings? Lots of winners!
Extra Credit:
Thinking of choosing Hamnet as a Book Club pick? Or just want to guide your personal reading response? This Book Club Discussion Guide hits the mark. (Spoiler alert)
Maybe you want to celebrate William Shakespeare on his special day? It could be April 23.
Let us know what you think - about the book, other forgotten wives of famous men you’d love to read about, or your favourite Shakespeare retelling. We’d love to hear!
