The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2008 production of Hamlet provided a modern adaptation of this timeless Shakespeare play. This production starred David Tennant as an emotive and vengeful Hamlet and Patrick Stewart as the cold and calculating Claudius. The play was later filmed for DVD, which added further nuances to the production through the creative use of camera angle, point of view, and film medium. Whereas the written version allows for a variety of interpretations into the state of Hamlet’s mind, Hamlet’s interactions with the ghost, changes in speech placement, and the delivery of key lines brings a distinct clarity to the character.
This film production provides very little ambiguity into the nature of Old Hamlet’s ghost. While it …show more content…
Throughout much of this act Polonius and Claudius are hidden and observing Hamlet’s actions, however, the film seems to suggest that Hamlet is aware of them. When Ophelia attempts to return her love letters from Hamlet to him, Hamlet begins to rant that Ophelia would be best served by retreating to a nunnery. His speech is suddenly cut off when he asks Ophelia “Where’s your father?” (Doran, “Hamlet”). As he asks this, Hamlet looks accusingly up at the security camera in the room as if he knows he is being watched. The next several lines are addressed to the security camera and for the rest of the scene Hamlet looks meaningfully over to Claudius and Polonius’ hiding place. By establishing that Hamlet is aware of their presence, it is clear that Hamlet is choosing his words for their benefit.
As Hamlet continues to rail against Ophelia, he ends his speech with a direct declaration to his hidden uncle. Hamlet proclaims his disdain for marriage and states: Go to, I’ll no more on’t; it hath made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages: those that are married already, all but one, shall live; the rest shall keep as they are. (Doran,
This film production provides very little ambiguity into the nature of Old Hamlet’s ghost. While it …show more content…
Throughout much of this act Polonius and Claudius are hidden and observing Hamlet’s actions, however, the film seems to suggest that Hamlet is aware of them. When Ophelia attempts to return her love letters from Hamlet to him, Hamlet begins to rant that Ophelia would be best served by retreating to a nunnery. His speech is suddenly cut off when he asks Ophelia “Where’s your father?” (Doran, “Hamlet”). As he asks this, Hamlet looks accusingly up at the security camera in the room as if he knows he is being watched. The next several lines are addressed to the security camera and for the rest of the scene Hamlet looks meaningfully over to Claudius and Polonius’ hiding place. By establishing that Hamlet is aware of their presence, it is clear that Hamlet is choosing his words for their benefit.
As Hamlet continues to rail against Ophelia, he ends his speech with a direct declaration to his hidden uncle. Hamlet proclaims his disdain for marriage and states: Go to, I’ll no more on’t; it hath made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages: those that are married already, all but one, shall live; the rest shall keep as they are. (Doran,