Donald Trump's Interpretation of Hamlet: An Unpresidented Marvel or a Perilous Quagmire?

Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed YUGE business magnate and political leader, has a penchant for interjecting his unique perspectives into just about everything. It would be a stretch to expect him to produce a nuanced literary analysis, but his recent musings on Shakespeare's Hamlet provide an entertaining glimpse into his approach to complex literary works.

Trump's Perspective on Hamlet

Trump's interpretation of Hamlet can be boiled down to a few key points. He certainly does not shy away from identifying corruption, likening the state of Denmark to a profoundly rotten environment. Trump's tweet reads: 'look folks: there is something very very bad in Denmark ok Its rotten tremendously. I’ve never seen something so rotten in the state of Denmark.' This quote captivates the essence of Hamlet's concerns, but with a decidedly political slant.

Hamlet: A Looser or an Excellent Playwright?

Trump appears to have a mixed opinion of Hamlet. Initially, he castigates the title character as 'a looser, a whiner' while simultaneously praising Shakespeare for his literary prowess. His support for Shakespeare is echoed in his comments on Churchill, a historical figure he admires deeply, and whom he believes has been unfairly overlooked in recent times. Trump's statement about Churchill's bust being restored to the Oval Office serves as a critical point in his argument, contrasting it with what he perceives as the dishonest press's failure to recognize the contributions of U.S. presidents.

Against the Grains: Trump’s Literacy and Criticism

While Trump's comments on Shakespeare can be fascinating, they also highlight his limited literary comprehension. His comment about the literacy level required to handle Shakespeare suggests that Trump may struggle with parsing the text in its entirety. The suggestion that he would 'probably burn it' if someone handed him an extensive literary text is a humorous insight into how he might perceive a dense and complex work like Hamlet.

Nativism and Historical Parallels

Trump's interpretation of Hamlet and Shakespeare is peppered with his own unique ideas, such as a latent nativist sentiment. In his tweet about the Mexican persona in Hamlet, he interprets 'Mei-c-o' as 'Mexico,' and even suggests that this could be seen as a justification for building walls. The parallels he draws between historical figures and his contemporary political climate are not lost on followers and detractors alike.

Conclusion

From a literary and critical standpoint, Trump's interpretation of Hamlet is hardly the standard by which Shakespearean scholarship is judged. However, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the kind of political and social commentary that Trump often brings to his understanding of the world. Whether seen as a prescient political observation or a misspotted critique, Trump's take on the Bard's masterpiece is undeniably entertaining, and perhaps even instructive in its own peculiar way.