An interesting note by James Billinger on the Soviet treatment of Hamlet: “A production of Hamlet during the period of the first five-year plan portrayed the Danish prince as a fat and decadent coward who recites ‘to be or not to be’ half-drunk in a bar. A critic of that period went so far as to claim that the real hero of the play was Fortinbras. He alone had a positive goal; and the fact that he came from victory in battle to pronounce the final words of the play symbolized rational, militant modernity triumphing over the ‘feudal morality’ of pointless bloodletting that had dominated the last act prior to his arrival.” (via Dr. Leithart)

Actually, the more interesting and applicable portions of Billinger’s thoughts on Russia and Hamlet have to do with the Christology of the play. You can find that too at Leithart’s site.