Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet
Laurence Olivier as Hamlet
You have until Feb 27th @ noon to complete this assignment.
It is worth 100 points and will be graded with the APE Rubric.
Objective: Watch the two performances above of Hamlet's first soliloquy from Act 1 Scene 2 and choose which version is the best interpretation of the lines.
Your critique of the video must be based on your knowledge and understanding of the passage, so you must provide textual evidence from Hamlet as well as provide descriptions of the video. I can't watch the video and read your post at the same time, so you need to make me see what you see with your words. It will also help you to take notes on the video while you watch it. Pay attention to what you captures your attention. Notice what you notice! (Hint: Watch the video more than once.)
Pay attention to:
- delivery of the lines
- imagery the setting / scenery
- the portrayal of the actor (characterization)
- lighting & camera effects
- sound effects or music
- etc--the list could keep going
You should make sure to develop a sophisticated thesis. Post in the comment stream of the video you choose below. It should be about 1,000 words (use your best judgement in either direction--this is a recommendation, not a requirement. It should be as long as it takes to develop your thesis.)
Edit and put spaces between paragraphs before you post please!
11 comments:
Act 1: Scene 2 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet consists of Hamlet’s soliloquy. He’s just been told by the new King, his father’s brother Claudius, that he should not mourn so over the untimely passing of his father. Even his own mother, wife to his father for years even tells him not to mourn, she says to him “Do not forever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st ‘tis common; all that lives must die” (Pg.25 line 72) If one was told not to be upset over the death of a dead parent how would one feel and act? Would they be outraged or would they become analytical of everything?
Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet portrayed an angry Hamlet, who shouts in anger in the throne room. Where as Laurence Oliver’s Hamlet doesn’t say anything at all, but a narrative of his thoughts can be heard analyzing everything and thinking of the possibilities of what happened. The one that seems more fitting and closest to Shakespeare’s intentions of the reading is Oliver Laurence’s Hamlet.
Oliver Hamlet is a younger looking, clean haven Hamlet, compared to Kenneth Branagh’s. In the book, or screen play, or whatever Hamlet is considered, Hamlet appears to be a young man, around the age of 18 to early twenties. Still very emotionally attached to his father, that’s not to say as one grows old they don’t care about their parents, but Hamlet seemed to have had a dependency to his father, which suggests that he was still a youth. And that’s what the film adaptation of Hamlet starring Oliver Laurence seemed to convey.
Shot in black in white, most likely due to the time and lack of technology, but the filming adds a tone of sadness and desperation. It’s donning on him that his Uncle and his mother may have had a hand in the death of his father the King. So where does that leave him? He’s denied the option of returning to college, and now must live under the same roof as the killers of his father. He’s taking all this in. Before he can be angry he’s got to realize what exactly he’s angry about. Which is why I believe this film version was better. The soliloquy is done as a narrative, suggesting that what’s being said is what’s in his head, which if given the chance is probably how Shakespeare would have it, since after all a soliloquy is just an opportunity for the writer to show the audience what his character is thinking . Although the actor doesn’t look very young, but with his clean shave and fair hair he definitely looks to be a lot younger, and more youthful. The most important part of this version is the delivery of the lines. Shot in some sort of study or a place to read, Hamlet stalks back and forth in the study just thinking and the lines are spoken with such sadness and desperation. The tone and the flow of the words, makes the listener believe that what’s going on has happened. Hamlet’s very upset and is contemplating his whole life and that those he loved can’t be trusted, and he’s sad about it. That’ what makes it a better choice for the better adaptation. Unlike the newer version with Kenneth Branagh, who in order to get the part out must flail his arms around and look angry, where as Oliver just has to pace around the room worried and deep in thought, and that’s enough to sell the part.
Another thing used to add to the scene is background music. The newer version just simply has Kenneth going about with no music yelling by himself in the main hall with no one to listen. That’s also what makes that version sort of bland. Who wants to see a man yelling to himself? The older version adds what might be a violin in the background score. The music adds a lot to the scene. It was sad enough just listening to Oliver’s voice and his delivery of the lines, but with the violin in the background it’s really sad!
Keeping true to the book and how Shakespeare would have had it, is the old version featuring Oliver Laurence is clearly the better of the two. The soliloquy is portrayed exactly how is soliloquy is supposed to, as a thought. The tone is eerie and sad, and very analytical; his flow is slow, as if each word he utters, he taking in its meaning to heart and realizes what that means for him, and to his father. The background music adds to the feeling of sadness and realization. And the setting was very appropriate for the scene. He’s in a study where he’s thinking about everything, where as the other version he’s in a hall next to the throne. It’s definitely more dramatic that way, but not realistic. Everything about the old version is better, the actor, the delivery, the music, the filming, and even the realistic approach the film brings makes it that much better. So if one wants to see Hamlet’s soliloquy how it was meant to be they would watch the old version, and they’ll walk away with a better understanding of the scene.
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2
In the book “Hamlet” by “William Shakespeare.” In the book hamlet father was king and he killed by his uncle his name is Claudius. After hamlet dad died Claudius became king and he want to married with hamlet mother. Hamlet was so angry about his uncle because he wants to married with his mother and his mother accepts his proposal and she wants to married with Claudius. Hamlet angry with her mother too because she accepted his offer but hamlet don’t like it. I’m watching both hamlet videos Act 1 Scene 2. But I’m choosing second one because I like second is better than first and the main character of the video is Laurence Olivier as hamlet. I’m watching this video it’s different from the book and it is shows about hamlets feeling he was so sad in the video because her mother married with his uncle. In the video the Claudius was alone in the room and he was crying. In the video he was sad and the only hamlet but in the book. I choose 2nd video because there show feeling very clearly.
I like the background sound or music it’s nice. In the video the hamlet was very sad and he said “O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven; it hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, a brother murder. He was so mad and he express that what his feeling. In the video he was alone in the room and crying, he was very sad and ask own how he killed his brother. And after he married with his brother wife it’s awful. “I stand in pause where I shall first begin.” He tells us he wants to forget every thing he want going back his life. “Why she hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on.” Its mean hamlet talked about his mother and asks own why she did to him or married with him. Her first husband was dead and after she wants to married with Claudius. In the video there is big table near to him and three chairs. Its sound is good and sad. On the table there are two or three books. After that he was go to near to the pillar and he was crying like mad. It’s looks old palace and in the video I saw that one picture its wall painting. Its looks one horse its huge horse and he was walking around over there.
The end of the video he was walking and after he was sits on the chair and his hand is on his face. He was wear old suit and black jacketed black pent the actor who acting like hamlet his hair was white or yellow. He was wearing ring and he was walking in the room very slowly and sitting in the chair very slow. He was said everything to the book nothing else. His acting or voice is very sad.
“O, that is too, too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into dew, or that the everlasting had not fixed. His canon’ giants (self slaughter!)O god, god, how (weary,)stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses this world! Fie on’t, ah fie! ‘Tis an unwedded garden that grow to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That it should come (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; frailly, thy name is woman!), little month, or ere those shoes were old with which she followed my poor father's body, like noble, all tears- why she, (even she )(O god , a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer!),married with uncle."
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2
In the book “Hamlet” by “William Shakespeare.” In the book hamlet father was king and he killed by his uncle his name is Claudius. After hamlet dad died Claudius became king and he want to married with hamlet mother. Hamlet was so angry about his uncle because he wants to married with his mother and his mother accepts his proposal and she wants to married with Claudius. Hamlet angry with her mother too because she accepted his offer but hamlet don’t like it. I’m watching both hamlet videos Act 1 Scene 2. But I’m choosing second one because I like second is better than first and the main character of the video is Laurence Olivier as hamlet. I’m watching this video it’s different from the book and it is shows about hamlets feeling he was so sad in the video because her mother married with his uncle. In the video the Claudius was alone in the room and he was crying. In the video he was sad and the only hamlet but in the book. I choose 2nd video because there show feeling very clearly.
I like the background sound or music it’s nice. In the video the hamlet was very sad and he said “O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven; it hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, a brother murder. He was so mad and he express that what his feeling. In the video he was alone in the room and crying, he was very sad and ask own how he killed his brother. And after he married with his brother wife it’s awful. “I stand in pause where I shall first began.” He tells us he wants to forget every thing he want going back his life. “Why she hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on.” Its mean hamlet talked about his mother and asks own why she did to him or married with him. Her first husband was dead and after she wants to married with Claudius. In the video there is big table near to him and three chairs. Its sound is good and sad. On the table there are two or three books. After that he was go to near to the pillar and he was crying like mad. It’s looks old palace and in the video I saw that one picture its wall painting. Its looks one horse its huge horse and he was walking around over there.
The end of the video he was walking and after he was sits on the chair and his hand is on his face. He was wear old suit and black jacketed black pent the actor who acting like hamlet his hair was white or yellow. He was wearing ring and he was walking in the room very slowly and sitting in the chair very slow. He was said everything to the book nothing else. His acting or voice is very sad.
“O, that is too, too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into dew, or that the everlasting had not fixed. His canon’ giants (self slaughter!)O god, god, how (weary,) stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses this world! Fie on’t, ah fie! ‘Tis an unwedded garden that grow to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That it should come (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!), little month, or ere those shoes were old with which she followed my poor father's body, like noble, all tears- why she, (even she )(O god , a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer!),married with uncle."
he was talking very angrily and sad he was talk himself alone in the room. Hamlet was crying in the room and angry with his mother because she married with his uncle. He is not like that because he don't look that his mother married with his uncle. He was predicting his mother she was woman. Women are not like that her husband died and she is married again with his uncle. He was shameful his mother for what she wants do it.
"my fathers 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 he galled eyes, she married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor can’t it come to good. but break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue." hamlet feel angry or mad sad and because his uncle was married with his mother he said my father brother is not same like my father hamlet like his father he was not accept this my mother married with somebody else. he don't have word to tell his mom to not married with Claudius. in the begin the zoom is for his face after he was stand up quickly due was walking to the another chair. he was keep walking and the two chair is in the up stars and he was near to them and he was grabbed both chair and he was asking to the question for the god. he was quickly put off to the chair and go back quickly like shocked after that he was keep walking to the pillar and he Stan to the pillar. Hamlet was going three step and sewing to the front side and I saw that one huge picture in the wall and near to the open way it's not door in the room. he was going to the chair slowly and sit down and he was keep talking after he was sit down to the chair and he put his hand to his face its the sad position after the video is stop.
this video is dark than other one is like old black and white movie. the both movie was different to the other the first one not have sad snout or music and the end of the video enter horatio, Marcellus, and barnado. the end of the first video i saw door is open but the second one didn't show anybody coming.
he was talking very angrily and sad he was talk himself alone in the room. Hamlet was crying in the room and angry with his mother because she married with his uncle. he is not like that because he don't look that his mother married with his uncle. he was predicts his mother she was woman. Women are not like that her husband died and she is married again with his uncle. he was shameful his mother for what the want do it.
"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 he galled eyes, she married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor can’t it come to good. but break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue." hamlet feel angry or mad sad and because his uncle was married with his mother he said my father brother is not same like my father hamlet like his father he was not accept this my mother married with somebody else. he don't have word to tell his mom to not married with Claudius. in the begin the zoom is for his face after he was stand up quickly due was walking to the another chair. he was keep walking and the two chair is in the up stars and he was near to them and he was grabbed both chair and he was asking to the question for the god. he was quickly put off to the chair and go back quickly like shocked after that he was keep walking to the pillar and he Stan to the pillar. hamlet was going three step and sowing to the front side and I saw that one huge picture in the wall and near to the open way it's not door in the room. he was going to the chair slowly and sit down and he was keep talking after he was sit down to the chair and he put his hand to his face its the sad position after the video is stop.
this video is dark than other one is like old black and white movie. the both movie was different to the other the first one not have sad sound or music and the end of the video enter horatio, Marcellus, and barnado. the end of the first video i saw door is open but the second one didn't show anybody coming.
In act one scene two of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet is mourning for his father’s death. He is left alone in a room to vent about his true feelings about his mother’s marriage with his uncle Claudius, his father’s brother. In this scene we find out that his mother married his uncle within a month of Hamlet’s father’s, or her husband’s death.
From reading this scene we can see that he is not too happy with his mother’s decision to marry. Through his venting he seems to support his father a lot by saying things like, “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.” In this quote he is informing us that his father was an excellent king who was so dare and loving to his mother that he would not have let the winds of heaven blow in his mother’s face to hard.
We can also see his support for his father and misunderstanding of his mother’s decision through the lines, “My father’s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules.” In these lines Hamlet is saying that his uncle Claudius is nothing like his father, which is why he is questioning how his mother could marry within a month, especially to Claudius. Hamlet is suggesting that Claudius will not be an “excellent king” like his father and that Claudius will not be so dare and loving to his mother as to, “not beteem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly.”
Hamlet also brings up the point of his mother pleasuring herself with Claudius within a month of her husband’s death. He shows us that he is also unhappy with his mother’s decision in this through the quote, “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.” Here Hamlet is mentioning how short of a time period it took his mother to have incestuous sex with Claudius. Hamlet, and many of us, would think that it would take longer for a widow to do this after her husband’s death. At the end of the quote he mentions that even though it breaks his heart, he must keep his mouth shut.
After watching the two video clips on the blog, I believe that the first video (the one in color) is more like act one scene two in the book. I feel that from watching the first video I can really see the emotions that Hamlet is expressing. In this video clip we see sadness and bursts of anger, which we would expect out of a person who is going through Hamlet’s situation. I feel that the second video did not do enough to express his feelings. The main reason for this is because in the second clip he was not talking, except for a few words, it was more like his personal thoughts inside his head than him speaking.
One of the lines in the video clip that we see Hamlet express his anger is, “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!” In these lines he goes from a sad-toned voice of disbelief, to yelling the words, “within a month.” This shows that he is deeply aggravated with the thought of his mother’s re-marriage. When I read the lines in the book, I viewed these lines as it was acted out in the first video clip, not the second.
Hamlet then continues to raise his voice in anger in another few lines towards the end of his venting. In the lines, “O, God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer!” the video expresses his anger in the same way that I would view it from reading the lines in the book. In this quote he is saying that even a beast would have been saddened longer than his mother was over his father’s death.
Another thing that I liked about the first video clip was the imagery. I feel that the background of the room in which Hamlet is in is suitable for the time period in which this scene is taking place. In the video, we can see the room has a lot of white walls, a tiled floor, and large doors. In my eyes this looks like royalty, such as Hamlet would live in. The room itself is also very large, not like most rooms.
A visual thing that I noticed in this video was the lighting. From watching it we can see a lot of light and shadows. Things such as the walls are white while the shadows show darkness. Another thing is the tiles on the floor which are black and white just like the walls and shadows. These colors could show the changes in his attitude which go from a discouraged tone, to bursts of anger, back to the discouraged tone.
One of the big things that pushed me toward picking the first video was the delivery of the lines. I feel as though in the first video the actor, Kenneth Branagh, did a great job in how fast or slow he spoke his lines. He also delivered them with the right attitude. From reading the lines in the book, we can only guess at which lines would be said fast or slow, with sadness or with anger. Seeing the movie made it clearly stand out to me which lines were meant to be spoken fast, and which lines were meant to come out slow.
I feel that through the actor’s delivery of lines alone, this video did not need music or background sounds so show us the intensity of Hamlet at this time in the play. Overall I feel that the first video clip seemed more like act one scene two of Hamlet.
HAMLET 1000
In the book "Hamlet" act 1, scene 2, Hamlet is so PISSED about his mother Gertrude is marrying Hamlet's uncle king Claudius, king Claudius is the new found king Claudius.After two months of his fathers passing his mother Gertrude and his uncle King Claudius became the new married couple. For one thing he's of course furious at the fact that his mother Gertrude and his uncle King Claudius became the new married couple but he is also furious that his mother Gertrude got married to his uncle king Claudius in such WICKED SPEED(in Hamlets words)and that even at the funeral Hamlets mother Gertrude didn't seem to have any type of emotion towards her husband what so ever, Hamlet even said that a beasts would've gave more emotions than her at the funeral "O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason,Would have mourn’d longer,—married with mine 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"!
He wished that his body would just melt, turn to water and become like the dew. Or that the Almighty hadn't made a law forbidding suicide. How weary, stale, flat and useless everything about life seemed! He moaned. It was terrible. The whole world was like an unweeded garden that had gone to seed - only ugly disgusting things thrived. He couldn't believe what had happened. Only two months dead; no, not even two. Such an excellent king he had been, compared with this one. It was like Hyperion, the sun god, compared to a lecherous satyr. He'd been so loving to his mother that he wouldn't even allow the gentle breeze of heaven to blow too roughly on her face. He lifted his hands and blocked his ears as though to shut his father's memory out. She had loved him so much, adored him, as though the more she had of him the more she wanted him. And yet, within a month! He couldn't bear to think about it. Women were so inconsistent! Only a month, even before the shoes with which she had followed his father's body were old, all flowing with tears, she, even she... Oh God! Even an animal that doesn't have reason, would have mourned longer - ..she married his uncle! His father's brother, but no more like his father than he was like Hercules. Even before the salt of those hypocritical tears had left her swollen eyes, she married. Oh, most wicked speed, to hurry so enthusiastically to incestuous sheets! It couldn't end happily. But he would just have to break his heart, because he had to hold his tongue.Perhaps everyone else is dressed as for a wedding, because the first thing that the new King does is justify his marriage to Gertrude, his brother's widow and Hamlet's mother. The marriage needs some justification because it has taken place less the two months after the death of old Hamlet, and also because it might be incestuous. The King tells the court he is sad, and everyone should be sad, at his brother's death, but it's best to think of the dead king with "wisest sorrow." That is, life goes on, and doesn't stop for a single person's death. Therefore, the King has married Gertrude. This is one of the many paradoxes in this paradoxical play, but the King doesn't mean it as a paradox. He wants everybody to be happy and calm. They have all, he reminds them, In other words, no one has offered any objections to the marriage, and now is not the time to rock the boat. The definition of madness is ‘to be with disordered mind, insane; frenzied; wildly foolish.’ Throughout the play, Shakespeare invites the audience to make sense of Hamlet’s state of mind – is his mind without order or is his madness part of an overall strategy? Hamlet’s first soliloquy takes place in Act 1 Scene 2, after Hamlet’s meeting with his mother, the Queen, and Claudius. In this soliloquy, the audience sees his depression and grief over the death of his father coupled with his incredulity at the ‘most wicked speed’ with which his mother has remarried. Here, Shakespeare is already showing the audience what is going on in Hamlet’s mind. He is already preoccupied with grief and suicide.The actor in the movie Hamlet(Kenneth Brenagh) has very good acting skills he made me believe that he is Hamlet because I really got into it. The way he said those words about his mother Gerturde and about his uncle King Claudius had so much emotion in it, he made you believe that that situation really happen to him.The tone of his voice had so much pain and anger and disapointment and shame towards the two of them his mother and his uncle king Claudias. In the film the lights where dim and the room was very spacious, I believe that for the room being dark symbolizes the way he is feeling. He probaly feels that his life is getting darker. And for the spacious room he's probaly is feeling empty inside about his mother Gertrude and his uncle King Claudius becoming husband and wife .And in the video Hamlet also wears black to his mother's and his uncle king Claudius wedding the definition of black is: gloomy; pessimistic; dismal,deliberately; harmful; inexcusable, boding ill; sullen or hostile; threatening, without any moral quality or goodness; evil; wicked, indicating censure, disgrace, or liability to punishment, marked by disaster or misfortune, wearing black or dark clothing or armor, based on the grotesque, morbid, or unpleasant aspects of life, done or written in black to indicate, as on a list, that which is undesirable, sub-standard, potentially dangerous, etc.
In the play Hamlet by “William Shakespeare, hamlet’s father the king of Denmark is been killed by Claudius who is the brother of King Hamlet. Hamlet the prince has no idea what has his uncle has done, but he his furious about Claudius getting married to queen Gertrude his mother. He is upset how she had accepted the marriage right after her late husband’s death. Hamlet tries to talk his mother about her decision all she says is “Do not forever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st ‘tis common; all that lives must die” (Pg.25 line 72) to Hamlet it seems like his mother has forgotten the love of his father.
I have watched about videos of hamlet from act 1 scene 2, the best video that relates to play is video number 2. The video 2 portrays Laurence Olivier younger as you can imagine hamlet to be rather then Kenneth Branagh who seems more older then you can imagine a young prince to be. As a reader I have imagined Hamlet to appear youthful around the age of early 20's. A son who is closer to his father and who has been crushed after hearing the news of his death.
The film is shot in black and white which does set the mood of depression and sadness to scene of hamlet where he thinking to himself what has his mother have done by marrying his uncle. Hamlet seems to be very disgusted by it. Hamlet has figured out his responsibilities as the son of king hamlet. He denies to return to college and obligate him self to his responsibilities to his country as a prince. The movie shows that Laurence Olivier is doing a soliloquy which does resemble how Shakespeare would of wrote it to show what is a character is thinking in his mind. The dialogues Laurence Olivier speaks has the depth of depression and sadness rather the other video which shows just anger and yelling which has no feelings to it.
The background music has also set the mood of sad ness and depression because of a violin, as we know when we think of a violin n we think slowness a little bit of sadness. After reading and watching the videos the best video that displays the play of Hamlet closer to the Shakespeare version is the second video which portrays a young character who seems sad, depressed, with a little bit of anger of what has happened with his mother marrying his uncle who has killed his father. The soliloquy has added more to the video because that how Shakespeare would of done it to show what is the young hamlet is thinking rather then yelling around the castle like the film shows. The second video displays more emotion as the play of hamlet does.
In act one scene two of Hamlet by Shakespeare; it concluded the prince Hamlet’s soliloquy. When the king Hamlet died after almost two months, his brother Claudius took his place to become the king and married his brother’s wife. Hamlet didn’t accept this. He didn’t want his uncle to married his mother and they celebrated their marriage just after Hamlet’s father died for almost two months. But he didn’t have brave to say what he thought, so he was mourning alone, and others all celebrated the new king’s marriage. So when others outside, he stayed in the room and took out his discontented.
There are two different films about Hamlet. I think Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet was better than Laurence Olivier as Hamlet. These two films shoot in different years, so the scenery was very different. From these scenes, the first one was more beautiful than the second one, and then the first one was color and the second was black and white. So when the people see these two films, almost people think the first one is better.
In Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet, the editor explained the king and the queen nobler than in Laurence Olivier as Hamlet. There were two chairs at the top of the room. It means that only the king and the queen can sit in the room. In Laurence Olivier as Hamlet, the king’s chair just was in front of others. Otherwise, the others also can sit in the room, because there were many chairs as same as the king’s. So we can found the first film explained the king was only one.
The lines in the films were almost as the same as the book of Hamlet. But in Laurence Olivier as Hamlet, there were two lines of lines missing. (P31 #159-160) From the missing words, we can found Hamlet hated her mother. I think it was an important part in Hamlet’s soliloquy. Because of he stayed in the room and didn’t go with others, it showed that Hamlet hated them. Just after almost two months of the king died, people can very happy to celebrate the new king’s marriage. Moreover, the new king married the queen was King Hamlet’s wife. So Hamlet not only had hate about them, but also had a big angry.
I don’t think the first film was better just for its color. The most important is the actor. Kenneth Branagh used a nice way to explained Hamlet’s mood at that time. The speed of soliloquy between almost the same, but in P29 #136, Kenneth Branagh Stopped a more second to started a new sentence than Laurence Olivier. I think it was better. At the beginning of Hamlet’s soliloquy, he was thinking. He was thinking about how to take out of his angry and hate. After he side the first two sentences, he may stopped a little and then continuous. In P31 #154-155, Kenneth Branagh used a very angry to say that sentence. I think that it was very suitable to explained Hamlet’s mood at that time. He was angry about why people can so happy just the king died after almost two months. So he must very angry to say that sentence to blame the people. He made the people as the beast, so it showed how angry Hamlet. But in Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet, he just used a usual tone to say this sentence. So it wasn’t suitable the mood of Hamlet at that time. If Hamlet can say that sentence at that tone, he may be one of the happy people at that time.
In the first film, Kenneth Branagh’s soliloquy said by himself, but in the second film, it show that words just in Hamlet’s heart, and it said by others. In his soliloquy, the last sentence was “but break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” So Hamlet was repressing his words. But at that time, everyone was outside expecting Hamlet, so he would take out his words. So at that time, it was better to speak loudly than quiet.
Generally, the first one was better than the second one, but in some place, the second was better than the first one. For example, the music. There was a little music in the second film. So it was good to explained Hamlet’s mood at that time. When a person said something by himself, others would feel unnatural. Because others would think that he just makes a show and earns other’s sympathy. Otherwise, at the beginning of the scene, we can’t see the face of Hamlet in Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet. I think this was a bad place. Because of the face can shoe all the emotion to others. In Laurence Olivier as Hamlet, the editor took many seconds on Laurence Olivier’s face. So we can see clearly his emotion at that time. From these seconds, we can found out that Hamlet was sad at that time. He was also in an awkward situation. He didn’t have brave say his confuse about his father’s dead. He can’t find out what emotion can he be at that time. Because of his father just died two months before, and his mother married his uncle. From hid face, it seems that he wanted ask what he can do at that time. Celebrate his mother’s marriage or still sad on his father’s dead? There was another different place between these two films. It was the action of these actors. Laurence Olivier’s action was very graceful. So we just see the action of the person, we can guess the person’s identify. It means that Laurence Olivier as prince was liker than Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet. Especially, it was a big different between them when they were thinking. But we can think about their ways to express their emotion. So Kenneth Branagh was more excited, it was suitable in the film. If the first film can do these part as the same as the second one, that would be more perfectly.
My assignment assists of the video clip on act.1 scn.2. I really enjoyed watching both videos and noticed major differences between the two videos. The first video consists of Hamlet soliloquy by Kenneth Branagh while the second video clip consists of the same topic but by Laurence Olivier as Hamlet. I’m explaining and giving my description of what I saw on both videos.
The top video act.1 scn.2 by Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet deals with Hamlet soliloquy and he is talking to himself standing between two red chairs and he is depressed in a black uniform symbolizing himself as king. Hamlet has just been told by the King that his father brother Claudius to express sorrow to the death of his father. Hamlet has trouble of forgiving himself and his mom of his father’s death. Hamlet is deeply affected by this loss and the actors on the video clip are acting out Hamlets soliloquy. While watching the video by Kenneth Branagh I noticed the following: He keeps saying “god oh god” to help him out of the misery that he is facing. In the video clip Hamlet seems depressed and helpless. He talks about his mother and how he let his mom down and now she is in heaven. He screams in the video to let his pain inside out and free himself of this madness, and all the darkness that he is dealing with. He goes from being relaxed to loud and yells out loud the pain to becoming relaxed again and thinking things through. While the second video seems more of an older video which in my opinion it’s a better version of imagery and does a better interpretation of the lines. While watching the second video I noticed the following:
Second Video on Act 1 Scn.2 by Laurence Olivier as Hamlet
Hamlet in the second video critique seems much younger and is talking to himself saying “oh god oh god” what has this world turned into. In the video he is dressed nicely with a black outfit. The video clip is shot in black and white, most likely due to the time and lack of technology, but the filming adds a tone of sadness and desperation. Olivier is walking around in a dark room designed with old shaped building with huge cylinder blocks. He keeps referring back to god and what have I done and how she is married with his uncle my father brother. Hemlets pain of his father and the fact that now his father is in heaven and on line 145 pg. 29 the quote states “With which she followed my poor father body” gives the readers a feeling of how much his dad meant to Hamlet. Hamlet is also wearing a nice white neckles that makes him stand out as a nice person and the outfit that he’s wearing makes him seem as a religious person, and as one of gods helpers.
By watching both videos carefully and over a couple of times I came up with the decision that the second video by Laurence Olivier as Hamlet seemed as a better fit for the original text of the book Hamlet by Shakespeare. I think in the second video the director of the video clip does a better job of setting up the story and the background of the video clip makes it that much more realistic. Laurnece Olivier does a better job of giving out Hamlets lines such as when he says “married with my uncle, My fathers brother, but no more like my father” pg.31 line 16 The way Olivier is able to deliver those important lines makes the video clip that much more interesting and dramatic. Olivier is able to deliver Hamlets soliloquy with a better version of voice and adds more real life action and makes the video clip much more dramatic and interesting.
While the video clip on act.1 scn.2 by Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet is well done there are some major expression problems in this video. For example Kenneth doesn’t do a good job of giving a good facial expression when he is talking. Kenneth Branagh in my opinion does a horrible job on making the viewer believe and fall into his actions. When I see Kenneth Branagh video clip it doesn’t bring much emotions into me because of the way he acts out and he doesn’t make the viewer realize the pain that he is dealing with. It seems more as a fake act and the face expression that he gives just doesn’t quiet match out perfect with the play.
While the face remarks that Laurnece Olivier gives in the video clip makes us the viewers feel his pain. The face expression shows it all and if as an actor you’re not able to attract and make the viewer have a feel for the pain your dealing with then it doesn’t make the movie or video clip dramatic. Laurnece Oliver does a good job of starting out the video clip by thinking in his mind and does a perfect action and faces expression to have the viewer feel his pain and the voice that he has attract and puts a dramatic sound into the story.
Another major difference that I noticed between the two video clips is the music that’s used in the video clip. In the first video clip by Kenneth Branagh the music that is being used is loud and dramatic. But the actor Kenneth does a bad job of playing out his voice with the music that’s being played in the scene. While the second video clip by Laurnece Olivier the music that being played on the scene is depressed and fits perfectly with the way Olivier plays it off. Olivier does a great job of being realistic in the video clip and the music that’s being played fits perfectly with the face expressions and remarks that he makes which is giving out sad looks and desperate actions. Even know both actors do a great job of acting out Hamlets soliloquy on pg. 29-30 I have say that Lurnece Olivier does a better job interpretation of Hamlets lines.
Act 1:2 Hamlet is alone in the throne room and is upset at his mother for marrying his Uncle Claudius and also being told by both his mother and uncle that he should not grieve after his father anymore. In Hamlet’s soliloquy, we discovered that it has only been two months since his father King Hamlet has died. “But two months dead--nay, not so much, not two” (line 142). “…ere those shoes were old with which she followed my poor father‘s body, like Niobe, all tears…But break. My heart, for I must hold my tongue” (lines 151-164). In these lines, Hamlet is in complete distress over his mother marrying her uncle only a month after his father died. In lines 151-152, Hamlet describes his mother like Niobe; daughter of Tantalus, whose children were killed and was turned to stone where she wept for their loss; as she walked behind her late husband’s body. Hamlet also compares his mother to a beast, saying that a beast would have mourned longer than she has, in lines 154 and 155. He is bewildered by how she could marry her late husband’s brother, who is nothing like King Hamlet. “…My father‘s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules” (lines 157-158). “So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr…” (lines 143-144). Here Hamlet juxtaposes King Hamlet and Claudius, King Hamlet as a sun god and Claudius as a creature who is part human, part horse and part goat. Since Claudius is now king, what is a another crack to Hamlet’s already shattered heart, is that Hamlet cannot say anything against King Claudius and his mother, Queen Gertrude.
Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet
Kenneth Branagh’s portrayal of Hamlet, captures Hamlet’s anger and distress that is brought on by King Claudius and Queen Gertrude. The anger is shown when he screams “and yet, within a month (let me not think on ‘t; frailty, thy name is woman!)” (lines 154-155). In my opinion, Branagh’s portrayal was too sane. Hamlet is initially alone and he’s talking to himself, he’s expressing how he feels and he is searching through his mind; trying to figure out how his mother could marry his uncle. There was definitely emotion in the portrayal, but the essence of someone who bewildered out of his mind was not there. I liked how Branagh was wearing black, it showed that he was still in mourning of his father King Hamlet. Hamlet wearing black not only showed mourning but it made Hamlet stand out in the set, which was mostly white.
Laurence Olivier as Hamlet
I liked how the soliloquy was voiced over to show that Hamlet was thinking, instead of saying it out loud like Branagh. I think doing that showed how delusional hamlet was. The voice over exaggerated Hamlet’s distress and bewilderedness. Oliver’s use of facial expressions and body languge also showed the amount of emotion in the scene. I did not like how it was in black and white. I think that it had no great effect on the scene, and just showed that when this was made it was in the period when there was no color and that technology was not established yet.
In my opinion, the best interpretation of Hamlet’s soliloquy was by Laurence Olivier. The direction in which the scene was led, emphasized the duress and mental suffering that Hamlet was going through. The voice over by Olivier made it so that, Hamlet was saying everything in his mind, he was talking to himself. Also that, he only said about five words out loud really emphasized that duress that Hamlet was going through.
In the soliloquy Hamlet goes through in act one scene two of Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet is crippled by the fact that his father, King Claudius, is dead. His mother spared no time in finding another man to marry, let alone the fact that the man she chose was his own uncle. Hamlet is in morning and you can tell his depression is getting to the better of him. He is left alone in a chamber and decides to reflect on what he thinks is happening. Though the two videos are the same scene, one interprets the way it should be better.
In the Kenneth Branagh version Hamlet is located in a large chamber that hasn't been cleaned since one of the celebrations. You can see the flower petals still around the room. Ironically they do the opposite of their purpose and actually contradicts Hamlets current state of emotion. Hamlet is at a low point of his life and that is displayed by making the room so large and him so small. Branagh puts emphasis on his words when he speaks of the haste in which his mother went about finding a new husband to name king, "Yet within a month" (A1 S2 149), "A little month" (151). The reoccuring theme in this version is that his mother quickly moved on where as Hamlet was left behind with the memories that his mother seems to have lost, you can notice it when he says " O, most wicked speed" he says this line so slow and with so much emotion you can tell how it has effected him. Throughout Branagh's soliloquy there is no score. The lack of music gave the scene a more realistic feel. Clearly the Hamlet in this version is older then the Hamlet is usually portrayed as. The panning of the camera throughout the clip isn't really steady, I think the director used this method of following the actor so the audience can almost in a way relate more with Branagh and feel as he feels. The overall feeling of Branagh's performance was one of anger.
In Laurence Olivier's performance of Hamlet the clip is in black and white, this gives a video a more gritty and personal feeling because the audience isn't distracted by colors. The close up in the begining of the clip shows how distraught Hamlet really is. To add to the deppressing tone of this version, the chamber Hamlet is in has a cryptic feel that makes the watcher almost have a sense of doom. The pace of the narration of the clip is slowed down and with many pauses, which shows the viewer of the distress Hamlet is going through. One would think that on such a heavy subject as Hamlet's father being replaced by his uncle and his mother allowing it, that it would invoke more of a primal response then this sad and almost hopeless approach to talking to the confides of his own self. Oliver, when this video was made was clean shaven and young looking. Since you can hear the narriation and clearly see Oliver's mouth not moving one could arrive to the conclusion that the narriation is his thoughts. The only time Hamlet speaks aloud is when he says "nay, not so much, not two....And yet within a month". Clearly if the only words he says aloud are words that are describing the speed in which his mother found a new lover that this has a negative meaningful effect on him. Towards the end of the clip the angles used are all high angle ones looking down on Hamlet, making him seem smaller than usual representing how he is feeling. The overall mood of this version was a mood of distress and hopelessness.
When reading the play Hamlet when it came to act one scene two the feeling I had after reading it was one of distress. The video that most accuratley stays on course with Shakespeare's original I believe would be the video in which Laurence Oliver plays Hamlet. Though he doesn't speak what he thinks, as in the traditional soliloquy, the feeling of hopelessness better interprets the original than the feeling of anger as depicted in Kenneth Branagh performance. Though Oliver was clean shaven the fact that he was younger then Branagh made up for the lack of disshelvedness brought forward by Branagh. The chamber where Oliver's version was in was more cryptic looking then the lavish petal filled room in Branaghs, better suiting the feel of the clip. I believe there would of been score in the actual version, the haunting way the narriator slowly says each word better suits the role. The attire that Oliver wears is more appropriate for what one thinks Hamlet would be wearing at such a time.
In the book Hamlet by William Shakespeare Hamlets father known as king was murdered by his own cousin named Claudius king Claudius because he was crowned right after the king’s death. As well as being crowned King Claudius also married to the kings wife and that really bothered Hamlet. Hamlet was disgusted with what was going on yet his uncle has the courage to tell Hamlet he should not mourn so over the untimely passing of his father. What’s even more unbelievable is that his mother tells hamlet to not mourn for his father’s death and that gets Hamlet even more mad. For example in page 25. Line 72 “ do not forever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st ‘tis common; all that lives must die” I honestly would feel outraged with my mother if she was to tell me to not cry because all humans die one day and I honestly don’t know other than that what I would feel or how I would act. In the first video clip Kenneth Branagh’s play’s the role of hamlet in the throne room where he puts feelings to what Hamlet has to say he’s full of anger & sorrow. As opposed to Laurence Oliver playing the Hamlet scene in the second video clip Hamlet speaks not one word until toward the end of the play where through out the whole scene a narrative speaks for him. The scene that to me appears to be more fitting would be the 2nd movie where Laurence Oliver plays the role of Hamlet because everything tends to fit in to what Hamlet is trying to convey with us. For example As described in the play Hamlet by author William Shakespeare describes Hamlet as a young teen entering adult hood. While looking back at the play I believe that Kenneth fits in perfectly with the part Of hamlet because in the play as well as in the play clip it appears as if Hamlet is still emotionally attached to his father more than a mature older guy would be. In the play and play-clip it shows that Hamlet depended on his father for many thing and looked up to his father, with that being said that implies that he’s still young. How about the way that it was filmed in black and white as we know back in the time of Shakespeare there was hardly any technology I doubt the fact that t.v’s exsited but with the black and white it makes it more easy tounderstand whats trying to be said as what the author is trying to convey with us. Especially with the lack of color and the way the music sound as if someone had just died well in his case his father died and the tone of music gets a person depressed and thoughtfull. In a way we already know that his father was actually murdered by king Claudius that’s easy to understand but we yet don’t understand the reason why or maybe the fact that he was up to the throne next who knows. Anywho both the mother and the new king refused to let Hamlet attend college there fore hamlet is stuck at home seeing his mother all over Claudius . I believe that as the role of Hamlet is played better by Kenneth Branagh’s because he might not be young but his appearance makes it seem as if he was around Hamlets Age as well as the way that he acts it out gives a better understanding of what’s going on in the book and how Hamlet feels. In the other hand I believe that Hamlet looks older and that’s about the only thing that I dislike about the clip but he also plays the role of Hamet good and the way that he plays the part out I like but in this case I would go with the clip of the Actor Laurence Oliver simply because its easier to understand and the message that they are trying to convey is easier to catch.
In act one scene two William Shakespeare, in the beginning of the clip you can see that Hamlet is really mad about the whole situation about his uncle and his mother, married each other. In the clip you can see Hamlet standing between two chairs, and showing his emotion speak with his body language, his body languages speak louder than his word. In the video clip Hamlet also said that he’s father don’t deserve this, he also can’t believed that he’s own mother did that to him and his father especially after his death. Hamlet is so worry about his father’s death. In the scene Hamlet is dress up all black, wearing all black is a symbolize of remember someone that death. The thing that I like by the scene that the director did very well at is at the end of the scene when they change Hamlet tone voice, the tone of Hamlet voice came from deep to soft at the end and also the camera angle change each time Hamlet move his body different position. The other thing I noticed is that the colored in the background in the scene is not that bright, the lighting goes with the scene perfect. He is left alone in a room to see the true feelings about his mother’s marriage with his uncle Claudius, his father’s brother. In this scene we find out that his mother married his uncle within a month after his father death, or her husband’s death. From reading this scene we can see that he is not too happy with his mother’s decision to marry. Through his revenge he seems to support his father a lot by saying things like, “So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother that he might not between the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly.” In this quote he is informing us that his father was an excellent king who was so dare and loving to his mother that he would not have let the winds of heaven blow in his mother’s face to hard. We can also see his support for his father and misunderstanding of his mother’s decision through the lines, “My father’s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules.” In these lines Hamlet is saying that his uncle Claudius is nothing like his father and he can’t play the role of the father but he can only play the role of his uncle, which is why he is questioning how his mother could marry within a month, especially to Claudius with is his uncle from he’s father side. I like the background sound or music it’s nice. In the video the hamlet was very sad and he said “O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven; it hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, a brother murder. He was so mad and he express that what his feeling. In the video he was alone in the room and crying, he was very sad and ask own how he killed his brother. And after he married with his brother wife it’s awful. “I stand in pause where I shall first begin.” He tells us he wants to forget every thing he want going back his life. “Why she hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on.” Its mean hamlet talked about his mother and asks own why she did to him or married with him. Her first husband was dead and after she wants to married with Claudius. In the video there is big table near to him and three chairs. Its sound is good and sad. On the table there are two or three books. After that he was go to near to the pillar and he was crying like mad. It’s looks old palace and in the video I saw that one picture its wall painting. Its looks one horse its huge horse and he was walking around over there. Hamlet is suggesting that Claudius will not be an “excellent king” like his father and that Claudius will not be so dare and loving to his mother as to, “not be teem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly.” Shot in black in white, most likely due to the time and lack of technology, but the directors adds the tone of sadness and desperation. It’s donning on him that his Uncle and his mother may have had a hand in the death of his father with was the King. So where does that leave him? He now must live under the same roof as the killers of his father. He’s taking all this in. Before he can be angry he’s got to realize what exactly he’s angry about. Which is why I believe this film version was better than the book cause for me by seems the video clip I can visually most thing in the play better than the reading the book, most people like to leaned by seems thing better than read. The main point is that he have done a narrative, suggesting that what’s being said is what’s in his head, which if given the chance is probably how Shakespeare would have it, since after all a soliloquy is just an opportunity for the writer to show the audience what his character is thinking . Although the actor doesn’t look very young, but with his clean shave and fair hair he definitely looks to be a lot younger, and more youthful. The most important part of this version is the delivery of the lines. Shot in some sort of study or a place to read, Hamlet stalks back and forth in the study just thinking and the lines are spoken with such sadness and desperation. The tone and the flow of the words, makes the listener believe that what’s going on has happened. Hamlet’s very upset and is contemplating his whole life and that those he loved can’t be trusted, and he’s sad about it.
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