Do I or Don't I a Modern Hamlet

    Do I or Don’t I a Modern Hamlet

Suzanne Marsh

The red Corvette roared into the driveway of the Marshal estate, ready to party for the weekend. The driver Kent Marshal jumped out of the Vette, anxious to see his mom and dad. Kent strode into the main house, exuberantly he was home for spring break. He found the maid Mary sitting quietly as if she were in shock. Kent had no idea what was happening until his mother and uncle entered the room. Kent glared at his mother and uncle:

“What is going on here? Mother I have three frat brothers sitting in the car, I can’t just tell

them to go home after telling them how welcome you would make them.”

Clarissa Marshal trembled as she looked her son in the eyes:

“Kent, darling, your father is dying, the doctor has no idea what is wrong.”

Kent turned on her after noticing his Uncle John:

“What is he doing here? He does not belong here mother; father would never allow

him in this house. Not after what he did.”

John Marshal, stood erect as he slowly turned to face his nephew:

“Kent, calm down, your father is still alive, we are just not sure for how long.”

Kent turned toward his mother, his blue eyes flashing anger:

“I think uncle you should leave NOW! My mother and I don’t need you here>”

“Stormin Norman” stormed out of the room, calling to his daughter Tara:

“Tara, we are leaving IMMEDIATELY!” Norman Marshal was not used to people telling him what he could or could not do, especially Kent Marshall, that boy had more mouth than he had brain. Norman would be back, he planned to marry Clarissa then the estate would be his finally.

Later that evening Kent and his friends Jack Pollard and Dwayne Edgar talked about how to help Kent deal with his dad’s impending death. The three friends talked into the night, each denoting something did not seem right in the way John Marshal had perished. Four o’clock in the morning Jack and Dwayne went to bed, only Kent now sat in front of the fireplace watching the flames dance in a rather erratic movement. Kent feared that his dad was being poisoned, it was nothing he could prove, at least not yet, but he would. He began to think it would be better if he killed whoever murdered his father or he would die trying to make things right. He was not the sort or so he thought to take the law into his own hands yet he wanted whoever was killing his father to feel what he was feeling. Death did not come easy, no matter who you were.

The following morning Kent was summoned to his dad’s room, his dad lay rigid, his muscles in full spasm. His breathing was becoming more and more shallow. His doctor was there, administering oxygen, the final death rale was audibly heard as his dad passed. He was pronounced dead at eight o’clock in the morning, as Kent was leaving, his dad’s doctor whispered in his ear that he wanted to speak to him in private. Kent nodded yes as he strode over to his mother to comfort her.

The funeral took place the following day, Norman Marshal gave the eulogy, and then; made the announcement that he and Clarissa would be married that weekend. Kent, glared at his mother as if he were going to rip her to ribbons with his bare hands. Norman snickered as he watched this scene play out. He now had exactly what he wanted, the family estate and fortune, Clarissa was almost a booby prize as far as he was concerned. Doctor Ellis finally cornered Kent:

“Kent, I think your dad was poisoned, he had quite a few symptoms of strychnine poisoning. I

was suspicious when he began complaining of muscle soreness, painful muscle spasms,

difficulty breathing, and dark urine. I want your permission to conduct an autopsy, Clarissa

won’t allow it.”

Kent, was taken aback as he attempted to understand what Doctor Ellis was trying to tell him, he nodded dumbly. Ellis handed him a paper he signed it saying that permission was given to perform the

autopsy against his mom’s wishes. Once that paper was signed there would be no stopping the autopsy, but Kent needed to know the truth. His brain told him this would anger both his mom and uncle, he did not give a damn, he wanted the truth. Two days later Ellis called Kent on his cell phone:

“Kent listen to me, your dad died of strychnine poisoning, someone was giving it to him

in very small; doses over several months. Kent go to the police, they need to investigate this.”

Kent stood quietly staring at the phone, his worst fear was coming true. The following morning John married Clarissa, joining the two families into one. Kent realized then that the person responsible for his dad’s death was none other than his Uncle John, he knew that Larry, John’s son no doubt had helped him. Those two were responsible now they would pay with their lives.

Larry after the marriage ceremony strode over to his father’s side:

“Looks like you have everything covered father, where is Tara,? I thought she would be

here.”

John did not miss a beat:

“I sent her off to a small all-girls college, she had some fanciful idea she was going to marry

Kent. You know and I know that is not possible, actually, it is against the law for first

cousins to marry. Give her enough time and she will find someone else to latch onto. No

Larry if you will excuse me I must return to my bride.” John walked away quickly he did not want Kent to say anything to Clarissa, that would make her unhappy. He needed her until he could poison her, kill Kent, and finally have the Marshal's estate as his own.

Morning dawned as Kent, Dwayne, and Jack began to plot the demise of John Marshal and his son Larry after Kent informed them that John and Larry had killed his father. Kent contemplated whether after he killed them it would be smarter to kill himself rather than face prison or the death penalty. His mind informed him that he did need to kill them to revenge his dad, another part said no if you kill them you will go to prison and possibly face the death penalty. He thought that no jury would convict him this was revenge, it was murder.

As the three friends conspired a loud pop was heard; then a loud scream. Kent ran down the carpeted hall, toward the sounds coming from his mom’s rooms. He entered to find John standing there with a pistol in his hand. Kent ran out of the room, back to his dad’s room, grabbed the Glock, and returned to his mom. He shot Norman, mortally wounding him. Larry who had been hiding behind a curtain grabbed the gun out of his dead father’s hand and shot Kent. As Kent to the floor, he managed to get one shot off killing Larry. Tara hearing the news committed suicide, thus wiping out the entire Marshal family. Unbeknownst to everyone John Marsh had left the estate to the Gebhart Museum of which he had been chairman of the board.

Writers notes:

It has been fifty-seven years since I first read Hamlet, it was the only Shakespearian play I ever really enjoyed. In my freshman year, it was the Merchant of Venice, Shylock, and his pound of flesh. My sophomore year Julius Cesar, Et tu Brute comes to mind. Junior year was MacBeth, being a piper I deeply resented the MacBeth was portrayed. Then came Hamelt and a teacher who actually taught, so Hamelt was the logical choice. I hope to do justice to his modern story.