Hamlet's Dillema Response

For so long, Hamlet has planned to end Claudius' life once and for all. By doing so, he will restore his father's honor by avenging his death and re-taking the throne that was rightfully his' once done successfully. One chance of killing him, that one and could be the only chance, was refused. I do agree with his decision because he would lose the credibility of his "insane" behaviors if he murdered Claudius in cold-blood without any evidence to show everyone.

Popular Quotes/Lines: "To be or no to be..."

"To be or not to be, that is the question..."


Yes, that quote is from Shakespeare's Hamlet. This quote was used/referenced by many modern shows/movies an has been referenced throughout many books. The quote itself portrays Hamlet's plan to take his life with his own hands as he also doubts himself of doing so with the combination of logic and religious beliefs. In this scene, he talks to himself as he was about to take his own life. There were four versions of the movie, each has its own unique interpretation of the scene by how the scene should be manipulated by emotions and how it is acted.

First, from a B&W version of Hamlet in Olivier's perspective. In this scene shows Hamlet on a top of a castle tower with a dagger in his hand. I thought that this is the closest portrayal of Hamlet into almost killing himself. He pointed his dagger right into his chest as an attempt to commit suicide. Fused with the suspenseful background music and the way Olivier acted creates an image a reader could possibly imagine while reading Hamlet.

In Zeffirelli's version, the scene was taken place in a catacomb. The setting of the place sets up the mood of the scene in most part and the only highlight of the scene from my POV. I was unimpressed by the portrayal of the scene from this version due to lack of emotions coming from Hamlet and the acting was mediocre. I personally like Mel Gibson and the movies he did, but this one did not felt the same.

  Almereyda's version was taken place in the Blockbusters. I liked the way how the scene was interpreted more of as a form of self-mockery rather than accepting defeat like the previous versions I mentioned. I also liked the creative way of setting up the scene in the most unlikeliest place one could ever imagine when putting Hamlet in the modern-era. Small details can sometimes sets up the scene such as the ACTION aisle and the movie being played on the television. Also, I find Hamlet's style hilarious. Personally, I do not care about fashion but the HAT made me chuckle, especially he is wearing a formal attire. HAVE YOU SEEN HIS HAT?!

Lastly, we look at Branaugh's version. The scene was taken place in a mansion (or the throne room, I can't tell) surrounded by mirrors. In my opinion, this version actually follows what is in the book since the scene did mention other characters spying on Hamlet. To me, this version stood out from the rest of the other versions because of how different the actor portrays Hamlet in this scene. I felt that Branaugh's Hamlet shows more maturity and power than the other versions. While other versions mentioned portrays Hamlet in the scene as weak and shows the acceptance of defeat and self-mockery, this one shows how strong the character of Hamlet really is. The way he talks, the way he shows emotions, and his body language almost shows Hamlet as an immovable object although the character portrayed in the book shows how immature Hamlet is since he was thinking and acting according to his emotions. 

Hamlet Movies Response (Ghost Scene)

There are three versions of the Ghost scene in Hamlet. Each with unique styles of mood, settings, and interpretations that were implied relating to the scene. There are three different versions of the scene that was played by three different actors. Out of the three versions of the film, the movie that interests me the most is the modernised version played by Ethan Hawke in Almereyda's POV of the book. The way the director modernised a play that was set in Middle Ages and turning it into something we (today's readers) can actually relate to. Since the play was modernised, the lighting was brighter (which I thought was perfect for the time and place settings), the understanding of the lay and transforming it in a creative manner with little or no special effects whatsoever, varied somber/suspenseful music were also applied to set up the scene.

My interpretation of the story Hamlet revolves around pride and power. After the death of his father, Hamlet discovered through his..."confrontation" with his father's spirit that his uncle murdered him to acquire the power that Hamlet's father previously held. Also, because of his death, Hamlet's chances for the throne, or becoming the owner of a billion-dollar hotel, are gone. The main reason why Hamlet wants to kill his step-father is because of his loyalty to the family, and to his father. Although he wants to obey his "father's" orders, his moral and religious beliefs held him off which is why he condemns himself throughout the play/movie.

Even though many people prefers the other versions of the play over the modernised version, I still think that this one stands out for many reasons. One is, as mentioned, the creative way of transforming a play from the past into something we can actually relate to. The second version of Hamlet that was directed and played by Kenneth Branagh is the one that I would least recommend. The acting was somewhat mediocre, nothing that stands out in the movie, and the ghost scene annoys me. I could not grasp my hands why but I would say the way they portrayed the ghost and the way he talks bugged me. One could argue that Zeffirelli"s Hamlet with Mel Gibson is better compared to the third version with many different reasons but the modern-day settings with a Medieval feel of the movie with more emotions and body language involved.



Besides Lion King, I somehow thought of Game of Thrones and The Odyssey as I get the idea of Hamlet more. Anyone else?