The Aspen Institute

Back by popular demand, the Aspen Institute presents Sharing Shakespeare, a moderated, roundtable discussion series that takes place one night a month for 6 months.  Beginning in October, the 2024-25 session will explore one of Shakespeare’s most significant works, Hamlet.  

New this year, we will focus the entire six-month series on one play, and by doing so, participants will read one act per month and share their insights and questions to reach a deeper understanding of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved and performed plays. 

Volunteer moderators will lead participants through lively discussions dissecting the intriguing scenes and characters in Hamlet while uncovering themes that still resonate today.

Dates and Times:  Monday nights from 6:00–8:00 pm MT October 21, November 18, December 16, January 13, February 10, March 10.

Location: Aspen Institute, Aspen Meadows Campus

Fee: $185, includes all sessions, light refreshments, and reading materials. Scholarships available.

Register for the 2024-2025 Sharing Shakespeare series here. Please email acp@aspeninstitute.org for more information.

Module 2

January 13: Hamlet, Act III
The play’s pivotal act includes verbal sparring, espionage, a play within the play, deportation, pleas for forgiveness, mistaken murder, and the reappearance of the ghost. The act is full of questions. Why does Hamlet verbally assault Ophelia? Is he aware of the King’s spying?  What is Hamlet saying in “To be or not to be”?
Moderators: Roberta and Mike McGowan

February 10: Hamlet, Act IV
This act dispatches Hamlet to England to be killed, Laertes’ coup attempt and conversion to the King’s co-conspirator to murder Hamlet, and Hamlet’s miraculous return to Denmark after arranging his friends’ death. The mysteries include whether Gertrude can emotionally separate from Claudius, how the King turns Laertes into a collaborator, and what precisely causes Ophelia’s demise.
Moderators: Julie Comins and Bobby Moyer

March 10: Hamlet, Act V and Wrap-up
In the final act of the play, we also see the final act of six of its key characters. The mysteries abound as we explore the dramatic scenes of how this final act unfolds. Was Hamlet furious or  insane when plunging into Ophelia’s coffin? Was Gertrude’s death a murder or suicide?  Was Laertes’ dying accusations wholly accurate? The action-packed ending is enthralling, and reviewing the play in its entirety will make for a lively discussion indeed.
Moderators: Carol and Ken Adelman