Friday, April 27, 2012
To be or not to be: over the authors
The "To be or not to be" speech of William Shakespeare is a timeless example of deep thinking and analysis. In Oliver's Hamlet, hamlet seems more lost in thought than any thing else. you cant tell what he's feeling based on how he says this speech. he shows no emotion as if its rehearsed, and shows no expression at the beautiful scenery around him. in branaugh's version we see hamlet truly thinking.Now when hamlet is in the hollow mansion where he is alone with his thoughts, he shows his conflicting emotions with wanting to kill his uncle. we see feel his emotion as he tries to analyse the meaning of life and death as he stares back at himself in the mirror, emphasizing the "reflection". in Zeffirelli's version, Mel Gibson displays his true confliction with wanting to avenge his father's death but does not want to kill another man with uncertainty. he passionately wants to kill the man he believes killed his father, but he not only has no proof, he also cannot openly kill another man. Finally in Almereyda's version we see a more lost side of this speech. Hamlet wanders around the store aimlessly trying to find his answer. he grapples with his emotions, trying to find not only a conviction to live but also to kill the man believed to have killed his father, despite it going against everything that he stands for. All this confusion and confliction in his head leads him display a lost and wanderlusting side to this speech.
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Clifton, this is very well written and your ideas are valid. I think your observations are very thorough and well-thought. I agree with your analysis' of each play and I looked at the scenes similar to you. I think how you look at the modern version is effective and I have now noticed how the modern version is unique and I am starting to like it and take it more seriously than before.
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