Laurence Olivier as Hamlet
Think of yourself as the director of a scene from Act 1 in Hamlet.. As the director of the play/movie, you need to have a clear, developed, complete concept of your vision of the play. A director’s vision of a play should all work together: the music should echo the set, and the costumes. You may find it useful to base your concept of the play around a singular theme that you want to reinforce through set, costumes, sound, and delivery.
You need to post your answers in the comments stream by Monday, February 11th at 4:00p.m. to the following questions. Each question will take at least one well formed paragraph or more and need to be backed up with evidence from the scene. (50 points)
- How would your set for the stage look and be arranged? Why? Consider colors, lighting, scale, texture, and layout.
- What would the character's costume look like? Why? Consider colors, fit, style, time period, and texture.
- What sorts of sound effects or music would you use in the production? Why? Consider time period, volume, and genre.
- How would the character deliver his lines? Why? What does this show us about your character?
Answering the “why” part of each of the above questions is the most difficult part of this assignment, but it is also the portion that allows the most leeway. Fell free to hyperlink to any material online that is appropriate.
Remember: your goal is to develop or create a character's personality by providing information about the character and how he or she should act, look, and sound.
POST HERE IF YOU ARE WRITING ABOUT HAMLET (ANY CLASS)
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Cast a Character--Hamlet
The character I have chosen was Hamlet, and as a scene director I think he would be the best choice, because the whole story is about him, and how he is impacted and who he impacts in this play/movie. There are many concepts of this play/movie I’d like to address and will describe in high detail from how the set would look like and how it would be arranged and why it would be set up like that, to miner but important details like color, lighting, scale, texture, and layout.
First off, we have the setting, which is in the 19th hundreds in northern Europe, Denmark. From this textual evidence, Horatio tells us there location. “And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands so by his father lost. And this, I take it, Is the main motive of our preparations, the source of this our watch, and the chief head of this posthaste and rummage in the land (Pg 15, lines 115-119)”. This textual evidence basically tells us the reason why the guards are posted at there location and why there is so much commotion in Denmark. Now the setting would be arranged to look like Blenheim Palace, which is a large and monumental country house that would have a large green grassy courtyard like appearance to it. Surrounding it, would be tall, lushes, green trees and in the middle of the grass courtyard, a gray stone path going for miles all the way to the gates of it. On the other side would be a lake with a stone bridge that crosses over to the other side of the lake. It would be set up like this because it would show what kind of high class people one would be dealing with if one where to visit this scene. For colors, there would be many shades of green, along with grayish tan color of the stone of the palace and the path leading to it, along with the bridge as well. Lighting would be have an early morning feel to it, or bright, with puffy white clouds in the sky, with the sun light leaking threw the holes of the passing clouds. The scale of the setting would be very large, enough to be a kingdom, because that’s basically what it would be, or palace (hence the reference of Blenheim Palace). The texture would have a soft, rubbery feeling to it, because of all the green leaves that would fall from the tree’s and the grass that would feel prickly coming out of the ground. Finally we have layout, which would be a huge green field which would kind of come to an ache, like a giant green hill that expands over the horizon, with some random trees in the middle of the area.
Secondly, we have the wardrobe of the characters. The garments would have a 19th century feel to them, such as a wardrobe from “Oliver Twist” with the old English caps that look slightly baggy on top of the head. Hamlet would wear black robs, almost like a trench coat and English cap, with khaki like pants and loafer like shoes. Hamlet also likes to wear the color black a lot, and it seems to symbolize something as well, which it would show his seriousness to a situation even if the situation wasn’t to serious. Hamlets black garments would give him a darker look, a more mysterious and troubled looking figure, such as somewhat of a tragic hero. From this textual evidence, it talks about how his garments hint out the degree of grief he feels for his father’s death, but the garments just nick the surface of how much grief he has about the situation, “Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems. 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passeth show, these but the trappings and the suits of woe (Pg 25, lines 79-89)”. Again, Hamlet is basically telling the king that nothing can compare to how much grief he is experiencing from the loss of his father and how his garments are just the icing on the cake to how he really feels. Characters like hamlet would wear theses clothes because it would somewhat show some emotion they had with them and it would represent how they feel and how the character is developed, as well as to show the age that there in. Now there are other things to consider as well, like color, fit, style, time period and texture, and we have already covered a few of those but I will mention them again in order to be clear. The color of the clothing would be black, but other characters clothing would have darkish colors to them, to perhaps show things are not all well with that character and to set there mood. Next we have the fit, which would be a fine fit with most of the characters to match the roles they play and how they are feeling while. The style is that of old English to show a European attribute. Afterwards we get into time period, which like I said in the beginning is a 19th century feeling to it. Finally we have the texture, which would be kind of rough fabrics to show not everything is smooth and soft; things are bumpy for each character in his or her own way. Some fabrics would be wool, which is pretty soft, so it might show how the character is comfortable and all is well.
Third we get into sound effects and music of the play/movie. The sound effects would be moaning, like for the ghost, and sounds of cheers from men and Trumpets and such from celebration. The music would be old classic music, something like Mozart which would have a somewhat depressing feel to it, but also enlighten feel as well as tragedy and joy, all mixed it to make it feel like it’s telling a story, which it would when mixed with hamlet. For more sound effects we pick up some textual evidence from King Claudius, “Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply. Be as ourself in Denmark.—Madam, come. This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet Sits smiling to my heart, in grace whereof No jocund health that Denmark drinks today But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell, And the king's rouse the heavens shall bruit again, Respeaking earthly thunder. Come away (Pg 29, lines 125-133). Basically the king wanted hamlet to stay in Denmark with them and wants to have a celebration in honor of his stay, which leads him to say that they will party so hard that the heavens will hear them celebrating. I think these sound effect and music go good with hamlet because it will show the true feelings and emotions during a scene and how it would feel to actually be there, experiencing every moment of it. Other things to consider are time period, volume, and genre. The time period would be of 18th hundreds music, because it being all classical and all. The volume would be high, for example, if there was a dancing scene, it would have to have high volume so everyone could hear it. Then we have genre, which would be Classical, symphony, opera, the solo concerto, chamber music including string quartet and string quintet, and the piano sonata.
Finally we get to our last concept, which is how would the character deliver there lines and why they would deliver them that way, but also what it shows us about this character. Hamlet seems to deliver his lines in a tragic and pleasing way. It seems like hamlet is always trying to please the people around him and he can’t keep up with it all so if he ends up letting someone down, he beats himself up about it and feels as if he could have done more to help make the situation much better, as well as pleasing the people around him. From the way hamlet delivers his lines, he seems very depressed as if he feels like nothing is worth living for as it says in this textual evidence, “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on 't, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That it should come to this. But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr. So loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly.—Heaven and earth, Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet, within a month— Let me not think on 't. Frailty, thy name is woman!— A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she— O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer!—married with my uncle, my father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month, ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, She married. O most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good, but break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue (Pg 29-31, lines 134-164)”. Okay so basically Hamlet wishes you could completely disappear when you die or that god didn’t make it bad for suicide to be committed. Hamlet then goes on to say that he finds life pointless and that it’s getting out of hand, comparing it to a garden that no one takes care of and lets the weeds grow everywhere, which symbolically be compared to how is life is going right now. Afterwards he then is upset about that fact that his mother moved on so quickly, that it didn’t give anyone else a chance to recover from the lose of there king then compares his fathers greatness, to his uncle and how his uncle could never replace the greatness his father had, and how his father would treat his mother just right, while the uncle would do a horrible job at it. Hamlet is then angered at the fact that his mother is so weak and is to stoop that low to marry there own kin, and it is just disgusting hamlet to the point where he wants to do something about it, but feel’s he can’t because of his mothers sake, so he says he will not give his opinion on his uncle. Hamlets character is loyal tragic character, who is depressed about losing his father and has some what take on a darker role, which will probably lead him to do something that causes a Catastrophe, and this is what I think shows the character.
Hamlet--cast a character
I have chosen Hamlet as my character because he seems interesting and I view him as someone close to my age. I know him a little more than I do the other characters. This especially since he had a soliloquy. It helped me to see what he is thinking inside.
The stage would be set up to look like the guest room. There would be a few chairs an three big windows. The chairs would be dark oak with red velvet cushions. The floor would be marble, as the walls. There would be plants with long leaves placed around the room. The room would be dimly lit by only the light shining through the windows. Hamlet would be standing in front of the middle window looking out. The room is a little dark because of the mood I felt when reading Hamlet’s soliloquy on pages 29-31.
For clothes, Hamlet, a young adult, would be wearing proper clothes for someone of the royal class, since he is. His clothes would match the colors of the room since he creates that dark mood. His sleeves would be the color of the chair cushions. He would have a black hat and black leggings. His shoes would also be red. He would have a big white collar.
As for sound effects and music classical music from Shakespeare’s time. would be playing softly in the background. When Hamlet speaks his voice will echo around the room. When he starts to get really worked up there would be thunder. Water would slide down the window and the drops would tap the sill. It is a gloomy mood so the rain adds to the drama.
When Hamlet delivers his lines he will be full of energy. He so full of anger and confusion. Any teenager would be frustrated. “His canon ‘gainst (self-slaughter) O God, O God” pg 39 His father has died and his mother married again, to his uncle. This tells me that the character I picked is trying to be a grown man because he is a prince and is responsible for the kingdom. But his teenager self gets in the way. Hamlet may be royal and proper, but he still has the mind of a teenager. This is talked about on page 47 when Polonius is talking to his daughter Ophelia about him. He tells her that Hamlet only wants her for his needs. “Have your audience been most free and bounteous.”
The set I would make for Act 1 in the play Hamlet, would be at first in a large mansion that is very decorative like with chandeliers, expensive rugs and marble side furniture. The queen and new king must have their natural furnished home as royalty should. There would be columns as high as the two story rooms. The audience will be on the large tiled floor looking up at the king, queen and prince of Denmark. There will be at least three chairs at all times for the three of them with two doors on both sides of the platform if they were to want to leave sooner than expected. After the king and queen leave the room, Prince Hamlet leave also but just into another room that’s quite cozy with comfortable furniture where he meets the three guards.
For the costumes I would go for a quite modern look with a little bit of the old age. Prince Hamlet is in an all black formal wear but all loosened up, for example the tie is loose and his shirt is a little unbuttoned. Only because he is too stressed out to be suffocated but his suit when he already is by his anger over his mother and mourning over his father.
The sounds and music within the play will be authentic with the modern time period but also with classic orchestra. The classic orchestra would be played because it is a Shakespearian play to intensify the drama. Most scenes won’t have music but have some sudden noises that will keep you attracted just like Prince Hamlets soliloquy. When his tone becomes more upset the louder the noises and the faster the come. Later when he finally sees the ghost of his beloved father the music will be a soft violin with a happy tone because Prince Hamlet is happy to see his father once again, even if he is just a ghost.
Prince Hamlet is about the average 18-19 year old teenager who can be rebellious but also loyal to his mother. The usual complains about losing a great father is what often escapes his mouth and is offered to the king and queen. His soliloquy would start off sad and slow with the tears rolling down his face missing his father. Then within the middle of his speech it becomes intense and rage comes about but still sad and teary. While speaking to the guards his tone is fair but you can hear the excitement in him hearing about his fathers appearance.
Play Production - Hamlet's Casting
The stage for Act 1 Scene 4 should be arranged with actors of Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus outside of Claudius’s place. They are holding candles in their hands because the setting takes place during the midnight hours. Also, it should be completely dark, or with limited amounts of lighting, and it should be cold. This can be said because in Act 1 Scene 4, the scene is set during midnight in blustery, cold weather. Also, Hamlet mentions how the “air bites shrewdly; it is very cold”(Act 1 Scene 4, Line 1) From the context of “air” and “cold”, this indicates the weather that he is mentioning, with the season being set around fall. Therefore, there should be trees with few orange leaves attached to it, and leaves on the ground as well. During nighttime, the low temperature is usually colder than it usually is during the afternoon.
The scale for each of the characters within the scene should not be far distanced from each other because they are having a conversation with each other. When Hamlet mentions “What hour now?” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 3) to Horatio, he responds by saying “I think it lacks of twelve” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 4). Then Marcellus mentions “No, it has struck” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 5). After they have a conversation about setting and time, they start another conversation with Horatio hearing trumpets and Hamlet mentioning how “the king doth wake tonight and takes his rouse” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 9). This indicates that they would be outside for a long time, with no hurry to leave anywhere.
The character that is being mentioned as a “cast a character” is Hamlet. Hamlet’s costume should be dressed in a medieval-time robe because the play takes place during the 18th century with the setting of Denmark, a royal place. Also, his robe should be thick because he mentions “the air bites shrewdly; it is very cold” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 1) during the nighttime. This shows how he should be dressed properly in order to be warm when he is outside. Also, since he is a royal member, he should also be dressed properly to be formal and polite towards others. The rich and finest robes of every character, including Hamlet, should be decorated fabulously with different colorful designs in specific patterns. Royal members under oath of the king should never be dressed sloppy, or they would be punished because they would make the king be in disgust. This also indicates their social status, thus making Hamlet and other members under Claudius show that they are very rich.
For music, Claudius’s servants play their trumpets that illustrate honor and respect towards a royal member. During the 18th century, royal music is usually composed with In Act 1 Scene 4, when Hamlet mentions how “the kettledrum and trumpet thus bray out, the triumph of his pledge” (Act 1 Scene 4, Lines 12-13), this shows formal and royal music being played to alert everybody that the king is approaching during the night. When the king approaches, everybody shows loyalty and respect under oath by bowing before him. Also, the music being played by the trumpets are usually loud, which illustrates how the volume of the set should be.
When the ghost comes into play within this scene, it usually enters by making a sound effect, such as a “wooooooing” sound. Once the ghost enters with Horatio, Hamlet, and Marcellus seeing it, there should be fear anxiety arousing from these characters because Hamlet orders the “angels and ministers of grace, defend us” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 43). Usually, many people have no beliefs in ghosts, which are one of many superstitions that others have aroused in the past. Once a person or many people view that superstition in front of them with their own eyes, they would be trembling in fear, and they would scream for their lives. Therefore, there should be plenty of screaming and loud, awkward talking, specifically from Hamlet, for an important sound effect in the play.
The air is also considered a sound effect because once again, Hamlet mentions how the “air bites shrewdly; it is very cold” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 1). Usually, the air is very strong during the season of fall, or winter. Since the air bites shrewdly, this indicates that the wind is very strong, thus making a large “swishing” sound. Therefore, a strong wind is considered as a very important sound effect in the play.
Hamlet should deliver his lines in a well-timed, proper dialogue. In Act 1 Scene 4, he presents himself with a loud, clear, and fluent tone. This prevents others having a conversation with Hamlet from having a hard time listening to a person who doesn’t speak clearly. Also, he should present himself without committing errors by entering passively and not nervously. In the beginning of the scene, Hamlet mentions how the “air bites shrewdly; it is very cold” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 1). Horatio follows up towards what he said by saying “it is a nipping and an eager air” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 2) because he is able to hear him loud and clear. They are all able to have an excellent, fluent conversation towards each other without having any mumbling, or mistakes occurring. This shows how excellent the performance should be when acted out.
When the ghost appears later in the scene, Hamlet orders the “angels and ministers of grace, defend us” (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 43). This shows how he reacts towards its approach by being controlled with fear, doubt, and anxiety. Therefore, this indicates that for those particular lines that include the ghost, he should perform that specific moment with a doubtful expression being shriveled in fear.
From these two portions that describe how Hamlet’s lines should be carried out, his character is developed as a man that can be easily feared whenever a sudden occurrence of any particular event happens, like the ghost surprisingly appearing in front of him. However, he is also a man, who knows what is happening that proves his strength of intelligence, which somewhat also makes him nosy as well.
The character that I chose was Hamlet, and the scene is when the queen and the king speak to Hamlet in act 1 scene 2, most of Hamlet�s soliloquy. I also chose to portray this scene in modern times because it would be interesting to show Hamlet dealing with some of the situations that we face as teenagers. Also showing Hamlet handling that type of situation in modern times would be interesting as well.
In this scene it starts off with Queen Gertrude and King Claudius confronting Hamlet about the situation between the couple, while other people are accompanied by them. So this scene would take place in a dining room, while everyone is conversing over dinner about what they need to say to the king. This dining room would be long, enough to fit 100 people in all at once. The room would also have large rectangular windows all around and would almost be the size of the wall. This room would have one very large chandelier over the dining room table and there would also be small ones around the room. The dining room table would be made of wood and could fit about 35 people. The color of the actual room would be green. Green usually symbolized envy, and in this particular scene it is almost like Hamlet is envious of King Claudius. �My father�s brother, but no more like my father then I to Hercules.�(Lines 157-158) Hamlet is jealous that his father was replaced so quickly by his uncle and Hamlet doesn�t think that the new king will be able to live up to what his father has done. Not only is Hamlet envious but King Claudius is Jealous of King Hamlet and now is trying to prove that he is just as great a king or better then he was. So it would be appropriate for the room to be green. This scene will take place during the night. So the room is not filled with sunlight but with the light from the chandelier, so it will make the room dimmed. The lighting sets the mood of awkwardness between everyone.
Since the setting is in modern times Hamlet is most likely known as the rich kid and probably nerdy because he comes off as not being confident kid. But in his the soliloquy he is helpless, but angry with his mother because of the poor decisions she has made. �It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.�(Lines 163-164). Hamlet knows that there is nothing he can do to change the situation and that is what bothers him the most. So in this scene, red would be a good color for Hamlet to wear. Since red is a color that usually shows anger it would be appropriate. He would wear a white and red plaid, dressy, long sleeved shirt with buttons, and a collar. Over the plaid shirt he would wear a red wool v-necked vest to match. He would also pull the collar of the plaid shirt over the vest. Hamlet would wear khaki pants, but the pants would actually fit him. They wouldn�t be too small or too big for him. And he would wear loafer shoes. This costume would fit Hamlet because it shows that he is sheltered and keeping things inside that he doesn�t want anyone to know. This goes back when Hamlet says ��for I must hold my tongue.� Hamlet cannot confront his mother about how he feels because she seems not to care. And this costume that Hamlet is wearing fits his emotion.
Hamlet is frustrated with his family almost to the point where he speaks about suicide. �Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon �gainst (self-slaughter!)�Seem to me all the uses of this world!�(Lines 135-138). So for music which would also be modern music, I thought The Fray�s �How to Save a Life� would fit how Hamlet is feeling. The title of the song its self is ironic to the scene. The lyrics also fit very well too such as �Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend�. He could be talking about his father or actually about his mother, he lost her to King Claudius and doesn�t know how to bring her back, realizing what she is doing isn�t the right way to settle things. It also says �Pray to God he hears you� which connects to ��Everlasting had not fixed His canon �gainst (self-slaughter!) O God, God.� Hamlet is in a way asking God to help him. The volume of the song would not be loud so it wouldn�t over power his soliloquy. Just loud enough so the piano can be heard and faintly hear the lyrics. In this scene Hamlet would be so frustrated that he could be throwing things across the room. As he is delivering his lines he could throw a plate across the room since they were at the dinner table. The sound effects would be glass shattering and him walking around the room almost like stomping his feet.
Since Hamlet is overwhelmed with the situation with his mother, they way he should deliver his lines is with an angry tone but yet hopeless, almost like whining. He is angry at the fact that King Claudius is replacing his father, not only as a king, but also in his mother�s heart. ��married with my uncle, my father�s brother, but no more like my father.�(Lines 155-157). These lines would be delivered with anger and disgusted, throwing things across the room because the hate he has toward King Claudius at this moment. But he also feels hopeless because he can not do anything about it. �Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled eyes, she married.�(Lines159-161). His mother has already married him; she has already made a decision to be with King Claudius. So these lines when he is speaking about his mother would almost be like a hopeless whine. Hamlet is confused with what to do. And because he is delivering the lines with two different emotions shows that Hamlet is confused.
Nicke Falaise
Period 2
Cast of Characters
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2
As the director of the play/movie Hamlet, I clear, developed, complete concept of my vision of the play. My vision of the play works all together: the music echoes the set, and the costumes. The base of my concept of the play is around a singular theme that I reinforce through set, costumes, sound, and delivery.
The set for the stage look the scenery from Girl with the Pearl Earring. Which is very old, set in the time around 1601 when it was said that the play was written. There would be old red drapes, purple curtains and red wood furniture. The stage would be set to resemble a huge old English castle. That would have those old paintings and textured ceilings. It would be dark lighting. There would be some of that back in the day hunting music like in Disney’s The Hunted Mansion. There would be wooded and cement floors with old carpeting. Lines 3-4 “Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death. The memory be green, and that it us befitted.” Right off the back the play starts with two dark colors green and black. This makes me envision a darkened scenery in the living room of the castle when King Claudius states those lines.
I would arrange the set for the stage like this because when reading this novel written by Shakespeare you get this type of feel for the picture being imagined in me the reader/director of my version of the plays mind. From the way the book is arranged and written. In Act 1 scene 2 the scene is explained like this, “Act 1 scene 2 a room of state in the castle. Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, Lords, and Attendants.” Just by the language and the word castle being in the text all ready you come to the conclusion that the stage set up I explained connect with the content of the text.
The character Hamlet’s costume would look like that of a 16th century young prince’s. He would have the green tight pants and the white long shirt with a brown vest over it. He would have a sword at his side with a holder to place it in. The characters clothing would be in sink with the time frame. So Hamlet would have on 16th century royalty’s clothing. He would have gold pinstripe trim on seams of his vest and on the sides of his pants. He would have on all long black cloak because in 78 Hamlet states, “'Tis not alone my inky cloak” His pants would also be spandex satin.
He would look this way because that’s how rich people from that time frame dressed like. Those 16th century and 17th century style clothing fits with text of the novel
In Lines 78-80 Hamlet states “Seems, madam! nay it is; I know not 'seems 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother Nor customary suits of solemn black.” When the word inky cloak is used automatically the color black comes to mind since ink is usually preferred black.
The sorts of sound affects I would use are rain, thunder and lightning in the background. Line 8 King Claudius- “'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father:” Its been only 3months after Hamlet’s fathers death and he like every other character in this scene is in mourning of the deceased king. When reading or thinking of death or funerals its automatically dark and gloomy in your mind so I decided to bring that sound into the play. The music I would use for the play would be medieval horror. Lines 101-104 King Claudius states, “As any the most vulgar thing to sense. Why should we in our peevish opposition Take it to heart? Fie! 'tis a fault to heaven, A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,” this is rising emotion expressed by King Claudius he has a long speaking part within this scene so his tone plays a big role in what the sound of the music will be like.
King Claudius’s tone grows louder and louder so medieval horror music must get louder and louder as well. All this emotion Is being expressed towards Hamlet so when it is time for him to speak the music will become compassionate in still a medieval way. Even as his mother speaks the music will also become compassionate since she seems like the caring older figure in his life. Line 117-122 King Claudius -“And we beseech you, bend you to remain Here, in the cheer and comfort of our eye Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son. Queen Gertrude- Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet: I pray thee, stay with us; go not to Wittenberg. Hamlet- I shall in all my best obey you, madam. Reading these lines the emotion heard threw these lines come in to play with the music that is in sink with the time frame.
The character Hamlet delivers his lines in act 1 scene 2 with a saddened passionate tone. When he is stating his soliloquy he is dramatic and devastated. Lines 132-139 “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God! How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. That it should come to this!
Hamlet delivers his lines this way because his father has just passed. Only a month later his mother marries his uncle and now three months after this he is on the verge of a nervous break down. All the shouting he does while expressing the lines with the exclamation points expresses the deep grief he’s feeling for his fathers death and the disgust he has towards his mother for wedding so soon, and with his uncle for that matter.
Line 146- 161 “As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on: and yet, within a month-- Let me not think on't--Frailty, thy name is woman!-- A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she follow'd my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears:--why she, even she-- O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle, My father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month: Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good: But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.”
All these quotes, actions and emotions in these lines shows us that the character Hamlet is going to and has already experienced some hardships that will lead to his downfall. He has already exploded on himself and contemplated suicide. What’s next for this character is what I’m curious to see. From what I’ve read so far and the way that I have these characters personality set up I see a repeat of Hamlet’s father. Death. Lines 269-272 “Your loves, as mine to you: farewell. Exit all but HAMLET My father's spirit in arms! all is not well; I doubt some foul play: would the night were come! Till then sit still, my soul: foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.” Hamlets alone again shouting to himself about the fact that his father is dead but could very well be a ghost. In my casting he will be acting dramatically crazy, because that’s what he is – crazy. Hamlet appears to be losing his mind in this scene so that is why I expect bad things to happen and to come from him.
The character I have chosen was Hamlet, cause Hamlet is the main character of the book, and he was the best character to describe how would your set for the stage look and be arranged, Why, Consider colors, lighting, scale, texture, and layout. What would the character's costume look like, Why, Consider colors, fit, style, time period, and texture. What sorts of sound effects or music would you use in the production? Why, Consider time period, volume, and genre. How would the character deliver his lines, Why, What does this show us about your character.
As the director of the play/movie Hamlet, I clear, developed, complete he concept of my vision of the play, and my vision if the play works all together, the music echoes the set, and the costumes. The base of my concept of the play is around a singular theme that I reinforce through set, costumes, sound, and delivery.
The setting for the stage is look like in the time around 1601 in the play/ movie, which is the play was written. There would setting with Hamlet appeared his late father (the King of Denmark)’s funeral with everything wear are black, black suit, black shoes and walking in the huge place, which in their palace. In the palace, there have two red and gold wood chairs and some wood furniture and some purple and red curtains, because purple delegate royal, nobleness, so I think there would use purple and red curtains and highest ceiling with some paintings and textured things and a lot white pillars in the palace, and have many little white paper overspread the whole palace, which is the place was the King and the Queen setting in the palace. Hamlet was wearing black suit sadness to walk around the palace, to recollecting things about his late father, and he was very upset his father death, he cannot accept his father death, and then his mother will get to marry to his uncle, which is his father’s brother, Claudius. Hamlet was walking around and soliloquizes what is his feeling now and he cannot image his father just die two months, then his mother goes to marry his uncle, Hamlet thought his mother should be very yearn towards his father, her husband, the late King Hamlet, her should not just because the King Hamlet, then married his uncle promptly.
Then that would have some dark lighting. And the music should be has some of that stirring, loud, and then have some composed with in Act 1 Scene 2, which after Hamlet was finished his soliloquy indignant, then calm down to think something. So the music would be like The Hunted Mansion.
In Act 1 Scene 2, I would arrange the color, stage and music like this because in Act 1 Scene 2 was talking about Hamlet’s feeling after his father death and he dislike his mother to married his uncle just after his father die. Also, in Act 1 Scene 2, the writer Shakespeare put Claudius, King of Denmark, Queen Gertrude, Polonius, the Council, and his son Laertes, Hamlet, with others, Voltimand and Cornelius into Act 1 Scene 2, and they are all using the language and words are old English in the text, and you can image this picture in my vision of the play/ movie.
In this play/ movie, the costume o f the main character named Hamlet was the young prince in 16th century, so in his father’s funeral, he was wearing black suit to appeared, but in normal days, he would be wearing like the young prince in 16th century, so he would have the white tight pants, black and gold stripe robe, and tunic and black shoes and hat, which is a big hat. Also, he would like to play escrime, so he may bring the sword at the side with a holder to place in it. So, he would look like a rich people from the kingdom, the prince look.
In Act 1 Scene 2, Hamlet delivers his lines in page29, lines 140-163, “That grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature, Posses it merely. That it should come But two months dead nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king that was to this, Hyperion to a satyr: so loving to my mother, that he might not beteem the winds of heaven, visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth, must I remember? Why, she hang on him, as if increase of appetite had grown, by what it fed on. And yet, within a month (Let me not think on ‘t: frailty, thy name is woman!), a little month, or ere those shoes were old with which she followed my poor father’s body, like Niobe, all tears, why she， ……My father’s brother, but no more like my father, than I to Hercules……She married. O, must wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” In those lines, Hamlet delivers his lines in those lines, those words, in those lines are describes what kind of feeling Hamlet has at that time, and he miss his father a lot, he was very, very grieve about his father death, because in his mind, his father was the excellent King in Denmark, also he was a greatest father in the world, he cannot image his father was already die and die for two months, and have one thing, he also cannot accept was his month didn’t hang on her husband, which is the late King Hamlet, she just after the late King Hamlet’s funeral, then have a wedding party for she with the late King Hamlet’s brother, Claudius, she married to Claudius, also, Claudius to becomes the King of Denmark. Hamlet wasn’t to think about those things, but he cannot, because it was become the truth, he cannot say he doesn’t know, this thing didn’t happen around him. Also, he dislikes his uncle, or stepfather, because he thought he killed his father, then to becomes the King of Denmark.
The set of hamlet would be set up to look like in the time of castles, kings and queens there would be a giant table with wooden chairs and with gold silver wear the background of the giant chair decorated with gold to tell the audience that the chair is for the king of Denmark. The lighting of the set would be dim because in the times of the events hamlet took place there were no light bulbs and the domains were illuminated by candlelight through out the whole the entire set there would be no bright colors there would only be dull colors to represent to the audience that there is death and despair in this play. Not only would the colors of the set would be dull but also the color of the characters costumes.
The main focus would be on the character hamlets because he is the protagonist of the story. Hamlet would probably be cast as a young man in his late teens searching for his manhood. His costume would be different from characters in the play he would be wearing mostly black because he is still mourning his fathers death. “things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That should come to this; but two months dead-nay,not so much , not two. So excellent a king”(lines 140-143). The story supports this idea that hamlet is still mourning his fathers death his clothes would and it would also show to the audience that hamlet is secluded from the other people in the castle, he is clueless to the events occurring in the castle. To pull off the effect that of hamlets costume king costume would be need to be also focused on. King Cladius costume would be in red. The reason for this is that is because red is a very intimidating color so it show to the audience that hamlet will have a conflict with this character. “with an auspicious and dropping eye, with mirth in funeral with dirge in marriage.”(lines 10-13 page 21) hamlet will have a conflict with the king because he married his mother right after his brother is killed.
The play of the hamlet would need classical music to support the time period that events of hamlet occurred. Whenever hamlet would enter a soliloquy the music will dim and the lights will darken and the characters will freeze into position so it can give off the effect that hamlet is talking to him self and when the soliloquy ends the volume of the music will increase and the lights turn back on and the characters on stage will begin to move again as if they never stopped.
To make this play really be performed right the actor playing hamlet would have to deliver the lines in a certain way. Hamlet would need to deliver the lines with passion and anger. The reason for this is show to the audience that he is sicken of how everyone in the kingdom has forgotten the fact that his father has died and how his mother not only remarry so quickly but that she remarried the kings brother. “my father brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules. Within a month, ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled eyes, she married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheet!”(lines 159-164 page 31). The book supports this idea because in this passage hamlet how he feels about his mother remarrying a lesser man his uncle now the new king. If hamlet can deliver the lines with those ways the audience will be able to understand that at one time in this play hamlet and cladius will collide and have conflict at the climax. If all these ideas can be put into act 1 the play will have much success.
Cast a Character--Hamlet
The character I have chosen was Hamlet, and as a scene director I think he would be the best choice, because the whole story is about him, and how he is impacted and who he impacts in this play/movie. There are many concepts of this play/movie I’d like to address and will describe in high detail from how the set would look like and how it would be arranged and why it would be set up like that, to miner but important details like color, lighting, scale, texture, and layout.
First off, we have the setting, which is in the 11th hundreds in northern Europe, Denmark. From this textual evidence, Horatio tells us there location. “And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands so by his father lost. And this, I take it, Is the main motive of our preparations, the source of this our watch, and the chief head of this posthaste and rummage in the land (Pg 15, lines 115-119)”. This textual evidence basically tells us the reason why the guards are posted at there location and why there is so much commotion in Denmark. Now the setting would be arranged to look like Blenheim Palace, which is a large and monumental country house that would have a large green grassy courtyard like appearance to it. Surrounding it, would be tall, lushes, green trees and in the middle of the grass courtyard, a gray stone path going for miles all the way to the gates of it. On the other side would be a lake with a stone bridge that crosses over to the other side of the lake. It would be set up like this because it would show what kind of high class people one would be dealing with if one where to visit this scene. For colors, there would be many shades of green, along with grayish tan color of the stone of the palace and the path leading to it, along with the bridge as well. Lighting would be have an early morning feel to it, or bright, with puffy white clouds in the sky, with the sun light leaking threw the holes of the passing clouds. The scale of the setting would be very large, enough to be a kingdom, because that’s basically what it would be, or palace (hence the reference of Blenheim Palace). The texture would have a soft, rubbery feeling to it, because of all the green leaves that would fall from the tree’s and the grass that would feel prickly coming out of the ground. Finally we have layout, which would be a huge green field which would kind of come to an ache, like a giant green hill that expands over the horizon, with some random trees in the middle of the area.
Secondly, we have the wardrobe of the characters. The garments would have a 11th century feel to them, such as a wardrobe from “Oliver Twist” with the old English caps that look slightly baggy on top of the head. Hamlet would wear black robs, almost like a trench coat and English cap, with khaki like pants and loafer like shoes. Hamlet also likes to wear the color black a lot, and it seems to symbolize something as well, which it would show his seriousness to a situation even if the situation wasn’t to serious. Hamlets black garments would give him a darker look, a more mysterious and troubled looking figure, such as somewhat of a tragic hero. From this textual evidence, it talks about how his garments hint out the degree of grief he feels for his father’s death, but the garments just nick the surface of how much grief he has about the situation, “Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems. 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passeth show, these but the trappings and the suits of woe (Pg 25, lines 79-89)”. Again, Hamlet is basically telling the king that nothing can compare to how much grief he is experiencing from the loss of his father and how his garments are just the icing on the cake to how he really feels. Characters like hamlet would wear theses clothes because it would somewhat show some emotion they had with them and it would represent how they feel and how the character is developed, as well as to show the age that there in. Now there are other things to consider as well, like color, fit, style, time period and texture, and we have already covered a few of those but I will mention them again in order to be clear. The color of the clothing would be black, but other characters clothing would have darkish colors to them, to perhaps show things are not all well with that character and to set there mood. Next we have the fit, which would be a fine fit with most of the characters to match the roles they play and how they are feeling while. The style is that of old English to show a European attribute. Afterwards we get into time period, which like I said in the beginning is a 19th century feeling to it. Finally we have the texture, which would be kind of rough fabrics to show not everything is smooth and soft; things are bumpy for each character in his or her own way. Some fabrics would be wool, which is pretty soft, so it might show how the character is comfortable and all is well.
Third we get into sound effects and music of the play/movie. The sound effects would be moaning, like for the ghost, and sounds of cheers from men and Trumpets and such from celebration. The music would be old classic music, something like Mozart which would have a somewhat depressing feel to it, but also enlighten feel as well as tragedy and joy, all mixed it to make it feel like it’s telling a story, which it would when mixed with hamlet. For more sound effects we pick up some textual evidence from King Claudius, “Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply. Be as ourself in Denmark.—Madam, come. This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet Sits smiling to my heart, in grace whereof No jocund health that Denmark drinks today But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell, And the king's rouse the heavens shall bruit again, Respeaking earthly thunder. Come away (Pg 29, lines 125-133). Basically the king wanted hamlet to stay in Denmark with them and wants to have a celebration in honor of his stay, which leads him to say that they will party so hard that the heavens will hear them celebrating. I think these sound effect and music go good with hamlet because it will show the true feelings and emotions during a scene and how it would feel to actually be there, experiencing every moment of it. Other things to consider are time period, volume, and genre. The time period would be of 18th hundreds music, because it being all classical and all. The volume would be high, for example, if there was a dancing scene, it would have to have high volume so everyone could hear it. Then we have genre, which would be Classical, symphony, opera, the solo concerto, chamber music including string quartet and string quintet, and the piano sonata.
Finally we get to our last concept, which is how would the character deliver there lines and why they would deliver them that way, but also what it shows us about this character. Hamlet seems to deliver his lines in a tragic and pleasing way. It seems like hamlet is always trying to please the people around him and he can’t keep up with it all so if he ends up letting someone down, he beats himself up about it and feels as if he could have done more to help make the situation much better, as well as pleasing the people around him. From the way hamlet delivers his lines, he seems very depressed as if he feels like nothing is worth living for as it says in this textual evidence, “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on 't, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That it should come to this. But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr. So loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly.—Heaven and earth, Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet, within a month— Let me not think on 't. Frailty, thy name is woman!— A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she— O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer!—married with my uncle, my father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month, ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, She married. O most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good, but break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue (Pg 29-31, lines 134-164)”. Okay so basically Hamlet wishes you could completely disappear when you die or that god didn’t make it bad for suicide to be committed. Hamlet then goes on to say that he finds life pointless and that it’s getting out of hand, comparing it to a garden that no one takes care of and lets the weeds grow everywhere, which symbolically be compared to how is life is going right now. Afterwards he then is upset about that fact that his mother moved on so quickly, that it didn’t give anyone else a chance to recover from the lose of there king then compares his fathers greatness, to his uncle and how his uncle could never replace the greatness his father had, and how his father would treat his mother just right, while the uncle would do a horrible job at it. Hamlet is then angered at the fact that his mother is so weak and is to stoop that low to marry there own kin, and it is just disgusting hamlet to the point where he wants to do something about it, but feel’s he can’t because of his mothers sake, so he says he will not give his opinion or he is going to kill his uncle. Hamlets character is loyal tragic or he just is a son that looking for his avenges on his uncle character, who is depressed about losing his father and has some what take on a darker role, which will probably lead him to do something that causes a Catastrophe, and this is what I think shows the character.
Hamlets is what I had chosen for character because all of the attention was focused on him and its a good choice for me because he is the one of the main character.
The setting is night time and the place is graveyard. This scene was happened in act 1 scene 5 when hamlet and the ghost met and they talk to each other and told him that he was his father the late king hamlet. so the stage setting will be look like a scary dark and cold night in the graveyard and there’s a windy effect. I chose this setting because it fits to the scene while hamlet was talking with the ghost and in the middle of the night its like a creepy scene. The color will be dark and there’s a blue light and some smoke so it will looks like midnight and some dead trees around so it will looks like real.
The character’s costume will be a servant because i think he needs it for disguise when he is going to the place and in case someone seen him they wont recognize him. I chose it because I think going out in the middle of the night is not right for the prince to go out of the palace or castle. The costume’s color will be blue, white and red. The time is midnight and the air will be cold and windy and some owl hooting “hooo hooo hoooo“.
The sounds will be the sounds of crickets and the sounds of trees made by the wind because the time when the scene happened was midnight and there is no anybody else and only four of them Horatio, Marcellus, Hamlet and the ghost. The time will be 12 midnight and the sound’s volume will be very quit and the trees more louder like in the reality.
The character will deliver his lines by discovery because in (act 1 scene 5 from line 14 through the rest of the scene) the ghost that came out to be his father reveals some secret of his uncle King Claudius that killed his father. The ghost uses some personification and he uses the “serpent” as King Claudius. so when Prince Hamlet found out what happened he’s not upset as i see but he seems so surprised and he wants to revenge for his father. It shows that the character has plans for the king that would surprise him. so far my plans will show that the character may seem to be a revengeful character.
If I was the director of the play The Tragedy of Hamlet, since I’m in the year 2008 I would modernize it.
My setting would be in Beverly Hills, California. The setting would be in a big beautiful mansion with a huge pool and jacuzzi in the back. The year would be 2000 the beginning of the millennium. Hamlet would be twenty one and young and at this moment rebellious since his father has just died and his mother and uncle are acting like it’s no big deal. Act 1:2 ( lines 90- 123) The house would be the color red since this is a tragedy at it symbolizes love, death, and passion.
Hamlet would be wearing a pair of designer jeans and a black Lacoste shirt since he is mourning his father’s death. Act 1:2 ( lines 79-89) Also since he is Beverly Hills he would wear some flip flops and some nice Versace sunglasses. At this time his attitude would be indifferent and he would probably just be sulking around but trying to cheer up.
The type of music I would play in the production is probably some 2pac Changes because that’s probably the song I would play when King Claudius kills his own brother King Hamlet. Act 1:5 (lines 49-98). Also I would play some good dramatic music like the types you hear in scary movies.
My character would deliver his lines carelessly in the beginning of the play, but after finding out how his father died he would have more passion in his words like when he was asking his friends to promise that they would not tell anyone what they saw in Act 1:5 (lines 90- 215).
The Cast a character I chose is the good prince of Demark, Hamlet. I chose Hamlet because he is really going to be one of the strong characters throughout the book, meaning a lot will be focused on him; personalities, honor, prince. Hamlet through out the play will perhaps experience changes in these, which would allow me to expand on them with lighting, clothing, even the way he speaks. The audience should really feel what’s going on with his life rather then just hear the words he speaks.
The setting of the play is in Denmark, during the middle ages. I would have stone walls high with soldiers holding pikes, dressed in dirty, white and red colors; the colors of the Denmark flag. Also wearing Chain mail and old leather armor. The flag of Denmark would be on top of the towers. Around them would be candles since this was the way of lighting in the middle ages. Any evidence of Hamlet’s father’s funeral would be covered up with marriage celebrations, there would be old, wilted, flowers that were once white, but are now dark by filth and dirt. I really want the scene to be dark and down like a horror movie because Hamlets life, although a prince, has been very hard, as the world is forgetting the prince and his great king, and worrying about the new leader. I would have a castle background to show the audience they are next to the king’s palace. The moon should be visible up high lighting the Denmark flag. The scene is a fore shadowing device on the kingdom of Denmark and what’s to come. I also want to relate it to Hamlets dark clothes to show how he is viewing the time he is living without his father. Although all seems lost his fathers memories still live in him, as the moon lights the flag of his country.
Hamlet would be wearing a black baggy peasant like robe. Inside he would wear a dark dirty red and black, as it has been through many wars. The white from the Denmark flag has been darkened threw time and the red has lost its striking color. Hamlet is wearing these dark clothes to not stand out, but rather be unnoticed like a man, but still maintain that he is the prince inside of him. The darkness comes from all the emotions of his father’s death. “Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems. 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passeth show, these but the trappings and the suits of woe , Act 1:Scene 2 lines 79-89”. Hamlet would also possess a dagger hidden, barely visible to the audience as he is ready to do some dark deed to avenge his father’s death. Hamlets face would be cleanly shaven with long hair, Hidden by his dark robe.
During the play I would have classical medieval music be playing. Organs playing during night scenes, and harps playing royal banquet tunes inside the castle and morning. During the scenes I would have a nice happy melody but suddenly changes to a dark and depressing tune when Hamlet shows talking about the past or when any idea of something bad to come such as a ghost. Lots of bass drums to add and harpsichords. As for the outside scenes I would have no music, until a ghost appears or some type of drama. Then I would have a slow organ continue to grow until they finally see what’s going on. A lot of 19th and 18th century music.
Hamlets language is really going to depend on who he is talking to, but he will have a sad, gloomy, and revengeful theme. During his talks with the new King and Queen I want his tone to be really be heavy and tragic. I want the audience to really feel how serious he is feeling, and how he is despising what they are doing. “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on 't, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Act 1: Scene 2 lines 129-136” When his friends arrive I want him to feel more friendly and enthusiastic but still show a hint of sadness. “I am glad to see you well.— Horatio? Or I do forget myself?, Act 1: Scene 2 lines 161-162” Of course like any friend they would talk pretty comfortable to them so does Hamlet. Not to be 2 faced but to show the audience which way his anger is really pointing to.
Cast A Character-Hamlet
The character I have chosen is Hamlet, and as a director I feel he fits the part great due to his popularity in this play/movie. The set for this play/movie would be in a high class manner and arranged accordinally. All of which will co-exist with the color, lighting, scale, texture, and layout.
The set should have an antique feel to it, somewhat like the 19th century. A modern look to Hamlet is uneccesary for this play/movie. The colors that would be used in the play/movie would be more of solid darker colors and not as bright since being in the 19th century. Layout can be seen as very neat and well mannered. As many older movies you see and books you read you can observe the cleaniliness and neatness in these acts, so I dont see no change in Hamlet.
The costumes in Hamlet will have a old english feel to it. I see the costumes as being very baggy with alot of frails. The wardrobe can be seen as colorful but Hamlet will be seen to wear alot of black and darker colors as It sas in the play. By Hamlet wearing black and dark colors this can be seen as a symbol. Also since Hamlet is prince he can be seen to wear rich clothing which can explain his personality and how he carries himself. At the time in the 19th century it was considered to be fashionable to have pale skin and by Hamlet wearing dark colors it makes him stick out from the rest of the cast. "I know not "seems. 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed "seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passeth show, these but the trappings and the suits of woe (Pg 25, lines 79-89)". The symbol is shown as Hamlet griefing over the passing of his father. As you look at the texture of the costumes of ea ch character you may see a diversity in each one. Ranging from smooth to rough, leathery to wool, and thin to thick which can explain the mood and feeling of the characters and the characters personalities as you see in the play.
Next is the sound effects and music used in the play/movie. The music would be more old english and classic music from the 19th century. You can see the speed of the music as slow and calm not fast as you see in older movies with the music in the background. Also instruments would be used to express the music such as violin's and piano's, which are considered older musical instruments. As the music is being used with these instruments it brings a soft effect to the music and very much laid back. There will be many echoes used in the sound effects in the play/movie. Hamlet mentions how the "air bites shrewdly; it is very cold" (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 1). This shows the air as being a very key sound effect and Hamlet describes the air as very strong. Another so und effect that you would see in the play is the ghost. As the ghost enters the room in Act I you hear many different sounds coming from the ghost. You can also observe sound effects of fear and nervousness from Horatio and Marcellus when the ghost enters the room at that point of time in the play/movie.
Finally is how the character delivers his lines, why the character would deliver them the way he does, and what it shows you about the character. I see Hamlet as delivering his lines in an uptempo, demanding, and aggressive way. The tone of his voice can be seen as loud and outspoken among the rest. When the ghost appears in (Act 1 Scene 4, Line 43) Hamlet demands "angels and ministers of grace, defend us" I just see Hamlet delivering his lines the way he does because of who he is, he's Prince Hamlet which he has power of others so is allowed to speak at this tone and style. This shows Prince Hamlet taking advantage of his higher power and knowing who he is. It brings much respect to his way and fear from other characters throughout the play/movie. This is how I would cast the charcter Hamlet as a director of the play/movie.
Tony Seng
2/10/08
English CP
Hamlet
In order to comply with “The Tragedy of Prince Hamlet,” I would make the stage dark and gloomy at most times, unless the scene is within a royal place. The scenes at most have to be gloomy because King Hamlet is lurking around as a ghostly figure, so it is scary and confusing at the same time. For lighting you would basically focus on the characters that are talking at the time. Such as when Hamlet recited his soliloquy, lighting should be focused on him while around him is still gloomy. That would act the effect as if he was day dreaming, or lost in his own world where everything else is placed to the side with little importance. As for the size of the stage, it has to be big. The bigger the stage it allows the actors and actresses to move around more, and be able to show more body movements; which can lead to body language of how the characters are feeling. The stage can be focused (shown larger or smaller) with the lighting. Overall the props and clothes have to be of the 16th or 17th century style, to fit the language the characters speak.
The characters need to comply with the older 16th and 17th century clothes, because Shakespeare wrote this play around the time he lived, therefore the time frame has to be no more than the 17th century. Men wear tight pants and looser tops, while women wore dresses. Color wouldn’t be so distinct amongst the regular peasants or working class people. But when it involves anyone of royalty, they would have some sort of colored clothes, since it might be difficult or expensive to get colored clothes. I wouldn’t necessarily think that everyone looked like peasants with torn clothing, since they did won wars amongst other countries around them. Everyone would have similar clothes to royalty because that would be their “role model,” or their way of trend. The royal people would most likely have much better clothes, or more distinct designs and styles; since they are the trend setters in the country.
For sounds, you would have to break it up to scenes, characters, opening and closing scenes. Each character has to have a distinct sound, such as a ring tone on people’s phones. A character such as Hamlet would have a soft sound, to show that he is gentle and not evil. Little rhythms should follow along to show moods in characters such as in act 1 scene 5, where Hamlet is out for revenge for his father’s death. Throughout the play, there has to be music that is subtle then when an action occurs, the rhythm increases to awake the crowd. “Horatio- Look, my lord, it comes,” (pg. 51) lines like these should have a shocking sound to have a certain mood of surprise.
Hamlet should deliver his lines slow but clearly. Hamlet has a lot of lines, and big moments. Hamlet is a young person who has a lot to explore amongst his land. He doesn’t know much so he tends to be curious about the ghost. So as Hamlet delivers his lines he should say it fast but pause at moments to ponder about what he is going to say or think about his subject. Since Hamlet is the main character he should deliver lines sort of slow to take up most of the time while other characters follow him and give him that guide. As I said earlier Hamlet is young, he has a lot of things to wonder about therefore he has to take his time and be sure he’s confident on what he is about to say. “O, that this too, too sullied a flesh would melt, Thaw,” (pg. 29) throughout that line there is multiple pauses with commas, also there is more lines that are similar with Hamlet.
The character I choose Hamlet because he is the one that most interested me through out the play. As the director, I set the stage for act one scene two in the beautiful garden of the gorgeous palace.
It happen in a present time. Hamlet wears a formal black suit. “Good Hamlet, cast thy knighted color off.” ( Act1:2 line 70) Black represent for darkness, passive and hopeless of Hamlet when his mother married to his uncle and he couldn’t stop her as he wanted to He walks around the garden without pay any attention to his surroundings. Queen Gertrude appears with colorful clothes, which made by expensive material because she is in love. King Claudius wears golden clothes with many of shinny gems which make his character stand out as the King of Denmark. The lights are bright on the stage to let the audiences know it was a sunny day. Hamlet says “Not so, my lord; I am too much in the sun.” act 1:2 line 69) When Claudius asks him why he always look sad like a cloud hanging over him. Hamlet answered he was stand out in the sun, there was no cloud on his head. Hamlet voice isn’t loud, but at the same time he also doesn’t show his respect to Claudius. He just answers to Claudius because he is supposing to. Hamlet is a young adult about eighteen years old. He has an ipod on his ear because he doesn’t want to listen to Claudius and his mother because they just want him to forget about his dead father. Queen Gertrude tries to persuade Hamlet to listen to Claudius. She has slight voice and warm as the mother really love her son. She expresses shows that she really loves Hamlet, but actually she wasn’t pay attention to his emotions. Hamlet kind of steps back from his family and play his role as a Prince of Denmark. He listens to Claudius words, but he didn’t but it in his heart because he doesn’t has any good intention to his step father. “I shall in all my best obey you, madam”( act 1:2 line 124) He shows his obedience as a well educated Prince in front of his family even though he was really upset about his mother married to his uncle.
After Hamlet first exit from the stage play. The music at the background is slow, slight and carry the sadness of the song. He goes to his own room which is like a single house has everything inside. The back ground of Hamlet room is dark blue because it helps to make the sadness of Hamlet become more intent. He stands by the window and thinks about his old dad. His voice is heavy ans emphasize word by word, because this moment he show his disagreement. He expresses the sorrow on his face. “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt,-/ Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew” (Act 1:2 lines 133-134) Hamlet thinks about suicide. How come a young adult could thing of suicide himself. Hamlet thinking isn’t like a small kid. “Fie on ‘t ah fie! “Tis an unweeded garden_/ The grow to seed. Things rank and gross in nature” (act 1:2 line 139-140) He thinks about the nation too. He is a honest person. Hamlet kept saying God, the repetitive of the word shows the audience how hopeless Hamlet was when he has no one on his side. The only one he can call is God. The music speed should increase at the time Hamlet say about his mother want to marry Claudius because that is the thing upset Hamlet the most.
The character I have choosing is Hamlet. And as the director the setting of the Hamlet would take place in a luxurious, stone castle with a mote. They reason why I chose this setting because the play talks about king and queen so it makes sense to the setting to take place in a castles since most of royalty resides in a castle. The lighting of the scene would vary depending on the various moods. If the mood or tone is sad, the lighting would be dim but if it’s a happy mood, the lighting bright. The lay out of the scenes would be facing towards the audience because I want the audience to feel like there in the play.
The characters would have royal attire because it takes place in the castle. The women’s dresses would have vivid colors. The reason why I chose this is because it symbolizes wealth. The men would also wear vivid colors. So everyone would be wearing proper attire
Classical music for calm settings is appropriate because it is soothing. for scene that evolve action I would use loud heart racing music. The genre of the play would be drama because the play has a lot of twist and turn.
The characters would execute their lines with passion. The characters would deliver their lines making the audience feels as if they in the play. The reason I chose the characters to deliver their lines this way because it will probably grab the audience attention better.
It is the day after the assignment was due...I'm making a note for myself.
Jalisa Freeman
Pr.1
As the director of the play/movie of Hamlet I would set the stage to look like the early 1900’s. This would help the viewer to see how I had set up the time period of the play/movie, and have a feeling about the setting. While looking over Act 1 scene 2 I would set the character Queen Gertrude and her son Hamlet in a Mansion in Brooklyn where I would put them in the living room to talk. It is in Queen Gertrude and Claudius Mansion. During this scene there is a conflict between Hamlet, his mother Queen Gertrude and his step father/uncle Claudius, Hamlet doesn’t want his mother to be married to his uncle King Claudius. “My father’s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month.”(Act1. sc.2 lines 17-18)They have A big screen TV’s around nice couches that are black leather, also they have a big aquarium right in the middle of the living room and Queen Gertrude is sitting their trying to talk to her son but he really isn’t listening to her because he knows what she is going to say to him and he isn’t having it. Claudius is standing as well looking at his nephew/son ready to walk away because he doesn’t want to talk to him at all about him being married to Gertrude. The walls are a light tan color as well as the rug on the floor. I chose this scene because I think it shows more about Hamlets personality and his mother and uncle’s as well.
First off I think Hamlet should have nice Blue Sean John jeans pulled up a little below his waste with a fresh long white tee on with a matching nice Blue and white NY fitted on. But he’s really a Boston fan. He also has a long Jesus chain on. He has blue and white fresh Jordon’s on with a nice fade hair cut. He is around a 34-36 in pants with a 7 ½ fitted hat his white tee is 3XL. I think Hamlet is about 18 years old. I think he is about 5”8 or 5”9 dark hair, brown eyes, nice caramel complexion. Also he has braces. I had described Hamlet this way to show how his mood is because when he is mad at his mom it show the true side of him and thats being Dressed Ghetto. I described Hamlet as a smart kid also that goes to school at Brooklyn high and is a A student as a senior.
I think the back round for a song should be by LL cool J, "Head sprung". I chose this song because it brings Anger and Hype to the room and gets a lot of energy off of it and I think it would best describe Hamlet towards his uncle/Father because he had taken his mom from loving King Hamlet to Loving King Claudius. Also I think that it would bring tension to the room to show how angry Hamlet is of his mother and uncle/father. also to show his style in his life.
As a director I think Hamlets lines should be delivered as a regular young man that speaks the way other men do. Also I think he would speak to his mother in respect just like he does in the play/movie. When he says his lines he would say them in english not the way they say them in the play/movie like Tis, Ay, Nor words like that. "I shall in all my best obey you, madam." (Act1. sc.2 line 124)
Hamlet
In casting Hamlet I would give him an old style castle. The type you see in the medieval times, with gold and ruby drapes. The look will be very royal with gold pots and a thrown with a res carpet leading the person towards it. The texture would be rough do to the intensity that is being experienced throughout the play. The layout would have the king’s chair in the middle and the pot jewels around the chair. With the drapers around the background. I would do this to give it the old times medieval look.
Hamlets style of clothing would also be old medieval looking clothes. Having a vest looking top. One that has ruffles and cufflinks things. For pants he would have these tights that would have been popular at that time. The colors of his clothes would have to be either red or green with gold. These colors would to me seem like royal colors. The time period to me would have to be in the medieval times because of the way him and the other characters talk with old English. The texture would most likely be made out of wool, I believe that they have many sheep at that time.
The background music would be essential in setting the tone. Though it is important I wouldn’t have it at a loud volume because then it would take away from the play and the characters speech. The genre of music would have to be a classical orchestra type of music in a low volume. But in the intense scene I would raise the volume to show anger or suspense.
When Hamlet is delivering his lines it would have to be in a proper manner because he is royalty and he will have to carry himself like a leader of a country. His way he talks would change when he is talking to Ophelia due to the romance between them. So this sums the casting of hamlet.
The time period I picture the play is between the 15th and 16th hundreds, during Hamlet’s soliloquy the stage would be the inside of a castle, more precisely the dining room with an enormous table. There would be big pictures of Hamlet and all his king and queen ancestors on the walls around the table, a great crystal clear chandelier hanging over the dining table, and wall chandeliers between the pictures. This particular room would have big arc shaped windows, and even bigger silk red curtains covering it.
The way I picture the 15th hundreds royalty, their cloths are all made of silk and baggy, which is the way I picture Hamlet. I see him wearing a green baggy pair of pants with some kind of white socks covering his shin. His up body would be covered with a red shirt with loose sleeves and he would have a round hat with a plume on it.
The background sound would be consisted of old instruments, manly compost of a mandolin. Despite the fact Hamlet’s tone is far from happy, the music would be calm and slow, because that is manly what music was during the time period I picture Hamlet was set on.
As for the way I would cast Hamlet I have no doubts, he would most definitely be played as a 16 year old kid. The reason he isn’t an adult despite the fact that he is very smart and good with words is that he has trouble dealing with his emotions, the way only a teenager would have. But I wouldn’t cast him as a child either because even having trouble with his emotions, instead of releasing anger and rage on his mother he treats her nicely but when alone he confesses that he doesn’t like her. This is mature, but not enough to be cast as an adult.
The character I picked was Hamlet and I picked Act 1 Scene 2 to direct. I chose Hamlet because I feel like he is within my age range and I feel like he is the most down to earth character. Hamlet seems very confused and obviously he is very depressed about the death of his father. He is also obviously very angry with his mother and his uncle. At this point in the play Prince Hamlet’s whole world is turned upside down. I would show these emotions in Prince Hamlet’s soliloquy.
The stage would be set up as a large throne room. The king and queen’s thrones would be large and made of gold with green upholstery. The walls and floors would be made of off-white marble. The marble would be polished very nicely and reflect the lighting to make the throne room seem very alive and powerful. There would be a very large stained glass window behind the king and queens thrones. There would be green and gold tapestries behind the thrones under the window.
Right as everyone is leaving Hamlet alone so he can give his soliloquy the lights would black out and only one white light would be on Hamlet. I would do this so the audience would feel how isolated and lonely Hamlet is. The blackness would represent how lonely he is and show that he is very confused with his life at this point.
I would have chose an actor who had a powerful voice (like the guy from 300) to play Hamlet. The audience would feel everything Hamlet was saying and really get interested in his grief and anger. I would have the actor wear proper royal clothes for someone in this time period. With newer looking clothes the audience wouldn’t pay that much attention to wardrobe and focus more on the actor’s lines and the different meaning behind different lines. I would want Hamlet’s shirt to be red because I feel like red is a demanding color and it draws attention.
For music I would have Jimi Hendrix’s “Hey Joe” playing softly in the background at first. The Very first guitar rift is the perfect way to go into the soliloquy. That would play in the background because it is a mellow song that you feel a lot of emotion from. When Hamlet started feeling angry, the blackness around the white light and Hamlet, would turn to a blood red. This would obviously show the rage Hamlet felt over the situation at hand (which was his uncle getting with his mom). When the light turned red the music would change from “Hey Joe” to Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused”. Dazed and confused wouldn’t start at the beginning however, it would start a good minute and a half into the song, so the audience felt the most powerful parts of the song. The song would shed light on Hamlet’s feelings during that time as well as the title getting the point across that Hamlet is indeed “Dazed and Confused” about everything going on in his life. Both songs reference love and relationships gone bad which is another reason I chose these songs.
The actor would deliver his lines kind of slowly and filled with a lot of grief while “Hey Joe” is playing. The audience would understand Hamlet’s misery with the lighting, music and the actors tone of voice. When the lighting turns to red and “Dazed and Confused” comes on the actor’s voice would become powerful and full of anger. I would hope this would set a scene of rage for the audience.
As the director of Hamlets act one scene one , I would begin to describe the scenery of the play as being set in a large, dark somewhat dim castle seperated by several acres of land from the rest of the kingdom & surronded by a winter scenery outside with small amounts of snow on dead trees. As the scene proceeds Horatio, Marcellues and Fransicso are gathered together in a open area before the castle entrance armed with swords and discussing about the ghost sitting. There facial expression seem to remain calm, yet the backround is damp and dark as they eagerly wait to hear a slight noise that could lead them to thinking the ghost had appeared again. Throughout this part of the scence, i invision the walls being a dark brown / dark red with wooden siding, also the doors being about 15 tall and with large old fashioned locks. Horatio, Marcellus and Fransico are wearing several layers of thick sewm material dark red and gold with loose pants tucked into a pair of dark brown high boots, also with long dark wavy hair and slight beards/ facial hair. As they proceed to tell Horatio about what they have seen, it resembles a small meeting as if they are all close toghether standing up and trieng to be secreative. When the ghost again appears, the look on the actors face is absolutley priceless, as if they had never been so fearful,then Horatio attempts to speak to the ghost to prove himself brave yet is quit hesitive.As the scene plays on the three characters seem to remain very hesitive and unsure of how to react wich is shown throughtout there body language and facial expressions.
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