Monday, March 21, 2011

Ravix Dupervil Hamlet Video

Ravix Dupervil

English 12 cp period: 1

Ryan Ghallgher


“To be or not to be”


Branaugh version portrayed Hamlet the best because he spoke very softly which makes the audience pay closer attention so that we can hear every word that is said and everything in the video made sense, he is in the right place where it seems to be more appropriate due to the mansion, gigantic mirrors and marble floor in a very polished place. This version of hamlet show a lot more thought and emotion in his speech which made the acting much more believable. The video starts off Hamlet looking at himself in a large mirror which is very interesting how the camera is filming the mirror instead of the real actor, i think the mirror represent life or The mirror plays on hamlet insanity, confirming that he is not afraid to kill himself and is not afraid to see himself of what he has become. The camera angles that was chosen in this version was very good and effective, the camera start out being still and as hamlet is speaking it gets closer to to the mirror and With him looking into the mirror it is almost like he is visualizing himself doing the deed of killing his uncle or himself, later on Hamlet pulls out his dagger with such speed and force like he is about to do something with it. This also ends up scaring Polonius and Claudius who are in this version watching him behind the mirror, he points it toward the mirror as if he is going to kill himself or perhaps to hamlet he does not see a reflection of himself but a reflection of claudius as if he is going to kill him. Whats very interesting in the video is that the director chooses to put Claudius behind this two-way mirror so that he sees the dagger being pulled out towards him. Also, the mirror between Claudius and Hamlet seems to signify some sort of barrier that is stopping Hamlet from completing the murder. Hamlet is very unsure of himself in this soliloquy he consider whether he should commit suicide or seek revenge for his father’s death. The idea of suicide and death is an important theme in all of William Shakespeare's books.. This soliloquy is a summation of all of Hamlet's emotions throughout the play. In his speech his character is clearly shown that he is insane and shows that he thinks too much, he plans to kill claudius, but does not because he says "Whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking too precisely on th'event -A thought which quartered hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward -I do not know Why yet I live to say this things to do" (4, 4, 39-44). He sees himself as being a coward or over thinking his actions for not killing Claudius when he had the chance to but he did not do it, also he is unsure and confused on whether he should commit suicide or not to endure all of these pains because he thinks that if he chooses death and kill himself all his pain and heartaches would end. he doesn't know how to go about this revenge and that maybe it would be better just to die then he would not have to worry about Claudius or any other aspect in his life that bothers or causes him stress With the death of his farther and the hasty remarriage of his mother to his uncle, which causes Hamlet into a frustrated state were he lashes out at evil he sees and then relapse into a suicidal misery. But the only thing that is keeping him from death is what lies behind death "dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will" (3, 1, 78-80) he wonders about the nature of his death and thinks for a moment that it may be like a deep sleep, which seems at first to be acceptable until he speculates on what will come in such a deep sleep in which could be more nightmares and more suffering. When we die we go someplace where we are not familiar of and join people whom we are not familiar with. He believes that life is synonymous with suffering. The "whips and scorn of time, Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of disprized love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th'unworthy takes" (3, 1, 70-74) are all the sufferinghe sees in life.