Thinking Activity-Hamlet

Here, is my blog in regards of Movie screening organized in our Department of English of Hamlet directed and Hamlet's role played By Kenneth Branagh.

 ◆ How Faithful is the movie to Original play?

When the Director takes any literary work for their Movie then he is free to make whatever changes he wants to make. But Kenneth Branagh's adaptation is quite different. He tries to remain 100% faithful to play, that's why the movie is two long. The play presents the Dark age of 12th century Denmark while Branagh makes films with Elsinore Castle  background of 19th century and costumes are also Victorian. We can see luxurious facilities which we cannot find during medieval time.

Second main change he made is Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet who looks middle-aged rather than a young University boy.

Third major change made by Kenneth Branagh is the movie stars and ends with the statue of King Hamlet. Which we can't find in the original play. So we can say Verbally movie is Faithful to play but in setting or basic structure of the play is quite different.

◆ After watching the Movie, has your perception about the play, character or situation changed?

Yes, Of Course Before watching moving there is some image about particular situations and particular characters which are changed after watching the movie. 

There is a general belief that in the movie there are some major and minor characters according to their role play. But Hamlet gave justice to all characters and played different roles which is appropriate to them. So all characters are important in Hamlet.

Second belief is that Hamlet is a Young university boy but Here, Kenneth Branagh himself played a role of Hamlet who is at middle-age.

Third perception about Gertrude that she is very sad and drowned into sorrow because of the death of her husband. But in the movie she is portrayed as being happy about her marriage with Claudius.

◆ Do you feel "Aesthetic delight" while watching the movie? If yes then exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

In Opening scene of Hamlet movie by Kenneth Branagh Elsinore Castle is shown and luxurious life and wealth of people is shown in a very majestic way and Music is also pleasant, where do we feel Esthetic Delight? There is also shown a very big Ice ground and At the End when finally Prince Hamlet takes his revenge with Claudius is the exact scene where we feel an Aesthetic Delight. At one moment when Ophelia's burial is done and Hamlet and Laertes are fighting where at last Hamlet says he loves Ophelia it is too  late but still we feel Aesthetic Delight when he says….

"Forty thousands brothers  

cannot equal to my 

Love(Ophelia)"

◆ Do you feel "Catharsis" while or after watching a movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen and No, then explain with reasons?

Throughout the movie we feel Catharsis for Hamlet whose delay in taking revenge meets the death of Very Philosophical and scholarly hero. 

I also feel catharsis for Female characters who are treated as puppets of Male dominant society.With Ophelia his brother and father behave weirdly like she has no identity to take even her own decision.

◆ Does screening of movies help you to better understand Play Hamlet?

Yes of course, As we all know that human beings' capacity to learn from audio-visual images is far ahead than reading. But we cannot deny the point that reading is also important. Shakespeare uses middle age language for the play which is quite difficult to understand and I am also not able to read the full play. So screening a movie is helpful to make a clear understanding of the play.

◆ Was there any particular scene or moment in the movie that you will cherish for a lifetime?

The whole movie is beautifully explained. It is too long, we can't feel the bored element in it. Hamlet questions for his existence which we can't forget

"To be or not to be"

Throughout the movie his craving for knowing the truth and ideas to know the truth are very intellectual. His speech when play within play is very memorable.His expressions are very natural.I remind him of one dialogue in which he expresses three kinds of emotion, words are said to Laertes by Hamlet…

Except my Life(simple tone)

Except my Life(sad tone)

Except my Life(horrible tone)

His philosophical lessons are life learning. At one hand Horatio says "If your mind deny, obey it"

While Hamlet says "Readiness is all" These scenes show two contradictory situations which we experience in our life.

◆ If you are a director then, What changes would you like to make in the remaking of the movie on Shakespeare's Hamlet?

Kenneth Branagh adaptation for Shakespeare's Hamlet is more faithful than any other adaptation. But if I get a chance to direct a movie then according to contemporary society Ghost scenes should be removed and as victims of Death of King Hamlet we can choose one character who is a faithful courtier of the Empire.

Another change which I can suggest is that the Character Ophelia justice should be given. And we can decrease the time of the movie.

◆ In the beginning of the movie, the camera rolls over the statue of King Hamlet outside the Elsinore castle. The movie ends with the similar sequence wherein the statue of King Hamlet is hammered down to the dust. What sort of symbolism do you read in this?

When the movie starts there is shown a statue of King Hamlet and the Movie ends with the statue of Hamlet hammered down to the Dust which sequence is not mentioned in the play.

Here we can study the Statue of King Hamlet as Symbolism that the fall of a statue signifies the fall of the whole Empire and revenge can never end with Happiness. Kenneth Branagh wants to say that Wealth, money, and even fame  of a king can meet dust at the end. So here Hamlet Ultimate goal to take revenge is completed on the price is death of Prince Hamlet. Which shows the Downfall which is symbolized through statue. Same Idea we can Study in the poem by P.B. Shelley " Ozymandias"

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, 

boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

◆ While studying the play through movie, which approach do you find more applicable to the play? Why? Give reasons with illustrations.

While Play studying trough movie I find Feminist Approach More applicable. Hamlet behaviour with Gertrude and Ophelia is cruel. It proves the patriarchal society and renaissance man belief that 

"Frailty, thy name is woman"

We can never think about this kind of son behaviour with his mother like 

Hamlet's misbehaviour With Ophelia and his words..

"Get thee to a nunnery"

Here, Hamlet has two meanings, he is telling Ophelia that she is pure and impure both. So, I find Feminist approach more applucable.

◆ Which of the above mentioned approaches (in Pre-viewing tasks) appeals to you more than others?Why? Give reasons.

Before watching a movie I find Philosophical and Moral approaches more applicable than any other. Firstly there is Hamlet meeting with Ghost and After that his craving for knew the truth about his father's death. Here he used his philosophy to prove what is right and what is wrong. And his standards of morality are too high on which his mother fails, Ophelia fails, and himself fails during the prayer scene.