Hamlet : Thinking Activity

Hello! Readers, 

                 Welcome in my blog. Here I tries to give some questions's answers as a assignment submission task by Dr. Dilip Barad sir about the play ' Hamlet ' by Shakespeare. Here I put my view on the movie and original play Hamlet. So, I hope you will enjoy.

● Question 1

How faithful is the movie to the Original play?

                        According to my opinion the movie Hamlet by Kenneth Branagh is much faithful to original play. Because Kenneth Branagh put all dialogues, characters and scenes to the original play. Kenneth Branagh is only one of the movie maker that he put all scenes and dialogues of the original play. He breaks the rules of Greek tragedy of Time. Because in this movie he put all dialogues speaking by characters. And also he put all scenes that Shakespeare put in his original play.  But we find out that the setting of the movie is totally different. 

In original play we find out the setting of 12th century. But in movie Kenneth Branagh used the setting of time of Victorian era. We see in movie the costumes of King and queen is totally different. And also the Elsinore castle is totally different. In the movie Kenneth Branagh put the castle setting with full of luxurious things but on the other side Shakespeare put the setting in original play of 12th century. We can not find out this type of luxurious things in 12th century.  So, according to my opinion the movie is not hundred percent faithful to the original play. 

● Question 2

After watching the movie, have your perception about play, character or situation changed ?

                      Yes, definitely. After watching movie my perception about play, character and situation is changed because as we discussed in class about original play sir said that the movie is so long, that's why generally audience get boring. So I was very exciting to see that how movie is and also some critic said that the plot of the movie is loose. So after watching movie I find out that the movie is long but I get not boring because Kenneth Branagh used the setting of the play different rather than original play. He put Elsinore castle of the time of Victorian era with full of luxurious things that I like much. Another perception about characters. So, for that before watching movie I didn't know that after rejection of the Hamlet, Ophelia became mad and one confusion was that Ophelia did suicide or her death was natural. But after watching movie I see that Ophelia became mad and she did suicide. We can not surely says that Ophelia did suicide but some proof indicates that she did suicide. Another character is Hamlet and Ghost. In original play Shakespeare put the character of Hamlet is young but in movie I see the Hamlet is not so young. And also ghost in the movie is totally different than my imagination. So, these is all my perception that changed after watching movie. 

Question 3

Do you feel 'Aesthetic delight ' while watching the movie ? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no,can you explain with reason?

                       Yes, obviously.  I feel aesthetic delight in some scene in the movie. First scene is that in the starting of the movie when camera focused on the luxurious and beautiful shining things in the Elsinore castle and all did party in the main hall in castle. The another second scene is, when Hamlet met first time to the ghost in dark jungle

The third scene is that, when Hamlet continuously make fun of Ronencrantz and Guildenstern. The other scene is that the last scene of the movie, when Hamlet gave poison to Claudius because throughout the movie we see that Hamlet is in confusion that he murderes his uncle or not. But at the end of the movie he killed his uncle. 

● Question 4

Does Screening of movie help you in better understanding of the play?

             Yes, the movie screening help a lot in my better understanding because before watching movie I was in some confusion that how Hamlet murdered his uncle. After watching movie this concept is very clear in my mind. The another point is that before watching movie I didn't know that Ophelia became mad after the rejection of Hamlet. But after watching movie I knew that. The most important thing is that before watching movie I was in confusion about the plot of the play and one concept in the movie is that play within the play that I didn't understand how it played a role in movie but after watching movie all concept of the plot is very clear. 

Question 5

Was there any perticular scene or movie that you will cherish lifetime ?

               There is one beautiful qaute in the movie that I cherish lifetime. The qaute is,

              " To be, or not to be: that is the question."

            Generally this dialogue is spoken by Polonius in the movie. Because he was in doubt that Hamlet was really become a mad or not. He believes that Hamlet was not mad but he did only action of becoming mad because he want to find out tge murderer of his father. The another qaute in the movie that I will cherish lifetime. The qaute is that,

         " There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. "

● Question 6

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

                  In the beginning of the movie camera focused on the large statue of the king Hamlet, it symbolise that the big and huge empire of king Hamlet. The movie endind with the same statue, the camera focused on hammered down statue of the king Hamlet, it symbolise the fall down of the empire of King Hamlet. Because at the end of the play we see the new empire of FORTINBRAS. The prince of the Denmark Hamlet, Claudius, Polonius Laertes all dies at the end of the play. The new ruler of Denmark is Fortinbras. Another meaning of fall down of status is that the fall down of human being. 

● Question 7

While studying the play through movie,  which approach do you find more applicable to the play? why? Give reason with illustration. 

                While studying the play through movie I was finding the the moral approach in the play. Because throughout the play Hamlet was in confusion that his uncle of the Murderer of his father or not. But for that he played tricks and did clear that his uncle Claudius is the murderer of his father. He decided to kill his uncle but he see his uncle to do pray.

Hamlet think that if I kill him in this moment then he go in heaven that Hamlet never wants. The other scene is that the scene of Grave digging. Where Hamlet spoke soliloquy. 

Question 8

Which of the above approaches appeal you more than other ? Why ? Give reason. 

                   I would like to put The Psychological approach because we see that throughout the play Hamlet is in confusion that his uncle is the Murderer of his father or not. He was not able to kill his uncle after he knew that his uncle is the Murderer of his father. He got one chance to kill his uncle but at that time he saw that his uncle did pray. Hamlet thought that if he kill him then he go in heaven. In the starting of the play Hamlet tried to find out the Murderer of his father. For that he does acting like become mad. We find out feminist approach in both Ophelia and Gertrude's character. Other Philosophical approach. Hamlet think a lot for the murder of this uncle. And throughout the play we find out philosophical soliloquies through the voice of Hamlet. 

Thank you....