Today we are brought together to honor a girl who we all loved deeply, Ophelia. She had a playful and loving spirit that will stay with us forever. Although not everyone agrees that she deserves a proper Christian burial, we think she is entitled to one. Many people believe Ophelia took her own life, but we do not. Gertrude was the only witness to Ophelia's death which raises several questions. If Gertrude was close enough to see Ophelia why couldn't she help her? No one knows exactly what happened to Ophelia in her final moments or any motives she had, or lack there of. Whether Ophelia took her own life or not, she will be missed as her death brings great grief to us all.
Ophelia was dealing with several issues before her demise. Some say she had become mentally ill because of the stress she had to deal with. Ophelia cherished many of the people closest to her. She had to bear the grief of her father's death and the heartbreak from her relationship with Hamlet, which were in some ways intertwined. Although she was loved by many, Ophelia was loved by Hamlet the most. Hamlet's and Ophelia's love was strong yet forbidden. Polonius, Ophelia's father, refused to let her be with Hamlet and advised her to stop seeing him. After doing so, Hamlet and Ophelia's relationship came to an end and Ophelia was overwhelmed with sadness. What teenage girl wouldn't be? Shortly after, Hamlet murdered her Polonius. Ophelia couldn't help but feel responsible for the death of her father. Hamlet blamed his madness for the killing of Polonius which is ironic, because it was a factor that brought madness to Ophelia. The man who stated he would eat a crocodile for her, sadly contributed to her madness. We're all a little crazy in our own way, so seeing what Ophelia had on her plate helps us realize the struggles she was going through.
Ophelia had such a big heart and so much love for the men in her life. Whether it was Hamlet, Polonius, or Laertes, she adored them all. I think that her eventual madness resulted from the demise of the people around her. Ophelia cared about her friends and family so much that she would tend to experience the same emotions as them. If her brother was upset, she would be too, and the same goes for all of the people she loved. That was one of Ophelia's greatest characteristics and it's hard imagining a world without it.
Ophelia was taken from us at such a young age, it's not fair. Her death was so unexpected and tragic. I wish i could have been there to save her. Gertrude is the only person who knows what happened to Ophelia. She was close enough to see her drown but did not help her, this blows my mind. I think it's safe to say that if anyone here had seen Ophelia fall from that tree, they would have done everything in their power to help her. Sadly, I think Gertrude let Ophelia go. She could have possibly disliked Ophelia for dating Hamlet and taking him away from her. Maybe she felt as though she was being replaced as the only woman in Hamlet's life. I know Ophelia was a fighter and wouldn't have given up. Even though she was going through a tough time, I don't believe Ophelia would take her own life. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem and I cannot imagine Ophelia seeing it as a solution.
As we all grieve in our own ways, I hope we can represent Ophelia in our everyday lives through cherishing one another and loving our friends and family as deeply as we can. Every hello with Ophelia made you feel like there would never be a goodbye, but here it is. The worst goodbye any of us will ever have to face. Although it's heartbreaking, Ophelia would be happy that we're doing this together. She's in a better place now that is stress free, safe, and next to her father. I know she'll be watching over us. Let us all say our final goodbyes to this beautiful, cherished soul who deserved way more years than she got. We'll say hello again one day. Rest in peace Ophelia.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Nora- Hamlet's Dilemma
In this scene Hamlet is faced with yet another major dilemma. He is torn because he has to decide between killing his uncle or not. Although he detests his uncle and wants to avenge his father, Hamlet doesn't kill him. Even with the hate he has towards his uncle, I don't think Hamlet should kill someone while they're praying. His uncle was asking for forgiveness when it came to killing King Hamlet, so this means he does feel sorry for what he did. Even though he feels sorry and asks for forgiveness, he asks for it in a way where he will keep everything he gained. He wants to keep the throne and Gertrude, but be forgiven for his sin. I think he is a hypocrite for doing this because if he was really sorry he would give up everything he gained to earn forgiveness. The only motive he had for taking the life of his own brother was to get to the crown, so truly being sorry for what he did should be the equivalent to giving up everything. While his uncle is praying and asking for forgiveness, Hamlet is spying on him trying to make up his mind. There are several times throughout the play where Hamlet is indecisive and over thinks his actions.
Hamlet ultimately decides to not kill his uncle. I think this was the best choice and Hamlet made the right decision. Hamlet is already viewed as crazy, so killing his uncle would hinder his reputation rather than helping it. If Hamlet wanted to become the king, which was the original plan, he cant look like a lunatic in the eyes of the people. If he does want to kill his uncle, he can't do it in a cowardly way. It has to have importance and be eventful for him to keep his promise to his father. I think Hamlet should only kill his uncle if he does not willingly step down from the thrown. By doing so, it would prove that is genuinely sorry for his actions and deserves to live. By forgiving his sins he has a chance of getting into heaven after killing his brother. Overall, Claudius cannot ask for forgiveness without somehow paying for what he has done. He must accept that actions have consequences.
Hamlet ultimately decides to not kill his uncle. I think this was the best choice and Hamlet made the right decision. Hamlet is already viewed as crazy, so killing his uncle would hinder his reputation rather than helping it. If Hamlet wanted to become the king, which was the original plan, he cant look like a lunatic in the eyes of the people. If he does want to kill his uncle, he can't do it in a cowardly way. It has to have importance and be eventful for him to keep his promise to his father. I think Hamlet should only kill his uncle if he does not willingly step down from the thrown. By doing so, it would prove that is genuinely sorry for his actions and deserves to live. By forgiving his sins he has a chance of getting into heaven after killing his brother. Overall, Claudius cannot ask for forgiveness without somehow paying for what he has done. He must accept that actions have consequences.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Nora- To be or not to be
Film 1: Olivier: Olivier's film was the simplest one that we viewed. It opened with a camera shot looking over the side of a cliff with waves crashing onto the rocks below. The scene cut back to this shot a couple times. It contributed to the scene's setting, which was also the simplest. The majority of the scene was filmed at the top of a foggy cliff where Hamlet sat on a rock and gave his "To Be or Not to Be" speech. Hamlet was literally overlooking a sea of emotions. The scene only consisted of one prop, the dagger Hamlet was holding. The simplicity of the set and props used forced the viewers to focus on Hamlet and his thoughts and feelings. The director made sure there was nothing to distract the audience and keep their attention on Hamlet. Another element that directed the viewers attention to Hamlet was the fact that the scene was filmed in black and white. The setting, camera shots, and lack of color in the scene contributed to its simplicity and emphasized the importance of Hamlet's speech. For part of the scene, Hamlet's speech was expressed as his thoughts. His eyes were closed while the camera slowly zoomed in on his face. The camera and narration both stopped when Hamlet's started to rethink his decision. At this point, the music hit a climax and he opened his eyes. He then started his monologue and pointed the dagger away from him. This showed how his thoughts prevented him from taking action.
Film 2: Zeffirelli: Zeffirelli's version was filmed in a tomb in Elsinore Castle, Denmark. By filming the scene in a tomb surrounded by Hamlet's dead relatives, the director can show the results of the decision that Hamlet is considering making. If Hamlet commits to killing himself, he will end up in that tomb as another body. The scene is overall very dark, like the rest of the film. Hamlet starts to reconsider his decision while he is bending over one of the bodies praying. He begins to over think his decision and question what happens after death. The fear of not knowing is ultimately what gets him to change his mind. Throughout the scene Hamlet's emotions change back and forth from angry to melancholy. His emotions vary depending on what he is thinking about doing. Leading up to the climax of his speech he seems very angry and ready to take his life, but when he starts to question what happens after life ("to die, to sleep' perchance to dream") he calms down. In this version Hamlet's reactions show how stressful and emotional it is for him to make this decision.
Film 3: Branaugh: Branaugh's version is very detailed with an interesting setting. It is set in Elsinore Castle with Hamlet looking into a one way mirror. On the other side of the mirror are 2 of Hamlet's friends who are listening and watching. The castle is beautifully decorated with nice tiles and details that can be seen in the mirror behind Hamlet. Throughout the scene, the camera slowly gets closer to Hamlet's reflection. It leads up to the height of Hamlet's speech where he hits the mirror and the people behind get frightened. Also leading up to this point was creepy opera music in the background. Like Olivier's version, Hamlet is also holding a dagger up to this reflection. This film was the only one that involved people other than Hamlet. Ophelia enters at the end of his speech, and he also has his two friends behind the mirror the entire time. Hamlet maintains constant eye contact with his reflection throughout the entire scene and stays very calm, almost whispering. The only point where he is not relaxed is when he hits the mirror. Although Branaugh's version had many elements that drew attention away from Hamlet, it had an interesting concept and way of portraying Hamlet's thoughts. I personally liked the setting and Hamlet's reactions.
Film 4: Almereyda: Film 4 was obviously the most modern, since it was filmed in a Blockbuster. During the scene Hamlet walks through the store with an expression on his face that makes him seem so lost and confused that he could be drunk. He only walks through the action aisle of the store, which was very symbolic. It showed how he was struggling with whether or not to talk action. Like film 1, the scene starts as a mental monologue where the audience can hear what Hamlet's thoughts. While the setting wasn't as dramatic, it was an interesting way to modernize Hamlet. Throughout the entire scene there is dark music that compliments what he is saying. There are also flickering televisions all over the store. This is a representation of Hamlet's mental conflict and the way he keeps going back and forth with what to do. The scene ends with a shot of one of the televisions that has fire on it, while showing this Hamlet say "and lose the name of action." There was also a television showing chaos in the ghost scene. The director uses the scenes on the televisions as symbols for what is happening in Hamlet's life. This was a strong way to end the scene.
There are so many versions of this play because there are so many different ways that you can interpret it and convey its messages. Each director does so in a unique way that overall tells the same story with the same points and ideas. I think this proves that Hamlet encompasses several universal truths that everyone can relate to. My favorite version of the scene was Olivier's because the simplicity of his setting emphasized the importance of the scene. The props, camera shots, and decisions made by the actor enhanced the scene overall.
Film 2: Zeffirelli: Zeffirelli's version was filmed in a tomb in Elsinore Castle, Denmark. By filming the scene in a tomb surrounded by Hamlet's dead relatives, the director can show the results of the decision that Hamlet is considering making. If Hamlet commits to killing himself, he will end up in that tomb as another body. The scene is overall very dark, like the rest of the film. Hamlet starts to reconsider his decision while he is bending over one of the bodies praying. He begins to over think his decision and question what happens after death. The fear of not knowing is ultimately what gets him to change his mind. Throughout the scene Hamlet's emotions change back and forth from angry to melancholy. His emotions vary depending on what he is thinking about doing. Leading up to the climax of his speech he seems very angry and ready to take his life, but when he starts to question what happens after life ("to die, to sleep' perchance to dream") he calms down. In this version Hamlet's reactions show how stressful and emotional it is for him to make this decision.
Film 3: Branaugh: Branaugh's version is very detailed with an interesting setting. It is set in Elsinore Castle with Hamlet looking into a one way mirror. On the other side of the mirror are 2 of Hamlet's friends who are listening and watching. The castle is beautifully decorated with nice tiles and details that can be seen in the mirror behind Hamlet. Throughout the scene, the camera slowly gets closer to Hamlet's reflection. It leads up to the height of Hamlet's speech where he hits the mirror and the people behind get frightened. Also leading up to this point was creepy opera music in the background. Like Olivier's version, Hamlet is also holding a dagger up to this reflection. This film was the only one that involved people other than Hamlet. Ophelia enters at the end of his speech, and he also has his two friends behind the mirror the entire time. Hamlet maintains constant eye contact with his reflection throughout the entire scene and stays very calm, almost whispering. The only point where he is not relaxed is when he hits the mirror. Although Branaugh's version had many elements that drew attention away from Hamlet, it had an interesting concept and way of portraying Hamlet's thoughts. I personally liked the setting and Hamlet's reactions.
Film 4: Almereyda: Film 4 was obviously the most modern, since it was filmed in a Blockbuster. During the scene Hamlet walks through the store with an expression on his face that makes him seem so lost and confused that he could be drunk. He only walks through the action aisle of the store, which was very symbolic. It showed how he was struggling with whether or not to talk action. Like film 1, the scene starts as a mental monologue where the audience can hear what Hamlet's thoughts. While the setting wasn't as dramatic, it was an interesting way to modernize Hamlet. Throughout the entire scene there is dark music that compliments what he is saying. There are also flickering televisions all over the store. This is a representation of Hamlet's mental conflict and the way he keeps going back and forth with what to do. The scene ends with a shot of one of the televisions that has fire on it, while showing this Hamlet say "and lose the name of action." There was also a television showing chaos in the ghost scene. The director uses the scenes on the televisions as symbols for what is happening in Hamlet's life. This was a strong way to end the scene.
There are so many versions of this play because there are so many different ways that you can interpret it and convey its messages. Each director does so in a unique way that overall tells the same story with the same points and ideas. I think this proves that Hamlet encompasses several universal truths that everyone can relate to. My favorite version of the scene was Olivier's because the simplicity of his setting emphasized the importance of the scene. The props, camera shots, and decisions made by the actor enhanced the scene overall.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Film 1: I think the first film we viewed was overall the best representation of Hamlet. The characters, setting, lighting, and camera effects contributed to the success of the scene. The scene was very dark with limited lighting, this kept the ghost of Hamlet's father in the dark and harder to see. I think this element helped portray the ghost as a creepier figure. Setting wise, it was the most accurate as it was set in a dungeon in Elsinore castle. The scene opened with different views of the castle which help set it up. More of the castle is seen towards the end of the scene was Hamlet is going on a rant about the things his father reveals to him. In this version, Hamlet's reaction to everything that was going on was the most believable and was very compelling. When he repeatedly hits his sword against the stones on the roof after watching his mother through the window, it expresses how angry Hamlet really is with the news he now has to bear. The actor playing Hamlet expresses true disgust and rage towards his mother. Hamlet's reply to his father's actions and words proved that his father has a strong influence on him and that Hamlet's love, trust, and respect for his father is intense. Also, the scene ended well when Hamlet closed his eyes and the ghost exited before touching his face. This scene showed how strong the connection is between Hamlet and his father. The setting, along with the character's acting made the first film the most accurate, and the best in my opinion.
Film 2: Although the setting and elements of the second film differed from the first, it still brought a lot to the table. The music is the second film was a huge factor in setting the mood for the scene. The scene opens with loud music that crescendos as the scene progresses. The booming music compliments all the outrageous things that are taking place in the woods, which is where it is set. There are explosions of fire, rocks being thrown and moved around, and large gusts of wind all taking place as Hamlet runs through the forest demanding he see his father. In this version, Hamlet went looking for the ghost instead of being approached by him. He seemed angry when he was first requesting to see his father's ghost. When the ghost finally appeared, he had exceptionally blue eyes, a hood, and a voice that was so demonic and ghostly that is made him seem scary and intimidating. The director of this scene used these elements to emphasize that King Hamlet was talking to his son from the dead. As the ghost describes his death to Hamlet, the scene is cut to a flashback which reenacts the murder. This enables the audience to know what happened, even if they cannot understand the dialogue. I found this to be extremely helpful and smart. The flashback emphasized the importance and grief of the King's death. The ghost vanishes from Hamlet's sight without touching him. After the ghost is gone, Hamlet replies to everything that he has just encountered by giving a powerful speech where he focuses on getting revenge and avenging his father's death rather than grieving over it with immense sadness and anger.
Film 3: The last film we saw was obviously the most modern and had the setting that differed the most. The first 2 films had similar elements where this one was completely different. For example, instead of being the heir to the country of Denmark, Hamlet is the heir to a large company named Denmark. Both characters are dressed as modern men in every day life. Hamlet does not recognize his father's ghost at first. I found it funny that Hamlet let his father into the apartment he was in by opening the door. A part of the setting that contributed this version was the television that was on in the background. By showing chaos on the screen during their conversation, it is a perfect representation of what is happening. This was the only version where ghost actually touched Hamlet. He hugged him before exiting the scene. Hamlet's reaction to everything that he had just experienced was the most controlled. While tearing up, he expressed some of his reactions to what his father had told him, including some feelings towards his mother's and uncle's actions.
Film 2: Although the setting and elements of the second film differed from the first, it still brought a lot to the table. The music is the second film was a huge factor in setting the mood for the scene. The scene opens with loud music that crescendos as the scene progresses. The booming music compliments all the outrageous things that are taking place in the woods, which is where it is set. There are explosions of fire, rocks being thrown and moved around, and large gusts of wind all taking place as Hamlet runs through the forest demanding he see his father. In this version, Hamlet went looking for the ghost instead of being approached by him. He seemed angry when he was first requesting to see his father's ghost. When the ghost finally appeared, he had exceptionally blue eyes, a hood, and a voice that was so demonic and ghostly that is made him seem scary and intimidating. The director of this scene used these elements to emphasize that King Hamlet was talking to his son from the dead. As the ghost describes his death to Hamlet, the scene is cut to a flashback which reenacts the murder. This enables the audience to know what happened, even if they cannot understand the dialogue. I found this to be extremely helpful and smart. The flashback emphasized the importance and grief of the King's death. The ghost vanishes from Hamlet's sight without touching him. After the ghost is gone, Hamlet replies to everything that he has just encountered by giving a powerful speech where he focuses on getting revenge and avenging his father's death rather than grieving over it with immense sadness and anger.
Film 3: The last film we saw was obviously the most modern and had the setting that differed the most. The first 2 films had similar elements where this one was completely different. For example, instead of being the heir to the country of Denmark, Hamlet is the heir to a large company named Denmark. Both characters are dressed as modern men in every day life. Hamlet does not recognize his father's ghost at first. I found it funny that Hamlet let his father into the apartment he was in by opening the door. A part of the setting that contributed this version was the television that was on in the background. By showing chaos on the screen during their conversation, it is a perfect representation of what is happening. This was the only version where ghost actually touched Hamlet. He hugged him before exiting the scene. Hamlet's reaction to everything that he had just experienced was the most controlled. While tearing up, he expressed some of his reactions to what his father had told him, including some feelings towards his mother's and uncle's actions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)