George Bernard Shaw vs Hamlet: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Criticism and interpretation, Literary Criticism
George Bernard Shaw
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"Most people either say that they agree with Bernard Shaw or that they do not understand him. I am the only person who understands him, and I do not agree with him." -- G. K. C.
Hamlet
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In this quintessential Shakespeare tragedy, a young prince's halting pursuit of revenge for the murder of his father unfolds in a series of highly charged confrontations that have held audiences spellbound for nearly…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate Hamlet highest: Hamlet 4.0 · George Bernard Shaw 3.7.
- Hamlet has the widest readership — 1086780 ratings behind its score.
- Hamlet runs the darker storyline; George Bernard Shaw stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| George Bernard Shaw | Hamlet | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.7 (171) | 4.0 (1086780) |
| Hardcover | — | 4.0 (1395) |
| Google Books | — | 5.0 (4) |
| Apple Books | — | 4.0 (214) |
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Reception
| George Bernard Shaw | Hamlet | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 171 | 1086780 |
| Editions | 138 | 2377 |
| Citations | — | 73 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 430 | 426028 |
| Reading it now | — | 31546 |
| Written reviews | 26 | 31852 |
| Wikipedia attention | 51342 | 91048 |
| Pages | 94 | 190 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: George Bernard Shaw or Hamlet?
Hamlet has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Hamlet 4.0/5, George Bernard Shaw 3.7/5).
Which is shorter to read: George Bernard Shaw or Hamlet?
George Bernard Shaw is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: George Bernard Shaw (94 pages, ≈ 1 h 44 m); Hamlet (190 pages, ≈ 3 h 31 m).
Which is harder to read: George Bernard Shaw or Hamlet?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — George Bernard Shaw: Demanding; Hamlet: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
George Bernard Shaw: no film adaptation on record; Hamlet: 5 film adaptations.