As promised, I shall begin with a few personal statistics. As I said before, I mark my reading with post-it notes. My colours of choice at the moment are orange and green. For an explanation of the difference, refer back to the post "What's Coming: Theatrical Reviews and NaNo!". Or, don't, and just keep reading this post in ignorance of the life and death meaning attached to the two colours. Seven thespian points to those of you who come up with some intense meaning for the two different coloured post-it notes. Please share in comment form below.
The Stats:
Green Post-It Notes: 6
Orange Post-It Notes: 15
Seen:
Live- Jungle Theatre in Minneapolis; Hugh Kennedy
Film- BBC Royal Shakespeare Company; David Tennant
Note: Perhaps this is obvious, but, ehm, SPOILERS to follow.
I must begin with the performance I saw at the Jungle Theatre, as it was my first introduction to Hamlet. This was quite an experience for me, most especially because it was my first time seeing Shakespeare performed live. I have to say; there is nothing quite like it in the world. I spent the bulk of the performance on the edge of my seat, clinging to every word the actors said. It was utterly fantastic. I was with them for every moment of the show. I went mad with Ophelia, I died slowly with Laertes and Hamlet, and, well, nearly everyone else in the show. I wanted so badly to be up onstage with them, capturing the wondrous and intense tragedy of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
I am disappointed that I had not read the play first, but, when the opportunity arises, one must take it! However, I was able to read the play next; I did not let myself watch any film version or other Hamlet rendition until I had finished it. It was a joy to be reading Shakespeare again. While it took me some time to work through, as I was being very thorough, and maintain a rather busy schedule, it was a wonderful read. Of all the Shakespeare I have read thus far (which, admittedly, is not a whole lot), it is my favourite. I absolutely love the character Hamlet.
The wayward Prince is ever so amusing. His sarcastic and witty personality is quite fun to behold; most particularly his episodes of "madness". Perhaps not the most stable fellow in the universe, and certainly dramatic, but who can blame him? A dead father, not yet cold in the grave, and suddenly your mother is married to your uncle? And, apparently, no one seems to care. One of my favourite soliloquies in here:
"O that this too too sullied flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter. O God, God,
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
[...]"
~Hamlet, I.ii (William Shakespeare)
I love this first introduction to Hamlet's innermost thoughts. And what a revelation they are! What suffering the young man possesses himself of. If only... if only he could end his time in this world. He only wishes to be rid of the pain of his heart. When the death is apparently mere happenstance, there is nothing for Hamlet to do. He can only hope that his own misery will end. The entrance of his deceased father, however, gives him a new outlet for his pain. Revenge.
This portion of the play is also highly interesting, because the tragedy that happened to Hamlet is later mirrored when Polonius is killed. Another death of a father. However, Ophelia and Laertes take this quite differently. Laertes follows a similar path to Hamlet's, though less cleverly. He is hot headed and full of rage, whereas Hamlet allows his pain to fester within, only to come out during agonized soliloquies or chats with his late father. Laertes is brash and unthinking; he will rush in and destroy anything in his path in a search for his vengeance. Interesting to see how Hamlet cleverly sought proof of sorts; one might wonder how Laertes would have reacted to the ghost of his own father. Perhaps attempted, quite futilely, to stab it to death. Granted, it must be admitted that Polonius would not have made a very convincing ghost. If he had ever even reached the point of explaining to his son who his murderer was, or even simply getting a coherent sentence out, it would have been a feat for him that he had never achieved in life.
In contrast to the two young men, Ophelia simply takes a dive off the deep end upon becoming aware of the tragic circumstances. Naturally, she cannot be blamed for seeking solace in complete insanity, considering the brutal death of her dearest father. However, had she had some thought of revenge, would it have prevented her insanity? Perhaps for a while. But vengeance only breeds such madness; it does not cure it.
The ending of the play... How can I put this? Absolutely bloody fantastic! Perhaps that seems incredibly morbid, but how else could it have ended? To have lived further, attempting to sort such a mess... when there truly is no way to come back from what has been done; what further good could have existed? And poor Horatio. That dear fellow was by Hamlet's side to the end.
I must say a few things about the BBC film version from the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) now. David Tennant is utterly fantastic. Admittedly, he was the reason (having seen him in Doctor Who), that I was so excited to watch this version. And my excitement was most certainly well placed. Almost more so than with the live stage version, I hung onto every single syllable. And that is something more difficult to achieve with a screen between you and your audience.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the film version, that differentiated from the stage version, was the way the soliloquies by Hamlet were performed. Through direct camera shots, the affect of Hamlet staring straight at you into your very soul was achieved quite
In summary, I highly recommend Hamlet to anyone with an interest in Shakespeare, or simply the world of theatre. (As though I would read Shakespeare and not recommend it. Ha. How amusing.) The play is wonderfully full of ups and downs; perfect moments of wit and amusement, followed closely by intense tragedy and delicious bouts of madness. Who wouldn't love it?
