To be or not to be...

Hamlet's soliloquy in Zeffirelli's version takes place in the catacombs under the castle. The setting gives a morbid feel. Gibson/Hamlet is in this place surrounded by dead bodies to get a feeling of death while still being alive. When he says, "The undiscovered country from whose bourn, no traveler returns" he looks at the bones in the wall. He does this because the bones represent the "travelers" that never returned. The lighting in the catacombs are very dim. The only bit of light penetrates from a hole in the ceiling. Under this light, Hamlet stands and says, "And thus the native hue of resolution is sicklier o'er with the pale cast of thought". The light shining on his face makes him look paler as if to convey what he's saying through this gesture. Another subtle thing Hamlet does is when he is saying "That flesh is heir to-'tis a consummation devoutly to be wished". While he is reciting this, he is knelt in front of a tomb with his hands folded. His position makes him look as though he were in prayer. This action is literally represented from his soliloquy.

In Branaugh's to be or not to be scene, Hamlet is merely standing in front of a mirror inside the castle. He doesn't know that Cladius is behind the mirror and is able to see him. This room that Hamlet is in is much brighter than the catacombs in Zeffirelli's version. Another factor that differentiates this scene from the others is the use of props. The prop used was a dagger. Hamlet pulls out his dagger and moves it toward his reflection in the mirror. It is not clear whether or not he knows that Claudius is behind the mirror and if that gesture was directed toward him. He also presses the dagger against his face and points to his head. This action symbolizes the conflict in his own head.


The setting in Almereyda's take on Hamlet's soliloquy, is in a Blockbusters. Hamlet walks up and down the aisles of the action section. The irony in this is the fact that he's in a movie store looking at action movies, and at that same time debating with himself whether or not to kill himself and end his sorrow, but not taking action in making a decision. The screens mounted in the walls of the Blockbusters also played a significant part in this scene. Clips playing from the screens would correspond with the ideas that Hamlet tries to convey.


Olivier's version of this scene made me feel uneasy. I don't really like black and white movies and this version was the only one without color. That isn't very relevant but it differentiates itself between the other versions of Hamlet's soliloquy. This scene takes place at the top of a cliff where Hamlet could've easily jumped. Like in Branaugh's adaptation, this Hamlet had a dagger too. He also points it to his head as if to take action right then and there but then he stops and rationalizes his decision. Some of the dialogue was done in his mind as narration. As this narration occurred, the camera began to zoom in on Hamlet's head. This emphasized the thoughts going on in his mind. The choice of music was very old school. It was the kind that made me feel uneasy. I guess that added to the effect of morbidness.

Hamlet: The First Ghost Scene

The first version of the ghost scene by Zeffirelli was set in medieval times. I feel that Mel Gibson portrayed Hamlet well. His reaction to the truth of his father's death was very dramatic. The ghost of King Hamlet made gestures that portrayed extreme desperation. His pale complexion and the light from the moon made a haunting effect. The music in the background played very softly for the audience to concentrate more on the dialogue. The director didn't use intense special effects in this scene. It was very to the point. Overall, I liked this version over the other two because of the dark, eerie, and haunting effect.

Branagh's interpretation of the ghost scene was set in the 18th century. The ghost of Hamlet's dead father appears outside the castle wearing battle armor like in Shakespeare's play. The special effects that involved the ground shaking and splitting and exploding were unnecessary in my opinion. Hamlet's narration while he was running through the woods was obnoxious too. The ghost looked and sounded much ghastlier than Zeffirelli's. His eyes were a grey-blue and his complexion was very pale, as if he actually had risen from the dead. His voice was very soft while he spoke to Hamlet. He was whispering, but you felt a sense of suspense. The flashbacks also went along with the dialogue but I felt like it wasn't necessary. The ghost was more unearthly and haunting in this version but the special effects kind of brought down the scene.


In the third version directed by Almereyda, the setting was much more modern. It was a modern day Hamlet but the dialogue was straight from the play. I found this version interesting because of the use of Shakespeare's modern english in the present day. No special effects were used. Hamlet and his father's ghost were just in a hotel room. In this version, the ghost of King Hamlet is holding a handkerchief that he consistantly presses against this ear. This use of a prop symbolizes the way he died. Playing on the tv in the background is a video of young Hamlet and his father. Since Hamlet is a film student in this version he has this recording on the television. This could symbolize their close relationship. King Hamlet does make physical contact with Hamlet in this scene. But towards the end when he reaches for his son, just before he can touch him, he disappears. This was common in all the versions of the ghost scene.