Three Of The Many Versions Of Hamlet example essay topic

Hamlet, a tragic play by William Shakespeare, has been appealing to mass audiences for more than 400 years. Why is it that a story about murder, revenge, internal strife, and death lasts so long? Hamlet has even remained the most frequently performed play of Shakespeare's tragedies ever since it was first staged ("Hamlet: A Modern Perspective" by Michael Neill). With modern technology, there are also at least 43 different movie versions of Hamlet.

Even though these versions follow the same plot line and stay close to Shakespeare's written speech, they vary from one another. Three of the many versions of Hamlet are those directed by Franco Zeffirelli (1991) starring Mel Gibson, Kenneth Branaugh (1996) starring himself, and Michael Almereyda (2000) starring Ethan Hawke. The settings of these versions are quite different: a Medieval Denmark, similar to the play itself in Zeffirelli's; a more recent Denmark of the early 1990's in Branaugh's, and a modern twist set in New York City in the year 2000 in Almereyda's. Hence, because of the difference in setting, the versions themselves are different, especially Almereyda's modern Hamlet.

However, the main difference is the portrayal of Hamlet's character. Since Hamlet is a very complex character - feigning madness while having great internal turmoil of committing suicide or murdering his uncle -, directors have different interpretations of Hamlet and how they choose to portray him. Similarities and differences of Hamlet's character are found in these three versions through the scene with his father's ghost, Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy, and the ending of the play. As Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father, he has a mix of reactions and emotions.

In Zeffirelli's version, Hamlet is very terrified by the sight of the ghost, yet he is lured to follow it. He follows the ghost cautiously with his sword drawn, worried of the danger there might be. Hamlet is brought to a high tower where he drops his sword and sits right up against the stone wall. Though it is chilly, Hamlet is sweaty out of fear and breathes heavily.

As he listens to his father tell of his murder and asks his father's ghost some questions, he sheds a tear. When the ghost disappears saying, "Remember me", Hamlet yells angrily that he will remember his father and then falls to his knees in anguish. He has obtained a greater hatred towards his uncle, but is a little scared since he has promised to seek revenge for his father. Accordingly, in Branaugh's version, Hamlet is also scared but his curiosity makes him run after the ghost. He runs through the woods where fog and fire come up from the ground.

When he becomes face to face with the ghost, he stands wide-eyed in utter astonishment. He then listens and speaks with his father's ghost in a state of puzzling bewilderment. As soon as his father's ghost vanishes, Hamlet falls face down into the snow, not able to fathom all that had happened. After a few seconds, he comes to his senses and on his knees he says with passion that he will remember his father, kissing his sword as a pact to do so.

Contrarily, Hamlet in Almereyda's version does not seek the ghost. Seeing the ghost of his father on the balcony of his hotel room, Hamlet opens the door to let him in. Hamlet holds an expression of being scared, surprised, and sad. However, he does not speak a word. When the ghost walks towards him, he walks backwards trying to get away because he is petrified. As the ghost leaves, still not a word is uttered from Hamlet.

Flabbergasted, he is more stressed and uneasy because of all that had happened to him. Any person upon meeting a ghost would be scared to death, but when it is one's father, the reactions would be a little different. The directors have used their imagination, changing a little of what Shakespeare had written, to show how Hamlet would have reacted when meeting his father's ghost. Hamlet's mind is whirling with thoughts in his suicidal "To be or not to be" soliloquy.

Zeffirelli's adaptation changes the order between of Hamlet's soliloquy and his conversation with Ophelia. Hence his monologue incorporates his reaction from his experience with Ophelia. Hamlet at this point is very pensive, melancholy, and a little angry. He feels betrayed by Ophelia, betrayed by his mother for marrying his uncle, and revengeful towards his uncle for killing his father.

With this mix of emotions he doesn't know what to do. In despair, Hamlet thinks of all the quick solutions as a way of not having to deal with his issues. After his long speech, he still does not reach a resolution. Similarly in Branaugh's Hamlet, Hamlet stands in front of a mirror talking to himself in deep contemplation. He has a grave continence and talks with great emotion. He too is not able to take all that has happened to him.

Hamlet leans upon his last resort - suicide-, not sure if it is the ideal time to do so. However, he is distracted in thought when he sees Ophelia and happily goes to speak with her. Quite the opposite in Almereyda's version, Hamlet is at a Blockbuster looking for a movie to rent. He does not speak his soliloquy out loud, but speaks it in his mind (a voice over). He is very solemn and calm as he walks through the Action section looking at the movie covers.

Hamlet is not emotional about his internal conflict. He seems like a person who is so depressed he would take an over dosage of antidepressants to kill himself. Since the settings and eras of the film versions are different, the view of suicide also varies, which leads to different representations of Hamlet. As the play comes to a tragic end, Hamlet is a different and more mature persona. Zeffirelli shows Hamlet looking out his window watching the sunset. Hamlet talks reflectively saying that all he needs is readiness to face life as it comes.

Mentally prepared, Hamlet enters the sword fight with Laertes. He has fun playing around in the competition; he becomes a jesting, lively Hamlet. When Laertes tells him that he is going to die because of the poison, Hamlet is so surprised and shocked that he keeps saying that he is dead. With the last stroke of his energy, he stabs the King and makes him drink the poison - finally taking revenge for his father. Prepared for his own death, he tells Horatio to tell of his story so that the world will know about him.

Likewise, Hamlet also has some realizations of life in Branaugh's adaptation. He uses all his talent to fence with Laertes and when he is cut with poison he chases after him in fury. After all the spectators scurry out, Hamlet is left dying with Horatio. Knowing that Fortinbras and his army are about to capture the castle, Horatio puts the poison cup to lips ready to die with Hamlet.

Hamlet, however, stops Horatio and teaches Horatio that he must live life to its fullest and live on to tell Hamlet's life story. Also in Almereyda's version, Hamlet enters a fencing match with Laertes. He is very sentimental when apologizing with Laertes and is ready to fence. He is no longer the brooding, sullen Hamlet he used to be.

What he and the audience are not ready for is the sudden gunshot from Laertes that hits Hamlet. Hamlet then struggles with Laertes, shoots Laertes, and then takes the gun and shoots his uncle three times - finally killing his uncle. Hamlet falls to the floor exhausted and has many flashbacks of his life. Then he tells Horatio to tell his story as one man's life. As the story ends with many deaths, including the death of Hamlet, the audience is shown the many attributes of Hamlet through different versions.

The differences of the characterization of Hamlet make each film version unique in it's own way. It shows how there is no wrong interpretation of Hamlet. No one really knows how Hamlet really should be depicted, except maybe Shakespeare. Each of these versions showed a different side to Hamlet. Just like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so is the character of Hamlet.