Video Critique The video I choose was in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his father’ ghost. Since Hamlet heard Horatio and Marcellus, and Barnardo said they had seen the ghost before, and not just once of time, it was few times. And they thought that ghost was look like to the late Hamlet, Hamlet’s father, so, that makes Hamlet really want to see the ghost, he wants to ask him something, and see him once of time, so he determines to go with them to get chance to see the ghost, Is he late Hamlet, the King of Denmark, his father or not. Then, Hamlet waits a long time to wait for the ghost appear. Finally, he see the ghost, and keep ask him something, but the ghost didn’t answer him, instead, he called Hamlet to follow him to go somewhere, Hamlet didn’t reject the ghost, he wants to follow him. But Horatio and Marcellus are stop Hamlet to follow the ghost, and trying to hold Hamlet back to them, because it’s so dangerous and the ghost is crazy, and they didn’t know what happen will happen if him follow the ghost to somewhere, and they don’t want Hamlet get hurt and dangerous, so keeping to stop him, try the best to protect him. But Hamlet didn’t listen to them, and still persist in to follow the ghost. Start off in the video, we can see the ghost leads Hamlet to a building, was look like a castle, and was build by bricks. And there was kind of swivel stairs in the building. Then, Hamlet was wearing a black vestment and holding his sword to go up stairs in the building. In that circumstance was so dark, just have little light from above, when Hamlet was holding his sword and walk on the jig to go up stairs, he saw a kind of door, he used his sword to hit there. I am not sure what is that, because it was too dark, I can’t that clearly. But I think that was a door, an iron thing, because when Hamlet to used his sword to hit there, there sounds like when you hit iron things. After Hamlet hit that, he keeps going up stairs and tries to find where was the ghost going. When he went upstairs, he looked around, he sees the ghost, was in front of him, he was so scared, he was hang on to his sword and walk to the right, then left, and ceaselessly to change hand to hold his sword and uses his hand to touch the wall to forward. And keep looking at the ghost. The ghost was keep going his way. Hamlet keeps following him. Then the scene changes to Horatio and Marcellus are enter the castle to walking around to find Hamlet, they keep calling Hamlet to find him. Then the scene changes again, it changes to Hamlet go up stairs to the roof of the castle. He holds his sword walk around and looks around to find the ghost. He looks like a crazy man, to walk around, he was so scared. Then he looks back, he sees the ghost was behind him, he dropped his sword. At that time, there was still so dark, but there have light from the moon. So you can see Hamlet face clearly and what expression does Hamlet have. Then the ghost starts talk to Hamlet, he tells he was his father’s spirit, and what happen to him, and he wants Hamlet to revenge for him, he also tell Hamlet who was the murder to kill him, that person was his brother, Claudius, was Hamlet’s uncle, when Hamlet know about that, he was so surprised and scared. Hamlet was keep way from his father at all times. Then the ghost keeps talking about his brother, his wife and his brother how to kill to him and robbed his life, his crown and all his tings all at once. And he smells the morning is coming, so he brief that to tell Hamlet. When the ghost was talking to Hamlet, he was come to Hamlet, and acting to tell Hamlet about that to revenge for him and don’t hurt his mother, leave her alone, and the morning is coming, and say good-bye to Hamlet and tell Hamlet remember him and try to hug Hamlet, but he can’t not hug him in finally. When Hamlet heard that, he was bugging his eyes. He looks so scared. After the ghost says that, he disappears in front of Hamlet. Then Hamlet starts to soliloquy. Then he holds his sword run down. And he sees there has a wedding party for his mother and his father, they kissed to each other, and then says o most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! Then he used his sword to write something in the rocks. Then he assemble Horatio and Marcellus, then Horatio asks Hamlet what happen to him, then Hamlet has hesitate few seconds then say “NO” to Horatio, but Horatio still keep asking Hamlet. Then Horatio and Marcellus swore they wouldn’t talk to anyone, Hamlet tells him what happen to him in upstairs. The light in the castle was so light. And they still talking that things, and when they talking, the ghost was calls out from under the stage, says “Swear” to them. Then Horatio asks Hamlet what to swear, and Hamlet says to swear to his sword. And they run up to the roof of the castle. And the ghost say again, swear by Hamlet’s sword. Then they all people are holding Hamlet’s sword to swear. Then the scene shows they swear that in the morning. This video was cut a lot sentences what Hamlet and the ghost should be say in the scene, but they still have the most important part in the video.
Hamlet Act I Scene 5- “Hamlet meets his father’s ghost.”: Video critique
In the video clip of when Hamlet learns from his father’s ghost that King Hamlet’s death was not an accident but murder committed by Prince Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, the director is trying to bring across the idea of how Hamlet feels and also the gravity of the situation. One thing I noticed was that there were lines missing and without those lines, the message does not have the same effect, for example, in Shakespeare’s version of Hamlet the ghost says,
“I could a tale unfold whose lightest word/ Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,/ Make the two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres,/ Thy knotted and combined locks to part,/ And each particular hair to stand an end,/ Like quills upon the fearful porpentine./ But this eternal blazon must not be/ To ears of flesh and blood. (Lines 20-29)”
In this passage, the ghost emphasizes the fact that right now he is suffering greatly and paying the price for sinning. By using imagery that creates an image of a person scared to death with their head split apart and hair standing on end shows just how frightening hell is for King Hamlet. In the play, having all this extended imagery makes things make sense when the King then quickly says that he can’t harp on it since that is not the reason for him appearing and wanting to talk with Hamlet. In the movie clip all that is visible is the dark blue night sky and the ghost’s face as he says almost the same thing except with lines 21-29 left out. The audience gets the same idea but it doesn’t have the same image to go along with it.
Also, in the movie, I noticed that as the ghost is leading Hamlet to the roof the walkway looks like a dark tunnel with a bright light at the end. It creates an image for the audience of death and at the same time there is an image of the amount of time it will take to get to the light which symbolizes truth. By using the dark path it shows that the path to finding the truth will not always be a good one. The entire composition of the scene helps the viewer to see and feel what young Hamlet feels. The darkness goes along with the grief and depression Hamlet has been feeling since his father died. While the ghost speaks to Hamlet all the audience is able to see the face of both Hamlet and the ghost. The delivery in each of the actors’ lines allows the audience to see the bond between father and son. By having Hamlet crying as he finds out that Claudius killed his father is just something that adds to the overall affect.
After telling Hamlet of how he died and that he wants Hamlet to avenge his murder, he says, “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me. (line 98)” and then disappears. In the movie the affect of feeling and love between the two characters is expressed well through the ghost’s movement closer to Hamlet as he reaches out for him. The director of the movie uses the body language and movements of Mel Gibson and the actor who plays the ghost of King Hamlet to express what Shakespeare was trying to express through their movements and delivery rather than through words alone.
In the video clip where Hamlet meets his father’s ghost, the director suggests that Hamlet was in the dark and soon will be brought to the light, by finding out the truth about his father’s death. He shows this by the different lighting, different voice tone, and different sound effects that are made during the video clip. In the beginning of this video, Hamlet is looking for his father’s ghost, because he wants the truth about his death. He is still in the dark at this point. The director shows that Hamlet is in the dark by using very little light. The dark seems to overshadow the little light shown; but it is still there but incredibly dim and low. Hamlet is also dressed in all black and is holding a sword in both of his hands. He looks young and youthful. He seems to be a loyal son, because he is in a search for the truth about his dad’s death. The sword, could symbolize protection from whatever lays ahead. Hamlet is in a very dark place. He is running because he sees a bodily figure and is curious to find out who it is. He has a clue to whom it might be. He is now on a hunt to find out if he was right and finally speak to the ghost of his father. As he is running after the figure, he looks lost and confused. When he sees the figure go up some stairs that is at the end of a very dark hallway with very little light at the end, he follows it. He is courageous and brave to follow the figure through a dark hallway. He seems to be determined to find out the truth. He does not let his fear of unknowing get in the way. While he is trying to find the figure, there is loud music playing in the back ground; and the audience can hear Hamlet’s running foot-steps and he is out of breath. This hallway indicates to the audience that this is where Hamlet’s father’s ghost is, because he runs to towards the light, where the figure disappears up the stairs. The hallway leads him outside and he will now come face to face with his father’s ghost. Hamlet is running and still out of breath. He doesn’t want to lose the figure because if he does, he would not find out the truth. He is swinging his sword around as he runs and is out of breath. All of the dark colors shown, symbolizes that Hamlet is in a dark place and is lost and is trying to find his way to the light and out of the dark. Hamlet has now gone through the dark hallway and is up the same stairs that the figure went up. He slowly turns around and with his sword pointing in front of him, as if it is supposed to protect him from harm. Hamlet sees his father’s ghost in the corner of his and slowly turns around. He slowly turns around and catches his breath and drops his sword when he sees his father’s ghost for the first time since his death. His eyes pop out of its socket out of shock and to finally know that he is not crazy; and that he did see a figure. The ghost is in a dark corner with a window that has shades of white and black lines on it. The ghost speaks to him for the first time; and tells him who he is. “I am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires till the foul crimes done in my days of nature are burnt and purged away…” (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.14-18) The ghost tells Hamlet who he is. The ghost also tells Hamlet that he is doomed for a certain period of time. He tells him that he walks the night and for the day, he burns in the fire; fore all of his crimes or sins that he has done while he was alive. As the ghost of King Hamlet speaks to his son, Hamlet seems to be in a state of shock. He is frozen in his place with his eyes, still popping out of its socket. The ghost is also dressed in all black with gray hair and grey moustache. The ghost looks old and tired. He has bags under his eyes and his skin is wrinkled just like an old person. The director also has the ghost sitting down, in the beginning of his speech to his son. This also can indicate that the ghost is old and tired. The ghost tells Hamlet of his death. Ghost: “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Hamlet: “Murder?” Ghost: Murder most foul, as in the best it is, but this most foul, strange, and unnatural…Now, Hamlet, hear. Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me. So the ear of Denmark…The serpent that did sting thy father’s now wears his crown. Hamlet: O, my prophetic soul! My uncle! (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.31-48) This was a short dialogue between Hamlet and the ghost. The ghost is now telling him what he wanted to know. Hamlet is now finding out the truth about his father’s death. The ghost talks about revenge and tells Hamlet that he was murdered and Hamlet seems to be confused. He is shock to hear his father’s spirit say those things. The ghost tells him that a snake poisoned him, while he was sleeping in his garden. The snake poured the poison in his ear and killed him; and in the process, Denmark went silence and died too, because now, their king has been murdered. The ghost also tells Hamlet who killed him. Hamlet just found out the truth about his father’s death. He found out that his uncle is responsible for his and now; he must seek revenge for his death. When Hamlet founds out the truth about his father’s death, he cries. He is shocked by finding out the truth and wipes the tears from his eyes. As the King’s ghost tells Hamlet how he died, the ghost’s voice shakes and trembles as if he was going to cry. The ghost seems to be upset that his own brother took his life. His brother has betrayed him and he now wants revenge. The audience can see it in his face, body movements, and his tone. Hamlet sits down, curled up in a ball, like a little child; while he listens to his father’s ghost talk to him. Hamlet has now found out the truth. He is out of the dark and brought to the light. He has found out the truth and is ready to get revenge. Throughout the whole video clip, the director uses the lighting and sound effects to make his point through the audience. The different lighting lets the audience know that something is about to happen. For example, when Hamlet was looking for the ghost, his footsteps were extraordinarily loud and sounded unsure where to go next. His breathing was uneven and was out of breath because he has been running. The music that played in the background was loud and the audience knew something was going to happen. The music and Hamlet’s footsteps kept the audience in suspense and wanting to know what happened next’s. The camera would get up close when to Hamlet’s face to show how and what he was feeling once he found out the truth. The audience was able to see every sweat and tears coming from Hamlet’s face. Once Hamlet found out the truth and was out of the dark, the camera moves away from him, and moves to the platform he was at. The audience can see the platform. There is six big brick blocks that is standing up on a brick ground. The moon light is at a distance and the audience can see the light at a distance. This symbolizes that Hamlet has now have the truth and is trying to reach his destination; that is at a distance. Just like the moon light, that is far away, Hamlet has now seen the light but it is far away. He is in a mansion to get closer to the light and seek revenge. Hamlet does a great job delivering his lines. After he found out he truth about his dad’s murder, Hamlet is talking to himself on his knees facing the audience. He is talking about his anger about finding the truth. The way he delivers his lines are extraordinarily good. He says his lines with feeling and emotions. He makes the audience feel as if they are part of the play. Both Hamlet and the ghost deliver their lines with a lot of emotions and using great body gestures to make their point across. The way the actors carry themselves is very believing. The way the actors carry themselves match the way they delivery their lines. There is a lot of imagery that goes on in the video clip. At the end, Hamlet finds out the truth. He is brought to the light. He finds out who kills his dad, and now is looking to get revenge. The director shows this, by the different imagery shown in the clip, the different music used, the different voice tones, and the different sound effects.
In the passage Act one, scene five when Hamlet saw his father’s ghost. The author uses- that to tell the audience that Hamlet is going to cause his own downfall the ghost tells Hamlet that he is burning in fire. The night time is the only time that he is free to do anything that he wants to do. The ghost told Hamlet that his uncle killed his father when he was asleep so that he could take his position as the king.
The video starts up when Hamlet was walking from the woods` name saying that is the room was dark it would be around twelve o’clock at night because it was very dark. The face of the ghost wasn’t really night you could hardly see his face and his body was dark. Hamlet is wearing a black valet the ghost was just standing in one place not even moving around. Hamlet was tired from running so he couldn’t stand realty straight and the first word that comes out of her mouth was “I am the father’s spirit” because he was running out of breathe he fall to the ground but he was looking up and say said that he was murdered and hamlet replied “murder” he was killed by his own brother. He king Hamlet said that his brother wears his crown Hamlet opens his mouth in shock crown
The next word the ghost said was “Remember thee! Ay thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat in this distracted globe.” This means remember the father’s ghost. The ghost that is stuffing and keep everything that I tell you in your memory. But in the ghost mid there is forgetful in it. But hamlet who also remember his father because he was really close to his father, the greatest king Denmark ever had. I think the way hamlet is feeling, lost and empty heart matches the scenery which is dark background.
Then he says Remember thee! Again Yea, from the table of the memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, all saws of books, all forms, all pressures pass that the youth observe copied there, and thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain, unmixed with the baser matter” all this is saying is that he should also remember his father who is in pain right now and he should clean his mind of what have happened and replace his memory with happiness and honor of his father who have everyone love him when he was alive. Then Hamlet starts to speed up his words saying that which was kind of leading to anger when ever he tires to speak you could tell that Hamlet misses his father and he is mad that his father is dead and he want his father to come back to him again because nobody can really replace his dad not even his mother because his father was his root of his happiness. So when his father ghost left Hamlet begin to lose his mind. Hamlet couldn’t not control his behavior he was running around towards were his uncle who is the king now after the death of his brother and his mother were having party with the people of Denmark there were laughing telling jokes, and also playing music. The room was light and the stand I choose is light which represent happiness and truth.
Hamlet stood just looking at them having fun and enjoying themselves and he says with a angering voice Yes, by heaven! Which to him means o my god? “O most pernicious woman! He had a sword in his hand he was using the sword to smash the rock that was in front of him Which he was referring to his mother which to his she is like a evil person for the grief about the lost of her husband and want and married to her husband brother she is covering her pain by marrying Hamlet’s uncle, her brother in-law. All of this makes Hamlet is really mad. Then his boys were running to him screaming my lord are you. Then king Hamlet ran outside to and the boy followed him he ask them to swell by the sword but they don’t want to swell they heard a voice from above that ask them to swear so they did they put their hand on the sword and swear
Video critique In act 1 scene5 when Hamlet first finds the ghost he showed off his desire to find this ghost his friends talked about. In the begging of this scene Hamlet played by Mel Gibson is nervously charging through a dark castle looking for the ghost. Nervously swinging his sword not knowing what to expect. The lighting in this scene I think go along nicely with the play. Because in this particular scene its midnight when Hamlet finds this ghost. The scene gives a dark feeling which is appropriate for a scene involving a ghost from hell. The music in the scene is at a low tone giving the feeling of suspense. Also the acting of Hamlet comes in good retrospective. The acting gives off the right mood of his anxiety to find the ghost. So in the beginning of this scene the play starts off in the right way in relation to the play. Moving on to the following segment of the scene. In this the following segment the setting is a dark hall with a light at the end of the hall with stairs leading up to the next floor. This scenery could have been created by the director in a way of showing symbolism. This scene could to be Hamlet hope at the end of all that he is experiencing. The lighting in this scene is always at the end of the direction he’s heading. Symbolically relating to the play the light could play as a false hope. This could be true due to the fact that the light leads him to the ghost. The actor displays exactly how some on chasing a ghost would feel. The actor displays fear which would relate well with the play. Music continues justifiably suspenseful. So hamlet would walked nervously through the corridors and he would get a glimpse of the ghost walking towards the light up the stairs. So hamlet follows, his curiosity leads him to the top of the castle. With bulging eyes Hamlet is frightened to hopefully find the ghost. He frantically looks around and to his surprise he finds the ghost. The look on Hamlets face could not clearly display his fear. As he slowly turns his head to find the ghost sitting behind him waiting. Then this is when the scene gets a little off the play. Finally to two of them meet but this is when the movie clip commits an error. The director decided to take chunks out of the film that are in the play. This caused my ratings of the film to go down. Although I believe that this actually made the film quicker and didn’t give a heavy feeling on those watching the film. The lighting continued the same throughout the whole time that hamlet and his supposed father were talking. I did enjoy the acting as it related to how I believe that the emotions of the characters should have been the delivery up to this ppoit were also appropriate them seemed to flow along with the action. When the ghost spoke about his death hamlet began to shed tears. This was a nice touch to the film. As the ghost leaves there is a spot light on hamlet this is appropriate for his soliloquy. But then again the film did not include all of the lines from the play. I will admit though that the part in which hamlet marked the ghosts words “adieu, adieu, adieu” lacked a bit of emotion. It seemed rushed, I believe that Hamlet in this film should have been more heart broken to see his mother with her uncle. After Hamlet promises to revenge his fathers death he leaves the view of his uncle and mother together. Finally the setting is a lot lighter Hamlet has found his friends. So they ask Hamlet about the encounter with the ghost. The lighting I also find appropriate to the scene for he is no longer in the ghosts presence. So hamlet lets his friends know of the fact that he has spoken with the ghost. So his friends have some belief. But to my disappointment, there seemed to be lacking more basis to the delivery of the lines. There was a lack of lines that made this scene incomplete. So in the that time that Hamlet and his friends are talking the voice of the ghost is heard. The acting was according to the situation for they were all freighted. They ran towards the voice that told them to swear on hamlets sword. So his friends did so freighted they swore upon his sword in a lighter stage. But to me this should have been a dark one for there was the presence of the ghost. Overall the acting, lighting, music, and sound effects were good but what was lacking were the complete lines of the book.
Michael Luu Period 2 02/09/08 English 12 CP The video that I chose for this Video Critique assignment is Act 1 Scene 5 Hamlets meets the ghost which is his father King Hamlet. Hamlet rushes up into the tower to chase after the ghost while Horatio and Marcellus try’s to catches up with Hamlet. While looking around the roof-top of the tower Hamlet then turns with a fearful face expression. That’s when he figures out that the ghost was his father’s spirit. King Hamlet then starts talking about how he has been murdered by his own brother, Claudius which is now married to his mother Gertrude. Hamlet’s father wants Hamlet to avenge for his own death because of the betrayal of Claudius against his own family member. Then the video clip goes to Hamlet’s second soliloquy where Hamlet is scarred with the fact that his own Uncle has murdered his father and now has an affair with his mother. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare shows that revenge is taking a huge impact in Hamlet’s life in Act 1 Scene 5.
The Video starts out with Hamlet running up the stairs chasing after the ghost. Hamlet then searches around and looking everywhere, and then turns around and with a horrifying look he sees his father King Hamlet. When he sees his father he immediately drops his sword to the ground showing that he’s terrified because of his father’s spirit. The Spirit then explains to Hamlet what has happened and how he has been murdered. The setting of this clip was extremely dark to portray the situation that Hamlet is in. The darkness of the setting also fits well with the news that Hamlet receives; the news is that his Father was murdered by Claudius. In the play Hamlet, King Hamlet says “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” (Line 31) This line was in both the play and the video; it also means that King Hamlet wants Hamlet to take revenge for his father. The “his” in this line means Claudius and foul can also means his sin or wrongdoing for killing King Hamlet. The ghost then says in the video “sleeping in my orchard a serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.” (Lines 42-47) In line 43 “a serpent stung me” Shakespeare uses the comparison from King Claudius to a Serpent. Usually serpents have venom and that also connect to King Hamlets downfall. What I thought was important that wasn’t in the Video was that in line 44 “Is by a forged process of my death” this is basically saying that how King Claudius is forging the process of acting like King Hamlet. Another line that I thought was important is line 44 when King Hamlet say’s “Rankly Abused” this two words means Hamlet has now has been stripped of his fame, honor, and dignity of the town of Denmark. Throughout the first 4 minutes of this video clip there’s a wind that has that scary tone that also fits the scene perfectly. Then from lines 65-70 there’s an added background sound. The sounds seem like loud drums and thunder, which at this part King Hamlet reveals to Hamlet on how Claudius murders him. “Sleeping within my orchard, my custom always of the afternoon, upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, with juice of cursed hebona in a vial, And in the porches of my ears did pour.” (Lines 65-70) What is being said in these lines by King Hamlet is that while King Hamlet is sleeping on his orchard which is his daily afternoon routine, Claudius steals juice of cursed hebona and pours it down King Hamlet’s ear. Another technique that I found was helpful for viewers in the video are the camera angles, when King Hamlet was speaking the camera was locked on King Hamlet to show his emotions and also on Hamlets, both were close-ups to see their reaction and physical emotions towards the situation.
When Hamlet closes his eyes and starts to become in tears his father’s spirit disappears. After the ghost vanishes Hamlet is left alone on top of the roof of the tower, Hamlet then starts his soliloquy. Hamlet first gets up from the floor and says; “Remember thee? Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat in this distracted globe. Remember thee? Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain…..” (Lines 102- 110) After his father’s spirit has left the scene the sounds of the trumpets and drums has also faded away. The only sounds at this point of the video is again the wind which gives the clip its gloomy and haunted mood. In the beginning of Hamlet’s soliloquy he says that he feels poor for his father murder. Hamlet’s anger was clearly expressed during his soliloquy because of the dramatic news. Hamlet then gets up from the floor and continues “Yes, by heavens! O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling damned viillian! My tables – meet it is I set it down that one may smile and smile and be a villain. At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark.” (Lines 111-116) During the end of Hamlet soliloquy he runs to the roof top where he can see his mother and traitor King Claudius. Hamlet then calls his mother a pernicious women meaning she has ruined everything, ruined their family and ruined Hamlet’s life. While Hamlet says “O villain, villain, smiling damned villain” he had a hatred expression towards both King Claudius and Queen Gertrude so I think the villain that’s being said by Hamlet can apply to both characters. The setting during this scene is still black with dark but with blue sky signifying depression coming from Hamlet but when the position of the camera switches to Queen Gertrude and King Claudius it was the total opposite bright lights and loud music. Another color technique that I found was interesting was that both the King and Queen both were wearing red meaning love. After that, with anger Hamlet writes on the rock with the sword he has in his hand “that one may simile and smile and be a villain.” (Line 115) again I think this can apply to both character they both have committed a sin in Hamlet’s point of view. Queen Gertrude has found a new king instead of sobering over the King Hamlet, and King Claudius has murdered King Hamlet for his crown.
After Hamlet’s soliloquy the video picks up when Hamlet meets up with Horatio and Marcellus. At first Hamlet refuses to tell Horatio and Marcellus what Hamlet has seen tonight. But then Hamlet says “It is an honest ghost—that let me tell you…… and now, good friends… Give me one poor request. …. Never make known what you have seen tonight …. We will not … Upon my sword. (Lines 154-165) Hamlet tells Horatio that it’s an honest Ghost, meaning that the ghost has provided Hamlet with the truth. In the beginning from lines 154 to 165 Hamlet would talk to Horatio and Marcellus but not normally, it was with a paranoid look on his face. Hamlet looked paranoid because he can’t believe he has seen his father spirit. Hamlet then requests a favor from Horatio and Marcellus and says “Never make known what you have seen tonight” meaning to never talk about this night. But Hamlet doesn’t trust Horatio and Marcellus in till they would swear upon Hamlet’s sword. After Hamlet says “Upon my sword” the ghost’s voice suddenly stops their interaction and say’s “swear”. During this scene the camera immediately switches to a high angle shot with the spot light on Hamlet, Marcellus, and Horatio showing the point of view of the ghost. The lighting was interesting as well because everywhere around the characters there cast of shadows, I thought this was funny because there were a lot of lighting in the scene before when it was a eye leveled shot but when it changed camera angles the lighting went dark again.
Finally the setting has changed from a dark, gloomy night time to day time. The lighting of this fits well with the scene because the truth has been revealed and everything that Hamlet should know is now been told. They then get together in circle to swear upon Hamlet sword not to speak of anything that has happened today, and they did so. I thought the acting, camera angles, sound effects, and delivery of the lines fits the video well.
The video that I had chosen to explicate is on act one scene five, when Hamlet meets the Ghost and they have a conversation. The video of this scene is pretty much what I had imagined when reading the play. The scene is dark, giving an impression of evil and scary; also the castle and its structure of dark large rocks gives a medieval feeling that adds the excitement of the scene. In this part of the play Hamlet runs up the stairs into the darkness scared but with the willingness and courage to face this spirit and discover the reason for its apparition on the castle every night in front of the guards.
Hamlet runs up defying the ghost to appear again and sweating in expression of his fear. The ghost has a perfect face of an old man with white beard and hair; into the darkness he looks invisible when he first speaks to Hamlet, but when he approaches the light he looks just like an ordinary old man. The ghost delivers his words and speech firmly, melancholic and controllably angry. I imagined he would be floating in the air, but instead he is sitting on the corner looking strait in Hamlet’s eyes, which frightens Hamlet even more. When the Ghost says he is Hamlet’s father, even though extremely scared, Hamlet relaxes and fells a bit more comfortable knowing that it is a known person rather than a total strange hunting him. Hamlet becomes surprised that his father’s spirit came back from the dead, but understands the ghost’s reason to return, it is because the events after his death, Gertrude’s marriage with Claudius, his brother, and becoming king might have bothered his peace even after dead.
Hamlet is attentive to every word and action made by the Ghost, and when he reveals that his brother whom had become Hamlet’s stepfather murdered him, Hamlet feels shocked. Hamlet becomes stunned sand extremely surprised with these news because he was the first to disagree with his mother’s marriage; he is focused on the Ghost and as I thought when reading the book, it seems that it had occurred to his mind that his mother Gertrude might have had some guilt in this crime. However, a few more words spoken by the Ghost after the revelation of his murderer, he certifies that Hamlet doesn’t hurt or doesn’t take revenge on his mother at any way, but commands Hamlet to take revenge on those who have helped in his murder. Along the Ghost’s speech, he says the he suffers in hell because he didn’t have enough time to confess his sins to God before death, which serves as an advice to Hamlet to never do what you ay feel sorry for later on in life or even after death. As the Ghost is telling how tortured he is being in hell, his expression changes as if wishing he would go back in time and change his actions and choices; Hamlet’s expression is very miserable and sorry although still scared, he feels bad for his father’s destiny and doesn’t want to go through his same experiences.
The scene takes place on the very top of the castle on open sky, which contributes to the drama of the scene with the dark heavy sky upon them talking. As the Ghost is finishing talking about his suffering in his melancholic tone, he says his good byes reaching for Hamlet’s face as if wishing to hug or kiss him and Hamlet becomes more frighten and sweats more in fear of a Ghost, even though it is his father approaching him. When Hamlet closes his eyes in fear and disgust, the Ghost vanishes away, and Hamlet instantly becomes free of his fear and walks side to side talking as if putting his mind and thoughts together. He reaches an edge of the wall and looks down at his mother and uncle Claudius drinking, talking and having fun. The environment in which Queen Gertrude and King Claudius are is very cozy, light, and modern, which can be a contradiction to the environment where Hamlet finds the Ghost at; it may highlight the different in life styles and may reflect the choices they have had taken throughout life. He looks down at his mother, which is ironic because a son looks up to his parents or an adult as a role model, but in Hamlet’s case his mother is everything but a model to his life. Then Hamlet starts to talk with himself calling his mother a strumpet and accusing her of the whole situation and incident. Hamlet becomes angry now that he had discovered that his father’s death was a planned murder and he is decided and positive to take revenge on Claudius and whoever else was responsible for his father’s death and suffering. After Hamlet speaks with the Ghost, when the guards come running for him in their iron, noisy clothes, he looks and sounds insane as if what he had seen and heard had been too much for his consciousness to take in at once. As he walk towards the guards and demands then to swear on his sword, -which is not as fancy as I thought it would be, it just looks like a piece of iron-, to never tell anyone what they had seen or heard it becomes day, and they hear the voice of the Ghost that frightens them and then they swear scared of the spirit.
Hamlet expresses his feelings so distinctively that the viewer feels his pain as if is real life; the words, actions and expressions are firm and convincible and convey the feeling of the play
Video Critique The video I choose was in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his father’ ghost. Since Hamlet heard Horatio and Marcellus, and Barnardo said they had seen the ghost before, and not just once of time, it was few times. And they thought that ghost was look like to the late Hamlet, Hamlet’s father, so, that makes Hamlet really want to see the ghost, he wants to ask him something, and see him once of time, so he determines to go with them to get chance to see the ghost, Is he late Hamlet, the King of Denmark, his father or not. Then, Hamlet waits a long time to wait for the ghost appear. Finally, he see the ghost, and keep ask him something, but the ghost didn’t answer him, instead, he called Hamlet to follow him to go somewhere, Hamlet didn’t reject the ghost, he wants to follow him. But Horatio and Marcellus are stop Hamlet to follow the ghost, and trying to hold Hamlet back to them, because it’s so dangerous and the ghost is crazy, and they didn’t know what happen will happen if him follow the ghost to somewhere, and they don’t want Hamlet get hurt and dangerous, so keeping to stop him, try the best to protect him. But Hamlet didn’t listen to them, and still persist in to follow the ghost. Start off in the video, we can see the ghost leads Hamlet to a building, was look like a castle, and was build by bricks. And there was kind of swivel stairs in the building. Then, Hamlet was wearing a black vestment and holding his sword to go up stairs in the building. In that circumstance was so dark, just have little light from above, when Hamlet was holding his sword and walk on the jig to go up stairs, he saw a kind of door, he used his sword to hit there. I am not sure what is that, because it was too dark, I can’t that clearly. But I think that was a door, an iron thing, because when Hamlet to used his sword to hit there, there sounds like when you hit iron things. After Hamlet hit that, he keeps going up stairs and tries to find where was the ghost going. When he went upstairs, he looked around, he sees the ghost, was in front of him, he was so scared, he was hang on to his sword and walk to the right, then left, and ceaselessly to change hand to hold his sword and uses his hand to touch the wall to forward. And keep looking at the ghost. The ghost was keep going his way. Hamlet keeps following him. Then the scene changes to Horatio and Marcellus are enter the castle to walking around to find Hamlet, they keep calling Hamlet to find him. Then the scene changes again, it changes to Hamlet go up stairs to the roof of the castle. He holds his sword walk around and looks around to find the ghost. He looks like a crazy man, to walk around, he was so scared. Then he looks back, he sees the ghost was behind him, he dropped his sword. At that time, there was still so dark, but there have light from the moon. So you can see Hamlet face clearly and what expression does Hamlet have. Then the ghost starts talk to Hamlet, he tells he was his father’s spirit, and what happen to him, and he wants Hamlet to revenge for him, he also tell Hamlet who was the murder to kill him, that person was his brother, Claudius, was Hamlet’s uncle, when Hamlet know about that, he was so surprised and scared. Hamlet was keep way from his father at all times. Then the ghost keeps talking about his brother, how his borther, hamlet's uncle kill him and robbed his crown,his wife and all his tings all at once. And he smells the morning is coming or maybe is maening that hamlet will reveage for him, so he brief that to tell Hamlet. When the ghost was talking to Hamlet, he was come to Hamlet, and acting to tell Hamlet about that to revenge for him and don’t hurt his mother, leave her alone, and the morning is coming, and say good-bye to Hamlet and tell Hamlet remember him and try to hug Hamlet, but he can’t not hug him in finally. When Hamlet heard that, he was bugging his eyes. He looks so scared. After the ghost says that, he disappears in front of Hamlet. Then Hamlet starts to soliloquy. Then he holds his sword run down. And he sees there has a wedding party for his mother and his father, they kissed to each other, and then says o most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! Then he used his sword to write something in the rocks. Then he assemble Horatio and Marcellus, then Horatio asks Hamlet what happen to him, then Hamlet has hesitate few seconds then say “NO” to Horatio, but Horatio still keep asking Hamlet. Then Horatio and Marcellus swore they wouldn’t talk to anyone, Hamlet tells him what happen to him in upstairs. The light in the castle was so light. And they still talking that things, and when they talking, the ghost was calls out from under the stage, says “Swear” to them. Then Horatio asks Hamlet what to swear, and Hamlet says to swear to his sword. And they run up to the roof of the castle. And the ghost say again, swear by Hamlet’s sword. Then they all people are holding Hamlet’s sword to swear. Then the scene shows they swear that in the morning. This video was cut a lot sentences what Hamlet and the ghost should be say in the scene, but they still have the most important part in the video.
Shakespeare and Mel Gibson had created the same story but probably with different and same meaning. This scene is a wonderful even if it imaginary when you are reading the book or when you are watching the movie. I choose Act 1 Scene 5, when Hamlet meets his father’ ghost. Since Horatio and Marcellus, and Bernardo told Hamlet that they had seen the ghost before, and not just once of time, it was few times. And they thought that ghost was look like to be Hamlet’s father, so, that makes Hamlet really want to see the ghost, Hamlet determines to go with Horacio, Bernardo and Marcellus to get chance to see the ghost, if it is his father Hamlet, the King of Denmark. Hamlet waited a long time for the ghost to appear. Finally, he see the ghost, and keep ask him something, but the ghost didn’t answer him, instead, he called Hamlet to follow him Hamlet didn’t reject the ghost. Hamlet is looking for his father’s ghost, because he wants the truth about his death. Hamlet has now gone through the dark hallway and is up the same stairs that the ghost went up. Hamlet is running and still out of breath. He doesn’t want to lose the ghost because if he does, he would not find out the truth. Hamlet sees his father’s ghost in the corner and slowly he turns around and catches his breath and drops his sword when he sees his father’s ghost for the first time since his death. His eyes where popping out of shock and to finally he knows that he is not crazy, and that he did see his father ghost. The ghost is in a dark corner with a window that has shades with a combination of light and dark lights. The ghost speaks to him for the first time; and tells him who he is. “I am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires till the foul crimes done in my days of nature …” (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.14-18) The ghost tells Hamlet who he is. The ghost also tells Hamlet that he can only came to earth for a certain time. He tells him that he walks the night and for the day, he burns in the fire; for all of his sins that he has done while he was alive. As the ghost of King Hamlet speaks to his son, Hamlet seems to be still in shock. He is in the same place with his eyes, still popping out. The ghost is also dressed in all black with gray hair with a grey moustache. The ghost looks old and tired. He has bags under his eyes and his skin is wrinkled just like an old person. By this time the ghost is telling Hamlet how he was murder. Ghost: “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Hamlet: “Murder?” Ghost: Murder most foul, as in the best it is, but this most foul, strange, and unnatural…Now, Hamlet, hear. Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me. So the ear of Denmark…The serpent that did sting thy father’s now wears his crown. Hamlet: O, my prophetic soul! My uncle! (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.31-48) This was a dialogue between Hamlet and the ghost. Hamlet is now finding out the truth about his father’s death. King’s Hamlet talks about revenge and tells Hamlet that he was murdered and Hamlet seems to be really confused. He is shock to hear his father’s spirit say those things and tell him that who kill his was his on brother that is Hamlet uncle. The ghost tells him that a snake poisoned him, while he was sleeping wasn’t a snake Hamlet just found out the truth about his father’s death. Now he must seek revenge for his death. On this part Mel Gibson puts suspense music and changes Hamlet tone of voice when he was asking question for the ghost. The ghost seems serious and has sadness on his eyes, and in some ways he does sound scary. When Hamlet founds out the truth about his father’s death, he drops some tears. And then wipes the tears from his eyes very quickly. As the King’s ghost tells Hamlet how everything happen. The readers from the book and of course who watching the movie will notice that his face, body movements, and his tone changes in many way when the ghost is telling finish telling him the story. He gets really mad and starts to talk to himself and yelled saying that he will take revenge and defend his father. He goes down the stairs there is loud music playing in the back ground; and the audience can hear Hamlet’s running foot-steps. The loud music is coming from the party that his uncle is having. Hamlet is furious and to take his anger out he start to hit the funny shape rocks with his sword. The way he was talking about his uncle it looked like he was going to kill him right there. The scenery is very dark with some light shades. The wind blows very fast. When hamlet is looking at his uncle on the party he looks at the sky and you can notice the big moon and a little bit later you see a huge sea with the moon shadow. I By the end of the video he goes down the stairs and Horacio is yelling his name asking everything that happens with the ghost. Hamlet denies and said that nothing happen but they can’t never say that they had ever heard about this ghost. “Hamlet: Ha, ha, boy! Sayst thou so? Art thou there, truepenny? Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage. Consent to swear…. GHOST: (beneath) Swear by his sword….(Act I. Sc. 5.) after all the swears the video just finish with hamlet saying that he will that revenge that the ghost can rest in peace.” HAMLET: Rest, rest, perturbèd spirit!—So, gentlemen, With all my love I do commend me to you, And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do, to express his love and friending to you,…… That ever I was born to set it right! Nay, come, let's go together. (Act I. Sc. 5. in 183-193) and them a beautiful morning ends the video. In conclusion Shakespeare created a fantastic story that Mel Gilson had made in a great movie with different background music and different mix tones in the characters.
In the video clip for act one scene five Hamlet played by Mel Gibson meets his father for the first time as a ghost. In this clip Hamlet is portrayed as a very emotional, startled and bewildered character. Not only is the sight of his father hard for him to handle the news his father gives him leaves him shocked. Hamlet is having a hard time processing the information which can be shown by the way he is talking. Apparently from reading the text it is obvious why Hamlet can not deal with what is going on. First off there is a ghost claiming to be and taking the body of his father. Second of all the ghost tells Hamlet his death was not accidental and that he was actually killed by Claudius who is his brother and now holds the crown. In the video clip Hamlet appears to be ready to pass out at any minute. Hamlet is being thrown into this crazy unthinkable world and he cant even prepare himself for the knowledge he gains about his fathers death, the afterlife and life itself. In the video clip the lighting is very dark. There are a lot of shadows and you cant really see where Hamlet and his fathers ghost are. It is so dark its hard to make out the ghost, which I think is significant because in the book Hamlet isn’t sure if the ghost actually is his father so not being able to see the ghost that well is important because it adds to Hamlets internal conflict to whether the ghost is really is father or an evil spirit trying to trick him. It also adds mystery to the play and makes it clear his father is doomed to walk the night and at no other time can he make contact with his love ones because once the darkness falls he Is sentenced to his other punishment which is worse then imaginable. The darkness also gives the scene that airy feeling that is needed when a ghost is brought into any type of media. A ghost is associated with being scared unsure and in “the dark” about things. That is what Hamlet is in the video clip which is why the darkness is so important.
i chose Act 1:5 when hamlet meets his father's ghost. Hamlet is chasing the ghost and looking for it and far away the ghost is standing and waiting, hamlet looks horrified and while hamlet is chasing the ghost Horatio and Marcellus is looking for him calling him “my lord”. The place looks like a castle yeah its is a castle and when he reach the rooftop the place is so scary and dark which the light is only coming from the moon and the sound is like horror. And when hamlet came to the rooftop there is nobody in there and its so quiet and only the background sound i can hear. Then hamlet stops and freezes and his face looks scared and he turned around slowly and the ghost shows up and he dropped his sword. When the ghost shows up he introduced himself “i am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires till the foul crimes done in my days of my nature and burnt and purged away”. The ghost looks so unpeaceful and he is very fascinated and angry for what happened to him. Hamlet looks shocked while he is listening to the ghost. The movie skipped many lines from the book but they delivered the main points in the book. The ghost told hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” and hamlet is shocked when he heard what the ghost told him and said “murder”. Hamlet doesn’t know yet what the ghost is trying to tell him. Then the next he said “’tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, the serpent stung me.” The ghost face and his reaction is like angry and he said “stung” like hard and he revealed something to hamlet “the serpent that sting thy father’s life now wears his crown” the ghost uses personification to personifies king Claudius as a serpent. Hamlet is shocked when he heard that his uncle who was murdered his father and Hamlet said “o my prophetic soul my uncle” and his face if we notice he swallowed and he is like falling down sitting. The ghost is very angry and fascinated for what King Claudius did to him and Hamlet while listening is crying. After the ghost told all of his feelings about his death and his anger for King Claudius he goodbyes to Hamlet and he said “fare you thee well at once. the glowworm shows the matin to be near and ‘gins to pale his uneffectual fire. adieu, adieu, adieu. remember thee” while the ghost is telling Hamlet, he come closer to Hamlet and Touches his face and said “remember thee” and Hamlet covered his face he looks like scared and when the ghost is done he disappears and hamlet got up his feet and looks very fascinated. After the ghost disappear he repeated what the ghost’s said “remember the?” and he still crying “ay thou poor ghost” i think he agreed and he said “yes” he ran down he saw the King and Queen having their dinner or they are partying downstairs but hamlet is on the rooftop, Hamlet is very angry i think to the queen because of he is with the man who killed his father and she moved on so fast. Hamlet said while looking at the queen with smile in her face with the king “oh most pernicious women, o villain, villain, smiling damned villain! my tables meet it is i set it down that one may smile and smile and be a villain. at least i am sure it may be so in Denmark.” while hamlet is saying the lines he is writing in the ground with his sword and looks like he is very mad he sworn with the sword calmly looking down the king “so, uncle, there you are. now to my word it is “adieu, adieu, remember thee” hamlet sworn for his father’s revenge he keep the word on his head and to the sword “i have sworn it”. When hamlet is done he went back downstairs of the castle, Marcellus and Horatio are still looking for Hamlet “hello ho ho my lord” hamlet answered “hello ho ho boys” and they got back together, Horatio asked Hamlet while he is sitting “what news my lord?” Hamlet jump from his sit and said “no you will reveal it” Hamlet doesn’t want to share what he had seen and then Horatio again said “not i my lord, by heaven” “nor i” said Marcellus. They keep walking and Hamlet says “there’s never a villain dwelling in all Denmark but he’s an arrant knave” hamlet is talking about the ghost. Horatio run ahead in front of Hamlet and said “there’s no needs no ghost, my lord come from the grave to tell us this” Horatio has no idea why did the ghost come and tell them. Hamlet stops and said “its an honest ghost” hamlet said it because he told the truth about his death. Hamlet asked them to give him one poor favor that “never make known what you have seen tonight” he wants to keep it secret that they saw the ghost of late king. Hamlet held his sword on its blade and he wants Horatio and Marcellus to swear not to tell anybody about what they seen and while Hamlet is waiting for them there’s a voice from somewhere saying “sworn” its the ghost.. they stop and look around and they ran outside and Hamlet make them swear “never to speak of this that you have seen. swear by my sword and the voice keep saying “sworn...” and Horatio looks so scared and he says “o day and night, but this is wondrous strange” and they put their hands to the sword and sworn. Hamlet finally made them swear. Hamlet after making Horatio and Marcellus to swear the ghost stops and Hamlet is saying “rest, rest, perturbed spirit” it is like for the ghost and the birds flying the morning comes. They seem to spent the whole night talking with the ghost.
Kenney DeSouza Period 1 In Mel Gibson’s version of hamlets first encounter with the ghost, the video tends to cut out the more detailed lines to leave us with the basic understanding of the scene. We first see Hamlet running up the stairs with sword drawn, as if there is an intruder. We see the ghost walk up to the tower. The lighting in this scene is very appropriate for the tone and what’s to come. The hallways are dark, and gloomy. Also Hamlet is also wearing dark clothing that the book mentions. ““Seems,” Madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems”. ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn Black, Act I Scene 2 76-79”. We briefly see Horatio and Marcellus trying to go after Hamlet, we can clearly identify they are guards. One of the main flaws of this video, is hamlet already knows he is following the ghost in the book. Hamlet even shouts “Where are you taking me? Speak. I’m not going any farther. Act I Scene V 1-2”. In the video Hamlet simply follows the ghost, until he loses him, before the ghost reappears and begins to talk to him. Also an interesting thing I noticed about this video is the ghost brings hamlet to a tower. In the book we hear Horatio say “what if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff that beetles o’er his base into the sea. Act I Scene iv 72-74” describing a cliff and sea. When we see the ghost for the first time in the video we see a old man, white hair, beard, what a king would look like. The video however misses a important element; the armor. “Been thus encountered: a figure like your father, Armed at point exactly, Cap-a-pie. Act I scene ii 199-200” To a first time viewer the ghost could have been a random old man, or insane ghost, with the armor however, the viewer would be able to acknowledge that the ghost is the king instantly. We see Hamlets face light up during this scene which makes sense because not only being the protagonist, his conflict is beginning to arise. The ghost is seen less visible, almost transparent. The emotions of Hamlet during the ghost’s lines are scared, sad, and overall excellent. The ghost however looks pretty calm throughout the time we see him. The lines in this video are cut to basic. We hear just enough to know what is happening. I was surprised to see the lines “I could a tale unfold whose lightest word would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, thy knotted and combined locks to part and each particular hair to stand on end like quills upon the fearful porpentine. Act I scene V 18-20” missing from the video. These lines are really heavy and would really set the tone of the scene. The video gives us the basic plot of what happened, and who the murderer is and how hamlet is to avenge his father’s deaf. When the ghost departs us, the video does an astonishing job of showing Hamlets anger, and revengeful mind. We see Hamlet furious wielding his sword. We see hamlet run into a window overlooking Claudius, as the new king. The video did a great job showing the new King the way the book describes his personality; having a party, drinking, and having fun. The video really shows Hamlets anger after he sees his father’s murderer. The book really does not describe whether hamlet made visual contact when he said the lines “O most pernicious woman! O Villain, Villain, Smiling, Damned Villain! Act I scene v 105-107” but the video really helps the viewers understand these lines and actually feel the anger. When Hamlet regroups with the guards we see Hamlet acting somewhere in the insane and sane personality. Just like the book, we can argue rather he is going crazy, or is he just amazed and shocked. The video does just this. The video however leaves many lines out that would make us question this, such as “Ha, ha, boy! Sayst thou so? Art thou there, true penny? Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage. Consent to swear. Act I scene v 153-156” As mentioned before the video cuts a lot of the lines, but we get an understanding of the plot and the new conflict. The video overall gives the viewer the basic plot, but most of the detail scripture is left out. The emotions of the characters in this video are very impressive, and lets the audience really feel the sadness and anger.
The video I choose was in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his fathers ghost. In the video clip where Hamlet meets his father’s ghost he shows Hamlet in a dark place to start of the scene. He begans it by running up the cobble stone stairs with a sword in his hands showing Hamlet (Mel Gibson) as very frightened. As Hamlet stops running in the very dark halls of the castle you can see on the other side light coming through from the outside with the ghost standing there looking down at Hamlet. At this time Hamlet see's the ghost and has a shocking look on his face as the music starts to get suspensful and horror like. Also at this time Horatio and Marcellus are on a man hunt for Hamlet through the castle in which they sound frightened and worried too. As Hamlet finally stops running he corners himself, drops his sword and hears something, as he turns around he comes face to face with the ghost. The music is still consistent but a windy sound comes along with it portraying it as a cool windy night. The scene is still dark with light peeking through on the side of the ghost making it difficult to see him. The ghost explains to Hamlet what has happened and how he has been murdered. The setting of this clip was extremely dark to portray the situation that Hamlet is in. The darkness of the setting also fits well with the news that Hamlet receives; the news is that his Father was murdered by Claudius. In the play Hamlet, Hamlet says “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” (Line 31) This line was in the play and the video. It also means that King Hamlet wants Hamlet to take revenge for his father. Throughout the first 4 minutes of this video clip there’s a wind that has that scary tone that also fits the scene perfectly. Then from lines 65-70 there’s an added background sound. The sounds seem like loud drums and thunder, which at this part King Hamlet reveals to Hamlet on how Claudius murders him. Another technique that I found was helpful for viewers in the video are the camera angles, when King Hamlet was speaking the camera was locked on King Hamlet to show his emotions and also on Hamlet, both were close-ups to see their reaction and physical emotions towards the situation.
Around the four minute mark is when Hamlet starts to break down in tears. This is when you hear a different instrument in the background something like a trumpet and the windy sound continues. As the five minute mark approaches you see the ghost approach Hamlet with his hands out saying to "remember me". As this happens Hamlet closes his eyes and clenches his hands for a few seconds, as he opens his eyes the ghost vanishes with the only sound left the wind. Hamlet seem startled tremendously and starts making weird jerking facial expressions. Hamlet then gets off the floor and starts his soliloquy. " “Remember thee? Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat in this distracted globe. Remember thee? Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain…..” (Lines 102- 110) Hamlet then shows alot of anger as he expresses the soliloquy. He then picks up his sword and runs as he comes to an opening in the roof and looks down into a party where everyone seems to be having a good time. It is all dark around Hamlet and down at the party it is lite up with fire and lights which can express how Hamlet is feeling and the others are feeling, the difference. Hamlet then calls his mother a pernicious women meaning she has ruined everything, ruined their family and ruined Hamlet’s life. While Hamlet says “O villain, villain, smiling damned villain” he had a hatred expression towards both King Claudius and Queen Gertrude so I think the villain that’s being said by Hamlet can apply to both of them. In the background you can hear scottish like dancing music along with a bunch of laughing people and enjoying voices.
Then Hamlet leaves the roof top and runs into Horatio and Marcellus. They ask Hamlet about "What news" and Hamlet stalls and says nothing you will reveal it meaning that they will open their mouth to others. Hamlet then says “It is an honest ghost—that let me tell you…… and now, good friends… Give me one poor request. …. Never make known what you have seen tonight …. We will not … Upon my sword. (Lines 154-165) Hamlet tells Horatio that it’s an honest Ghost, meaning that the ghost has provided Hamlet with the truth. Hamlet seems very uptight at this point and paranoid. Hamlet then says “Never make known what you have seen tonight” meaning to never talk about this night. But Hamlet seems not to trust Horatio and Marcellus untill they would swear upon Hamlet’s sword. As Horatio and Marcellus are about to swear the ghost's voice interrupts them saying "swear, swear" As this happens the view changes to above looking over the three of them basically showing you from the ghost's view. Then as they run they go out into the day time. They then all stand up and swear upon Hamlets sword never to tell a soul. As the scene comes to an end Hamlet looks up in the sky and tells the ghost's soul to rest with his eyes bulgind out of his head. Then comes a close up on his face and then fades into a bright mountain top view of the castle to end it. I feel Mel Gibson did a terrific job playin Hamlet easily the best so far along with this entire video and all of the features it has to offer.
I Have Chosen Act 1 Scene 5 which is the scene where Hamlet goes to look for the ghost which Horatio and Marcellus have said that it is a ghost. Hamlet runs up the stairs and reaches the top of the tower which he encounters a very personal family member which is his father as the ghost.
In the scene when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost there is a lot of suspense, tension, and emotions all in one scene. In The beginning of the scene Hamlet goes to see the mysterious sounds that are made by the so called ghost of King Hamlet his father. The director makes the scene in a dark and mysterious type of mood and the tone is very scary and sad. When Hamlet reaches the top of the tower he is very terrified and with out of nowhere the king’s ghost appears with a sad type of tone. The ghost starts by telling that he is Hamlets father and he starts by saying why he came back and how he was killed. This is when Hamlet finds out the truth about his uncle betrayal. The director in this scene definitely made the mood very intense for the viewers he used a certain sound for the wind and the music is slow and weary.
After the truth is revealed the ghost makes Hamlet wake up and think about the situation that is happening. This is when the mood changes in the scene it went from being sad to very angry and you can tell by Hamlet’s voice and the scene moves very quickly. Hamlet then swears he will revenge on his fathers word so he has promised to do something about it. He then returns to Horatio and Marcellus and says he did see the ghost but they will not believe what the ghost mentioned to him or they might mention it to someone. They here noises again by the ghost so they go and look for it again it is a very ironic situation that the scene shows.
The lighting in the scene is the most effected because it results to be a very dark suspense. The character Hamlet mood and tone gave the scene a better understanding because the way he spoke and expressed himself. The music is quite through the entire scene the director definitely wanted to feel and show the situation in the whole scene. The spacing through the scene gives also a very unusual feeling when it is shows so that makes the viewers feel awkward when something is about to happen. The scene is very confusing and unaware of what to understand but that is the main idea of the scene to feel suspense through out the scene.
Nicke Falaise Period 2 Blog Post Act 1 Scene 5 Hamlet meets His Fathers Ghost
In the video about Act 1 Scene 5 Hamlet meets his father’s ghost for the first time. Hamlets encounter with his father’s ghost is the start of his insanity and plot for vengeance for upon his uncle. He seeks revenge on his uncle King Claudius because his decease father, King Hamlet explains to him that King Claudius plotted to kill and murdered him. This video highlights Hamlet’s encounter and reactions to his encounter with his father. This video clip also shows footage that was not explained in the novel written by Shakespeare, of Hamlet watching his parents and commenting on his emotions towards them.
The clip has a lot of detail where as the book you have to pay attention to the imagery Shakespeare id trying to put across. The entry music is that of a horror movie. Hamlet enters scared and shaken up. His facial expressions show a number of emotions. The viewer starts to see ghost come toward Hamlet and speak of his death and life as a ghost. In the act in the novel written by Shakespeare, Hamlet has gone as far as his courage will take him, and says, "Wither wilt thou lead me? Speak, I'll go no further" (1.5. lines1-8). The Ghost does speak, and he demands that Hamlet "mark" him--not just listen, but pay attention. He tells Hamlet he is "thy father's spirit," and must soon return to the prison of purgatory and its flames. In the clip the ghost gives Hamlet a command: "If thou didst ever thy dear father love . . . /Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (1.5. lines 31-34). Hamlet promises that he will "sweep to [his] revenge," The Ghost then replies, "duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed / That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, / Wouldst not stir in this" (1.5. lines 39-41).
The ghost, promises Hamlet a burden of shame and guilt if he does not revenge him. Only after this terrible introduction, does the Ghost deliver the news, “Claudius, now king, killed Hamlet's father, "O my prophetic soul!" (1.5. line 48) says Hamlet. The ghost tone starts to increase and the music starts to rise when this instance occurs. It's what he expected. But then the Ghost turns to something that has been on Hamlet's mind even more than the death of his father, his mother. The Ghost says, "won to his shameful lust / The will of my most seeming virtuous queen" (1.5. lines 52-53) about Claudius. In the clip the scene is extremely dark and gloomy and remains this way until the scene switches to Hamlet speaking to Horatio. The Ghost now proceeds to denounce his queen in most bitter terms. She left his bed to "prey on garbage" (1.5. line 64). This is a clear insult to not only his widowed wife but to his brother.
The Ghost gives the details of the murder. While King Hamlet was taking a nap in his orchard, Claudius poured poison in his ear; the poison curdled his blood and rose to his skin, until his body was covered with a "vile and loathsome crust" (1.5. line 79). This may very well be a trigger to Hamlet’s insanity. King Hamlet had his life, his crown and his queen stolen from him all at once. Worse, he died without chance to pray or take the last rites, so that now, instead of being in heaven, he is burning in the fires of purgatory. HE expresses this in the clip with great feeling and sorrow. It is all "O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!" (1.5.line 87), but now it's now almost morning and the Ghost must leave. The ghost appear to be devastated and enraged at the same time in the clip, The Ghost parting words have an unexpected twist: “If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not; Let not the royal bed of Denmark be A couch for luxury and damned incest. But, howsoever thou pursuest this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught: leave her to heaven And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge, To prick and sting her”. (1.5.lines 81-88) Hamlet is supposed to hate the fact that his mother wed with King Claudius, and he is supposed to kill the King to put a stop to it, but he is not supposed to do a thing to his mother, or even think bad thoughts about her.
The Ghost leaves, saying "Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me." Hamlet swears to remember, but he has a hard time of it. First, Hamlet exclaims "O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else? / And shall I couple hell?" (1.5.lines 99-101), It as though he is thinking of what to swear by. Shall he swear by God and all the angels of heaven? By earth? Or maybe he should swear by hell, in case the Ghost came from there. This thought makes him say "O fie" to himself, but he feels weak, overwhelmed, and asks his heart to stay young and his sinews to stay strong. He promises to remember the Ghost, and only the Ghost, saying, "Yes, by heaven!" But immediately afterwards he disobeys the Ghost's command to "taint not thy mind" against his mother, and exclaims "O most pernicious woman!" (1.5. line 112) This line is shouted by Hamlet in the clip in a disgusted and shamed tone. The thought of his mother brings with it the thought of his step-father, and Hamlet cries out "O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!" (1.5.106). In the clip Hamlet id looking down at his mother and step father/uncle and becoming hysterical. He takes out a notebook ("my tables") to write note the fact that "one may smile . . . and be a villain", in the novel. The clip has a different approach to this part in the novel. The clip has a vivid expression of emotion expressed to King Hamlet’s misery, Hamlets remorse and confusion, and the type of music being played. The music calms as King Hamlets ghost is saying adieu repeatedly and remember me.
My critique of this video from Act 1 Scene 2 is based on my knowledge and understanding of the passage from the novel written by Shakespeare. So the provided textual evidence from Hamlet as well as provide descriptions of the video are connected and highlighted in both forms of presentation.
In the video when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet first knows that his father, King Hamlet, was killed by King Claudius. The video skips a lot of lines of the original script, but it captures the main idea and tone of the play. Hamlet hears from Horatio and Marcellus that there is a ghost who looks alike with King Hamlet; therefore he walks up the tower and wants to meet him. He is holding a sword all the time which may because he wants protection. It is dark in the tower and can hardly see the Hamlet. He then arrives at a hallway with light at the other end. Light is always used as a symbol of truth in literature. This implies that Hamlet is getting nearer and nearer to the truth of King Hamlet’s death. Hamlet turns around and looks for the ghost when he walks out of the hallway. This makes the audiences think that the ghost is going to appear at this point. It is so quiet when the Ghost of King Hamlet comes out. The ghost first starts off saying that “I am thy father’s spirit” which clearly tells Hamlet that he is his father unlike the book which tells Hamlet to revenge first. The ghost then mentions about the murder and tells Hamlet to take revenge. The ghost softly says that “Murder most foul, as in the best it is, but this most foul, strange, and unnatural”. He is so calm compared with Hamlet expression. Hamlet is shocked and looks so pale in the dark. King Hamlet was originally accused to be killed be a snake. He is now also killed by a snake since snake can mean treacherous person, which is Claudius. After the ghost is done with his speaking, he looks like he misses Hamlet so much and does not want to leave him; but he has to. When he finishes saying goodbye to Hamlet, he disappears suddenly which increases his mystery; he doesn’t speak to the others and disappears whenever he wants.
Hamlet then looks down and sees that King Claudius and Queen Gertrude are having their meal happily. There are many noises, chatting and laughing sounds. It is light and looks so warm, like a totally different world compared with where he is standing. The light creates the visible world but the visible world is basically a shadow. All others people are living in that world. Prince Hamlet is the one who knows the truth and looks like isolated by that world at this point. Hamlet says that “That one may smile and smile and can be a villain” and he also carves this on the rock using his sword. This shows that what he writes which the book doesn’t mention clearly. This also implies that Hamlet trusts all the words that the ghost told him. He also hits the rock by the sword after finishing carving; he is really angry and mad of it. In the video, Claudius laughs when Hamlet says “so, uncle, there you are”. This part is not in the book and the director makes a great comparison here. Looking at his expression and emotion, Hamlet will definitely take revenge for his father. However, King Claudius knows nothing and continues living so happily.
Hamlet then walks down the stairs and meets Horatio and Marcellus. They are so eager to know if Hamlet sees the ghost and if he tells him anything. They ask Hamlet excitedly. However, Hamlet does not want to say anything about that. He just drops down a “no, you will reveal it” and keeps on walking. He is then stopped by them and they keep on asking about the ghost. Hamlet mentions that “it is an honest ghost”, which once again proves that he is totally believed in the ghost. He asks Horatio and Marcellus to swear upon his sword that “never to speak of this that you have seen, never to speak of this that you have heard”. This shortens the originally script which has a better result. Combining two sentences makes the oath more powerful and sharp. They follow Hamlet to a higher and roofless place of the castle. There is a sound tell them to swear also. According to the book, it comes from underneath. However, everyone looks up to the sky when the sound comes out. It seems to be from the top. This makes the ghost seem to be come from heaven but not Purgatory. They just kneel down and look scary of it. Horatio and Marcellus think that it is strange but seem not so believe in it. However, they do swear by upon the sword and which ends the video. Hamlet looks relaxing a little bit after they swear.
Although many lines are cut in this version, it captures the idea and the tone well. Hamlet is shocked and angry when he first knows that King Hamlet was killed by Claudius, his treacherous uncle. He wants to take revenge of it. The lighting helps a lot to create the two different worlds while the sound effects help a lot in creating the atmosphere of the two worlds.
In Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his father's ghost again, but this time Hamlet is informed why his father is still lurking around in a ghostly figure. His father informs him of how he passed away because of his uncle, Claudius, and that he wanted Hamlet to avenge his death. The director of this version of Hamlet has different views as so do others than the book. The video that I am critiquing is same in scene but not the same lines that were suppose to be said as in the book. The video skips a lot of small conversations and only delivered the bigger lines. As Mel Gibson acts out Hamlet, many expressions were changed where the book shows otherwise. Where the book sometimes says something with an exclamation point, the actors don't express the exclamation point. Another change is when words are meant to be said fast, the video shows them slow.
Starting off in Act 1 scene 5, Hamlet does not ask the ghost where he is leading him, he just follows along. The awkward part is that he is on the top of the roof, so there isn't another place to go further, like what Hamlet asks for in the book. Throughout the part where the ghost explains his death, Hamlet is shocked at seeing a ghost. The video shows the ghost as an older man who is Hamlet's father wearing all black. The scene is dark so his clothes are blended in with the back round as if you only see his head at some points. “O, my prophetic soul! My uncle!,” when Mel Gibson recited that part, there was not any emotion on uncle, so it lacked the exclamation point. Again with emotions, the ghost says, “ O horrible, O horrible, most horrible!,” which is different than what the book interprets the expressions. The ghost puts his hands over head and yells out, “O horrible,” and then the end of that line he says it soft, like an echo draining out the sound.
The most significant part out of this section was acted very well, it was when the host says, “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me.” Hamlet's father the ghost never got to see Hamlet as a young child as much since he passed away, and that's a fact. So when that part came up the ghost opened his arms as if he were to carry a baby, which was his son. Mel Gibson, as Hamlet responded to this and opened his arms and closed his eyes, as he were scared but wanted to hold his dad, like a baby at first. Throughout that part the lines were delivered slowly and it did skip some parts to get to the ghost leaving. Another thing about that section is that the ghost can be opening his arms to give out his request and Hamlet is receiving the order or grasping his father's wishes.
In the book Hamlet writes out a part where he says, “ So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word. It is “adieu, adieu, remember me.” I have sworn't,” but in the video Hamlet does not write it out he looks to the sky and says it as if to keep at the top of his head. So his main priority was what he said while looking upon the people eating in the room below him. Towards the end of the scene in the video Hamlet does not say, “Nay ,come. Let's go together,” but ends it in, “ That ever I was born to set it right!.” This part is ignoring his friends and leaving Hamlet himself to do everything. If you were to watch this movie for the first time without reading the book, you would think that Hamlet is going solo upon avenging his father's death. When meeting up with the other guards it all of a sudden became bright outside. Which is awkward in a sense that he was just in the dark with his father's ghost. What it could mean was that Hamlet's old life was over, or his meaning to live was gone and a new Hamlet takes over. This new Hamlet would be the one to have a goal of avenging his father's death. Before Hamlet was a loner, who didn't like his mother or his uncle because they were always happy with out him and the reasons his mother moved on made him not want to be around them.
Other notes about this video is the characters chosen. What I noticed was that King Hamlet, the ghost, was old. I wasn't sure if he was old when he died or that he had also aged in the after life. To connect that with the present look of his wife, Gertrude, and Claudius, they looked old. So it has come to my attention that maybe King Hamlet was somewhat a range of 10 years older than the queen. This could be why the queen moved on so fast, because if he were like 10 years older than he would be close to father like than a Husband. Mel Gibson who starred as Hamlet, didn't have the awkward appearance as you would expect as of Hamlet. So when it comes to talking to Ophelia later on, he would be perfect for the act as he is suppose to be awkward all of a sudden. What fore shadows his awkwardness is his eyes, which seems to open wide every time he sees someone. The clothes that the people wore, was significant to the book. Hamlet is an outsider to his family now ever since his father passed away and his mother remarried to his uncle, so he wears a black cloak. Gertrude and Claudius wears red which is a sign of royalty. Another significance is that the title of the book can play a part here. The title is, “The Tragedy Of Hamlet,” so Hamlet is going to die because he is a tragic hero. His father as a ghost wore black also and he was a hero who fought many victorious battles, so you can say that Hamlet is going to die like his father, where as he fights for his father's death. Overall the video did a great job cutting out several scenes to get to reveal the significance of the scene.
The scene Hamlet meets his father’s spirit sets at nighttime, on the top of the castle. When the scene begins, Hamlet runs around with his sword and his fear. When Hamlet sees his father spirit, suddenly he drops down his sword, leans back to the wall and stares at his father like he couldn’t believe what he had seen is the truth. The lights project into Hamlet face more than it focus to the ghost because they want to make the audiences see Hamlet’s emotions. He was sweating and pale after chasing the ghost. King Hamlet’s spirit appears in the dark corner where the audiences can see only his head because the dress with all black. There is no light around King Hamlet because he is a ghost which is supposes to made of light. The ghost starts to talk to Prince Hamlet with the low and warm voice, he tells Hamlet about his life in hell. At nighttime he walks around, but at daytime he is burned in fire because of his crime he did when he was alive. “I am thy father’s spirit,/ and for the day confine to fast in fires/ Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature”. He rise hid left arm to in front of his face then to the right and says “but that I am for bid to tell the secrets of my prison house,” King Hamlet’s ghost used rises his hand to block the fire to his face to do that when he burned in the hell’s prison. It shows the fear of King Hamlet to the terrible punishment in hell like. King Hamlet’s spirit tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius- with his angry voice “The serpent that did sting thy father's life/ Now wears his crown.” Hamlet comes closer to hid father with a hard breath. He keeps staring his big eyes because he never think of his uncle would kill his father. King Hamlet wants his son to get revenge for him “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” Hamlet respond with an unexpected tone “O my prophetic soul! My uncle” Hamlet upsets about that. He start to change his emotion from sad to angry. Even though the queen married Claudius after the King died, but King Hamlet forgives of her marriage. “The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen” King Hamlet still love his wife even though she married to the one that murder him. Prince Hamlet expresses a pitiful look because he never expect that his uncle would kill his father. The ghost of King Hamlet turns around and stands up “methinks I scent the morning air” the ghost notice the morning is coming it also mean that he have to go back to the hell. He tells Hamlet briefly about how Claudius killed him. Claudius wait for the time King Hamlet was sleeping in his garden as he usual dose, Claudius seduces him and pour the poisonous liquid into King Hamlet ear which killed him “Sleeping within my orchard, / My custom always of the afternoon, / Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, / With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial, / And in the porches of my ears did pour / The leperous distilment”. Hamlet weeps tears in his eyes, looks at his father so painful. King Hamlet’s spirit closes his eyes, raises his two arms and then leans back to the wall behind him “Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled, / No reck’ning made, but sent to my account / With all my imperfections” King Hamlet really upsets that Claudius had taken away everything of his. It shows that King Hamlet take it really to accept the truth that his life riuned by his own brother. Hamlet keeps staring at his father’s spirit with tears in his eyes. The ghost stands up faces toward to Hamlet and remind him that not to revenge on his mother. At the last moment before he go back to hell, he still remember his love. King Hamlet’s ghost says good bye to his dear son, Hamlet. “The glow-worm shows the matin to be near, / And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire: / Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.” He comes to Hamlet with his toe arms open forward like he want to hug his son for the last time. Hamlet respond by closes his eyes and his tow hands want to hold on his father hands, but when he opens his eyes, his father had gone. Only Hamlet left in the scene, he stands up and talks to himself “Yea, from the table of my memory/ I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,/ All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,/ That youth and observation copied there;/ And thy commandment all alone shall live/ Within the book and volume of my brain,” Hamlet encourage himself that he have to forget everything and get revenge for his father. Hamlet is angry and upset. After screaming on top of the castle, Hamlet runs down to lower level, when he looks down, he see his mother enjoy the party with his step father, with a pity tone he look down to his mother and says “O most pernicious woman!” Hamlet gone crazy uses his sword to write down on the stone “So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word;/ It is 'Adieu, adieu! remember me./ I have sworn't.” He starts to smash the stone as hard as he could. Then he stops and leans on his sword which is pointing down to the stone, breath heavily and gives hatred to Claudius. Horatio and Marcellus found Hamlet where he runs down the stair. They want to know what happened. Hamlet doesn’t want other people know about the meeting between him and his father’s ghost. He wants it to be a secret. “Never make known what you have seen to-night.” He even wants them to swear upon his sword. Hamlet holds up his sword and force people to swear with his serous face: “Upon my sword”. There is a sound of the ghost “swear”. Everyone look around, Hamlet ran outside looks around and yell “Swear by my sword”. That was the time of dawn, Hamlet looks up the sky “And therefore as a stranger give it welcome./ There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/ Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Then he run to other higher place, hold his sword in front of him with two hands, seriously he says “So grace and mercy at your most need help you, Swear.” They swear by put their hand on his sword. Hamlet emotion gets better, he close his eyes and breath out easily. Then he looks up the sky again “Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!-So, gentlemen,/ The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,/ That ever I was born to set it right!/ Nay, come, let's go together.” He wants his father rest after his life and he will make his plan to get revenge on Claudius.
In Mel Gibsons interpretation of William Shakespeare the tragedy of hamlet during act 1 scene 5 when hamlet meets the ghost who allegedly who was said to look like the late king hamlet, the director accurate portrays this scene and changes minor lines to add the directors own personal touch. As the scene begins it is in the early hours of the mourning it seems as if it just rained hamlet who seems to be in his late twenty’s early thirty’s have hamlet is curiously scurrying up the castle steps with his sword in his hands calling out to the mysterious ghost who is trying to lead him somewhere. The director decision to make Hamlet walking up the castle is supported the lines in the play. “Whither wilt thou lead me? Speak. I’ll go no further. (page 55 lines 1-2). This passage supports the idea that the director portrays in the movie because Hamlet says he cant go any further because he reaches the top of the castle. As the scene continues the ghost finally reveals it and Hamlet shockingly turns and appears to feel bad and emotional because he notices a somewhat sad pale spirit of his once great father. through this entire scene when hamlet sees the ghost Hamlet shows signs of either being terrified or the start of a hallucination. This is a excellent idea for the director because the one the everlasting questions for this play is whether prince hamlet is sane or not. By the director adding these emotions the viewer can decide whether he is sane or not it is up to the eyes of the beholder. As Hamlet appears to becoming emotional the supposed spirit of the king tells him he doesn’t have much time and not to pity him because he has to inform him of something. “my hour is almost come when I to sulf’rous and tormenting flames must render up myself… pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing to what I shall unfold.” This passage supports the reason he made the setting of the scene in the early hours of the mourning. The ghost that he cant stay long he has to return hell before the day begins but before he goes he has to inform his on what actually happened to him. As the movie continues the ghost begins to inform hamlet on how he actually died how he was not killed in battle but was murdered by the man wearing the crown now, Cladius. As the ghost tells Hamlet on what has happened he is delivering the lines very informative and with great depression as a haunted spirit should do. As the ghost begins to finish he begins to move closer and closer in an effort to try to touch his son but hamlet becomes startled and crouches over and closes his eyes in fear and he opens his eyes the ghost then vanishes as if were never there which can also support the idea that Hamlet has gone crazy. As gets up from the fetal position he put him self he begins to speak to him self about what has just happened. As hamlet speaks he moves to an opening in the castle and watches Cladius delivers his lines with such anger. Unlike in the play Haratio and Marcellus but the movie hamlet runs the down the castle stairs to find them waiting for him at the bottom. As the hamlet heads near the bottom the viewer notices that it has become mourning which can be a way the director cant tell the viewer that The director chooses for Hamlet to walk by Haratio and Marcellus as he passing by they begin to question on the events that happened. “ my lord , my lord !…heavens secure him …illo, ho, ho, my lord!… hillo, ho, ho, boy! Come,(bird,) come!” (page 63 lines 120-125) the director delivered this part the play corrected to go along with the lines. As hamlet walks he tells the soldiers to walk with him and swear on his sword not to tell what he is about to tell them. The men swear and put their hand on the sword and hamlet looks to the sky and the scene is over. In conclusion in Mel Gibsons the Tragedy of the Hamlet Gibson accurately portrays what could have happened and creatively adds minor additions to make the scenery collaborate with the lines of the play.
When watching Act 1, Scene 5, when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost, the scene is set with very dark lighting, and almost a haunted atmosphere. Hamlet walks in not knowing what the ghost would look like as he feels against the walls with fear. He almost double guesses himself as he walks up the stairs as if he has seen something. He has a sword in his hand almost as if he is ready for anything, and is using it as his protection. He always keeps his sword high, near his face, almost as if he thinks he will be able to use it against the ghost. But as soon as he sees his father’s ghosts he drops the sword. His eyes are bulging from his head and stands afar from his father, almost in disbelief. He wants him to come closer, as if he has a secret to tell. Hamlet stands in a state of shock. King Hamlet seems weary, and fact full, he almost seems like a grandfather telling a war story. Everything that King Hamlet tells Hamlet brings Hamlet to tears. They still stand distant. By telling Hamlet how he died, it’s almost as if Hamlet wishes he had known before, so he could have done something. But he’s been living with these lies. Once King Hamlet tells Hamlet to leave his mother to heaven, the look on Hamlet’s face is confused, since his mother has been a strumpet, and Hamlet feels his mother has betrayed his father and doesn’t deserve the respect his father gives her. When he sees that the sun is coming up, he says his final goodbyes to Hamlet, and tries to touch him, but doesn’t and it’s almost as if it was a dream. As he says remember me, it’s as if it’s like last time Hamlet is going to see him, and wants to make sure that Hamlet will want to take that revenge for his father to be free. He then goes crazy, not knowing what to do after hearing all that has happened, putting the past and present into motion. He then goes to a hall where King Claudius and Queen Gertrude are and looks at them in disgrace. He takes his sword almost as if he is taking his sword to King Claudius. He wants his mother to be unhappy just like his father. Since he sees her and King Claudius happy as ever. Hamlet flees from the above view that he had of the dinner that his mother and uncle were celebrating. The scene that is below is very elegant, and full of light and color. As Hamlet leaves he seems back to normal, as his friends are calling for him, but he is putting on an act to act as though nothing is wrong. But Horacio knows something is wrong, as he puts his hand on Hamlet as is he can tell them whatever since they are friends. He still has his sword in his hand. His friends clothing look as though they are fighters, or guards of some sort. Hamlets actions are very quick and almost happening as he does not know what to do at this point. Once they all hear King Hamlets voice they then have the same face that Hamlet did the first time that he saw his father. They all believe him now, as he holds his sword toward his friends, to show loyalty upon his sword not to tell what has happened. They are all scared and look around as if King Hamlet’s ghost is still there. Hamlet doesn’t want this secret to get out, and once his friends promise loyalty to his secret, he seems to be in relief, and tells his father he can rest to. The last scene is that of the castle from a far away view. It looks beautiful, but that could be symbolizing what is going to happen next , as what is beautiful on the outside may not be the same on the inside, since there is about to be much drama to come within the castle.
In act 1 scene 5 of the play The Tragedy of Prince Hamlet, Hamlet meets his father’s ghost. In the video clip Mel Gibson plays Hamlet. He appears grungy and worn out. He has a thick brown beard and mustache. He looks sweaty and somewhat dirty. He is wearing what looks like a long brown cloak which makes him look rough. The director did a fine job in selecting Mel Gibson to play Hamlet. Hamlet is a prince so one would think he looks young with a shaved face but since he has just lost his father and the play is about his tragedy, it is understandable why the director sees Hamlet this way.
What’s first seen in the video is Hamlet running through dark, stone hallways with his sword out. Without saying anything, he creeps up the stairs and peeks around the corners as if he is a detective. He looks down a dark corridor with a splash of moonlight and sees the ghost walking up a flight of stairs. The director of this scene does a good job of displaying the mood of the scene, yet making Hamlet appear cunning and sneaky was unnecessary as in the novel, Hamlet and the ghost begin the scene together. The director also uses little sound and light which do fit well with the lines from the play. He also switches angles at which Hamlet is seen quickly to make the scene seem sudden and intense. When Hamlet reaches the top floor he finally finds the ghost.
Hamlet’s father’s ghost is played by Paul Scofield who has white hair and an aged face. His wrinkles may be natural or be the art of makeup but he looks worn which is appropriate for his role. He is hard to see as he speaks from shadows. There are no special effects to make his appear like a ghost so he looks human. He speaks with no emotion on his face or in his lines and he seems gloomy, which is great for the role of the ghost. He begins the scene at “I am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night” (14-15). In the book, this speech is not the beginning of the scene as Hamlet begins it saying “Wither wilt thou lead me? Speak. I’ll go no further.” (1-2). This is the speech in which the ghost tells Hamlet that knowing “the secrets of my prison house” (19) will be torture to him. The director cuts these lines out which ruins the portrayal of the ghost. In the book he seems angry and suffering as he tells Hamlet that the secrets would make his eyes “start from their spheres,” (21-22) meaning his eyes would come out of their sockets. Cutting these lines out makes the ghost seem sad and lonely in the video.
He continues his speech at “List, list, O list!” (28). He tells Hamlet that if he loved him he would revenge his murder. Hamlet finally speaks when he says “Murder?” (32) in disbelief of his father being murdered. The camera only shows half of Hamlet’s face as the rest of hidden behind a shadow. The side of him that wants to revenge his father’s murder has not come out yet. The side that is seen looks worried and vulnerable. While the ghost continues to speak the camera slowly closes up on Hamlet as he inhales, swallows and begins to breathe quickly. It is as if he is about to go crazy just as he did in the novel.
The ghost continues speaking and gets to revealing how he was murdered. He tells that “the serpent that did sting thy father’s crown now wears his crown.” (46-47). The camera once again shows Hamlet and hearing this he inhales, lifting his chest and shoulders, raises and scrunches his eyebrows together, and widens his eyes. He says “O, my prophetic soul! My uncle! (48). Mel Gibson looked pathetic and corny when he said those lines. He breathes a lot while he speaks and the lines in the novel end in exclamation points. Mel Gibson didn’t portray Hamlet’s feelings very well, he made him seem more worried and scared rather than enraged at murder of his father-by his uncle! The ghost continues to express his anger at his murder and Paul Scofield does a reasonable job at portraying the ghost’s anger. He puts some emphasis into his words and speed in what he’s saying but there is still no emotion in his face. The director cuts out the lines in which the ghost gets angry at Claudius for seducing Gertrude with “wicked wit and gifts,” (51) and skips to him speaking briefly because he smells morning coming.
The ghost reveals that he was sleeping in his orchard when Claudius “poured the leprous distilment,” (71-72), which is the poison, in his ear. Because the ghost must be brief, the director cuts more lines and skips to the ghost saying that his own brother cut him off from his life, thrown, and queen. Claudius had done this “in the blossoms of my sin,” (83) meaning King Hamlet hadn’t had time to repent for his sins which means he would be sent to hell. King Hamlet implies that Claudius knew exactly what he was doing. As the ghost says this he reveals more anger in his voice yet still shows none in his face. The camera shows Hamlet crying, his lip trembling, and wiping his eyes. This scene wasn’t needed as Hamlet should have been angry in his last lines, as they ended in exclamation points. The ghost continues to speak in soft tones and tells Hamlet that when he gets revenge, he should leave Gertrude out of it. This leads to him saying goodbye to Hamlet. He walks slowly towards Hamlet after his first “adieu”. He takes a few more steps and holds his hands out at his second “adieu”. He finally reaches Hamlet at his last “adieu”. While close to Hamlet’s face he tells him to “remember me.” (98). The camera shows, from Hamlet’s point of view, that his father’s ghost is suddenly gone.
Hamlet finally speaks and shows his anger as he repeats the ghost’s words “remember me,” (98). He gets up, grabs his sword and hurries down the stairs. He watches from above his mother and Claudius dining at a feast. The camera shows Claudius hold Gertrude’s had and kiss it and then whisper something into her ear. At this sight he calls his mother a “pernicious woman!” (112) meaning a malicious woman. Mel Gibson does a better job at capturing the disgust Hamlet feels. He expresses it through his tone of voice and facial expressions. He hastily writes words into the stone with his sword as he vents at his mother, who does not hear him. The camera shows Hamlet speaking as he says that he has sworn to remember the ghost. While he continues to speak it switches to show Claudius eating and laughing. It is a funny thing that the director does here because it shows that Claudius has no idea what is coming to him. After this scene the camera switches to show Horatio, Marcellus, and a few other characters from the play.
In the video, Horatio and Marcellus are shown shouting and looking for Prince Hamlet. They are shown with other characters that aren’t mentioned in the play which shouldn’t have been done as the book makes it seem like more people knew about Hamlet meeting his father’s ghost. The lighting during this scene is brighter and this is appropriate as morning is about to come, which is why the ghost had to leave. Horatio and Marcellus ask what happened during Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost yet he will not tell. This scene seems rushed as more lines are cut. Hamlet tells his friends to swear on his sword that they will not tell anyone of what they know and he does the ghost’s voice is heard saying “swear” in a gloomy tone. The characters run at the sound of the ghost. They run back outside of the castle which is now much brighter than it was before, again since morning is coming. The ghost continues to whisper swear and when they get outside the castle Hamlet makes them swear. He holds his sword in front of his and each friend puts his hand on it as together they say “swear”. The scene ends with it fading to show the castle on the rocks, in front of the sunset with the birds flying around it and the water.
The scene as a whole was okay. Many lines were cut making the whole scene seem rushed and the acting was average. This version of act 1 scene 5 wasn’t that great and there probably could be better.
In the video clip from act 1 scene 5 Hamlet meets his father’s ghost. The director in the movie clip expresses William Shakespeare’s feeling about this situation in many ways. He is showing Shakespeare’s way of speaking in his tone in the clip that was shown here. He also is explaining very well Shakespeare’s tone between Hamlet and his father’s ghost. Mel Gibson played Hamlets part very well and watching him helps me understand the way Hamlet is reacting towards the ghost. The delivery of lines and the imagery of this particular setting were really interesting. The tone goes perfect with the delivery of lines in this scene. The director shows very well the way Shakespeare (when he wrote this play) is trying to show Hamlet and The ghost’s reactions. Hamlets way of reacting is very good because it is expressing how he feels when he seen the ghost which makes easier to understand the play. He seems very scared and surprised at the same time and the ghost is just calm talking to Hamlet. The image where the play is taking place looks like it is taking place behind a temple. The image of the scene goes perfect with the play. The portrayal of the actors and also the lighting and camera effects of this particular scene were interesting too. The portrayal or in other words the way that the actors plays Hamlets role was very good and it shows a great way of how Shakespeare is trying to show how Hamlet feels like in this situation with his fathers ghost. Mel Gibson played Hamlets part very well and makes it easy to understand how Hamlet is feeling at the moment in this scene. The ghost played his role well too and he seems very scary and speaks slowly and that’s how I think Shakespeare wanted it to be. The lights and effects were amazing in this scene. The scene was taking place somewhere very dark and next to a tall cement or brick wall behind some kind of temple. The ghost appears creeping up and the graphics of this scene shows very well that the ghost is a ghost. Also the music and the sound effects was a great and big impact to the scene. The sound effects of everything going on is good and lets the viewer understand more how everything sounds like in this scene. The sound effects of Hamlet when he first meets the ghost are excellent because Hamlet seems very scared and terrified. At that point Hamlet would start crying which makes this scene more interesting and shows the great portrayal of the actor himself. The music in the background of the scene makes the viewer seem so curious of what’s going to happen next in the scene. To me the music gives the scene flavor because all this is happening between Hamlet and the ghost and the music makes it more interesting and lets you know what is the situation going on in this scene.
Mel Gibson’s movie version of Hamlets act one scene five (were he meets his fathers ghost) Begins with Hamlet franticly running throughout the dark and damp hallways of what I’m assuming is his castle with a sword in his hand. Hamlets begins to jog up a narrow stairway when the picture now shifts to a further view of Horatio and Marcellus wandering around looking for Hamlet as described in The last parts of act one scene five. The camera begins to shift again to Hamlet peeking beyond a dark wall and watching as Horatio and Marcellus jog into the opposite direction looking for Hamlet, and he begins to walk toward there direction yet pauses with his sword in position, looking confused on whether he should follow or not. Toward the end of Act one scene four Hamlets goes on to state that “My fate cries out, and makes each petty artery in this body, as hardy as the nemean lion’s nerve… etc.” He goes on to say that he does not want them to follow him, and he pulls out his sword which is ironic because he than says that if they follow him he will make a ghost of them. This quotation foreshadows that Hamlets will ultimately meet his father’s ghost, and his fate (of killing Claudius) will be decided right then and there. For several seconds in the play the attention is shown onto Marcellus and Horatio once again searching the top of the castle for Hamlet, Trying to prevent him from what could ultimately lead to his tragedy. The play then begins too look like a game of tag, Hamlet has now arrived on the top of the castle and the setting once again becomes somewhat lighter, making his facial expressions and actions more noticeable. Hamlet stops for one moment and stares at his sword as if he had no control over what it could do, This is evident by the way he begins to jog waving his sword as if he were begging to battle. He then again pauses and his face displays the fear inside him throughout his eyes and h e slowly turns around only to see a blurry figure (being his father) beginning to speak to him. He pushes himself against the walls and attentively begins to listen. As his father begins to speak his figure becomes more clear with the increasing tone in his voice and he begins to inform his son of how he was betrayed by his own brother. The photo frame begins to switch from Hamlets father back to him showing how Hamlets is attentively listening with a shocked expression on his face. Though King Hamlet still makes his son aware of how he was murdered, the movie skips some lines as in how they first react to each other etc. The ghost remains sitting as Hamlet attempts to approach him yet instead walks around , when ghost tells him he was murdered the movie slowly begins to zoom in on Hamlet as he questions the ghost asking Murder? And his face becomes filled with melancholy. He takes a breath and swallows as if he knows that his father’s going to make him aware of terrible twist to the murder, as he begins to breath faster. Ghost remains calm and with a serious facial expression as if he has accepted his fate and is trying to decide his sons fate, Hamlets again zoomed onto and he becomes even more panicky. The setting on ghost remains darker than when hamlet is shown to a lighter background. Ghost reveals that Claudius had killed him and Hamlets becomes shocked and somewhat infuriated at the same time as by the way his reply is shocked by the way he takes a deep breath before he says it and yet it feels as though Hamlet has not blinked once since he had talked to his father. Throughout this scene the photo is constantly switching from the ghost to Hamlet as if they’re inferring that he should have a different reaction to the news of his fathers murder, yet he remains the same mostly throughout the whole situation. Ghost somewhat orders him to get revenge by using hand language , higher tone and being closer between there close and Hamlet then seems more frightened than ever. As the ghost goes on about how he is cursed with all of his sins Hamlet seems as though he is begging to cry , ghost shows his emotions of insecurity in his fate by leaning against the wall as if the walls represents his support and his voice somewhat begins to crack and he speaks of his unfortunate fate. Hamlets worries become evident and tears begin to stream from his eyes and he quickly wipes them away with his sleeve as if he does not want to seem weak in front of his father who had been made out to be a hero of war. The background becomes a medium blue and the scenery begins to shift to a begging morning, as he begins to leave Ghost reaches out his hand as if he is trying to take Hamlet with him or give him support? This seems significant because King Hamlet ultimately steals Hamlets fate from him in the ending of the book, as if he had taken him down with him along with all of Denmark. Ghost begins to cry and never takes his eyes of of Prince Hamlet along with leaving his hands out, as hamlet tries to acknowledge everything that had just happened he closes his eyes ads if he pain is unbearable and when he begins to open his eyes his father has disappeared, He looks up at the sky as if he asking why he had been put in a position to promise his father revenge and at this moment it is evident that Hamlet would be doomed. A far shoot of Hamlet getting up is shown and he jogs away as previously yet now instead of being startled by his fathers ghost he is startled by the sight of his uncle and his mother showing affection toward each other as they eat dinner. Ironic because it is like his father’s ghost had planned that for him to make him want revenge even more. This makes his Acknowledge how Claudius had taken everything from his father, his wife, royalty, power etc. He begins to curse at his mother and uncle calling them incestuous with all his power and emotion being shown through his mouth with the force used to push out those words, the light from the fire is also shinning among Hamlet which helps exemplify his anger. He furiously begins to hit rocks with his sword as if he is considering the rocks his uncle and mother, he later runs into Marcellus and Horatio making them swear on his sword that he will not speak of this night. This image of them all putting there hands on there sword is also portrayed in the novel when the end of this scene is described
It starts off a little different then in the book does. At first in the book Horatio n Marcellus are holding P. Hamlet back from following the ghost but this time it seems like he was able to escape them easily. In the movie clip it also shows either Horatio or Marcellus running after P. Hamlet to try and stop him when in “Hamlet” it doesn’t happen at all. Its dark and Prince Hamlet seems to be scared to follow the ghost of his father maybe because he is not expecting it to be him. He seems to be staggering around as if his body is weak with anxiety. When he gets to the top of the castle he looks all around very confused. Then somehow realizes that the ghost appears behind him. He starts to turn around real slowly because he’s scared that the ghost can just disappear and re-appear like that in an instant. At first the ghost looks barely visible in the dark but once he comes out into the moonlight it looks as if he was a normal human. The ghost starts off the scene with “I am thy father’s spirit”(1:11, L.14) While the ghost is speaking, it skips many maybe unimportant lines in the real play(L.53-64), (L.71-80) The director probably did that for the sake of movie time. It still doesn’t give the good feel of “Hamlet” if you were a big fan of the real play by William Shakespeare. Prince Hamlet and the ghost are now speaking back and forth to each other but mostly Prince Hamlet is listening to his father’s spirit. This is also when P. Hamlet finally discovers that his father was murdered by his uncle, now King Claudius. Its interesting how the ghost mentions that K. Claudius is a serpent like if he was sneaking around just looking for a pray. After this the director again skips about 15 lines probably again for time purpose. The ghost gets up and notices that the morning is coming. He gets closer and closer to P. Hamlet and becomes more dramatic. P Hamlet is starting to cry even harder then before but not as bad. The ghost doesn’t want P. Hamlet to let his city be ruined by people who don’t deserve to rule it. The ghost now reaches out to P. Hamlet and disappears before he opens his eyes. During the whole time, the photography director used barely any lighting on the ghost signifying he’s been in the dark and P. Hamlet has the moonlight on him showing that he is more holy then the ghost. This shows that the ghost does have his own imperfections of the father of P. Hamlet. Now P. Hamlet speaks in one of his famous soliloquies. He takes a few relieving breathes because he can barely believe what he has seen. He reacts fiercely towards the ghost of which he has just seen. He becomes angry and runs around to find that the “King and Queen” are happy together as if the queen knew he killed her old king. He insults his mother and his uncle to b pernicious and a villain. Pacing back and forth scratching his words into the stone so may someone can read his words that he’s sworn upon. In the real play it says that P. Hamlet writes on something and I think its creative how the director makes him scratch it onto something because u can always throw away or misplace a piece of paper. Striking at the stones which he’s just written on he speaks out to the ghost that he’s sworn to revenge his spirit. He then meets up again with Horatio and Marcellus and they ask him what happened with him n the ghost. P. Hamlet at first doesn’t want to tell them because he thinks they’ll “reveal it” (7:46. L.130). They then argue with P Hamlet that they don’t really believe him that anything even happened because he won’t tell them what happened. The ghost out of nowhere tells them all to swear upon P. Hamlet's sword so that they do not tell anybody of what has just happened between them all. He runs out into the daylight and tells them that it’s okay that a ghost is around. It is now dusk and they all swear by his sword.
In the video of Act 1 scene 5, Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father. In this scene, his father’s ghost reveals to him the truth behind his death. He explains to Hamlet how his uncle, who is now king, poisoned him while he was asleep in his orchard. Reason being his uncle wanted his crown, his thrown, and his wife. The ghost also mentions in both the video and in the book how he is “Doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires…”(57) meaning that he is under some punishment for something he has done, but that never gets revealed in the scene. After telling Hamlet what his uncle had done, he makes Hamlet swear on his sword that he will get revenge on his uncle for what he did to his father. With that being said, the ghost of his father vanishes, leaving Hamlet to himself and to now plan how he is going to seek revenge on his uncle.
The video version of the scene was different from that of the book because in the video Hamlet just seems to “be there” once the video starts whereas in the book, he is summoned by Horatio and Marcellus to come to the tower because they kept seeing an apparition. Also, in the video Hamlet is very scared when he first sees the ghost. It is also evident through his facial expression that he is amazed, Hamlet seems not to believe what he sees. Another event that happened in the video that didn’t happen in the book was, after Hamlet was visited by the ghost of his father he then saw his uncle and his mother at the party. The moment Hamlet’s eyes are focused on his uncle and his mother, Hamlet’s facial expression changes from amazed to disgusted, and as he curses both his mother and uncle, he uses the same lines that he writes in the book, “so, uncle, there you are. Now to my word. It is “adieu adieu, remember me.” I have sworn’t”(63), Hamlet expresses his anger by violently hitting his sword against the rocks.
In the book, a lot more details are added in the speech such as what the poison did to Hamlet’s father. “And with a sudden vigor it doth posset and curd, like eager droppings into milk, the thin and wholesome blood. So did it mine…Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust all my smooth body”(61). However, Hamlet’s emotions weren’t as obvious as to in the text. When Hamlet is told about the ghost, he seems to have followed the ghost not because it was his dad, but because he was curious to know why his father’s ghost had come back to visit him. On the other hand Hamlet’s emotions are clearly shown in the video, and it is evident that he followed the ghost because it was his father and he wanted to know the truth so he could revenge.
In conclusion of both the video and the book version of act 1 scene 5, the book version gave the readers a better understanding of what was happening with better details. Even though not all the lines were brought up in the video, the video allowed the viewers to get a better perspective of what was going on, and Hamlet’s facial expressions made it clear to the viewers how this situation with Hamlet’s uncle and his mom disgusted Hamlet and how this was affecting him.
In the video when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost, the director suggests that Hamlet’s father’s ghost is seeking revenge and that Hamlet is in shock of realizing the actual truth about his father’s death. “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Murder?” (1:5, 31-32) Old Hamlet’s ghost reveals that he was murdered. Hamlet is shocked to know that Old Hamlet was murder. To clarify, he questions the ghost, “Murder?” (32) One can also tell that Hamlet is in shock by observing the look on his face. In the video, he widens his eyes as he stares at the ghost. So not only is Hamlet shocked about hearing the truth about his father’s death, he is also shocked about seeing the ghost. To make the scene more interesting, darkness is used in the background. Both Hamlet and his father’s ghost are dressed in dark colors. They are dressed in black. Black represents darkness. Darkness is significant to this particular scene in a way that it shows that Hamlet is surrounded by danger and maybe powers of death. In this case, his uncle Claudius is the danger. Old Hamlet’s ghost is leaning against a wall as he points out that he was poisoned by a serpent that happens to be Claudius. Leaning against the wall makes the viewer wonder about the ghost’s state of living. One might think that it leaning against the wall because it is tired from running around in the fires of hell. The director creates an open-minded scene. In my point of view, the director portrays Old Hamlet’s character in that way to show that he is chained in a prison cell and that Claudius is the reason why. The director also changes the ghost’s tone as it reveals that Claudius is the serpent. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.” (46-47) The ghost seems angry as it points out Claudius. The director changes the Old Hamlet’s ghost’s tone to show how he feels about his brother. The ghost goes on to express it’s feelings towards Claudius and Getrude’s marriage. In it eyes, Claudius is in wrong and not the queen. “Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast… won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen.” (49-53) Old Hamlet’s ghost blames Claudius for everything that happened with him and the queen. The director of the video uses sounds of wind in the background. Wind blows in the background throughout the whole scene. The director uses the wind because many, if not all people believe that ghosts appear in forms of the wind. So the director might have thought it is the perfect sound effect for the scene. The sound effects provide intense to the story. In general, the director provides a well done video. The clip is a must-see because it brings Shakespeare’s play to a well directed video.
In the chosen video clip when Hamlet meets his father�s ghost, the director portrays Act 1 Scene 5, in a dark and morose way. It shows Hamlet�s and the ghost�s changes of emotions, how lighting and darkness can signify mood, and how background music can play a part in mood also. When Hamlet talks to his father�s ghost, he speaks while stuttering making him talk less. Therefore, the ghost does most of the talking. Hamlet acts differently within each line, when he says �O God� (line 30) and �Murder� (line 32) he says it in a shocked way, while looking away a few times. Compared to when he acts in a furious manner when he says, �O my prophetic soul! My uncle!� (line 48). The ghost performs calmly, softly, and emotionally. The ghost speaks in tears when he says, �Adieu, Adieu, Adieu, Remember me� (Line 98). The ghost speaks in disappointment, towards his brother�s betrayal and his wife�s departure. The way he speaks to Hamlet is mostly in a begging way. That way Hamlet could seek revenge for his father. When Hamlet is talking to his father�s ghost, the setting and scenery are different from when he looks down at Claudius and Gertrude at the banquet. The scenery in the beginning of the video clip is mainly dark stone walls inside the tower. The tower is made up of stone and has a cold interior with a lot of twists and turns that makes it suitable for the scene. In the banquet hall there is a lot of blazing fire around, which makes it warm compared to the tower. Also, there�s a lot of food, wine, and people. In this scene Hamlet lets all his emotions out in an obvious way. Hamlet is very terrified when he sees his father�s ghost. Once seeing the ghost he holds the sword closely against himself, in a way to protect himself if the ghost ever attack. Hamlet responds in few words. Hamlet�s reaction to his fathers ghost was that he was sweaty and scared at first, his facial expression said it all and by the tone of his voice. Then his behavior transforms from petrified to being sad and angry. After finding out that his father�s murder was a plan by Hamlet�s own uncle, he became angry and disgusted. The ghost�s emotions are mostly controlled. Once the ghost appears to Hamlet, he first shows sadness about his own death, and how he lost his wife to his own brother. Then he angrily tells Hamlet about how his brother murdered him with poison in the garden. �Now, Hamlet, hear. �Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death rankly abused,� (lines 41-45). His voice changes within each emotion, especially when he begs Hamlet to seek revenge. Some of the lighting effects in this scene are mostly dark except for the dim lighting on the stairs, the blue light where the ghost is, fiery light in the banquet, and when it�s daylight. Light also appears when the ghost goes up the stairs of the tower. Camera effects include: close-ups on Hamlet and the Ghost, and the disappearance of the Ghost just before he touches Hamlet�s face. The sound effects in this scene show the difference between Hamlet�s dark mood and Claudius� celebration in the banquet hall. Up above where Hamlet and the Ghost are there is sound of wind, but when Hamlet is alone the clanging of his sword shows his anger and frustration. When Hamlet looks down at the banquet he hears the laughter from Claudius and Gertrude and their guests. When Hamlet is talking to Horatio and the others, he makes them promise not to tell about the appearance of the Ghost. Then the Ghost speaks to them from above so they will swear on the sword. This video clip shows how the scene is acted out, making it have more significance and understanding. It shows how lighting, such as the banquet, can represent happiness. Yet, on the contrary darkness could mean sadness and negativeness, when Hamlet met the ghost. During the banquet, it�s found to be the most eye-catching part in the scene. The banquet glows with laughter. The lighting, effects, and actors make the scene just right.
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Video Critique
The video I choose was in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his father’ ghost. Since Hamlet heard Horatio and Marcellus, and Barnardo said they had seen the ghost before, and not just once of time, it was few times. And they thought that ghost was look like to the late Hamlet, Hamlet’s father, so, that makes Hamlet really want to see the ghost, he wants to ask him something, and see him once of time, so he determines to go with them to get chance to see the ghost, Is he late Hamlet, the King of Denmark, his father or not.
Then, Hamlet waits a long time to wait for the ghost appear. Finally, he see the ghost, and keep ask him something, but the ghost didn’t answer him, instead, he called Hamlet to follow him to go somewhere, Hamlet didn’t reject the ghost, he wants to follow him. But Horatio and Marcellus are stop Hamlet to follow the ghost, and trying to hold Hamlet back to them, because it’s so dangerous and the ghost is crazy, and they didn’t know what happen will happen if him follow the ghost to somewhere, and they don’t want Hamlet get hurt and dangerous, so keeping to stop him, try the best to protect him. But Hamlet didn’t listen to them, and still persist in to follow the ghost.
Start off in the video, we can see the ghost leads Hamlet to a building, was look like a castle, and was build by bricks. And there was kind of swivel stairs in the building. Then, Hamlet was wearing a black vestment and holding his sword to go up stairs in the building. In that circumstance was so dark, just have little light from above, when Hamlet was holding his sword and walk on the jig to go up stairs, he saw a kind of door, he used his sword to hit there. I am not sure what is that, because it was too dark, I can’t that clearly. But I think that was a door, an iron thing, because when Hamlet to used his sword to hit there, there sounds like when you hit iron things. After Hamlet hit that, he keeps going up stairs and tries to find where was the ghost going. When he went upstairs, he looked around, he sees the ghost, was in front of him, he was so scared, he was hang on to his sword and walk to the right, then left, and ceaselessly to change hand to hold his sword and uses his hand to touch the wall to forward. And keep looking at the ghost. The ghost was keep going his way. Hamlet keeps following him.
Then the scene changes to Horatio and Marcellus are enter the castle to walking around to find Hamlet, they keep calling Hamlet to find him. Then the scene changes again, it changes to Hamlet go up stairs to the roof of the castle. He holds his sword walk around and looks around to find the ghost. He looks like a crazy man, to walk around, he was so scared. Then he looks back, he sees the ghost was behind him, he dropped his sword. At that time, there was still so dark, but there have light from the moon. So you can see Hamlet face clearly and what expression does Hamlet have. Then the ghost starts talk to Hamlet, he tells he was his father’s spirit, and what happen to him, and he wants Hamlet to revenge for him, he also tell Hamlet who was the murder to kill him, that person was his brother, Claudius, was Hamlet’s uncle, when Hamlet know about that, he was so surprised and scared. Hamlet was keep way from his father at all times. Then the ghost keeps talking about his brother, his wife and his brother how to kill to him and robbed his life, his crown and all his tings all at once. And he smells the morning is coming, so he brief that to tell Hamlet. When the ghost was talking to Hamlet, he was come to Hamlet, and acting to tell Hamlet about that to revenge for him and don’t hurt his mother, leave her alone, and the morning is coming, and say good-bye to Hamlet and tell Hamlet remember him and try to hug Hamlet, but he can’t not hug him in finally. When Hamlet heard that, he was bugging his eyes. He looks so scared. After the ghost says that, he disappears in front of Hamlet. Then Hamlet starts to soliloquy. Then he holds his sword run down. And he sees there has a wedding party for his mother and his father, they kissed to each other, and then says o most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! Then he used his sword to write something in the rocks. Then he assemble Horatio and Marcellus, then Horatio asks Hamlet what happen to him, then Hamlet has hesitate few seconds then say “NO” to Horatio, but Horatio still keep asking Hamlet. Then Horatio and Marcellus swore they wouldn’t talk to anyone, Hamlet tells him what happen to him in upstairs. The light in the castle was so light. And they still talking that things, and when they talking, the ghost was calls out from under the stage, says “Swear” to them. Then Horatio asks Hamlet what to swear, and Hamlet says to swear to his sword. And they run up to the roof of the castle. And the ghost say again, swear by Hamlet’s sword. Then they all people are holding Hamlet’s sword to swear. Then the scene shows they swear that in the morning.
This video was cut a lot sentences what Hamlet and the ghost should be say in the scene, but they still have the most important part in the video.
Hamlet Act I Scene 5- “Hamlet meets his father’s ghost.”: Video critique
In the video clip of when Hamlet learns from his father’s ghost that King Hamlet’s death was not an accident but murder committed by Prince Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, the director is trying to bring across the idea of how Hamlet feels and also the gravity of the situation. One thing I noticed was that there were lines missing and without those lines, the message does not have the same effect, for example, in Shakespeare’s version of Hamlet the ghost says,
“I could a tale unfold whose lightest word/ Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,/ Make the two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres,/ Thy knotted and combined locks to part,/ And each particular hair to stand an end,/ Like quills upon the fearful porpentine./ But this eternal blazon must not be/ To ears of flesh and blood. (Lines 20-29)”
In this passage, the ghost emphasizes the fact that right now he is suffering greatly and paying the price for sinning. By using imagery that creates an image of a person scared to death with their head split apart and hair standing on end shows just how frightening hell is for King Hamlet. In the play, having all this extended imagery makes things make sense when the King then quickly says that he can’t harp on it since that is not the reason for him appearing and wanting to talk with Hamlet. In the movie clip all that is visible is the dark blue night sky and the ghost’s face as he says almost the same thing except with lines 21-29 left out. The audience gets the same idea but it doesn’t have the same image to go along with it.
Also, in the movie, I noticed that as the ghost is leading Hamlet to the roof the walkway looks like a dark tunnel with a bright light at the end. It creates an image for the audience of death and at the same time there is an image of the amount of time it will take to get to the light which symbolizes truth. By using the dark path it shows that the path to finding the truth will not always be a good one. The entire composition of the scene helps the viewer to see and feel what young Hamlet feels. The darkness goes along with the grief and depression Hamlet has been feeling since his father died. While the ghost speaks to Hamlet all the audience is able to see the face of both Hamlet and the ghost. The delivery in each of the actors’ lines allows the audience to see the bond between father and son. By having Hamlet crying as he finds out that Claudius killed his father is just something that adds to the overall affect.
After telling Hamlet of how he died and that he wants Hamlet to avenge his murder, he says, “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me. (line 98)” and then disappears. In the movie the affect of feeling and love between the two characters is expressed well through the ghost’s movement closer to Hamlet as he reaches out for him. The director of the movie uses the body language and movements of Mel Gibson and the actor who plays the ghost of King Hamlet to express what Shakespeare was trying to express through their movements and delivery rather than through words alone.
Judith Desir
March 10, 2008
English period 1
Video Critique
In the video clip where Hamlet meets his father’s ghost, the director suggests that Hamlet was in the dark and soon will be brought to the light, by finding out the truth about his father’s death. He shows this by the different lighting, different voice tone, and different sound effects that are made during the video clip.
In the beginning of this video, Hamlet is looking for his father’s ghost, because he wants the truth about his death. He is still in the dark at this point. The director shows that Hamlet is in the dark by using very little light. The dark seems to overshadow the little light shown; but it is still there but incredibly dim and low. Hamlet is also dressed in all black and is holding a sword in both of his hands. He looks young and youthful. He seems to be a loyal son, because he is in a search for the truth about his dad’s death. The sword, could symbolize protection from whatever lays ahead. Hamlet is in a very dark place. He is running because he sees a bodily figure and is curious to find out who it is. He has a clue to whom it might be. He is now on a hunt to find out if he was right and finally speak to the ghost of his father. As he is running after the figure, he looks lost and confused. When he sees the figure go up some stairs that is at the end of a very dark hallway with very little light at the end, he follows it. He is courageous and brave to follow the figure through a dark hallway. He seems to be determined to find out the truth. He does not let his fear of unknowing get in the way.
While he is trying to find the figure, there is loud music playing in the back ground; and the audience can hear Hamlet’s running foot-steps and he is out of breath. This hallway indicates to the audience that this is where Hamlet’s father’s ghost is, because he runs to towards the light, where the figure disappears up the stairs. The hallway leads him outside and he will now come face to face with his father’s ghost. Hamlet is running and still out of breath. He doesn’t want to lose the figure because if he does, he would not find out the truth. He is swinging his sword around as he runs and is out of breath. All of the dark colors shown, symbolizes that Hamlet is in a dark place and is lost and is trying to find his way to the light and out of the dark.
Hamlet has now gone through the dark hallway and is up the same stairs that the figure went up. He slowly turns around and with his sword pointing in front of him, as if it is supposed to protect him from harm.
Hamlet sees his father’s ghost in the corner of his and slowly turns around. He slowly turns around and catches his breath and drops his sword when he sees his father’s ghost for the first time since his death. His eyes pop out of its socket out of shock and to finally know that he is not crazy; and that he did see a figure. The ghost is in a dark corner with a window that has shades of white and black lines on it. The ghost speaks to him for the first time; and tells him who he is. “I am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires till the foul crimes done in my days of nature are burnt and purged away…” (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.14-18) The ghost tells Hamlet who he is. The ghost also tells Hamlet that he is doomed for a certain period of time. He tells him that he walks the night and for the day, he burns in the fire; fore all of his crimes or sins that he has done while he was alive.
As the ghost of King Hamlet speaks to his son, Hamlet seems to be in a state of shock. He is frozen in his place with his eyes, still popping out of its socket. The ghost is also dressed in all black with gray hair and grey moustache. The ghost looks old and tired. He has bags under his eyes and his skin is wrinkled just like an old person. The director also has the ghost sitting down, in the beginning of his speech to his son. This also can indicate that the ghost is old and tired. The ghost tells Hamlet of his death.
Ghost: “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
Hamlet: “Murder?”
Ghost: Murder most foul, as in the best it is, but this most foul, strange, and unnatural…Now, Hamlet, hear. Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me. So the ear of Denmark…The serpent that did sting thy father’s now wears his crown.
Hamlet: O, my prophetic soul! My uncle! (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.31-48) This was a short dialogue between Hamlet and the ghost. The ghost is now telling him what he wanted to know. Hamlet is now finding out the truth about his father’s death. The ghost talks about revenge and tells Hamlet that he was murdered and Hamlet seems to be confused. He is shock to hear his father’s spirit say those things. The ghost tells him that a snake poisoned him, while he was sleeping in his garden. The snake poured the poison in his ear and killed him; and in the process, Denmark went silence and died too, because now, their king has been murdered. The ghost also tells Hamlet who killed him. Hamlet just found out the truth about his father’s death. He found out that his uncle is responsible for his and now; he must seek revenge for his death.
When Hamlet founds out the truth about his father’s death, he cries. He is shocked by finding out the truth and wipes the tears from his eyes. As the King’s ghost tells Hamlet how he died, the ghost’s voice shakes and trembles as if he was going to cry. The ghost seems to be upset that his own brother took his life. His brother has betrayed him and he now wants revenge. The audience can see it in his face, body movements, and his tone. Hamlet sits down, curled up in a ball, like a little child; while he listens to his father’s ghost talk to him. Hamlet has now found out the truth. He is out of the dark and brought to the light. He has found out the truth and is ready to get revenge.
Throughout the whole video clip, the director uses the lighting and sound effects to make his point through the audience. The different lighting lets the audience know that something is about to happen. For example, when Hamlet was looking for the ghost, his footsteps were extraordinarily loud and sounded unsure where to go next. His breathing was uneven and was out of breath because he has been running. The music that played in the background was loud and the audience knew something was going to happen. The music and Hamlet’s footsteps kept the audience in suspense and wanting to know what happened next’s.
The camera would get up close when to Hamlet’s face to show how and what he was feeling once he found out the truth. The audience was able to see every sweat and tears coming from Hamlet’s face. Once Hamlet found out the truth and was out of the dark, the camera moves away from him, and moves to the platform he was at. The audience can see the platform. There is six big brick blocks that is standing up on a brick ground. The moon light is at a distance and the audience can see the light at a distance. This symbolizes that Hamlet has now have the truth and is trying to reach his destination; that is at a distance. Just like the moon light, that is far away, Hamlet has now seen the light but it is far away. He is in a mansion to get closer to the light and seek revenge.
Hamlet does a great job delivering his lines. After he found out he truth about his dad’s murder, Hamlet is talking to himself on his knees facing the audience. He is talking about his anger about finding the truth. The way he delivers his lines are extraordinarily good. He says his lines with feeling and emotions. He makes the audience feel as if they are part of the play. Both Hamlet and the ghost deliver their lines with a lot of emotions and using great body gestures to make their point across. The way the actors carry themselves is very believing. The way the actors carry themselves match the way they delivery their lines. There is a lot of imagery that goes on in the video clip.
At the end, Hamlet finds out the truth. He is brought to the light. He finds out who kills his dad, and now is looking to get revenge. The director shows this, by the different imagery shown in the clip, the different music used, the different voice tones, and the different sound effects.
In the passage Act one, scene five when Hamlet saw his father’s ghost. The author uses- that to tell the audience that Hamlet is going to cause his own downfall the ghost tells Hamlet that he is burning in fire. The night time is the only time that he is free to do anything that he wants to do. The ghost told Hamlet that his uncle killed his father when he was asleep so that he could take his position as the king.
The video starts up when Hamlet was walking from the woods` name saying that is the room was dark it would be around twelve o’clock at night because it was very dark. The face of the ghost wasn’t really night you could hardly see his face and his body was dark. Hamlet is wearing a black valet the ghost was just standing in one place not even moving around. Hamlet was tired from running so he couldn’t stand realty straight and the first word that comes out of her mouth was “I am the father’s spirit” because he was running out of breathe he fall to the ground but he was looking up and say said that he was murdered and hamlet replied “murder” he was killed by his own brother. He king Hamlet said that his brother wears his crown Hamlet opens his mouth in shock crown
The next word the ghost said was “Remember thee! Ay thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat in this distracted globe.” This means remember the father’s ghost. The ghost that is stuffing and keep everything that I tell you in your memory. But in the ghost mid there is forgetful in it. But hamlet who also remember his father because he was really close to his father, the greatest king Denmark ever had. I think the way hamlet is feeling, lost and empty heart matches the scenery which is dark background.
Then he says Remember thee! Again Yea, from the table of the memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, all saws of books, all forms, all pressures pass that the youth observe copied there, and thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain, unmixed with the baser matter” all this is saying is that he should also remember his father who is in pain right now and he should clean his mind of what have happened and replace his memory with happiness and honor of his father who have everyone love him when he was alive. Then Hamlet starts to speed up his words saying that which was kind of leading to anger when ever he tires to speak you could tell that Hamlet misses his father and he is mad that his father is dead and he want his father to come back to him again because nobody can really replace his dad not even his mother because his father was his root of his happiness. So when his father ghost left Hamlet begin to lose his mind. Hamlet couldn’t not control his behavior he was running around towards were his uncle who is the king now after the death of his brother and his mother were having party with the people of Denmark there were laughing telling jokes, and also playing music. The room was light and the stand I choose is light which represent happiness and truth.
Hamlet stood just looking at them having fun and enjoying themselves and he says with a angering voice Yes, by heaven! Which to him means o my god? “O most pernicious woman! He had a sword in his hand he was using the sword to smash the rock that was in front of him Which he was referring to his mother which to his she is like a evil person for the grief about the lost of her husband and want and married to her husband brother she is covering her pain by marrying Hamlet’s uncle, her brother in-law. All of this makes Hamlet is really mad. Then his boys were running to him screaming my lord are you. Then king Hamlet ran outside to and the boy followed him he ask them to swell by the sword but they don’t want to swell they heard a voice from above that ask them to swear so they did they put their hand on the sword and swear
Video critique
In act 1 scene5 when Hamlet first finds the ghost he showed off his desire to find this ghost his friends talked about. In the begging of this scene Hamlet played by Mel Gibson is nervously charging through a dark castle looking for the ghost. Nervously swinging his sword not knowing what to expect. The lighting in this scene I think go along nicely with the play. Because in this particular scene its midnight when Hamlet finds this ghost. The scene gives a dark feeling which is appropriate for a scene involving a ghost from hell. The music in the scene is at a low tone giving the feeling of suspense. Also the acting of Hamlet comes in good retrospective. The acting gives off the right mood of his anxiety to find the ghost. So in the beginning of this scene the play starts off in the right way in relation to the play.
Moving on to the following segment of the scene. In this the following segment the setting is a dark hall with a light at the end of the hall with stairs leading up to the next floor. This scenery could have been created by the director in a way of showing symbolism. This scene could to be Hamlet hope at the end of all that he is experiencing.
The lighting in this scene is always at the end of the direction he’s heading. Symbolically relating to the play the light could play as a false hope. This could be true due to the fact that the light leads him to the ghost. The actor displays exactly how some on chasing a ghost would feel. The actor displays fear which would relate well with the play. Music continues justifiably suspenseful. So hamlet would walked nervously through the corridors and he would get a glimpse of the ghost walking towards the light up the stairs. So hamlet follows, his curiosity leads him to the top of the castle. With bulging eyes Hamlet is frightened to hopefully find the ghost. He frantically looks around and to his surprise he finds the ghost. The look on Hamlets face could not clearly display his fear. As he slowly turns his head to find the ghost sitting behind him waiting. Then this is when the scene gets a little off the play.
Finally to two of them meet but this is when the movie clip commits an error. The director decided to take chunks out of the film that are in the play. This caused my ratings of the film to go down. Although I believe that this actually made the film quicker and didn’t give a heavy feeling on those watching the film. The lighting continued the same throughout the whole time that hamlet and his supposed father were talking. I did enjoy the acting as it related to how I believe that the emotions of the characters should have been the delivery up to this ppoit were also appropriate them seemed to flow along with the action. When the ghost spoke about his death hamlet began to shed tears. This was a nice touch to the film. As the ghost leaves there is a spot light on hamlet this is appropriate for his soliloquy. But then again the film did not include all of the lines from the play. I will admit though that the part in which hamlet marked the ghosts words “adieu, adieu, adieu” lacked a bit of emotion. It seemed rushed, I believe that Hamlet in this film should have been more heart broken to see his mother with her uncle. After Hamlet promises to revenge his fathers death he leaves the view of his uncle and mother together.
Finally the setting is a lot lighter Hamlet has found his friends. So they ask Hamlet about the encounter with the ghost. The lighting I also find appropriate to the scene for he is no longer in the ghosts presence. So hamlet lets his friends know of the fact that he has spoken with the ghost. So his friends have some belief. But to my disappointment, there seemed to be lacking more basis to the delivery of the lines. There was a lack of lines that made this scene incomplete. So in the that time that Hamlet and his friends are talking the voice of the ghost is heard. The acting was according to the situation for they were all freighted. They ran towards the voice that told them to swear on hamlets sword. So his friends did so freighted they swore upon his sword in a lighter stage. But to me this should have been a dark one for there was the presence of the ghost. Overall the acting, lighting, music, and sound effects were good but what was lacking were the complete lines of the book.
Michael Luu
Period 2
02/09/08
English 12 CP
The video that I chose for this Video Critique assignment is Act 1 Scene 5 Hamlets meets the ghost which is his father King Hamlet. Hamlet rushes up into the tower to chase after the ghost while Horatio and Marcellus try’s to catches up with Hamlet. While looking around the roof-top of the tower Hamlet then turns with a fearful face expression. That’s when he figures out that the ghost was his father’s spirit. King Hamlet then starts talking about how he has been murdered by his own brother, Claudius which is now married to his mother Gertrude. Hamlet’s father wants Hamlet to avenge for his own death because of the betrayal of Claudius against his own family member. Then the video clip goes to Hamlet’s second soliloquy where Hamlet is scarred with the fact that his own Uncle has murdered his father and now has an affair with his mother. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare shows that revenge is taking a huge impact in Hamlet’s life in Act 1 Scene 5.
The Video starts out with Hamlet running up the stairs chasing after the ghost. Hamlet then searches around and looking everywhere, and then turns around and with a horrifying look he sees his father King Hamlet. When he sees his father he immediately drops his sword to the ground showing that he’s terrified because of his father’s spirit. The Spirit then explains to Hamlet what has happened and how he has been murdered. The setting of this clip was extremely dark to portray the situation that Hamlet is in. The darkness of the setting also fits well with the news that Hamlet receives; the news is that his Father was murdered by Claudius. In the play Hamlet, King Hamlet says “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” (Line 31) This line was in both the play and the video; it also means that King Hamlet wants Hamlet to take revenge for his father. The “his” in this line means Claudius and foul can also means his sin or wrongdoing for killing King Hamlet. The ghost then says in the video “sleeping in my orchard a serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.” (Lines 42-47) In line 43 “a serpent stung me” Shakespeare uses the comparison from King Claudius to a Serpent. Usually serpents have venom and that also connect to King Hamlets downfall. What I thought was important that wasn’t in the Video was that in line 44 “Is by a forged process of my death” this is basically saying that how King Claudius is forging the process of acting like King Hamlet. Another line that I thought was important is line 44 when King Hamlet say’s “Rankly Abused” this two words means Hamlet has now has been stripped of his fame, honor, and dignity of the town of Denmark. Throughout the first 4 minutes of this video clip there’s a wind that has that scary tone that also fits the scene perfectly. Then from lines 65-70 there’s an added background sound. The sounds seem like loud drums and thunder, which at this part King Hamlet reveals to Hamlet on how Claudius murders him. “Sleeping within my orchard, my custom always of the afternoon, upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, with juice of cursed hebona in a vial, And in the porches of my ears did pour.” (Lines 65-70) What is being said in these lines by King Hamlet is that while King Hamlet is sleeping on his orchard which is his daily afternoon routine, Claudius steals juice of cursed hebona and pours it down King Hamlet’s ear. Another technique that I found was helpful for viewers in the video are the camera angles, when King Hamlet was speaking the camera was locked on King Hamlet to show his emotions and also on Hamlets, both were close-ups to see their reaction and physical emotions towards the situation.
When Hamlet closes his eyes and starts to become in tears his father’s spirit disappears. After the ghost vanishes Hamlet is left alone on top of the roof of the tower, Hamlet then starts his soliloquy. Hamlet first gets up from the floor and says; “Remember thee? Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat in this distracted globe. Remember thee? Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain…..” (Lines 102- 110) After his father’s spirit has left the scene the sounds of the trumpets and drums has also faded away. The only sounds at this point of the video is again the wind which gives the clip its gloomy and haunted mood. In the beginning of Hamlet’s soliloquy he says that he feels poor for his father murder. Hamlet’s anger was clearly expressed during his soliloquy because of the dramatic news. Hamlet then gets up from the floor and continues “Yes, by heavens! O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling damned viillian! My tables – meet it is I set it down that one may smile and smile and be a villain. At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark.” (Lines 111-116) During the end of Hamlet soliloquy he runs to the roof top where he can see his mother and traitor King Claudius. Hamlet then calls his mother a pernicious women meaning she has ruined everything, ruined their family and ruined Hamlet’s life. While Hamlet says “O villain, villain, smiling damned villain” he had a hatred expression towards both King Claudius and Queen Gertrude so I think the villain that’s being said by Hamlet can apply to both characters. The setting during this scene is still black with dark but with blue sky signifying depression coming from Hamlet but when the position of the camera switches to Queen Gertrude and King Claudius it was the total opposite bright lights and loud music. Another color technique that I found was interesting was that both the King and Queen both were wearing red meaning love. After that, with anger Hamlet writes on the rock with the sword he has in his hand “that one may simile and smile and be a villain.” (Line 115) again I think this can apply to both character they both have committed a sin in Hamlet’s point of view. Queen Gertrude has found a new king instead of sobering over the King Hamlet, and King Claudius has murdered King Hamlet for his crown.
After Hamlet’s soliloquy the video picks up when Hamlet meets up with Horatio and Marcellus. At first Hamlet refuses to tell Horatio and Marcellus what Hamlet has seen tonight. But then Hamlet says “It is an honest ghost—that let me tell you…… and now, good friends… Give me one poor request. …. Never make known what you have seen tonight …. We will not … Upon my sword. (Lines 154-165) Hamlet tells Horatio that it’s an honest Ghost, meaning that the ghost has provided Hamlet with the truth. In the beginning from lines 154 to 165 Hamlet would talk to Horatio and Marcellus but not normally, it was with a paranoid look on his face. Hamlet looked paranoid because he can’t believe he has seen his father spirit. Hamlet then requests a favor from Horatio and Marcellus and says “Never make known what you have seen tonight” meaning to never talk about this night. But Hamlet doesn’t trust Horatio and Marcellus in till they would swear upon Hamlet’s sword. After Hamlet says “Upon my sword” the ghost’s voice suddenly stops their interaction and say’s “swear”. During this scene the camera immediately switches to a high angle shot with the spot light on Hamlet, Marcellus, and Horatio showing the point of view of the ghost. The lighting was interesting as well because everywhere around the characters there cast of shadows, I thought this was funny because there were a lot of lighting in the scene before when it was a eye leveled shot but when it changed camera angles the lighting went dark again.
Finally the setting has changed from a dark, gloomy night time to day time. The lighting of this fits well with the scene because the truth has been revealed and everything that Hamlet should know is now been told. They then get together in circle to swear upon Hamlet sword not to speak of anything that has happened today, and they did so. I thought the acting, camera angles, sound effects, and delivery of the lines fits the video well.
The video that I had chosen to explicate is on act one scene five, when Hamlet meets the Ghost and they have a conversation. The video of this scene is pretty much what I had imagined when reading the play. The scene is dark, giving an impression of evil and scary; also the castle and its structure of dark large rocks gives a medieval feeling that adds the excitement of the scene. In this part of the play Hamlet runs up the stairs into the darkness scared but with the willingness and courage to face this spirit and discover the reason for its apparition on the castle every night in front of the guards.
Hamlet runs up defying the ghost to appear again and sweating in expression of his fear. The ghost has a perfect face of an old man with white beard and hair; into the darkness he looks invisible when he first speaks to Hamlet, but when he approaches the light he looks just like an ordinary old man. The ghost delivers his words and speech firmly, melancholic and controllably angry. I imagined he would be floating in the air, but instead he is sitting on the corner looking strait in Hamlet’s eyes, which frightens Hamlet even more. When the Ghost says he is Hamlet’s father, even though extremely scared, Hamlet relaxes and fells a bit more comfortable knowing that it is a known person rather than a total strange hunting him. Hamlet becomes surprised that his father’s spirit came back from the dead, but understands the ghost’s reason to return, it is because the events after his death, Gertrude’s marriage with Claudius, his brother, and becoming king might have bothered his peace even after dead.
Hamlet is attentive to every word and action made by the Ghost, and when he reveals that his brother whom had become Hamlet’s stepfather murdered him, Hamlet feels shocked. Hamlet becomes stunned sand extremely surprised with these news because he was the first to disagree with his mother’s marriage; he is focused on the Ghost and as I thought when reading the book, it seems that it had occurred to his mind that his mother Gertrude might have had some guilt in this crime. However, a few more words spoken by the Ghost after the revelation of his murderer, he certifies that Hamlet doesn’t hurt or doesn’t take revenge on his mother at any way, but commands Hamlet to take revenge on those who have helped in his murder. Along the Ghost’s speech, he says the he suffers in hell because he didn’t have enough time to confess his sins to God before death, which serves as an advice to Hamlet to never do what you ay feel sorry for later on in life or even after death. As the Ghost is telling how tortured he is being in hell, his expression changes as if wishing he would go back in time and change his actions and choices; Hamlet’s expression is very miserable and sorry although still scared, he feels bad for his father’s destiny and doesn’t want to go through his same experiences.
The scene takes place on the very top of the castle on open sky, which contributes to the drama of the scene with the dark heavy sky upon them talking. As the Ghost is finishing talking about his suffering in his melancholic tone, he says his good byes reaching for Hamlet’s face as if wishing to hug or kiss him and Hamlet becomes more frighten and sweats more in fear of a Ghost, even though it is his father approaching him. When Hamlet closes his eyes in fear and disgust, the Ghost vanishes away, and Hamlet instantly becomes free of his fear and walks side to side talking as if putting his mind and thoughts together. He reaches an edge of the wall and looks down at his mother and uncle Claudius drinking, talking and having fun. The environment in which Queen Gertrude and King Claudius are is very cozy, light, and modern, which can be a contradiction to the environment where Hamlet finds the Ghost at; it may highlight the different in life styles and may reflect the choices they have had taken throughout life. He looks down at his mother, which is ironic because a son looks up to his parents or an adult as a role model, but in Hamlet’s case his mother is everything but a model to his life. Then Hamlet starts to talk with himself calling his mother a strumpet and accusing her of the whole situation and incident. Hamlet becomes angry now that he had discovered that his father’s death was a planned murder and he is decided and positive to take revenge on Claudius and whoever else was responsible for his father’s death and suffering.
After Hamlet speaks with the Ghost, when the guards come running for him in their iron, noisy clothes, he looks and sounds insane as if what he had seen and heard had been too much for his consciousness to take in at once. As he walk towards the guards and demands then to swear on his sword, -which is not as fancy as I thought it would be, it just looks like a piece of iron-, to never tell anyone what they had seen or heard it becomes day, and they hear the voice of the Ghost that frightens them and then they swear scared of the spirit.
Hamlet expresses his feelings so distinctively that the viewer feels his pain as if is real life; the words, actions and expressions are firm and convincible and convey the feeling of the play
Video Critique
The video I choose was in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his father’ ghost. Since Hamlet heard Horatio and Marcellus, and Barnardo said they had seen the ghost before, and not just once of time, it was few times. And they thought that ghost was look like to the late Hamlet, Hamlet’s father, so, that makes Hamlet really want to see the ghost, he wants to ask him something, and see him once of time, so he determines to go with them to get chance to see the ghost, Is he late Hamlet, the King of Denmark, his father or not.
Then, Hamlet waits a long time to wait for the ghost appear. Finally, he see the ghost, and keep ask him something, but the ghost didn’t answer him, instead, he called Hamlet to follow him to go somewhere, Hamlet didn’t reject the ghost, he wants to follow him. But Horatio and Marcellus are stop Hamlet to follow the ghost, and trying to hold Hamlet back to them, because it’s so dangerous and the ghost is crazy, and they didn’t know what happen will happen if him follow the ghost to somewhere, and they don’t want Hamlet get hurt and dangerous, so keeping to stop him, try the best to protect him. But Hamlet didn’t listen to them, and still persist in to follow the ghost.
Start off in the video, we can see the ghost leads Hamlet to a building, was look like a castle, and was build by bricks. And there was kind of swivel stairs in the building. Then, Hamlet was wearing a black vestment and holding his sword to go up stairs in the building. In that circumstance was so dark, just have little light from above, when Hamlet was holding his sword and walk on the jig to go up stairs, he saw a kind of door, he used his sword to hit there. I am not sure what is that, because it was too dark, I can’t that clearly. But I think that was a door, an iron thing, because when Hamlet to used his sword to hit there, there sounds like when you hit iron things. After Hamlet hit that, he keeps going up stairs and tries to find where was the ghost going. When he went upstairs, he looked around, he sees the ghost, was in front of him, he was so scared, he was hang on to his sword and walk to the right, then left, and ceaselessly to change hand to hold his sword and uses his hand to touch the wall to forward. And keep looking at the ghost. The ghost was keep going his way. Hamlet keeps following him.
Then the scene changes to Horatio and Marcellus are enter the castle to walking around to find Hamlet, they keep calling Hamlet to find him. Then the scene changes again, it changes to Hamlet go up stairs to the roof of the castle. He holds his sword walk around and looks around to find the ghost. He looks like a crazy man, to walk around, he was so scared. Then he looks back, he sees the ghost was behind him, he dropped his sword. At that time, there was still so dark, but there have light from the moon. So you can see Hamlet face clearly and what expression does Hamlet have. Then the ghost starts talk to Hamlet, he tells he was his father’s spirit, and what happen to him, and he wants Hamlet to revenge for him, he also tell Hamlet who was the murder to kill him, that person was his brother, Claudius, was Hamlet’s uncle, when Hamlet know about that, he was so surprised and scared. Hamlet was keep way from his father at all times. Then the ghost keeps talking about his brother, how his borther, hamlet's uncle kill him and robbed his crown,his wife and all his tings all at once. And he smells the morning is coming or maybe is maening that hamlet will reveage for him, so he brief that to tell Hamlet. When the ghost was talking to Hamlet, he was come to Hamlet, and acting to tell Hamlet about that to revenge for him and don’t hurt his mother, leave her alone, and the morning is coming, and say good-bye to Hamlet and tell Hamlet remember him and try to hug Hamlet, but he can’t not hug him in finally. When Hamlet heard that, he was bugging his eyes. He looks so scared. After the ghost says that, he disappears in front of Hamlet. Then Hamlet starts to soliloquy. Then he holds his sword run down. And he sees there has a wedding party for his mother and his father, they kissed to each other, and then says o most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! Then he used his sword to write something in the rocks. Then he assemble Horatio and Marcellus, then Horatio asks Hamlet what happen to him, then Hamlet has hesitate few seconds then say “NO” to Horatio, but Horatio still keep asking Hamlet. Then Horatio and Marcellus swore they wouldn’t talk to anyone, Hamlet tells him what happen to him in upstairs. The light in the castle was so light. And they still talking that things, and when they talking, the ghost was calls out from under the stage, says “Swear” to them. Then Horatio asks Hamlet what to swear, and Hamlet says to swear to his sword. And they run up to the roof of the castle. And the ghost say again, swear by Hamlet’s sword. Then they all people are holding Hamlet’s sword to swear. Then the scene shows they swear that in the morning.
This video was cut a lot sentences what Hamlet and the ghost should be say in the scene, but they still have the most important part in the video.
Shakespeare and Mel Gibson had created the same story but probably with different and same meaning. This scene is a wonderful even if it imaginary when you are reading the book or when you are watching the movie. I choose Act 1 Scene 5, when Hamlet meets his father’ ghost. Since Horatio and Marcellus, and Bernardo told Hamlet that they had seen the ghost before, and not just once of time, it was few times. And they thought that ghost was look like to be Hamlet’s father, so, that makes Hamlet really want to see the ghost, Hamlet determines to go with Horacio, Bernardo and Marcellus to get chance to see the ghost, if it is his father Hamlet, the King of Denmark.
Hamlet waited a long time for the ghost to appear. Finally, he see the ghost, and keep ask him something, but the ghost didn’t answer him, instead, he called Hamlet to follow him Hamlet didn’t reject the ghost. Hamlet is looking for his father’s ghost, because he wants the truth about his death. Hamlet has now gone through the dark hallway and is up the same stairs that the ghost went up. Hamlet is running and still out of breath. He doesn’t want to lose the ghost because if he does, he would not find out the truth.
Hamlet sees his father’s ghost in the corner and slowly he turns around and catches his breath and drops his sword when he sees his father’s ghost for the first time since his death. His eyes where popping out of shock and to finally he knows that he is not crazy, and that he did see his father ghost. The ghost is in a dark corner with a window that has shades with a combination of light and dark lights. The ghost speaks to him for the first time; and tells him who he is. “I am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires till the foul crimes done in my days of nature …” (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.14-18) The ghost tells Hamlet who he is. The ghost also tells Hamlet that he can only came to earth for a certain time. He tells him that he walks the night and for the day, he burns in the fire; for all of his sins that he has done while he was alive. As the ghost of King Hamlet speaks to his son, Hamlet seems to be still in shock. He is in the same place with his eyes, still popping out. The ghost is also dressed in all black with gray hair with a grey moustache. The ghost looks old and tired. He has bags under his eyes and his skin is wrinkled just like an old person.
By this time the ghost is telling Hamlet how he was murder. Ghost: “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Hamlet: “Murder?” Ghost: Murder most foul, as in the best it is, but this most foul, strange, and unnatural…Now, Hamlet, hear. Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me. So the ear of Denmark…The serpent that did sting thy father’s now wears his crown. Hamlet: O, my prophetic soul! My uncle! (Act I. Sc. 5. ln.31-48)
This was a dialogue between Hamlet and the ghost. Hamlet is now finding out the truth about his father’s death. King’s Hamlet talks about revenge and tells Hamlet that he was murdered and Hamlet seems to be really confused. He is shock to hear his father’s spirit say those things and tell him that who kill his was his on brother that is Hamlet uncle. The ghost tells him that a snake poisoned him, while he was sleeping wasn’t a snake Hamlet just found out the truth about his father’s death. Now he must seek revenge for his death. On this part Mel Gibson puts suspense music and changes Hamlet tone of voice when he was asking question for the ghost. The ghost seems serious and has sadness on his eyes, and in some ways he does sound scary.
When Hamlet founds out the truth about his father’s death, he drops some tears. And then wipes the tears from his eyes very quickly. As the King’s ghost tells Hamlet how everything happen. The readers from the book and of course who watching the movie will notice that his face, body movements, and his tone changes in many way when the ghost is telling finish telling him the story. He gets really mad and starts to talk to himself and yelled saying that he will take revenge and defend his father. He goes down the stairs there is loud music playing in the back ground; and the audience can hear Hamlet’s running foot-steps. The loud music is coming from the party that his uncle is having. Hamlet is furious and to take his anger out he start to hit the funny shape rocks with his sword. The way he was talking about his uncle it looked like he was going to kill him right there. The scenery is very dark with some light shades. The wind blows very fast. When hamlet is looking at his uncle on the party he looks at the sky and you can notice the big moon and a little bit later you see a huge sea with the moon shadow. I
By the end of the video he goes down the stairs and Horacio is yelling his name asking everything that happens with the ghost. Hamlet denies and said that nothing happen but they can’t never say that they had ever heard about this ghost. “Hamlet: Ha, ha, boy! Sayst thou so? Art thou there, truepenny? Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage. Consent to swear…. GHOST: (beneath) Swear by his sword….(Act I. Sc. 5.) after all the swears the video just finish with hamlet saying that he will that revenge that the ghost can rest in peace.” HAMLET: Rest, rest, perturbèd spirit!—So, gentlemen, With all my love I do commend me to you, And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do, to express his love and friending to you,…… That ever I was born to set it right! Nay, come, let's go together. (Act I. Sc. 5. in 183-193) and them a beautiful morning ends the video.
In conclusion Shakespeare created a fantastic story that Mel Gilson had made in a great movie with different background music and different mix tones in the characters.
In the video clip for act one scene five Hamlet played by Mel Gibson meets his father for the first time as a ghost. In this clip Hamlet is portrayed as a very emotional, startled and bewildered character. Not only is the sight of his father hard for him to handle the news his father gives him leaves him shocked. Hamlet is having a hard time processing the information which can be shown by the way he is talking.
Apparently from reading the text it is obvious why Hamlet can not deal with what is going on. First off there is a ghost claiming to be and taking the body of his father. Second of all the ghost tells Hamlet his death was not accidental and that he was actually killed by Claudius who is his brother and now holds the crown. In the video clip Hamlet appears to be ready to pass out at any minute. Hamlet is being thrown into this crazy unthinkable world and he cant even prepare himself for the knowledge he gains about his fathers death, the afterlife and life itself.
In the video clip the lighting is very dark. There are a lot of shadows and you cant really see where Hamlet and his fathers ghost are. It is so dark its hard to make out the ghost, which I think is significant because in the book Hamlet isn’t sure if the ghost actually is his father so not being able to see the ghost that well is important because it adds to Hamlets internal conflict to whether the ghost is really is father or an evil spirit trying to trick him. It also adds mystery to the play and makes it clear his father is doomed to walk the night and at no other time can he make contact with his love ones because once the darkness falls he Is sentenced to his other punishment which is worse then imaginable. The darkness also gives the scene that airy feeling that is needed when a ghost is brought into any type of media. A ghost is associated with being scared unsure and in “the dark” about things. That is what Hamlet is in the video clip which is why the darkness is so important.
i chose Act 1:5 when hamlet meets his father's ghost.
Hamlet is chasing the ghost and looking for it and far away the ghost is standing and waiting, hamlet looks horrified and while hamlet is chasing the ghost Horatio and Marcellus is looking for him calling him “my lord”. The place looks like a castle yeah its is a castle and when he reach the rooftop the place is so scary and dark which the light is only coming from the moon and the sound is like horror.
And when hamlet came to the rooftop there is nobody in there and its so quiet and only the background sound i can hear. Then hamlet stops and freezes and his face looks scared and he turned around slowly and the ghost shows up and he dropped his sword.
When the ghost shows up he introduced himself “i am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires till the foul crimes done in my days of my nature and burnt and purged away”. The ghost looks so unpeaceful and he is very fascinated and angry for what happened to him.
Hamlet looks shocked while he is listening to the ghost. The movie skipped many lines from the book but they delivered the main points in the book. The ghost told hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” and hamlet is shocked when he heard what the ghost told him and said “murder”. Hamlet doesn’t know yet what the ghost is trying to tell him. Then the next he said “’tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, the serpent stung me.” The ghost face and his reaction is like angry and he said “stung” like hard and he revealed something to hamlet “the serpent that sting thy father’s life now wears his crown” the ghost uses personification to personifies king Claudius as a serpent. Hamlet is shocked when he heard that his uncle who was murdered his father and Hamlet said “o my prophetic soul my uncle” and his face if we notice he swallowed and he is like falling down sitting.
The ghost is very angry and fascinated for what King Claudius did to him and Hamlet while listening is crying. After the ghost told all of his feelings about his death and his anger for King Claudius he goodbyes to Hamlet and he said “fare you thee well at once. the glowworm shows the matin to be near and ‘gins to pale his uneffectual fire. adieu, adieu, adieu. remember thee” while the ghost is telling Hamlet, he come closer to Hamlet and Touches his face and said “remember thee” and Hamlet covered his face he looks like scared and when the ghost is done he disappears and hamlet got up his feet and looks very fascinated.
After the ghost disappear he repeated what the ghost’s said “remember the?” and he still crying “ay thou poor ghost” i think he agreed and he said “yes” he ran down he saw the King and Queen having their dinner or they are partying downstairs but hamlet is on the rooftop, Hamlet is very angry i think to the queen because of he is with the man who killed his father and she moved on so fast. Hamlet said while looking at the queen with smile in her face with the king “oh most pernicious women, o villain, villain, smiling damned villain! my tables meet it is i set it down that one may smile and smile and be a villain. at least i am sure it may be so in Denmark.” while hamlet is saying the lines he is writing in the ground with his sword and looks like he is very mad he sworn with the sword calmly looking down the king “so, uncle, there you are. now to my word it is “adieu, adieu, remember thee” hamlet sworn for his father’s revenge he keep the word on his head and to the sword “i have sworn it”.
When hamlet is done he went back downstairs of the castle, Marcellus and Horatio are still looking for Hamlet “hello ho ho my lord” hamlet answered “hello ho ho boys” and they got back together, Horatio asked Hamlet while he is sitting “what news my lord?” Hamlet jump from his sit and said “no you will reveal it” Hamlet doesn’t want to share what he had seen and then Horatio again said “not i my lord, by heaven” “nor i” said Marcellus. They keep walking and Hamlet says “there’s never a villain dwelling in all Denmark but he’s an arrant knave” hamlet is talking about the ghost. Horatio run ahead in front of Hamlet and said “there’s no needs no ghost, my lord come from the grave to tell us this” Horatio has no idea why did the ghost come and tell them. Hamlet stops and said “its an honest ghost” hamlet said it because he told the truth about his death.
Hamlet asked them to give him one poor favor that “never make known what you have seen tonight” he wants to keep it secret that they saw the ghost of late king. Hamlet held his sword on its blade and he wants Horatio and Marcellus to swear not to tell anybody about what they seen and while Hamlet is waiting for them there’s a voice from somewhere saying “sworn” its the ghost.. they stop and look around and they ran outside and Hamlet make them swear “never to speak of this that you have seen. swear by my sword and the voice keep saying “sworn...” and Horatio looks so scared and he says “o day and night, but this is wondrous strange” and they put their hands to the sword and sworn. Hamlet finally made them swear. Hamlet after making Horatio and Marcellus to swear the ghost stops and Hamlet is saying “rest, rest, perturbed spirit” it is like for the ghost and the birds flying the morning comes. They seem to spent the whole night talking with the ghost.
Kenney DeSouza
Period 1
In Mel Gibson’s version of hamlets first encounter with the ghost, the video tends to cut out the more detailed lines to leave us with the basic understanding of the scene. We first see Hamlet running up the stairs with sword drawn, as if there is an intruder. We see the ghost walk up to the tower. The lighting in this scene is very appropriate for the tone and what’s to come. The hallways are dark, and gloomy. Also Hamlet is also wearing dark clothing that the book mentions. ““Seems,” Madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems”. ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn Black, Act I Scene 2 76-79”. We briefly see Horatio and Marcellus trying to go after Hamlet, we can clearly identify they are guards. One of the main flaws of this video, is hamlet already knows he is following the ghost in the book. Hamlet even shouts “Where are you taking me? Speak. I’m not going any farther. Act I Scene V 1-2”. In the video Hamlet simply follows the ghost, until he loses him, before the ghost reappears and begins to talk to him. Also an interesting thing I noticed about this video is the ghost brings hamlet to a tower. In the book we hear Horatio say “what if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff that beetles o’er his base into the sea. Act I Scene iv 72-74” describing a cliff and sea. When we see the ghost for the first time in the video we see a old man, white hair, beard, what a king would look like. The video however misses a important element; the armor. “Been thus encountered: a figure like your father, Armed at point exactly, Cap-a-pie. Act I scene ii 199-200” To a first time viewer the ghost could have been a random old man, or insane ghost, with the armor however, the viewer would be able to acknowledge that the ghost is the king instantly. We see Hamlets face light up during this scene which makes sense because not only being the protagonist, his conflict is beginning to arise. The ghost is seen less visible, almost transparent. The emotions of Hamlet during the ghost’s lines are scared, sad, and overall excellent. The ghost however looks pretty calm throughout the time we see him. The lines in this video are cut to basic. We hear just enough to know what is happening. I was surprised to see the lines “I could a tale unfold whose lightest word would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, thy knotted and combined locks to part and each particular hair to stand on end like quills upon the fearful porpentine. Act I scene V 18-20” missing from the video. These lines are really heavy and would really set the tone of the scene. The video gives us the basic plot of what happened, and who the murderer is and how hamlet is to avenge his father’s deaf. When the ghost departs us, the video does an astonishing job of showing Hamlets anger, and revengeful mind. We see Hamlet furious wielding his sword. We see hamlet run into a window overlooking Claudius, as the new king. The video did a great job showing the new King the way the book describes his personality; having a party, drinking, and having fun. The video really shows Hamlets anger after he sees his father’s murderer. The book really does not describe whether hamlet made visual contact when he said the lines “O most pernicious woman! O Villain, Villain, Smiling, Damned Villain! Act I scene v 105-107” but the video really helps the viewers understand these lines and actually feel the anger. When Hamlet regroups with the guards we see Hamlet acting somewhere in the insane and sane personality. Just like the book, we can argue rather he is going crazy, or is he just amazed and shocked. The video does just this. The video however leaves many lines out that would make us question this, such as “Ha, ha, boy! Sayst thou so? Art thou there, true penny? Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage. Consent to swear. Act I scene v 153-156” As mentioned before the video cuts a lot of the lines, but we get an understanding of the plot and the new conflict. The video overall gives the viewer the basic plot, but most of the detail scripture is left out. The emotions of the characters in this video are very impressive, and lets the audience really feel the sadness and anger.
Video Critique
The video I choose was in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his fathers ghost. In the video clip where Hamlet meets his father’s ghost he shows Hamlet in a dark place to start of the scene. He begans it by running up the cobble stone stairs with a sword in his hands showing Hamlet (Mel Gibson) as very frightened. As Hamlet stops running in the very dark halls of the castle you can see on the other side light coming through from the outside with the ghost standing there looking down at Hamlet. At this time Hamlet see's the ghost and has a shocking look on his face as the music starts to get suspensful and horror like. Also at this time Horatio and Marcellus are on a man hunt for Hamlet through the castle in which they sound frightened and worried too. As Hamlet finally stops running he corners himself, drops his sword and hears something, as he turns around he comes face to face with the ghost. The music is still consistent but a windy sound comes along with it portraying it as a cool windy night. The scene is still dark with light peeking through on the side of the ghost making it difficult to see him. The ghost explains to Hamlet what has happened and how he has been murdered. The setting of this clip was extremely dark to portray the situation that Hamlet is in. The darkness of the setting also fits well with the news that Hamlet receives; the news is that his Father was murdered by Claudius. In the play Hamlet, Hamlet says “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” (Line 31) This line was in the play and the video. It also means that King Hamlet wants Hamlet to take revenge for his father. Throughout the first 4 minutes of this video clip there’s a wind that has that scary tone that also fits the scene perfectly. Then from lines 65-70 there’s an added background sound. The sounds seem like loud drums and thunder, which at this part King Hamlet reveals to Hamlet on how Claudius murders him. Another technique that I found was helpful for viewers in the video are the camera angles, when King Hamlet was speaking the camera was locked on King Hamlet to show his emotions and also on Hamlet, both were close-ups to see their reaction and physical emotions towards the situation.
Around the four minute mark is when Hamlet starts to break down in tears. This is when you hear a different instrument in the background something like a trumpet and the windy sound continues. As the five minute mark approaches you see the ghost approach Hamlet with his hands out saying to "remember me". As this happens Hamlet closes his eyes and clenches his hands for a few seconds, as he opens his eyes the ghost vanishes with the only sound left the wind. Hamlet seem startled tremendously and starts making weird jerking facial expressions. Hamlet then gets off the floor and starts his soliloquy. " “Remember thee? Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat in this distracted globe. Remember thee? Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain…..” (Lines 102- 110) Hamlet then shows alot of anger as he expresses the soliloquy. He then picks up his sword and runs as he comes to an opening in the roof and looks down into a party where everyone seems to be having a good time. It is all dark around Hamlet and down at the party it is lite up with fire and lights which can express how Hamlet is feeling and the others are feeling, the difference. Hamlet then calls his mother a pernicious women meaning she has ruined everything, ruined their family and ruined Hamlet’s life. While Hamlet says “O villain, villain, smiling damned villain” he had a hatred expression towards both King Claudius and Queen Gertrude so I think the villain that’s being said by Hamlet can apply to both of them. In the background you can hear scottish like dancing music along with a bunch of laughing people and enjoying voices.
Then Hamlet leaves the roof top and runs into Horatio and Marcellus. They ask Hamlet about "What news" and Hamlet stalls and says nothing you will reveal it meaning that they will open their mouth to others. Hamlet then says “It is an honest ghost—that let me tell you…… and now, good friends… Give me one poor request. …. Never make known what you have seen tonight …. We will not … Upon my sword. (Lines 154-165) Hamlet tells Horatio that it’s an honest Ghost, meaning that the ghost has provided Hamlet with the truth. Hamlet seems very uptight at this point and paranoid. Hamlet then says “Never make known what you have seen tonight” meaning to never talk about this night. But Hamlet seems not to trust Horatio and Marcellus untill they would swear upon Hamlet’s sword. As Horatio and Marcellus are about to swear the ghost's voice interrupts them saying "swear, swear" As this happens the view changes to above looking over the three of them basically showing you from the ghost's view. Then as they run they go out into the day time. They then all stand up and swear upon Hamlets sword never to tell a soul. As the scene comes to an end Hamlet looks up in the sky and tells the ghost's soul to rest with his eyes bulgind out of his head. Then comes a close up on his face and then fades into a bright mountain top view of the castle to end it. I feel Mel Gibson did a terrific job playin Hamlet easily the best so far along with this entire video and all of the features it has to offer.
I Have Chosen Act 1 Scene 5 which is the scene where Hamlet goes to look for the ghost which Horatio and Marcellus have said that it is a ghost. Hamlet runs up the stairs and reaches the top of the tower which he encounters a very personal family member which is his father as the ghost.
In the scene when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost there is a lot of suspense, tension, and emotions all in one scene. In The beginning of the scene Hamlet goes to see the mysterious sounds that are made by the so called ghost of King Hamlet his father. The director makes the scene in a dark and mysterious type of mood and the tone is very scary and sad. When Hamlet reaches the top of the tower he is very terrified and with out of nowhere the king’s ghost appears with a sad type of tone. The ghost starts by telling that he is Hamlets father and he starts by saying why he came back and how he was killed. This is when Hamlet finds out the truth about his uncle betrayal. The director in this scene definitely made the mood very intense for the viewers he used a certain sound for the wind and the music is slow and weary.
After the truth is revealed the ghost makes Hamlet wake up and think about the situation that is happening. This is when the mood changes in the scene it went from being sad to very angry and you can tell by Hamlet’s voice and the scene moves very quickly. Hamlet then swears he will revenge on his fathers word so he has promised to do something about it. He then returns to Horatio and Marcellus and says he did see the ghost but they will not believe what the ghost mentioned to him or they might mention it to someone. They here noises again by the ghost so they go and look for it again it is a very ironic situation that the scene shows.
The lighting in the scene is the most effected because it results to be a very dark suspense. The character Hamlet mood and tone gave the scene a better understanding because the way he spoke and expressed himself. The music is quite through the entire scene the director definitely wanted to feel and show the situation in the whole scene. The spacing through the scene gives also a very unusual feeling when it is shows so that makes the viewers feel awkward when something is about to happen. The scene is very confusing and unaware of what to understand but that is the main idea of the scene to feel suspense through out the scene.
Nicke Falaise
Period 2
Blog Post
Act 1 Scene 5
Hamlet meets His Fathers Ghost
In the video about Act 1 Scene 5 Hamlet meets his father’s ghost for the first time. Hamlets encounter with his father’s ghost is the start of his insanity and plot for vengeance for upon his uncle. He seeks revenge on his uncle King Claudius because his decease father, King Hamlet explains to him that King Claudius plotted to kill and murdered him. This video highlights Hamlet’s encounter and reactions to his encounter with his father. This video clip also shows footage that was not explained in the novel written by Shakespeare, of Hamlet watching his parents and commenting on his emotions towards them.
The clip has a lot of detail where as the book you have to pay attention to the imagery Shakespeare id trying to put across. The entry music is that of a horror movie. Hamlet enters scared and shaken up. His facial expressions show a number of emotions. The viewer starts to see ghost come toward Hamlet and speak of his death and life as a ghost. In the act in the novel written by Shakespeare, Hamlet has gone as far as his courage will take him, and says, "Wither wilt thou lead me? Speak, I'll go no further" (1.5. lines1-8). The Ghost does speak, and he demands that Hamlet "mark" him--not just listen, but pay attention. He tells Hamlet he is "thy father's spirit," and must soon return to the prison of purgatory and its flames. In the clip the ghost gives Hamlet a command: "If thou didst ever thy dear father love . . . /Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (1.5. lines 31-34). Hamlet promises that he will "sweep to [his] revenge," The Ghost then replies, "duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed / That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, / Wouldst not stir in this" (1.5. lines 39-41).
The ghost, promises Hamlet a burden of shame and guilt if he does not revenge him. Only after this terrible introduction, does the Ghost deliver the news, “Claudius, now king, killed Hamlet's father, "O my prophetic soul!" (1.5. line 48) says Hamlet. The ghost tone starts to increase and the music starts to rise when this instance occurs. It's what he expected. But then the Ghost turns to something that has been on Hamlet's mind even more than the death of his father, his mother. The Ghost says, "won to his shameful lust / The will of my most seeming virtuous queen" (1.5. lines 52-53) about Claudius. In the clip the scene is extremely dark and gloomy and remains this way until the scene switches to Hamlet speaking to Horatio. The Ghost now proceeds to denounce his queen in most bitter terms. She left his bed to "prey on garbage" (1.5. line 64). This is a clear insult to not only his widowed wife but to his brother.
The Ghost gives the details of the murder. While King Hamlet was taking a nap in his orchard, Claudius poured poison in his ear; the poison curdled his blood and rose to his skin, until his body was covered with a "vile and loathsome crust" (1.5. line 79). This may very well be a trigger to Hamlet’s insanity. King Hamlet had his life, his crown and his queen stolen from him all at once. Worse, he died without chance to pray or take the last rites, so that now, instead of being in heaven, he is burning in the fires of purgatory. HE expresses this in the clip with great feeling and sorrow. It is all "O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!" (1.5.line 87), but now it's now almost morning and the Ghost must leave. The ghost appear to be devastated and enraged at the same time in the clip, The Ghost parting words have an unexpected twist: “If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not; Let not the royal bed of Denmark be A couch for luxury and damned incest. But, howsoever thou pursuest this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught: leave her to heaven And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge, To prick and sting her”. (1.5.lines 81-88) Hamlet is supposed to hate the fact that his mother wed with King Claudius, and he is supposed to kill the King to put a stop to it, but he is not supposed to do a thing to his mother, or even think bad thoughts about her.
The Ghost leaves, saying "Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me." Hamlet swears to remember, but he has a hard time of it. First, Hamlet exclaims "O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else? / And shall I couple hell?" (1.5.lines 99-101), It as though he is thinking of what to swear by. Shall he swear by God and all the angels of heaven? By earth? Or maybe he should swear by hell, in case the Ghost came from there. This thought makes him say "O fie" to himself, but he feels weak, overwhelmed, and asks his heart to stay young and his sinews to stay strong. He promises to remember the Ghost, and only the Ghost, saying, "Yes, by heaven!" But immediately afterwards he disobeys the Ghost's command to "taint not thy mind" against his mother, and exclaims "O most pernicious woman!" (1.5. line 112) This line is shouted by Hamlet in the clip in a disgusted and shamed tone. The thought of his mother brings with it the thought of his step-father, and Hamlet cries out "O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!" (1.5.106). In the clip Hamlet id looking down at his mother and step father/uncle and becoming hysterical. He takes out a notebook ("my tables") to write note the fact that "one may smile . . . and be a villain", in the novel. The clip has a different approach to this part in the novel. The clip has a vivid expression of emotion expressed to King Hamlet’s misery, Hamlets remorse and confusion, and the type of music being played. The music calms as King Hamlets ghost is saying adieu repeatedly and remember me.
My critique of this video from Act 1 Scene 2 is based on my knowledge and understanding of the passage from the novel written by Shakespeare. So the provided textual evidence from Hamlet as well as provide descriptions of the video are connected and highlighted in both forms of presentation.
In the video when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost in Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet first knows that his father, King Hamlet, was killed by King Claudius. The video skips a lot of lines of the original script, but it captures the main idea and tone of the play. Hamlet hears from Horatio and Marcellus that there is a ghost who looks alike with King Hamlet; therefore he walks up the tower and wants to meet him. He is holding a sword all the time which may because he wants protection. It is dark in the tower and can hardly see the Hamlet. He then arrives at a hallway with light at the other end. Light is always used as a symbol of truth in literature. This implies that Hamlet is getting nearer and nearer to the truth of King Hamlet’s death. Hamlet turns around and looks for the ghost when he walks out of the hallway. This makes the audiences think that the ghost is going to appear at this point. It is so quiet when the Ghost of King Hamlet comes out. The ghost first starts off saying that “I am thy father’s spirit” which clearly tells Hamlet that he is his father unlike the book which tells Hamlet to revenge first. The ghost then mentions about the murder and tells Hamlet to take revenge. The ghost softly says that “Murder most foul, as in the best it is, but this most foul, strange, and unnatural”. He is so calm compared with Hamlet expression. Hamlet is shocked and looks so pale in the dark. King Hamlet was originally accused to be killed be a snake. He is now also killed by a snake since snake can mean treacherous person, which is Claudius. After the ghost is done with his speaking, he looks like he misses Hamlet so much and does not want to leave him; but he has to. When he finishes saying goodbye to Hamlet, he disappears suddenly which increases his mystery; he doesn’t speak to the others and disappears whenever he wants.
Hamlet then looks down and sees that King Claudius and Queen Gertrude are having their meal happily. There are many noises, chatting and laughing sounds. It is light and looks so warm, like a totally different world compared with where he is standing. The light creates the visible world but the visible world is basically a shadow. All others people are living in that world. Prince Hamlet is the one who knows the truth and looks like isolated by that world at this point. Hamlet says that “That one may smile and smile and can be a villain” and he also carves this on the rock using his sword. This shows that what he writes which the book doesn’t mention clearly. This also implies that Hamlet trusts all the words that the ghost told him. He also hits the rock by the sword after finishing carving; he is really angry and mad of it. In the video, Claudius laughs when Hamlet says “so, uncle, there you are”. This part is not in the book and the director makes a great comparison here. Looking at his expression and emotion, Hamlet will definitely take revenge for his father. However, King Claudius knows nothing and continues living so happily.
Hamlet then walks down the stairs and meets Horatio and Marcellus. They are so eager to know if Hamlet sees the ghost and if he tells him anything. They ask Hamlet excitedly. However, Hamlet does not want to say anything about that. He just drops down a “no, you will reveal it” and keeps on walking. He is then stopped by them and they keep on asking about the ghost. Hamlet mentions that “it is an honest ghost”, which once again proves that he is totally believed in the ghost. He asks Horatio and Marcellus to swear upon his sword that “never to speak of this that you have seen, never to speak of this that you have heard”. This shortens the originally script which has a better result. Combining two sentences makes the oath more powerful and sharp. They follow Hamlet to a higher and roofless place of the castle. There is a sound tell them to swear also. According to the book, it comes from underneath. However, everyone looks up to the sky when the sound comes out. It seems to be from the top. This makes the ghost seem to be come from heaven but not Purgatory. They just kneel down and look scary of it. Horatio and Marcellus think that it is strange but seem not so believe in it. However, they do swear by upon the sword and which ends the video. Hamlet looks relaxing a little bit after they swear.
Although many lines are cut in this version, it captures the idea and the tone well. Hamlet is shocked and angry when he first knows that King Hamlet was killed by Claudius, his treacherous uncle. He wants to take revenge of it. The lighting helps a lot to create the two different worlds while the sound effects help a lot in creating the atmosphere of the two worlds.
Tony Seng
Period 2 CP
In Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet meets his father's ghost again, but this time Hamlet is informed why his father is still lurking around in a ghostly figure. His father informs him of how he passed away because of his uncle, Claudius, and that he wanted Hamlet to avenge his death. The director of this version of Hamlet has different views as so do others than the book. The video that I am critiquing is same in scene but not the same lines that were suppose to be said as in the book. The video skips a lot of small conversations and only delivered the bigger lines. As Mel Gibson acts out Hamlet, many expressions were changed where the book shows otherwise. Where the book sometimes says something with an exclamation point, the actors don't express the exclamation point. Another change is when words are meant to be said fast, the video shows them slow.
Starting off in Act 1 scene 5, Hamlet does not ask the ghost where he is leading him, he just follows along. The awkward part is that he is on the top of the roof, so there isn't another place to go further, like what Hamlet asks for in the book. Throughout the part where the ghost explains his death, Hamlet is shocked at seeing a ghost. The video shows the ghost as an older man who is Hamlet's father wearing all black. The scene is dark so his clothes are blended in with the back round as if you only see his head at some points. “O, my prophetic soul! My uncle!,” when Mel Gibson recited that part, there was not any emotion on uncle, so it lacked the exclamation point. Again with emotions, the ghost says, “ O horrible, O horrible, most horrible!,” which is different than what the book interprets the expressions. The ghost puts his hands over head and yells out, “O horrible,” and then the end of that line he says it soft, like an echo draining out the sound.
The most significant part out of this section was acted very well, it was when the host says, “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me.” Hamlet's father the ghost never got to see Hamlet as a young child as much since he passed away, and that's a fact. So when that part came up the ghost opened his arms as if he were to carry a baby, which was his son. Mel Gibson, as Hamlet responded to this and opened his arms and closed his eyes, as he were scared but wanted to hold his dad, like a baby at first. Throughout that part the lines were delivered slowly and it did skip some parts to get to the ghost leaving. Another thing about that section is that the ghost can be opening his arms to give out his request and Hamlet is receiving the order or grasping his father's wishes.
In the book Hamlet writes out a part where he says, “ So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word. It is “adieu, adieu, remember me.” I have sworn't,” but in the video Hamlet does not write it out he looks to the sky and says it as if to keep at the top of his head. So his main priority was what he said while looking upon the people eating in the room below him. Towards the end of the scene in the video Hamlet does not say, “Nay ,come. Let's go together,” but ends it in, “ That ever I was born to set it right!.” This part is ignoring his friends and leaving Hamlet himself to do everything. If you were to watch this movie for the first time without reading the book, you would think that Hamlet is going solo upon avenging his father's death. When meeting up with the other guards it all of a sudden became bright outside. Which is awkward in a sense that he was just in the dark with his father's ghost. What it could mean was that Hamlet's old life was over, or his meaning to live was gone and a new Hamlet takes over. This new Hamlet would be the one to have a goal of avenging his father's death. Before Hamlet was a loner, who didn't like his mother or his uncle because they were always happy with out him and the reasons his mother moved on made him not want to be around them.
Other notes about this video is the characters chosen. What I noticed was that King Hamlet, the ghost, was old. I wasn't sure if he was old when he died or that he had also aged in the after life. To connect that with the present look of his wife, Gertrude, and Claudius, they looked old. So it has come to my attention that maybe King Hamlet was somewhat a range of 10 years older than the queen. This could be why the queen moved on so fast, because if he were like 10 years older than he would be close to father like than a Husband. Mel Gibson who starred as Hamlet, didn't have the awkward appearance as you would expect as of Hamlet. So when it comes to talking to Ophelia later on, he would be perfect for the act as he is suppose to be awkward all of a sudden. What fore shadows his awkwardness is his eyes, which seems to open wide every time he sees someone. The clothes that the people wore, was significant to the book. Hamlet is an outsider to his family now ever since his father passed away and his mother remarried to his uncle, so he wears a black cloak. Gertrude and Claudius wears red which is a sign of royalty. Another significance is that the title of the book can play a part here. The title is, “The Tragedy Of Hamlet,” so Hamlet is going to die because he is a tragic hero. His father as a ghost wore black also and he was a hero who fought many victorious battles, so you can say that Hamlet is going to die like his father, where as he fights for his father's death. Overall the video did a great job cutting out several scenes to get to reveal the significance of the scene.
The scene Hamlet meets his father’s spirit sets at nighttime, on the top of the castle. When the scene begins, Hamlet runs around with his sword and his fear. When Hamlet sees his father spirit, suddenly he drops down his sword, leans back to the wall and stares at his father like he couldn’t believe what he had seen is the truth. The lights project into Hamlet face more than it focus to the ghost because they want to make the audiences see Hamlet’s emotions. He was sweating and pale after chasing the ghost. King Hamlet’s spirit appears in the dark corner where the audiences can see only his head because the dress with all black. There is no light around King Hamlet because he is a ghost which is supposes to made of light.
The ghost starts to talk to Prince Hamlet with the low and warm voice, he tells Hamlet about his life in hell. At nighttime he walks around, but at daytime he is burned in fire because of his crime he did when he was alive. “I am thy father’s spirit,/ and for the day confine to fast in fires/ Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature”. He rise hid left arm to in front of his face then to the right and says “but that I am for bid to tell the secrets of my prison house,” King Hamlet’s ghost used rises his hand to block the fire to his face to do that when he burned in the hell’s prison. It shows the fear of King Hamlet to the terrible punishment in hell like.
King Hamlet’s spirit tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius- with his angry voice “The serpent that did sting thy father's life/ Now wears his crown.” Hamlet comes closer to hid father with a hard breath. He keeps staring his big eyes because he never think of his uncle would kill his father. King Hamlet wants his son to get revenge for him “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” Hamlet respond with an unexpected tone “O my prophetic soul! My uncle” Hamlet upsets about that. He start to change his emotion from sad to angry.
Even though the queen married Claudius after the King died, but King Hamlet forgives of her marriage. “The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen” King Hamlet still love his wife even though she married to the one that murder him. Prince Hamlet expresses a pitiful look because he never expect that his uncle would kill his father. The ghost of King Hamlet turns around and stands up “methinks I scent the morning air” the ghost notice the morning is coming it also mean that he have to go back to the hell. He tells Hamlet briefly about how Claudius killed him. Claudius wait for the time King Hamlet was sleeping in his garden as he usual dose, Claudius seduces him and pour the poisonous liquid into King Hamlet ear which killed him “Sleeping within my orchard, / My custom always of the afternoon, / Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, / With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial, / And in the porches of my ears did pour / The leperous distilment”. Hamlet weeps tears in his eyes, looks at his father so painful. King Hamlet’s spirit closes his eyes, raises his two arms and then leans back to the wall behind him “Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled, / No reck’ning made, but sent to my account / With all my imperfections” King Hamlet really upsets that Claudius had taken away everything of his. It shows that King Hamlet take it really to accept the truth that his life riuned by his own brother. Hamlet keeps staring at his father’s spirit with tears in his eyes. The ghost stands up faces toward to Hamlet and remind him that not to revenge on his mother. At the last moment before he go back to hell, he still remember his love. King Hamlet’s ghost says good bye to his dear son, Hamlet. “The glow-worm shows the matin to be near, / And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire: / Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.” He comes to Hamlet with his toe arms open forward like he want to hug his son for the last time. Hamlet respond by closes his eyes and his tow hands want to hold on his father hands, but when he opens his eyes, his father had gone. Only Hamlet left in the scene, he stands up and talks to himself “Yea, from the table of my memory/ I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,/ All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,/ That youth and observation copied there;/ And thy commandment all alone shall live/ Within the book and volume of my brain,” Hamlet encourage himself that he have to forget everything and get revenge for his father. Hamlet is angry and upset. After screaming on top of the castle, Hamlet runs down to lower level, when he looks down, he see his mother enjoy the party with his step father, with a pity tone he look down to his mother and says “O most pernicious woman!” Hamlet gone crazy uses his sword to write down on the stone “So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word;/ It is 'Adieu, adieu! remember me./ I have sworn't.” He starts to smash the stone as hard as he could. Then he stops and leans on his sword which is pointing down to the stone, breath heavily and gives hatred to Claudius.
Horatio and Marcellus found Hamlet where he runs down the stair. They want to know what happened. Hamlet doesn’t want other people know about the meeting between him and his father’s ghost. He wants it to be a secret. “Never make known what you have seen to-night.” He even wants them to swear upon his sword. Hamlet holds up his sword and force people to swear with his serous face: “Upon my sword”. There is a sound of the ghost “swear”. Everyone look around, Hamlet ran outside looks around and yell “Swear by my sword”. That was the time of dawn, Hamlet looks up the sky “And therefore as a stranger give it welcome./ There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/ Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Then he run to other higher place, hold his sword in front of him with two hands, seriously he says “So grace and mercy at your most need help you, Swear.” They swear by put their hand on his sword. Hamlet emotion gets better, he close his eyes and breath out easily. Then he looks up the sky again “Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!-So, gentlemen,/ The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,/ That ever I was born to set it right!/ Nay, come, let's go together.” He wants his father rest after his life and he will make his plan to get revenge on Claudius.
In Mel Gibsons interpretation of William Shakespeare the tragedy of hamlet during act 1 scene 5 when hamlet meets the ghost who allegedly who was said to look like the late king hamlet, the director accurate portrays this scene and changes minor lines to add the directors own personal touch. As the scene begins it is in the early hours of the mourning it seems as if it just rained hamlet who seems to be in his late twenty’s early thirty’s have hamlet is curiously scurrying up the castle steps with his sword in his hands calling out to the mysterious ghost who is trying to lead him somewhere. The director decision to make Hamlet walking up the castle is supported the lines in the play. “Whither wilt thou lead me? Speak. I’ll go no further. (page 55 lines 1-2). This passage supports the idea that the director portrays in the movie because Hamlet says he cant go any further because he reaches the top of the castle. As the scene continues the ghost finally reveals it and Hamlet shockingly turns and appears to feel bad and emotional because he notices a somewhat sad pale spirit of his once great father. through this entire scene when hamlet sees the ghost Hamlet shows signs of either being terrified or the start of a hallucination. This is a excellent idea for the director because the one the everlasting questions for this play is whether prince hamlet is sane or not. By the director adding these emotions the viewer can decide whether he is sane or not it is up to the eyes of the beholder. As Hamlet appears to becoming emotional the supposed spirit of the king tells him he doesn’t have much time and not to pity him because he has to inform him of something. “my hour is almost come when I to sulf’rous and tormenting flames must render up myself… pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing to what I shall unfold.” This passage supports the reason he made the setting of the scene in the early hours of the mourning. The ghost that he cant stay long he has to return hell before the day begins but before he goes he has to inform his on what actually happened to him. As the movie continues the ghost begins to inform hamlet on how he actually died how he was not killed in battle but was murdered by the man wearing the crown now, Cladius. As the ghost tells Hamlet on what has happened he is delivering the lines very informative and with great depression as a haunted spirit should do. As the ghost begins to finish he begins to move closer and closer in an effort to try to touch his son but hamlet becomes startled and crouches over and closes his eyes in fear and he opens his eyes the ghost then vanishes as if were never there which can also support the idea that Hamlet has gone crazy. As gets up from the fetal position he put him self he begins to speak to him self about what has just happened. As hamlet speaks he moves to an opening in the castle and watches Cladius delivers his lines with such anger. Unlike in the play Haratio and Marcellus but the movie hamlet runs the down the castle stairs to find them waiting for him at the bottom. As the hamlet heads near the bottom the viewer notices that it has become mourning which can be a way the director cant tell the viewer that The director chooses for Hamlet to walk by Haratio and Marcellus as he passing by they begin to question on the events that happened. “ my lord , my lord !…heavens secure him …illo, ho, ho, my lord!… hillo, ho, ho, boy! Come,(bird,) come!” (page 63 lines 120-125) the director delivered this part the play corrected to go along with the lines. As hamlet walks he tells the soldiers to walk with him and swear on his sword not to tell what he is about to tell them. The men swear and put their hand on the sword and hamlet looks to the sky and the scene is over. In conclusion in Mel Gibsons the Tragedy of the Hamlet Gibson accurately portrays what could have happened and creatively adds minor additions to make the scenery collaborate with the lines of the play.
When watching Act 1, Scene 5, when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost, the scene is set with very dark lighting, and almost a haunted atmosphere. Hamlet walks in not knowing what the ghost would look like as he feels against the walls with fear. He almost double guesses himself as he walks up the stairs as if he has seen something. He has a sword in his hand almost as if he is ready for anything, and is using it as his protection. He always keeps his sword high, near his face, almost as if he thinks he will be able to use it against the ghost. But as soon as he sees his father’s ghosts he drops the sword. His eyes are bulging from his head and stands afar from his father, almost in disbelief. He wants him to come closer, as if he has a secret to tell. Hamlet stands in a state of shock. King Hamlet seems weary, and fact full, he almost seems like a grandfather telling a war story. Everything that King Hamlet tells Hamlet brings Hamlet to tears. They still stand distant. By telling Hamlet how he died, it’s almost as if Hamlet wishes he had known before, so he could have done something. But he’s been living with these lies. Once King Hamlet tells Hamlet to leave his mother to heaven, the look on Hamlet’s face is confused, since his mother has been a strumpet, and Hamlet feels his mother has betrayed his father and doesn’t deserve the respect his father gives her. When he sees that the sun is coming up, he says his final goodbyes to Hamlet, and tries to touch him, but doesn’t and it’s almost as if it was a dream. As he says remember me, it’s as if it’s like last time Hamlet is going to see him, and wants to make sure that Hamlet will want to take that revenge for his father to be free. He then goes crazy, not knowing what to do after hearing all that has happened, putting the past and present into motion. He then goes to a hall where King Claudius and Queen Gertrude are and looks at them in disgrace. He takes his sword almost as if he is taking his sword to King Claudius. He wants his mother to be unhappy just like his father. Since he sees her and King Claudius happy as ever. Hamlet flees from the above view that he had of the dinner that his mother and uncle were celebrating. The scene that is below is very elegant, and full of light and color. As Hamlet leaves he seems back to normal, as his friends are calling for him, but he is putting on an act to act as though nothing is wrong. But Horacio knows something is wrong, as he puts his hand on Hamlet as is he can tell them whatever since they are friends. He still has his sword in his hand. His friends clothing look as though they are fighters, or guards of some sort. Hamlets actions are very quick and almost happening as he does not know what to do at this point. Once they all hear King Hamlets voice they then have the same face that Hamlet did the first time that he saw his father. They all believe him now, as he holds his sword toward his friends, to show loyalty upon his sword not to tell what has happened. They are all scared and look around as if King Hamlet’s ghost is still there. Hamlet doesn’t want this secret to get out, and once his friends promise loyalty to his secret, he seems to be in relief, and tells his father he can rest to. The last scene is that of the castle from a far away view. It looks beautiful, but that could be symbolizing what is going to happen next , as what is beautiful on the outside may not be the same on the inside, since there is about to be much drama to come within the castle.
Jasmyn Jones
3/9/08
Per. 7
Hamlet meets his Father’s Ghost
In act 1 scene 5 of the play The Tragedy of Prince Hamlet, Hamlet meets his father’s ghost. In the video clip Mel Gibson plays Hamlet. He appears grungy and worn out. He has a thick brown beard and mustache. He looks sweaty and somewhat dirty. He is wearing what looks like a long brown cloak which makes him look rough. The director did a fine job in selecting Mel Gibson to play Hamlet. Hamlet is a prince so one would think he looks young with a shaved face but since he has just lost his father and the play is about his tragedy, it is understandable why the director sees Hamlet this way.
What’s first seen in the video is Hamlet running through dark, stone hallways with his sword out. Without saying anything, he creeps up the stairs and peeks around the corners as if he is a detective. He looks down a dark corridor with a splash of moonlight and sees the ghost walking up a flight of stairs. The director of this scene does a good job of displaying the mood of the scene, yet making Hamlet appear cunning and sneaky was unnecessary as in the novel, Hamlet and the ghost begin the scene together. The director also uses little sound and light which do fit well with the lines from the play. He also switches angles at which Hamlet is seen quickly to make the scene seem sudden and intense. When Hamlet reaches the top floor he finally finds the ghost.
Hamlet’s father’s ghost is played by Paul Scofield who has white hair and an aged face. His wrinkles may be natural or be the art of makeup but he looks worn which is appropriate for his role. He is hard to see as he speaks from shadows. There are no special effects to make his appear like a ghost so he looks human. He speaks with no emotion on his face or in his lines and he seems gloomy, which is great for the role of the ghost. He begins the scene at “I am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk the night” (14-15). In the book, this speech is not the beginning of the scene as Hamlet begins it saying “Wither wilt thou lead me? Speak. I’ll go no further.” (1-2). This is the speech in which the ghost tells Hamlet that knowing “the secrets of my prison house” (19) will be torture to him. The director cuts these lines out which ruins the portrayal of the ghost. In the book he seems angry and suffering as he tells Hamlet that the secrets would make his eyes “start from their spheres,” (21-22) meaning his eyes would come out of their sockets. Cutting these lines out makes the ghost seem sad and lonely in the video.
He continues his speech at “List, list, O list!” (28). He tells Hamlet that if he loved him he would revenge his murder. Hamlet finally speaks when he says “Murder?” (32) in disbelief of his father being murdered. The camera only shows half of Hamlet’s face as the rest of hidden behind a shadow. The side of him that wants to revenge his father’s murder has not come out yet. The side that is seen looks worried and vulnerable. While the ghost continues to speak the camera slowly closes up on Hamlet as he inhales, swallows and begins to breathe quickly. It is as if he is about to go crazy just as he did in the novel.
The ghost continues speaking and gets to revealing how he was murdered. He tells that “the serpent that did sting thy father’s crown now wears his crown.” (46-47). The camera once again shows Hamlet and hearing this he inhales, lifting his chest and shoulders, raises and scrunches his eyebrows together, and widens his eyes. He says “O, my prophetic soul! My uncle! (48). Mel Gibson looked pathetic and corny when he said those lines. He breathes a lot while he speaks and the lines in the novel end in exclamation points. Mel Gibson didn’t portray Hamlet’s feelings very well, he made him seem more worried and scared rather than enraged at murder of his father-by his uncle! The ghost continues to express his anger at his murder and Paul Scofield does a reasonable job at portraying the ghost’s anger. He puts some emphasis into his words and speed in what he’s saying but there is still no emotion in his face. The director cuts out the lines in which the ghost gets angry at Claudius for seducing Gertrude with “wicked wit and gifts,” (51) and skips to him speaking briefly because he smells morning coming.
The ghost reveals that he was sleeping in his orchard when Claudius “poured the leprous distilment,” (71-72), which is the poison, in his ear. Because the ghost must be brief, the director cuts more lines and skips to the ghost saying that his own brother cut him off from his life, thrown, and queen. Claudius had done this “in the blossoms of my sin,” (83) meaning King Hamlet hadn’t had time to repent for his sins which means he would be sent to hell. King Hamlet implies that Claudius knew exactly what he was doing. As the ghost says this he reveals more anger in his voice yet still shows none in his face. The camera shows Hamlet crying, his lip trembling, and wiping his eyes. This scene wasn’t needed as Hamlet should have been angry in his last lines, as they ended in exclamation points. The ghost continues to speak in soft tones and tells Hamlet that when he gets revenge, he should leave Gertrude out of it. This leads to him saying goodbye to Hamlet. He walks slowly towards Hamlet after his first “adieu”. He takes a few more steps and holds his hands out at his second “adieu”. He finally reaches Hamlet at his last “adieu”. While close to Hamlet’s face he tells him to “remember me.” (98). The camera shows, from Hamlet’s point of view, that his father’s ghost is suddenly gone.
Hamlet finally speaks and shows his anger as he repeats the ghost’s words “remember me,” (98). He gets up, grabs his sword and hurries down the stairs. He watches from above his mother and Claudius dining at a feast. The camera shows Claudius hold Gertrude’s had and kiss it and then whisper something into her ear. At this sight he calls his mother a “pernicious woman!” (112) meaning a malicious woman. Mel Gibson does a better job at capturing the disgust Hamlet feels. He expresses it through his tone of voice and facial expressions. He hastily writes words into the stone with his sword as he vents at his mother, who does not hear him. The camera shows Hamlet speaking as he says that he has sworn to remember the ghost. While he continues to speak it switches to show Claudius eating and laughing. It is a funny thing that the director does here because it shows that Claudius has no idea what is coming to him. After this scene the camera switches to show Horatio, Marcellus, and a few other characters from the play.
In the video, Horatio and Marcellus are shown shouting and looking for Prince Hamlet. They are shown with other characters that aren’t mentioned in the play which shouldn’t have been done as the book makes it seem like more people knew about Hamlet meeting his father’s ghost. The lighting during this scene is brighter and this is appropriate as morning is about to come, which is why the ghost had to leave. Horatio and Marcellus ask what happened during Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost yet he will not tell. This scene seems rushed as more lines are cut. Hamlet tells his friends to swear on his sword that they will not tell anyone of what they know and he does the ghost’s voice is heard saying “swear” in a gloomy tone. The characters run at the sound of the ghost. They run back outside of the castle which is now much brighter than it was before, again since morning is coming. The ghost continues to whisper swear and when they get outside the castle Hamlet makes them swear. He holds his sword in front of his and each friend puts his hand on it as together they say “swear”. The scene ends with it fading to show the castle on the rocks, in front of the sunset with the birds flying around it and the water.
The scene as a whole was okay. Many lines were cut making the whole scene seem rushed and the acting was average. This version of act 1 scene 5 wasn’t that great and there probably could be better.
Jeffrey Mendez
Period 1
In the video clip from act 1 scene 5 Hamlet meets his father’s ghost. The director in the movie clip expresses William Shakespeare’s feeling about this situation in many ways. He is showing Shakespeare’s way of speaking in his tone in the clip that was shown here. He also is explaining very well Shakespeare’s tone between Hamlet and his father’s ghost. Mel Gibson played Hamlets part very well and watching him helps me understand the way Hamlet is reacting towards the ghost.
The delivery of lines and the imagery of this particular setting were really interesting. The tone goes perfect with the delivery of lines in this scene. The director shows very well the way Shakespeare (when he wrote this play) is trying to show Hamlet and The ghost’s reactions. Hamlets way of reacting is very good because it is expressing how he feels when he seen the ghost which makes easier to understand the play. He seems very scared and surprised at the same time and the ghost is just calm talking to Hamlet. The image where the play is taking place looks like it is taking place behind a temple. The image of the scene goes perfect with the play.
The portrayal of the actors and also the lighting and camera effects of this particular scene were interesting too. The portrayal or in other words the way that the actors plays Hamlets role was very good and it shows a great way of how Shakespeare is trying to show how Hamlet feels like in this situation with his fathers ghost. Mel Gibson played Hamlets part very well and makes it easy to understand how Hamlet is feeling at the moment in this scene. The ghost played his role well too and he seems very scary and speaks slowly and that’s how I think Shakespeare wanted it to be. The lights and effects were amazing in this scene. The scene was taking place somewhere very dark and next to a tall cement or brick wall behind some kind of temple. The ghost appears creeping up and the graphics of this scene shows very well that the ghost is a ghost.
Also the music and the sound effects was a great and big impact to the scene. The sound effects of everything going on is good and lets the viewer understand more how everything sounds like in this scene. The sound effects of Hamlet when he first meets the ghost are excellent because Hamlet seems very scared and terrified. At that point Hamlet would start crying which makes this scene more interesting and shows the great portrayal of the actor himself. The music in the background of the scene makes the viewer seem so curious of what’s going to happen next in the scene. To me the music gives the scene flavor because all this is happening between Hamlet and the ghost and the music makes it more interesting and lets you know what is the situation going on in this scene.
Kshuman p.7
Hamlets Meets his fathers ghost 1:5
Mel Gibson’s movie version of Hamlets act one scene five (were he meets his fathers ghost) Begins with Hamlet franticly running throughout the dark and damp hallways of what I’m assuming is his castle with a sword in his hand. Hamlets begins to jog up a narrow stairway when the picture now shifts to a further view of Horatio and Marcellus wandering around looking for Hamlet as described in
The last parts of act one scene five. The camera begins to shift again to Hamlet peeking beyond a dark wall and watching as Horatio and Marcellus jog into the opposite direction looking for Hamlet, and he begins to walk toward there direction yet pauses with his sword in position, looking confused on whether he should follow or not. Toward the end of Act one scene four Hamlets goes on to state that “My fate cries out, and makes each petty artery in this body, as hardy as the nemean lion’s nerve… etc.” He goes on to say that he does not want them to follow him, and he pulls out his sword which is ironic because he than says that if they follow him he will make a ghost of them. This quotation foreshadows that Hamlets will ultimately meet his father’s ghost, and his fate (of killing Claudius) will be decided right then and there. For several seconds in the play the attention is shown onto Marcellus and Horatio once again searching the top of the castle for Hamlet, Trying to prevent him from what could ultimately lead to his tragedy. The play then begins too look like a game of tag, Hamlet has now arrived on the top of the castle and the setting once again becomes somewhat lighter, making his facial expressions and actions more noticeable. Hamlet stops for one moment and stares at his sword as if he had no control over what it could do, This is evident by the way he begins to jog waving his sword as if he were begging to battle. He then again pauses and his face displays the fear inside him throughout his eyes and h e slowly turns around only to see a blurry figure (being his father) beginning to speak to him. He pushes himself against the walls and attentively begins to listen. As his father begins to speak his figure becomes more clear with the increasing tone in his voice and he begins to inform his son of how he was betrayed by his own brother. The photo frame begins to switch from Hamlets father back to him showing how Hamlets is attentively listening with a shocked expression on his face. Though King Hamlet still makes his son aware of how he was murdered, the movie skips some lines as in how they first react to each other etc. The ghost remains sitting as Hamlet attempts to approach him yet instead walks around , when ghost tells him he was murdered the movie slowly begins to zoom in on Hamlet as he questions the ghost asking Murder? And his face becomes filled with melancholy. He takes a breath and swallows as if he knows that his father’s going to make him aware of terrible twist to the murder, as he begins to breath faster. Ghost remains calm and with a serious facial expression as if he has accepted his fate and is trying to decide his sons fate, Hamlets again zoomed onto and he becomes even more panicky. The setting on ghost remains darker than when hamlet is shown to a lighter background. Ghost reveals that Claudius had killed him and Hamlets becomes shocked and somewhat infuriated at the same time as by the way his reply is shocked by the way he takes a deep breath before he says it and yet it feels as though Hamlet has not blinked once since he had talked to his father. Throughout this scene the photo is constantly switching from the ghost to Hamlet as if they’re inferring that he should have a different reaction to the news of his fathers murder, yet he remains the same mostly throughout the whole situation. Ghost somewhat orders him to get revenge by using hand language , higher tone and being closer between there close and Hamlet then seems more frightened than ever. As the ghost goes on about how he is cursed with all of his sins Hamlet seems as though he is begging to cry , ghost shows his emotions of insecurity in his fate by leaning against the wall as if the walls represents his support and his voice somewhat begins to crack and he speaks of his unfortunate fate. Hamlets worries become evident and tears begin to stream from his eyes and he quickly wipes them away with his sleeve as if he does not want to seem weak in front of his father who had been made out to be a hero of war. The background becomes a medium blue and the scenery begins to shift to a begging morning, as he begins to leave Ghost reaches out his hand as if he is trying to take Hamlet with him or give him support? This seems significant because King Hamlet ultimately steals Hamlets fate from him in the ending of the book, as if he had taken him down with him along with all of Denmark. Ghost begins to cry and never takes his eyes of of Prince Hamlet along with leaving his hands out, as hamlet tries to acknowledge everything that had just happened he closes his eyes ads if he pain is unbearable and when he begins to open his eyes his father has disappeared, He looks up at the sky as if he asking why he had been put in a position to promise his father revenge and at this moment it is evident that Hamlet would be doomed. A far shoot of Hamlet getting up is shown and he jogs away as previously yet now instead of being startled by his fathers ghost he is startled by the sight of his uncle and his mother showing affection toward each other as they eat dinner. Ironic because it is like his father’s ghost had planned that for him to make him want revenge even more. This makes his Acknowledge how Claudius had taken everything from his father, his wife, royalty, power etc. He begins to curse at his mother and uncle calling them incestuous with all his power and emotion being shown through his mouth with the force used to push out those words, the light from the fire is also shinning among Hamlet which helps exemplify his anger. He furiously begins to hit rocks with his sword as if he is considering the rocks his uncle and mother, he later runs into Marcellus and Horatio making them swear on his sword that he will not speak of this night. This image of them all putting there hands on there sword is also portrayed in the novel when the end of this scene is described
It starts off a little different then in the book does. At first in the book Horatio n Marcellus are holding P. Hamlet back from following the ghost but this time it seems like he was able to escape them easily. In the movie clip it also shows either Horatio or Marcellus running after P. Hamlet to try and stop him when in “Hamlet” it doesn’t happen at all. Its dark and Prince Hamlet seems to be scared to follow the ghost of his father maybe because he is not expecting it to be him. He seems to be staggering around as if his body is weak with anxiety. When he gets to the top of the castle he looks all around very confused. Then somehow realizes that the ghost appears behind him. He starts to turn around real slowly because he’s scared that the ghost can just disappear and re-appear like that in an instant. At first the ghost looks barely visible in the dark but once he comes out into the moonlight it looks as if he was a normal human. The ghost starts off the scene with “I am thy father’s spirit”(1:11, L.14) While the ghost is speaking, it skips many maybe unimportant lines in the real play(L.53-64), (L.71-80) The director probably did that for the sake of movie time. It still doesn’t give the good feel of “Hamlet” if you were a big fan of the real play by William Shakespeare. Prince Hamlet and the ghost are now speaking back and forth to each other but mostly Prince Hamlet is listening to his father’s spirit. This is also when P. Hamlet finally discovers that his father was murdered by his uncle, now King Claudius. Its interesting how the ghost mentions that K. Claudius is a serpent like if he was sneaking around just looking for a pray. After this the director again skips about 15 lines probably again for time purpose. The ghost gets up and notices that the morning is coming. He gets closer and closer to P. Hamlet and becomes more dramatic. P Hamlet is starting to cry even harder then before but not as bad. The ghost doesn’t want P. Hamlet to let his city be ruined by people who don’t deserve to rule it. The ghost now reaches out to P. Hamlet and disappears before he opens his eyes. During the whole time, the photography director used barely any lighting on the ghost signifying he’s been in the dark and P. Hamlet has the moonlight on him showing that he is more holy then the ghost. This shows that the ghost does have his own imperfections of the father of P. Hamlet. Now P. Hamlet speaks in one of his famous soliloquies. He takes a few relieving breathes because he can barely believe what he has seen. He reacts fiercely towards the ghost of which he has just seen. He becomes angry and runs around to find that the “King and Queen” are happy together as if the queen knew he killed her old king. He insults his mother and his uncle to b pernicious and a villain. Pacing back and forth scratching his words into the stone so may someone can read his words that he’s sworn upon. In the real play it says that P. Hamlet writes on something and I think its creative how the director makes him scratch it onto something because u can always throw away or misplace a piece of paper. Striking at the stones which he’s just written on he speaks out to the ghost that he’s sworn to revenge his spirit. He then meets up again with Horatio and Marcellus and they ask him what happened with him n the ghost. P. Hamlet at first doesn’t want to tell them because he thinks they’ll “reveal it” (7:46. L.130). They then argue with P Hamlet that they don’t really believe him that anything even happened because he won’t tell them what happened. The ghost out of nowhere tells them all to swear upon P. Hamlet's sword so that they do not tell anybody of what has just happened between them all. He runs out into the daylight and tells them that it’s okay that a ghost is around. It is now dusk and they all swear by his sword.
video critique
In the video of Act 1 scene 5, Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father. In this scene, his father’s ghost reveals to him the truth behind his death. He explains to Hamlet how his uncle, who is now king, poisoned him while he was asleep in his orchard. Reason being his uncle wanted his crown, his thrown, and his wife. The ghost also mentions in both the video and in the book how he is “Doomed for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires…”(57) meaning that he is under some punishment for something he has done, but that never gets revealed in the scene. After telling Hamlet what his uncle had done, he makes Hamlet swear on his sword that he will get revenge on his uncle for what he did to his father. With that being said, the ghost of his father vanishes, leaving Hamlet to himself and to now plan how he is going to seek revenge on his uncle.
The video version of the scene was different from that of the book because in the video Hamlet just seems to “be there” once the video starts whereas in the book, he is summoned by Horatio and Marcellus to come to the tower because they kept seeing an apparition. Also, in the video Hamlet is very scared when he first sees the ghost. It is also evident through his facial expression that he is amazed, Hamlet seems not to believe what he sees. Another event that happened in the video that didn’t happen in the book was, after Hamlet was visited by the ghost of his father he then saw his uncle and his mother at the party. The moment Hamlet’s eyes are focused on his uncle and his mother, Hamlet’s facial expression changes from amazed to disgusted, and as he curses both his mother and uncle, he uses the same lines that he writes in the book, “so, uncle, there you are. Now to my word. It is “adieu adieu, remember me.” I have sworn’t”(63), Hamlet expresses his anger by violently hitting his sword against the rocks.
In the book, a lot more details are added in the speech such as what the poison did to Hamlet’s father. “And with a sudden vigor it doth posset and curd, like eager droppings into milk, the thin and wholesome blood. So did it mine…Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust all my smooth body”(61). However, Hamlet’s emotions weren’t as obvious as to in the text. When Hamlet is told about the ghost, he seems to have followed the ghost not because it was his dad, but because he was curious to know why his father’s ghost had come back to visit him. On the other hand Hamlet’s emotions are clearly shown in the video, and it is evident that he followed the ghost because it was his father and he wanted to know the truth so he could revenge.
In conclusion of both the video and the book version of act 1 scene 5, the book version gave the readers a better understanding of what was happening with better details. Even though not all the lines were brought up in the video, the video allowed the viewers to get a better perspective of what was going on, and Hamlet’s facial expressions made it clear to the viewers how this situation with Hamlet’s uncle and his mom disgusted Hamlet and how this was affecting him.
In the video when Hamlet meets his father’s ghost, the director suggests that Hamlet’s father’s ghost is seeking revenge and that Hamlet is in shock of realizing the actual truth about his father’s death. “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Murder?” (1:5, 31-32) Old Hamlet’s ghost reveals that he was murdered. Hamlet is shocked to know that Old Hamlet was murder. To clarify, he questions the ghost, “Murder?” (32) One can also tell that Hamlet is in shock by observing the look on his face. In the video, he widens his eyes as he stares at the ghost. So not only is Hamlet shocked about hearing the truth about his father’s death, he is also shocked about seeing the ghost. To make the scene more interesting, darkness is used in the background. Both Hamlet and his father’s ghost are dressed in dark colors. They are dressed in black. Black represents darkness. Darkness is significant to this particular scene in a way that it shows that Hamlet is surrounded by danger and maybe powers of death. In this case, his uncle Claudius is the danger. Old Hamlet’s ghost is leaning against a wall as he points out that he was poisoned by a serpent that happens to be Claudius. Leaning against the wall makes the viewer wonder about the ghost’s state of living. One might think that it leaning against the wall because it is tired from running around in the fires of hell. The director creates an open-minded scene. In my point of view, the director portrays Old Hamlet’s character in that way to show that he is chained in a prison cell and that Claudius is the reason why. The director also changes the ghost’s tone as it reveals that Claudius is the serpent. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.” (46-47) The ghost seems angry as it points out Claudius. The director changes the Old Hamlet’s ghost’s tone to show how he feels about his brother. The ghost goes on to express it’s feelings towards Claudius and Getrude’s marriage. In it eyes, Claudius is in wrong and not the queen. “Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast… won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen.” (49-53) Old Hamlet’s ghost blames Claudius for everything that happened with him and the queen.
The director of the video uses sounds of wind in the background. Wind blows in the background throughout the whole scene. The director uses the wind because many, if not all people believe that ghosts appear in forms of the wind. So the director might have thought it is the perfect sound effect for the scene. The sound effects provide intense to the story. In general, the director provides a well done video. The clip is a must-see because it brings Shakespeare’s play to a well directed video.
Edlin Vasquez
Period 7
In the chosen video clip when Hamlet meets his father�s ghost, the director portrays Act 1 Scene 5, in a dark and morose way. It shows Hamlet�s and the ghost�s changes of emotions, how lighting and darkness can signify mood, and how background music can play a part in mood also.
When Hamlet talks to his father�s ghost, he speaks while stuttering making him talk less. Therefore, the ghost does most of the talking. Hamlet acts differently within each line, when he says �O God� (line 30) and �Murder� (line 32) he says it in a shocked way, while looking away a few times. Compared to when he acts in a furious manner when he says, �O my prophetic soul! My uncle!� (line 48). The ghost performs calmly, softly, and emotionally. The ghost speaks in tears when he says, �Adieu, Adieu, Adieu, Remember me� (Line 98). The ghost speaks in disappointment, towards his brother�s betrayal and his wife�s departure. The way he speaks to Hamlet is mostly in a begging way. That way Hamlet could seek revenge for his father.
When Hamlet is talking to his father�s ghost, the setting and scenery are different from when he looks down at Claudius and Gertrude at the banquet. The scenery in the beginning of the video clip is mainly dark stone walls inside the tower. The tower is made up of stone and has a cold interior with a lot of twists and turns that makes it suitable for the scene. In the banquet hall there is a lot of blazing fire around, which makes it warm compared to the tower. Also, there�s a lot of food, wine, and people.
In this scene Hamlet lets all his emotions out in an obvious way. Hamlet is very terrified when he sees his father�s ghost. Once seeing the ghost he holds the sword closely against himself, in a way to protect himself if the ghost ever attack. Hamlet responds in few words. Hamlet�s reaction to his fathers ghost was that he was sweaty and scared at first, his facial expression said it all and by the tone of his voice. Then his behavior transforms from petrified to being sad and angry. After finding out that his father�s murder was a plan by Hamlet�s own uncle, he became angry and disgusted.
The ghost�s emotions are mostly controlled. Once the ghost appears to Hamlet, he first shows sadness about his own death, and how he lost his wife to his own brother. Then he angrily tells Hamlet about how his brother murdered him with poison in the garden. �Now, Hamlet, hear. �Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death rankly abused,� (lines 41-45). His voice changes within each emotion, especially when he begs Hamlet to seek revenge.
Some of the lighting effects in this scene are mostly dark except for the dim lighting on the stairs, the blue light where the ghost is, fiery light in the banquet, and when it�s daylight. Light also appears when the ghost goes up the stairs of the tower. Camera effects include: close-ups on Hamlet and the Ghost, and the disappearance of the Ghost just before he touches Hamlet�s face.
The sound effects in this scene show the difference between Hamlet�s dark mood and Claudius� celebration in the banquet hall. Up above where Hamlet and the Ghost are there is sound of wind, but when Hamlet is alone the clanging of his sword shows his anger and frustration. When Hamlet looks down at the banquet he hears the laughter from Claudius and Gertrude and their guests. When Hamlet is talking to Horatio and the others, he makes them promise not to tell about the appearance of the Ghost. Then the Ghost speaks to them from above so they will swear on the sword.
This video clip shows how the scene is acted out, making it have more significance and understanding. It shows how lighting, such as the banquet, can represent happiness. Yet, on the contrary darkness could mean sadness and negativeness, when Hamlet met the ghost. During the banquet, it�s found to be the most eye-catching part in the scene. The banquet glows with laughter. The lighting, effects, and actors make the scene just right.
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