Hamlet, Shakespeare's best-known and most profound creation, teems with life, death, and rich characterizations. The title character is a complex tragic hero, bent on avenging his father's murder yet racked by uncertainty brought on by the strength and eloquence of his own conscience. As Hamlet enters into conflicts with his mother the queen, his girlfriend Ophelia, and her father Polonious, he utters some of the most extraordinarily poetic and brilliant passages of Shakespeare's oeuvre, including the famous existential lament, "To be, or not to be: that is the question." There are only a handful of actors who can play Hamlet effectively, and Paul Scofield is one of them. His rich voice and startling range eminently qualify him to take on the role. He is backed by a full cast, including Diana Wynyard as Gertrude, Queen of Denmark, and Zena Walker as Ophelia.