Act 1 Scene 2: ‘O that this too too…
‘O that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!’
Act 1 Scene 2: ‘A little more than kin…
‘A little more than kin and less than kind’
Act 1 Scene 2: ‘these indeed seem, for they are actions that …
‘these indeed seem, for they are actions that a man might play, but I have that within which passes show’
- his outward appearances of grief may be feigned, but what he feels is real grief
Act 1 Scene 2: ‘My father’s brother, but no more to…
‘My father’s brother, but no more to my father than I to Hercules’
Act 1 Scene 2: ‘Frailty…
‘Frailty, thy name is woman’
Act 2 Scene 2: ‘O what a rogue and…
‘O what a rogue and peasant slave am I !’
- not fulfilling duty of revenge to ‘master’ old Hamlet
- deceptive; waiting to be commanded, waiting for a sign
Act 3 Scene 1 (‘to be or not to be’ soliloquy): ‘For in that sleep of…
‘For in that sleep of death what dreams may come.’
- uncertainty of death prevents him from taking revenge
- the ‘dreams’ that he fears is the uncertainty of afterlife as there is no assurance that it will bring relief from his earthly suffering
(Gregory Doran) David Tennant is Hamlet.
‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy
- shadow cast over Tennant’s face = moral uncertainty
- eyes are shut until begins to philosophise on the complications of death = sense of his yearning and drifting off into the ‘sleep of death’;
- however, when he recognises the uncertainty of the afterlife, his eyes quickly open, looking straight into the camera = sense of hopelessness
- He is frozen by his uncertainty - Tennant’s choice not to move during the whole soliloquy
‘the play’s the thing/ wherin I’ll…
‘the play’s the thing/ wherin I’ll catch the conscience of the king.’
- avoiding the role of the revenge hero by delaying impulsive action
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2016 production (dir. by Simon Godwin) Papa Essiedu is Hamlet.
Scene of play performance in court
- Hamlet not a spectator, but an integral part of the play
- ironic = He is only able to take an ‘active’ role of the revenge hero in the false reality of a play.
- once the play has finished, Hamlet once again hides behind rhetoric
- irony = Hamlet previously promotes his hatred for performance: ‘Seems madam? Nay it is. I know not seems’. However, he takes his most active role so far in the play when he is himself a part of a performance.
- This is because he is able to perform without the uncertainty that limits him in reality.
(Gregory Doran) David Tennant is Hamlet.
Scene of Claudius in chapel scene
- Tennant approaches Claudius praying, wearing a lopsided crown on his head = Hamlet is trying to seek revenge for his father, however his journey is skewed.
- Hamlet’s speech in his head = power of his thoughts and uncertainty; able to command full control. His act of mercy results in his own doom - his uncertainty causes his destruction.
- Claudius is aware of threat Hamlet posed in chapel, rather than most adaptations:
- C looks towards the camera with a menacing smile after Hamlet leaves, whilst delivering the line “My words fly up, My thoughts remain below.”
- due to Claudius’s deception, Hamlet’s hesitation to kill him was his fatal mistake
(Gregory Doran) David Tennant is Hamlet.
Scene where Hamlet murders Polonius, the ‘bedroom’ scene
- Polonius hiding behind a two-way mirror
- mirror shattered when Hamlet shot Polonius
- distorting Hamlet’s reflection = change and corruption in character
(Gregory Doran) David Tennant is Hamlet.
Scene of Laertes and Hamlet at Ophelia’s funeral
- as Laertes and Hamlet fight, camera pans to an image of two skulls from the grave
- foretelling their reckless fighting as the reason for their deaths in the final scene
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2016 production (dir. by Simon Godwin) Papa Essiedu is Hamlet.
Extra scene at the beginning
- Hamlet at his university graduation
- highlights dissimilarity with Old Hamlet (a warrior king rather than a politician)
- Hamlet more justified in his uncertainty for revenge
1603 version of ‘Hamlet’ - Hamlet’s characterisation
- youth was frequently emphasised - only nineteen years old originally
- perhaps an explanation to Hamlet’s uncertainty – young age and inexperience
Hamlet’s talent for politics.
(Gregory Doran) David Tennant is Hamlet.
vs. Branagh as Hamlet
- Tennant’s Hamlet shows clear changes in emotion and is much more defensive when spoken to directly
- Branagh is much subtler in delivery.
- E.g. Tennant destroys the security camera in Act 2 Scene 2 before his soliloquy whilst saying the line ‘now I am alone’. = Hamlet’s duplicitous character - hides his true emotion from the court and presents a different personality.
What is Hamlet’s role in the play?
- acts as a foil to the traditional tragic hero (embodied in Laertes / Fortinbras)
- highlights corruption in court + duplicity of R + G
- create conflict - undermine Claudius + G’s marriage: when challenged it falls apart
- only character in the play who talks to ghost - role is crucial in Claudius’ downfall
Critic - A. C. Bradley
‘Hamlet’ is the tragedy of moral idealism’
Towards end of play, Hamlet’s disillusionment with mankind and humanity:
“What a piece of work…
“What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties! … And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?”
Zeffirelli (1990) Hamlet = Mel Gibson
- portrayal of Hamlet through use of levels
use of levels - when Hamlet is ‘strong’ and in determined mind to defeat Claudius, he is on high levels (e.g. at top of castle watching below), but when acting in ‘cowardice’ and philosophising, is on lower levels (e.g. below castle in dungeons)
- shouting “Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!” whilst running upstairs fuelled by anger - LEVELS
- it is at top of castle looking down at players and court that Hamlet devises his plan to catch Claudius during the play
Zeffirelli (1990) Hamlet = Mel Gibson
- oedipal effect
“O that this too too solid flesh would melt” soliloquy right after Gertrude kisses Hamlet on lips (Oedipal effect) - Hamlet’s greatest woe is Claudius taking Hamlet’s rightful role as King, and as Gertrude’s wife?
Zeffirelli (1990) Hamlet = Mel Gibson
- Gertrude’s bedroom scene
towards end of scene Hamlet tenderly holds her face (after old Hamlet’s ghost has retreated) - imploring/desperate for Gertrude to save her own reputation (as he was for Ophelia too)
Maxine Peak Hamlet
“O that this too too solid flesh would melt”
Shouts “O that this too too solid flesh would melt” in anger and desperation whilst kicking chair at table
Critic - Joe Sutcliffe: Pyrrhus
Pyrrhus becomes the dictator of Hamlet’s existence
- all sons want to please their fathers
- all men think they should be tough
“Pyrrhus’ bleeding sword now falls on Priam”
Pyrrhus (father = Achilles, killed by Paris) kills Priam (father = Paris)
