The great works of William Shakespeare have been the center of unbounded debates for years since their creations in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the interpretations only continue to expand as time goes on. Hamlet, Shakespeare’s most popular play, portrays the story of the title character’s multiple attempts to avenge the death of his father. With its profuse number of film adaptations, Hamlet raises questions concerning madness, incest, homosexuality, murder and faithfulness. The film versions produced in 1948, directed by Laurence Olivier, and in 2000, directed by Michael Almereyda, provide two varying insights of this classic writing. The version made in 2000, starring Ethan Hawke, takes on a modern twist of the play, integrating current
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Shakespeare’s Hamlet is no exception to this common occurrence. Michael Almeredya took a direction of simplicity in his movie reworking of Hamlet. For instance, madness was not a main player in this film and the characters who had the potential for madness, Hamlet and Ophelia, did not take on such a persona. Hamlet’s character was also not portrayed as a closeted homosexual or someone involved in an incestuous relationship with his mother. By taking a non-controversial interpretation, Almereyda created a film that does not follow many of the most common viewpoints of Shakespeare's writing. Laurence Olivier’s film casts Hamlet as a clever man who does in fact have a method to his madness. Olivier’s depiction of Hamlet favors the opinion of him being a man who consciously chooses to act mad for the benefit of his revenge. He engages in almost normal relationships, keeping consistent with Shakespeare’s portrayal of Hamlet. And the queen remains a complex character devoted to Hamlet, but not so devoted to his father. With concise and accurate interpretations, Laurence Olivier’s construction of Hamlet harmonizes impressively with Shakespeare’s original play and proves there are great methods that go into the writing and later directing of a play or
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is no exception to this common occurrence. Michael Almeredya took a direction of simplicity in his movie reworking of Hamlet. For instance, madness was not a main player in this film and the characters who had the potential for madness, Hamlet and Ophelia, did not take on such a persona. Hamlet’s character was also not portrayed as a closeted homosexual or someone involved in an incestuous relationship with his mother. By taking a non-controversial interpretation, Almereyda created a film that does not follow many of the most common viewpoints of Shakespeare's writing. Laurence Olivier’s film casts Hamlet as a clever man who does in fact have a method to his madness. Olivier’s depiction of Hamlet favors the opinion of him being a man who consciously chooses to act mad for the benefit of his revenge. He engages in almost normal relationships, keeping consistent with Shakespeare’s portrayal of Hamlet. And the queen remains a complex character devoted to Hamlet, but not so devoted to his father. With concise and accurate interpretations, Laurence Olivier’s construction of Hamlet harmonizes impressively with Shakespeare’s original play and proves there are great methods that go into the writing and later directing of a play or