Re-read Hamlet’s famous soliloquy.
To be, or not to be: that is the question (3.1.64-98).
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer (65)
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks (70)
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, (75)
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, (80)
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life, (85)
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of? (90)
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry, (95)
And lose the name of action.-- Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.
NOTES: [Source: http://shakespeare.about.com/od/studentresources/a/tobeornot.htm Amanda Mabillard, B.A. (Honors) is a freelance writer specializing in Shakespeare, Renaissance political theory, theatre history, comparative literary history, and linguistic topics in Renaissance literature.]
slings ] Some argue that "slings" is a misprint of the intended word, "stings". "The stings of fortune" was a common saying in the Renaissance. But in the context of the soliloquy, "slings" likely means "sling-shot" or "missile". This seems in keeping with the reference to "arrows" - both can do great harm.
outrageous fortune ] Fortune is "outrageous" in that it is brazenly defiant.
And by opposing end them ] If you cannot suffer the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" then you must end your troubles with suicide. [Mr. Cook’s note: other critics read this phrase more broadly.]
consummation ] Final settlement of all matters.
rub ] Impediment. The term comes from bowling, where the "rub" is any obstacle the pushes the ball off course.
shuffled off this mortal coil ] To separate from one's body (mortal coil = body).
respect ] Consideration.
of so long life ] So long-lived.
time ] Time = temporal life.
his quietus make ] Settle his own account.
bare bodkin ] A "mere dagger". Bodkin was a Renaissance term used to describe many different sharp instruments, but it makes the most sense here to assume Shakespeare means a dagger.
fardels ] Burdens.
No traveller returns ] Since Hamlet has already encountered his father's ghost, and thus proof of the afterlife, this line has raised much debate. There are four major current theories regarding this line: 1) Shakespeare made an egregious error and simply failed to reconcile the appearance of the ghost and Hamlet's belief that human beings do not return; 2) Hamlet has earlier revealed that he doubts the authenticity of the ghost and, therefore, he does not believe his father has truly returned; 3) Hamlet is referring only to human beings returning in the flesh and not as mere shadows of their former selves; 4) the entire soliloquy is misplaced and rightfully belongs before Hamlet has met his father's ghost. In my estimation, theory #4 seems the most plausible.
bourn ] Limit or boundary.
native hue of resolution ] Natural. Here Hamlet refers to the "natural color of courage".
pale cast of thought ] Sickly tinge of contemplation.
great pitch and moment ] Of momentous significance. The "pitch" was the name given to the highest point in a falcon's flight before it dives down to catch its prey.
With this regard their currents turn awry ] A reference to the sea and its tides: "Because of their thoughts, their currents become unstable".
Soft you now ] "But hush!". Hamlet hears Ophelia begin to pray and he must cut short his private ponderances.
Nymph ] See commentary below.
orisons ] Prayers.
1. Explication (We will discuss this in class.)
Write an explication of this soliloquy. Pay especial attention to Hamlet’s use of metaphorical imagery—“slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,” “a sea of troubles,” “this mortal coil,” “the whips and scorns of time,” “the undiscovered country from whose bourn / No traveler returns,” “the native hue of resolution / Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,” “enterprises of great pitch and moment / With this regard their currents turn awry, / And lose the name of action,” etc.
2. Pronouns (We will discuss this in class.)
Hamlet uses “I” more than a dozen times in his “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!” soliloquy, but no first person singular pronouns are found in this soliloquy. Instead, he uses “we” three times and “us” once. Think a bit about his pronoun use. How does the change of pronouns help explain the change in tone between the two speeches? (Think about which speech is angrier—both towards himself and others—and which speech is more thoughtful and philosophical. Explain how the tone shift is related to the shift in pronouns.) How might the change in pronouns also help explain why this soliloquy is the most remembered of Hamlet’s speeches? (Think about which speech is more particular to Hamlet’s circumstance. Think about which speech is more universal and more applicable to others, including us.) The shift in pronouns helps explain both the shift in tone between the two soliloquies and why the second soliloquy is the more famous of the two. Explain.
3. Blank Verse (We will do this in class.)
Much of Hamlet is written in blank verse meaning most lines do not rhyme but they do follow a particular meter (a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables). The meter is called iambic pentameter. “Iambic” means unstressed syllables are followed by stressed syllables: “And makes us rather bear those ills we have”. Pentameter means there are five iambs.
a. Practice yourself. Use “/ ” to mark stressed syllables and an elongated “u” to mark unstressed syllables
“…And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all…”
***
But notice the meter can often be ambiguous. Many actors deliver the first line of this famous soliloquy by varying the rhythm:
“To be, or not to be, that is the question” or “To be, or not to be, that is the question”
But it is possible without doing any violence to English language to read the line iambically:
“To be, or not to be, that is the question.”
Notice that the beginning of the line (before the caesura or pause) follows the iambic pattern: unstressed syllable then stressed syllable. Then many actors change the rhythm for emphasis. Where the audience expects an unstressed syllable he places a stressed syllable. Shakespeare puts extra emphasis on the word “that”. The variation in the rhythm makes the stress even more noticeable.
b. Is a slight difference in meaning conveyed by the variation? Explain.
***
Further notes about rhythm.
• A few more points: Notice that Hamlet’s soliloquy ends with the line:
“Be all my sins remembered.”
Then notice that Ophelia’s first words are indented.
“Be all my sins remembered.
Good my lord.”
Her line is indented to indicate that her words complete the iambic pentameter.
If you combine Hamlet’s last line and Ophelia’s first line you’ll find a perfect iambic line:
“Be all my sins remembered. Good my lord.”
You’ll notice this throughout the play!
• Finally flip back to act two scene two.
Notice that the writing changes from blank verse poetry to prose (regular writing) and then back again. Not all of Hamlet is written as blank verse poetry.
As you read on look for both prose and blank verse.
4. Three Hamlets and three Hamlets (*Do this.*)
After watching many interpretations of the 3.1 soliloquy in Hamlet—three from class directed by Kenneth Branagh with Branagh as Hamlet (1996), directed by Franco Zeffirelli with Mel Gibson as Hamlet (1990), and directed by Michael Almereyda with Ethan Hawke as Hamlet (2000) and perhaps the Laurence Olivier and Alexander Fodor versions found at gallagherseniorhonors.blogspot.com—decide which film best conveys the full meaning of the text.
Begin with the text: the meaning of the text and the language in the text. Then, consider how the director’s and actor’s choices influence the meaning and the effectiveness of the speech. Consider the actor’s portrayal of Hamlet. Consider his movements and the delivery of the lines. Consider the director’s choices of props, setting and images, lighting, editing, music and other sounds.
(Think, for example, about Branagh’s hall of mirrors (which creates double meanings and makes the speech not a soliloquy), Zeffirelli’s catacombs (which seems to emphasize Hamlet’s meditations on death), and Almereyda’s Blockbuster video store (which highlights Hamlet’s obsession with action.). Which depictions are most effective?)
Make sure you provide support using both textual details and visual details. Convince me and your peers that you are right.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
21 comments:
The 1990 film with Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet was very different than all the rest of them. Hamlet was talking to a mirror, not knowing it was a two-way mirror with Claudius and his friends on the other side of it. His body language was very stiff than the other two films. The way he talks shows that he is mad and then he pulls out a knife. He doesn’t know he was being looked at so the knife was being pulled on him. The director had him use props so that the speech seemed to have a little more influence. Also, the director chose to have music playing the background, unlike the other two films. The music made it more intense and by pulling out a knife in the speech, it made it more interesting and it showed that Hamlet had more meaning to what he was saying. This film was set with a higher lightening, especially from the Mel Gibson one.
The Mel Gibson one I really liked. The setting was very interesting and the way that he talked made the speech more meaningful to him. The setting of the speech was in his father’s tomb. While saying the speech, Hamlet would lie on and next to his father’s tomb and it was as if he was speaking to his father. The body language was very interesting and his voice was sad and depressing. Even the lighting that the director used showed that it reflected on his thoughts on life and even death. There was no background music but there didn’t need to be to feel this speech that was made. I feel as though the setting that was used made the speech have more meaning and influence on the people that were hearing it and seeing it.
The last film, where Ethan Hawk was Hamlet, wasn’t all that influencing. This film was totally different than the other two. The director had him in a store which seemed as if it was a movie store, and it didn’t really made sense. At the beginning of the speech Hamlet wasn’t even saying it out loud, he was thinking it in his head to himself. During the middle of the speech he starts to say it out loud but it doesn’t have as much meaning as the other two did.
The film that conveys the most meaning of the text would have to be the one that Mel Gibson played in. It was a tough decision because the one that Kenneth Branagh played was very good also but I think that Mel Gibson’s was better. The way that the director had him in his father’s tomb was wonderful and how sad Hamlet seemed when saying the speech really had a huge influence on the text.
The three versions of Hamlet that we saw in class all took a different approach on the attitude in which hamlet was bringing across. The 1800 version with Ethan Hawk as Hamlet was an odd approach. The director went off the original play script a little bit adding a double way mirror so Claudius could see hamlets every move. I didn’t like the whole 1800s manner theme. I originally did not imagine Hamlet in a 1800 rich manner seeing as it takes place around the 1500’s . I t was a different risky approach that I did not please me. Another version included Kenneth Branagh, in the tragedy it was put into a modern day theme where Hamlets famous speech takes place in a Blockbuster…Blockbuster? I noticed that part of the soliloquy was done in the actors mind. I relies that Hamlet is an artist to dramas and I like how it was done in his head just as if I would imagine a real artist scrabbling ideas around in his or her head. I did not understand way have was done in the head and the other have was not and that is why the version where Mel Gibson played as Hamlet was my favorite. I thought of this version as the most accurate to the drama. I liked where the movie took place along where the scene took place. I liked how the director chooses to use the monologue the way he did unlike the movie with Branagh or Hawk. I the Mel Gibson version the director (in my mind) used props, lighting music and speech correctly and most accurate to that of the Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Mel Gibson’s version was the most accurate and that is why I think that it was my favorite out of the three versions.
The Hamlet by Branagh, The Hamlet by Zeffirelli, and the Hamlet by Almereyda all show a different perspective on the most famous speech made by Hamlet. The setting all had certain effects on the speech. In the Branagh version he stands in front of a two way mirror and this symbolizes the deceit that Hamlet feels, in Zeffirelli it is set in the tomb of Hamlet’s father which shows Hamlet’s obsession with death, and Almereyda shows the fact that Hamlet is obsessed with action, but also his idea on how he is going to find out the truth about his uncle. Branagh has Hamlet pull out a dagger and place it at the mirror and Claudius thinks the knife is meant for him which shows his guilt. In this version also has Hamlet whisper the whole soliloquy to himself in a panicked whisper. This gives off the idea that maybe Hamlet is truly crazy. Hamlet motions were also very controlled which shows the idea that he is trying very hard not to lash out at the people he hates and the people the soliloquy is about. His facial expressions in this version make him look as though as if he as in pain as if what he is realizing pains him more than the idea than the idea of his uncle killing his father. In the Zeffirelli version of Hamlet at the beginning of the speech is focused on mainly on Hamlet’s face to show the pure look of content that Hamlet wears as he talks of sleep and dreaming and even death. As he first begins to talk of death it looks as though he is praying to his father’s coffin in an attempt to gain his guidance. As each new part of the soliloquy he says the first part a little louder to show that he is now talking of a different subject. This helps because the viewer now knows that Hamlet has now wondered to a new subject. Hamlet in this version looks as though he is hurt and in pain as though this new information hurts him to say this, but he also looks confused and lost as though he is not sure why he is saying this. This makes this version of Hamlet weaker because the viewer now becomes unsure of whether or not Hamlet knows what he is talking about. He lays on the ground the more he talks of death as though he himself is dying which adds power behind his word and how he states in such a despairing fashion also gives strength to his performance. Lastly in this version as Hamlet talks of thought he walks into the light almost as if he has finally found hope within his own mind. In Almereyda the first part of the soliloquy is said within Hamlet’s head. This adds to the performance because it shows just how secretive Hamlet is and how he wants know one to know his true thought. Hamlet seems sad when he says/thinks this, but it adds to the performance because he looks sane, but you can see that Hamlet is broken by his father’s death and just the actions of other people in the world. Hamlet begins to say the soliloquy when it talks of dreams and death. This gives it power because it shows that though Hamlet is not directly talking about himself you can see what Hamlet wants to do. The strongest version of Hamlet’s soliloquy is Almereyda’s version. This is because the man showed his sadness and despair of Hamlet about the world and his father’s death. It shows Hamlet’s need to prove his uncle is behind it because of the movies that represent the idea of the play in the play the movies also shows Hamlet’s obsession of action. It also shows Hamlet’s need to be secretive, but also his obsession that seems almost passionate towards dreaming and death. The setting helps to show the universal references of the speech that it involves the world because it does not take place in somewhere that is significant to Hamlet himself like in the other two versions.
Hannah Cain
All three films were very different although they did all portray the same message. The first film with Mel Gibson acting as Hamlet is the most realistic because of its setting. Here, Hamlet is in a dark room talking to his dead father, and his body language and tone of speech is appropriate because it shows that he is sad and as though he feels beaten. The lighting in this scene is critical because I feel as though it helps to reflect the feelings of Hamlet (dark room and dark gloomy feelings.) In the second film, Kenneth Brana plays Hamlet. He talks out loud to a mirror unaware that Claudius is on the other side of the mirror. This setting is a sort of palace like setting which is different than the first film’s setting. There is also supporting music/voices in the background of Hamlet in his speech in this scene. Hamlet’s body language in this scene is very stiff, proving that he is uncomfortable with the situation that he is aware that his father was murdered. The last film and my personal favorite has a modern setting; a movie store. Here, Hamlet is played by Ethan Hawk. In this scene, Hamlet starts his speech off in his mind talking to himself, but half way through his speech he begins to talk out loud. In this setting there are supporting objects that set the mood. For example, there are TV screens that are playing scenes where fire and explosions are filling the streets of a city. These explosions and fire on the TV represent Hamlet’s emotions in side. This is my favorite of the three movies because it is most modern and entertaining.
The soliloquy in Hamlet that is most recognized is “To be, or not to be: that is the question”. A great reason for why it is most recognized is because it raises so many questions and leaves much room and debate for the exact thing that Hamlet was trying to say. There is so much meaning to be explained from the idea of existence between death and life. It is this portrayal of the soliloquy that allows many directors and their actors to play out this scene in different ways. The three directors Kenneth Branagh, Franco Zeffirelli and Michael Almereyda with their actors playing Hamlet, Branagh (1996), Mel Gibson(1990) and Ethan Hawke (2000) gave different and similar settings, voices, actions, and a somewhat different meaning. I saw that all of the directors chose to have their actors speak softly throughout the soliloquy. There were times when Mel Gibson did whisper and then get louder at times which I felt was the best Hamlet because it showed the points of emphasis and the different emotions. Gibson also showed his battles with death as he kneeled next to his fathers tomb and as he walked around the medieval castle he would look up to the sky as if he were looking for the answer. I felt that Franco Zeffirelli best showed this great quest for an answer with Gibsons actions and voice. Kenneth Branagh directed Hamlet in the same tone as Zefferelli but changed the whole picture completely when he made it fall away from being a soliloquy. He made Hamlet into a person being watched on through a two way mirror and not by himself. He also shows the rage and anger as he makes Hamlet pull out a knife speaking into the mirror. What Eathan Hawk did was totally different in the case of the setting. He made it almost obnoxiously modern as he places this great soliloquy in a movie rental store. He makes his idea of it’s meaning almost to obvious as he has hamlet walk down the isles of the “ACTION” section. At the beginning he also has Hamlet not saying the words but as if he was saying it in his head but then starts to say the words out loud. It is almost as if Hawk wanted to make out that Hamlet tried to figure it out his question in his head but then couldn’t and had to say the meaningful words out loud so he could hear them better and figure it out. All of these three Hamlet still raise the question of “to be, or not to be” but they show their idea of the meaning though their own vision of the scene.
Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” speech is the most well known soliloquy in the play. It has a lot of emotion that each of the movies we watched in class attempted to convey differently. All three directors, Kenneth Branagh, Franco Zeffirelli, and Michael Almereyda used different props, settings, and other elements to create the atmosphere that they thought would best get across their idea of how Hamlet’s soliloquy should be. Mel Gibson, in Zeffirelli’s depiction of Hamlet, was in his father’s tomb while delivering the speech. I liked this because I thought it really showed Hamlet’s emotion. The setting of the tomb set a gloomy mood and the use of light contributed to this feeling. Branagh, who played Hamlet in his own film, had a different take on how the scene should be played. The use of mirrors was very effective because they created the feeling of secrets and facades. During the scene Branagh drew a bare bodkin and pointed it at the reflection of himself in the mirror, I liked this because it really showed his discontent with himself. Ethan Hawke played Hamlet in Almereya’s movie. This was my favorite because of its use of props and setting. The scene was set in the action section of a blockbuster video store. This shows Hamlet’s need to make some kind of move, he was disgusted with himself for not doing anything about his uncle and mother’s relationship and his father’s death.
Almereyda’s Hamlet depicts the emotion of the to be or not to be speech best compared to Branagh and Zeffirelli’s. All three versions of the movie went about very different paths when showing this scene. All scenes show almost a different emotion that Hamlet is expressing. In Zeffirelli’s Hamlet Mel Gibson seems almost angry and morose as his tension builds up as the soliloquy goes on. Gibson seems aggravated in the catacomb as he speaks as it is clear his anger has to do with his fathers death. His body language gives the viewer some sort of fear.
Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet is drastically different than the other two. Hamlet played by the director himself is talking to himself into a two way mirror or as far as he knows just a regular mirror. Claudius is on the other side. In this form of Hamlets soliloquy Hamlet seems very rigid and. He is dressed in all black and seems to speak very quietly. Hamlet pulls out a small dagger as if he were to be pointing it at himself in the mirror. Claudius behind the mirror seems shocked as if Hamlet knows he is behind there. There is a sense of secrecy in this one. Hamlet seems quite and keeping his emotion to himself during the soliloquy.
The best scene of Hamlets soliloquy is the present day Hamlet story by Michael Almereyda. It depicts the raw emotion of Hamlet and how he is feeling. There are many things laid out in the scene that contribute to how Hamlet is feeling. Ethan Hawk is wandering through the action category of Blockbuster constantly throughout the scene. Action is all Hamlets life is about. There is also an action movie being played in the background called The Crow. Violence in the background shows how Hamlets life is going. A sign at the front of the store says LEAVE HAPPY which is somewhat ironic since Hamlets mood is solemn and depressed. I was surprised to figure out the actor perished during the filming of the movie. There is a sense of depression that Ethan Hawk shows while wandering the store. He talks to himself quietly and he repeats entering and exiting the action section. Ethan Hawk most represents how Hamlet is feeling while reciting the soliloquy. Almereyda’s Hamlet best depicts the dark and sad mood that Hamlet is experiencing.
In class, there we three interpretations viewed of Hamlet’s third soliloquy. Each one has there own perspective of the text and the ways in which all three conveyed it were can be compared and contrasted to eachother. The three versions of Hamlet shown in class were, one starring and directed by Kenneth Branagh, one directed by Franco Zeffirelli starring Mel Gibson, and one directed by Michael Almereyda starring Ethan Hawk. Out of those three, the one starring Mel Gibson and directed by Franco Zeffirelli best conveyed the full meaning of the text. The setting and tone of this version captured the significance of what Hamlet is trying to say and how he feels. Though the other two interpretations were good, this one was did the best job in portraying the importance of this famous speech in literature.
Mel Gibson did a great job in portraying the character Hamlet in Zeffirelli’s version. His character showed many qualities relating to Hamlet in Shakespeare’s play. For example, when he was giving his speech Gibson’s tone was somewhat angry, but he remained somber and calm. He was, after all reciting this soliloquy in his father’s tomb. Throughout this movie, you could feel that the mood of Hamlet was melancholic for he was very angry still of his uncle’s actions and he was very passionate in the way he expressed his emotions. During this scene, the echoing in the background was a great touch in emphasizing how Hamlet is alone right now. Though his friends are close by, no one truly understands how he is really feeling which is lost and empty. By having this scene filmed in the tomb also was a prominent aspect because it furthered the emphasis of Hamlet’s medications on death. Overall, this version did the best job in portraying the meaning of the text, because it showed enthusiasm and exhibited the strong feelings from where Hamlet is coming from.
The second version shown in class was the one starring and directed by Kenneth Branagh. The way Branagh had the double mirror added in was an interesting touch, for it showed what Hamlet feels towards his uncle. Though Hamlet did not know his uncle was hearing, he was able to get out a different side of him through talking to the two-way mirror. When he pulled out the dagger, this also portrayed the feeling Hamlet has towards Claudius because he wants revenge. The tone of this scene was soft and quiet, but the music in the background didn’t fit well into how Hamlet feels. The music seemed happy and whimsical and didn’t tie well into the meaning of the play. The setting taking place in a 1800s manor also didn’t fit well into the story either and in general I felt that the feelings of Hamlet weren’t revealed through this interpretation.
The last version shown in class took a more modern approach to portraying the story of Hamlet. Directed by Michael Almereyda, Ethan Hawk stars as Hamlet. In the movie, when Hawk recited the famous to be or not to be speech, he is in the action section of the movie store. This emphasizes how Hamlet wants to take action regarding the actions of his uncle and mother. The tone of this version was calm and somber as it first started out as a voice in his head, to speaking out loud, and ending with soft whispers. It didn’t really do a good job in portraying the feeling Hamlet was hoping to get out. It almost seems like this version was making fun of Shakespeare’s original piece of literature. The version with Mel Gibson definitely conveys the meaning of the text best due to its convincing set-up and passionate character.
Grant Weaver
3/16/10
E Block
The three versions of the “to be or not to be” speech are very different, in fact if it were not for a few key phrases I would not have known that they were the same speeches. For example the version featuring Mel Gibson there was a major difference from the other two. Instead the scene took place in the tomb where Hamlet’s father was buried. The version with Ethan Hawke took place in the modern day; where as the one with Kenneth Brannon was more tradition in locale, but with an interesting detail. This is the presence of two-way mirrors. The director probably does this to show both Hamlet and those spying on him. In the version with Mel Gibson he placed emphasis on death and “sleep” but that also may have something to do with his location. In the version with Kenneth Brannan there is music used to dramatize the words, but in the others setting (like the action section in a movie rental store) was used for emphasis.
There were some similarities between the versions. In the Mel Gibson and Kenneth Brannon clips used whispering to convey a message of importance and secrecy. Ethan Hawke’s Hamlet did a similar thing by first having some of the speech in his head, then by saying the rest in a hushed tone. Also in all three the characters faces were one of both deep thought and of pain.
Having to pick a favorite though I would chooses the first version, featuring Mel Gibson. I would choose this for two simple reasons. One is because of the action involved, the movement, and how it helped to make the words more meaningful. The second reason I preferred it was because he showed more emotion than in the other two, as Hamlet himself would have done.
Gilbert Brown
Out of the three films we watched today in class I feel the 1990 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli starring Mel Gibson as Hamlet best conveys the full meaning of the text. In Gibson’s portrayal of Hamlet the setting of the soliloquy takes place in a catacomb with the tomb of his father. In earlier scenes Hamlet finds out that his father was murdered by his uncle and when he is in the tomb Hamlet is talking to his father and asking him whether it is worth while living and avenging him or taking the easy way out. The way he moves and flings himself upon tombs really emphasizes his emotions towards his thoughts. In Bransgh’s hall of mirrors you can’t see the expressions of emotion on his face because he stays the same the whole time. Even though he uses the knife to show inner anger and revenge you don’t really feel his emotions. The same goes for Almereyda’s blockbuster video store portrayal. Even though he uses clever props and sounds like walking down the action movie section; seeing that Hamlet loved action. But showed little physical emotions and comes off as uninspired/puzzling to me. Mel Gibson’s tone of voice really sells the questioning of choosing life or death because at first he sounds hesitant and scared but towards the end you can really fear his anger boiling inside him. I liked the director’s use of lighting throughout the whole soliloquy. The director made Gibson teeter between the light and shade because it showed his struggle between life and death. Even though he had no props he really didn’t need them because his body language captured the meaning of the text. Mel Gibson’s version of Hamlet most accurately conveyed the full meaning of the text compared to Branagh’s and Zeffirelli’s depictions.
I liked the 2000 version by Michael Almereyda with Ethan Hawke as Hamlet. While some things in the scene were very obvious, like the fact that he was in the “action section”, for example, I liked how the first part of the soliloquy was in his head, although I don’t understand why only the first half was. I think that this soliloquy seems like it belongs in Hamlet’s head, especially because it doesn’t reveal anything new about the story. Although some people thought the hat was distracting, I actually think it adds to the scene. I think the way that he is sloppily wearing it on his head, making him look tired and worn out, shows how Hamlet is feeling at this point. I also think that the sound of his voice and the music were appropriate, given the tone of the soliloquy was rather somber. Also, there was no one else in the store, which added to the gloomy feeling of the scene. In Kenneth Branagh’s version of Hamlet, he is almost whispering when he says the soliloquy. I thought that the way Kenneth Branagh played Hamlet was creepier and it felt very scripted. His was my least favorite portrayal. What I liked about this version was that it was the only one that stuck to the play because it had King Claudius and Polonius hiding in it. I think the mirrors are also effective because it is more like he is talking to himself. The only thing about the mirrors was that it reflected a lot of light, which made the room brighter. I think the setting should have been sad and dark. I also didn’t like the fact that the scene focuses on one camera angle the whole time. It gets to be sort of boring. I think that the setting of the Mel Gibson version was good because it was dark and dim, which fit the tone of the soliloquy. It is also fitting that he is in his father’s tomb because the soliloquy focuses on life and death. All three movies have different ways of depicting the “to be or not to be” soliloquy and they all have good and bad parts.
Hamlet is stressed out, and disturbed by his lack of confidence and “courage” to avenge his father’s murder. He is going through a tough time and although he pretends to be crazy it seems that sometimes he really is mad in some ways. His are emotions are unstable and he believes he has seen a ghost that may not be real. In this soliloquy Shakespeare shows Hamlets emotional instability, and his anger at not being able to answer questions about himself and who he is. In the version of “Hamlet”, where Mel Gibson plays Hamlet this soliloquy is acted out in a catacomb where Hamlet’s father lays. This depiction of the soliloquy represents the full m meaning of the soliloquy in the text the most. This is because the actor looks like he is truly pained about his feelings of inadequacy and cowardliness. Also by placing Hamlet at his father’s tomb the director has highlighted part of the cause of Hamlets inner conflict. This portrayal of the soliloquy was the most accurate because it showed Hamlet’s emotional struggle.
Out of the three versions of Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To be or not to be”, the director Franco Zeffirelli, with Mel Gibson as Hamlet portrayed Hamlet the best. The director did a great job at showing how truly depressed and angry Hamlet is in this point of the play. When Hamlet speaks it is in a soft whisper with a sorrowful tone, but at some points he shows his anger. This is directly related to his feelings about his father’s death and the situation he has been put into. This scene is set in Hamlet’s father’s tomb. This fits well because Hamlet is talking about death and where you go after your life is over. His father has just passed away and this is a big reason why Hamlet has been thinking about death so much. Also, Hamlet is completely alone during this scene just speaking these words to himself and his father’s tomb. This shows how truly alone Hamlet feels and he does not know who to turn to now that his father is gone. This version of the soliloquy best shows how Hamlet is feeling.
The second version directed by Kenneth Branagh had certain qualities that also portrayed Hamlet well. Hamlet is looking into the mirror and talking to his reflection. At one point Hamlet takes out a knife and points it at the mirror. Hamlet does not know this, but it is a two-way mirror and Claudius is behind it. In a way this represent how Hamlet wants to get his revenge on Claudius for killing his father and that Hamlet is feeling suicidal. How the lines were said and the music that was playing during the scene made Hamlet seemed a little too angry. There seemed to be no sorrow in his voice.
The third version directed by Michael Almereyda did not show Hamlet very well in the way the soliloquy is written. It is set in a video store which shows nothing about how Hamlet is feeling. Hamlet begins by saying the words in his head and then begins to speak out loud. The way he is speaking seems as though he is talking about everyone in the world and shows that he almost sees no hope. This relates to Hamlet’s emotions, but there is not a lot more that shows how Hamlet would be acting. Overall, all of the directors did a fairly good job in showing Hamlet’s soliloquy, but the director Zeffirelli did the best.
In class, the three film interpretations viewed of Hamlet’s third soliloquy, the “to be or not to be” speech each had a unique take on Shakespeare’s text. The ways in which all three where portrayed compare and contrast greatly. The three versions of Hamlet’s soliloquy shown was one starring and directed by Kenneth Branagh, one directed by Franco Zeffirelli starring Mel Gibson, and one directed by Michael Almereyda starring Ethan Hawk. Out of all of them, I believe the one including Mel Gibson best portrayed the main idea of the soliloquy. The overall atmosphere and tone captured Hamlet’s true inner thoughts best aside from the other interpretations.
Mel Gibson’s character portrayed many ideal “Hamlet-like” qualities relating to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Gibson’s tone was filled with anger, upset, sadness, and disappointment yet he still maintained a calm composure throughout the soliloquy. Reciting his inner thoughts in his father’s tomb was the best setting to set up the true feelings and atmosphere of Hamlet’s inner mind. One special characteristic of this great scene was the echoing in the background, it emphasized Hamlet’s true loneliness at this point. No one can truly feel his pain and confusion. Hamlet is greatly depressed and doesn’t know how to express his emotions without hurting anymore people he loves. The environment, filled with death, also illuminated the lurking theme of this tragedy. Therefore, Gibson’s portrayal best presented the inner thoughts of Hamlet’s famous soliloquy.
The version starring Kenneth Branagh was an interesting take. Branagh, speaking into a one-way mirror, was an interesting aspect to the soliloquy. Hamlet was unconsciously able to express his true feelings towards his uncle’s devious acts. Also, when he pulled out the dagger, this presented Hamlet’s true need to kill Claudius, his yearn for revenge. The tone though was mainly calm and blasé. I feel it didn’t portray well enough the overall atmosphere of Hamlet’s inner thoughts. It composed too many new takes and mixtures of Hamlet’s feelings.
The modern version portraying Hamlet, starring Ethan Hawke, was an interesting take. Hamlet reciting his soliloquy in both his head and in actual speech while in an action movie section of a video store didn’t adequately set up the true feelings of Hamlet. While the action movie section was a nice touch, expressing Hamlet’s obsession with action and charge, they did not proficiently show how Hamlet feels at this moment. It took too many aspects and directed them towards one theme instead of expressing the many effectively. While a very intriguing take, it poked a little bit too much fun at one of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches. Therefore, the Gibson portrayal, with its excellent set-up of detail and expression of personal thought was the best interpretation of the soliloquy.
The actual “To Be or Not To Be” speech, from the text, has a tone of sadness, confusion and anger all rolled into one simple soliloquy. In these select words Hamlet is letting out all his deepest feelings towards everything, and all the people he feels have betrayed him recently (Claudius, his mother, etc.). The version of Hamlet starring Mel Gibson he is in a graveyard setting. The director is very focused on his eyes. Also his voice is very monotone for the majority of the soliloquy, however towards the end he begins talking as if he is praying, seeming very hurt and broken. However towards the end he begins to seem angry yet confused at the same time. Also throughout the entire seen he seems to be walking aimlessly. Kenneth Branagh also portrays a version of Hamlet, his more disturbing than the other two. The Branagh version is set in a 1800’s manner, and he is being skied on through a 2 way mirrow, more modern technique. He is talking to himself (so he thinks, even though others can hear him). He is very passionate, does not move very much or break eye contact. He is the most serious and passionate/focused out of the three portrayals. Ethan Hawke’s portrayal is the most modern of all, he is being spied on using wires rather than people themselves. The scene is set in a modern day blockbuster, where he walks aimlessly throughout the rows; with any choice he could ever desire surrounding him. This portrayal is the hardest to take seriously. His words don’t convey much passion however they are over played by the tragic/sad music that is being played. I think the Kenneth Branagh version best depicts the actual play, he seems the most passionate yet turns angry in the end, smooth transition, I feel as though that is how I would picture Hamlet and his attitude during that serious speech.
In the versions of the hamlet speech we saw I believe that the Mel Gibson version was the best interpretation. He used the most emotions out of the three and also it was set in the classic hamlet time period. The other two were very monotone and Ethan Hawks’s hat through off the mood. And the Branagh version depicted a crazy version of hamlet literally talking to himself in a mirror. Also I didn’t feel like the other two hamlets time periods worked. It didn’t have the right hamlet feel. Also Mel Gibson did the best job acting it out he used a lot of emotion and was fluctuating his actions and moving around a lot. The other two were bland to me, one talking to himself in a mirror and the other talking to himself in a blockbuster. By far the Mel Gibson version was the best.
In Hamlets act 3, scene 1 soliloquy, we get a great insight into his mindset. He shows yet again that he wishes to commit suicide. We cannot be sure, though, if he is just being his dramatic self. He seems to always contemplate this thought, yet never begin to plan on acting on it. This can make one wonder whether or not he feels it’s a possibility at all.
The three different versions of the Act 3 scent 1 soliloquy all independently show the director’s interpretation of this scene. The version by Kenneth Branagh is an interesting one and also my favorite. I feel it displays the themes most appropriately. It highlights the ideas of deceit and espionage. For one thing, the fact that Polonius is watching from behind the mirror highlights the spying motif. Also, when Hamlet pulls out his knife and unknowingly points it at Polonius; we see the conveying of an earlier sentiment of attempting to retaliate against an unexposed foe. Whether it is Polonius behind a mirror or it is Claudius behind a mask of deceit and lies. I did also like the other versions of the soliloquy. The Franco Zeffirelli version, in which Mel Gibson is Hamlet, delivering the soliloquy in a tomb was insightful in that it showed Hamlet’s contradiction with death. He seeks refuge in a tomb, yet he is deeply sad his father is dead. As sad as this made him, he still has spoken about how he wishes to die, or sleep. He also wants to kill Claudius, but wouldn’t that be given him the same “sleep” Hamlet wants? Also, he says none can return from death, yet he just spoke with his father’s ghost. The Almereyda version gives us a modern insight into Hamlet. Here Ethan Hawke is telling it in a video store. This is interesting because for one thing, this is the only one in which part of the soliloquy is simply said in his head. It shows Hamlet as a more inverted character than the others. Also, while in the video store, he glances to a violent TV screen. This again highlights Hamlet’s obsession with death.
The the Kenneth Branagh film thowed very little emotion and acting. Hamlet did not move around very much and spoke with very little voice inflection.
The Mel Gibson one was very good because Hamlet moved around more and actually acted. He played the part better. Also, it showed a more historical depiction of the time which Shakespeare was describing in his play.
The modern one I really disliked. It seemed like the whole wrong setting for the scene and also the acting was messed with since the actor mentally spoke the soliloquy. I didn't think the actor was very good either. He did not look as disturbed as he should have.
The best version of Hamlet’s third soliloquy was Zeffirelli’s catacombs because it better portrayed Hamlet’s reflection on death. The large area echoed Gibson’s voice so that the words bounced off the walls and really hit you. His use of the area, the camera shots of the bodies, and the lighting really emphasized the darkness of Hamlet’s thoughts. The scene was very well interpreted and the space was used well. However I would have changed the actor.
The hall of mirrors in Branagh’s interpretation of Hamlet was not so well played. First, the actor was not one that I would have chosen for the part; he looked too old for the portrayal. The lines were delivered in a good way however, the whispered tone was a good touch. The use of the prop was interesting, though didn’t really fit with the scene so well because of the openness of the area. The hall was empty, but large and bright, not really where I would picture Hamlet thinking about such dark things.
The version by done by Almereyda was very modern day Hamlet. Like the Leonardo Dicaprio version of Romeo and Juliet, it was different from what you think up in your head while reading the play. The only part that I thought was well done in this version was the first part of the soliloquy being spoken in his head. The action section of the rental store was a good touch, subtle but still noticeable. However the portrayal in this version was not my favorite interpretation.
I thought that the Mel Brooks perspective on Hamlet was the best. It showed the inner conflict with himself. The other two versions show Hamlet obsessed with taking action and vengeance but this soliloquy is a philosophical one where Hamlet questions the world around him and considers what is better. Living in an unfair world or not living at all. In the other two versions of Hamlet the actors imply through their body language and the way they speak the soliloquy that they are just expressing the anger within them. However this is not the case, Hamlet is questioning whether he should live in this world or not. He is definitely angry and does want to commit vengeance but he doesn't express it in this particular part of the play
Of the three versions of Hamlet’s soliloquy in 3.1 I liked the Kenneth Branagh version the best. I liked the way he played with the mirror to show that Polonius saw Hamlet with his dagger. That version also conveyed the message that Hamlet was trying to get across, and showed Hamlet as very intense. Branagh shows a lot of emotion and shows the anger inside Hamlet. He only stays in one place and seems not as emotional as in the depiction by Zeffirelli.
Zeffirelli portrayed Hamlet’s monologue the best I believed because of the darkness it portrayed and the emotion of Mel Gibson’s acting. Hamlet seemed both depressed and mad in this scene, and it was very dark because it took place in a tomb. It takes place at the very spot that Hamlet’s father was buried which makes it even graver. Hamlet is depressed and upset about everything and it shows in this scene.
The last depiction of Hamlet’s soliloquy seemed to be the weakest. It was harder to understand, and it didn’t seem to convey Hamlet’s emotions as clearly as the other two. Hamlet does seem depressed in it, but by watching it you would not be able to take out of it that Hamlet had just experienced a great tragedy.
Post a Comment