Sima's Blog: HAMLET - THINKING ACTIVITY

Hello Readers,
Welcome to My Blog, here I'm going to discuss about the questions related to the movie "HAMLET" directed by KENNETH BRANAGH

KENNETH BRANAGH

Branagh's interview on Hamlet

SIR KENNATH CHARLES BRANAGH is a Northern Irish Actor, Director, Producer and Screenwriter. BRANAGH trained at THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART in LONDON. He is best known for his film adaptations of "SHAKESPERIAN" plays. After a brief introduction of KEENTH BRENAGH let's discuss about the questions related to the movie "HAMLET".

Trailer of the movie Hamlet by Keeath Branagh

1). HOW FAITHFUL IS THE MOVIE TO THE ORIGINAL PLAY?

The movie is very faithful to the play, though BRENAGH made some changes in it but the changes made the movie more beautiful and a masterpiece.

2).AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE, HAVE YOUR PERCEPTION ABOUT THE PLAY, CHARECTERS OR SITUATIONS CHANGED?

➡ Yes, after watching the movie my perception about the play, characters and situations changed, when I read the play I was not convinced about Hamlet's delay in taking revenge but after watching the movie I got the complete and perfect understanding of Hamlet's delay.

3).DO YOU FEEL 'AESTHETIC DELIGHT' WHILE WATCHING THE MOVIE? IF YES, EXACTLY WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?

Scene - 3 act - 3

Yes, I did feel 'AESTHETIC DELIGHT' while watching the movie in "PRAYING SCENE" because from the begging of the play we have only seen Hamlet's grief and confusion but for the first time we have seen the true color of Claudius, he himself confesses his crime.

4) DO YOU FEEL "CATHARSIS "WHILE OR AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE? IF YES, EXACTLY WHEN DID IT HAPPEN? IF NO, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WITH REASONS?
➡

LAST SCENE

Yes, I did feel" CATHARSIS " during the last scene, after so much over thinking, pretending of madness and suffering HAMLET becomes free from all the miseries and finds peace and dies a tragic but peaceful death.

6). DOES SCREENING OF THE MOVIE HELP YOU IN BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLAY?

➡ yes, the screening of the movie helped me in better understanding of the play.

7). WAS THERE ANY PARTICULAR SCENE OR MOMENT IN THE MOVIE THAT YOU WILL CHERISH LIFETIME?

Kate Winslet as OPHELIA

➡ All the scenes of the movie were masterpiece but the madness of OPHELIA played by KATE WINSLET is my most favorite scene from the Movie, so realistic, it makes us believe that she is not Kate Winslet but OPHELIA herself. This scene is stuck in my mind and I will always cherish it lifetime.

7) IF YOU ARE DIRECTOR, WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE IN THE REMAKING OF THE MOVIE ON SHAKESPEARE'S HAMLET?

➡ If I would be remaking the movie HAMLET I would show more of Hamlet and Ophelia's relationship and also choose to describe Claudius more cruel who forcefully marries Gertrude and also will choose modern setting for the movie (maybe LONDON).

8). IN THE BEGGING OF THE MOVIE, CAMREA ROLLS OVER THE SATATU OF THE KING HAMLET OUT SIDE THE ELSINOR 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? ( clue : in book IX of 'PARADISE LOST', Satan reflects on hi revenge, descend to? Who aspires must down as low,

As high he soared, obnoxious, first or last, to basest things, Revenge, at first thought sweet, bitter or long back on itself recoils. "I I no King Hamlet's ambition to avenge his death responsible for the downfall of his kingdom which I symbolically pictured in last scenes?)

The hammering down of kings statue symbolizes many things, such as

The hammering down of King's Statue symbolizes that the king's soul is rested in peace because the revenge is taken by Hamlet as he wanted,

It also symbolizes the downfall of Denmark as no one Is left to rule the kingdom.

Yes it is KING HAMLET'S ambition to avenge his death responsible for the downfall of his kingdom, which is symbolically pictured in the Last scene.

9). WHILE STUDYING THE PLAY THROUGH MOVIE, WHICH APPROACH DO YOU FIND MORE APPLICABLE TO THE PLAY? GIVE REASONS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

➡ While studying the play through movie PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH is more applicable to the play,

KEY CONCEPT OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH :

ABUSE,
MISUNDERSTANDINGS.

MAIN CRITICS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH :

SIGMUND FRUIED,
ARISTOTLE,
NORMAN. N. HOLLAND

ILLUSTRATIONS FROM HAMLET :

OEDIPUS COMPLEX AND MACBETHIAN DESIRE IN HAMLET :

Because of his father's death and his mother's over hasty marriage with his uncle Claudius, Hamlets says this lines to his friend Horatio during act - 5 of the scene - 2, we can see Oedipus complex and Macbethian desire in Hamlet's words.

MISOGYNY IN HAMLET :

Hamlet mourners the death of his father and changing nature of women, referring to his mother, Gertrude as she has married his uncle Claudius. To Hamlet's mind women represents frailty, they are breakable, weak and delicate in nature.

Nunnery is a place for pure women who give themselves body and soles to God, a nunnery also means a whore house. Nunnery has a double meaning. Essentially, Hamlet I telling Ophelia that she is both pure and impure. Nunnery was usually another term for a Covent for nuns but was sometimes an Elizabethan euphemism for a brothel.

10). WHICH OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED APPROACHES (IN PRE - VIEWING TASK) APPEALS YOU MORE THAN OTHER? WHY? GIVE REASONS.

PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH appealed me most more than other approaches because it was Hamlet's over thinking which is responsible for his doom, he was a very sensitive noble man, the ghost of his father told him that Claudius killed him but Hamlet wasted his time on investigating about It and in the end he dies with his mother, Laertes, Claudius. He I also responsible for the death of Polonius and madness and death of His lady love Ophelia.

THANK YOU...