OCR A Level English Literature Hamlet Part B essays
All for this textbook (31)
Written for
A/AS Level
OCR
English Literature
Drama and poetry pre-1900
All documents for this subject (290)
Seller
Follow
Kateisabel04
Reviews received
Content preview
Hamlet interpretations
Stage-
Matthew Warctius 1997-
The director used the opening party scene to bring together the main protagonist as the celebrated
the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude.
A sober suited hamlet wandered around the wedding taking a photo of the happy couple using a
polaroid camera which created a photographic print within a few minutes - emphasises the distance
hamlet has between everyone, he is seeing everything through his own Lens, and he is the only one
He gave a letter to Ophelia and share a drink with Laertes- suggests that he has had/ has a
relationship with the family, they know each other, letter links to the rest of the play.
The ghost of old hamlet is no longer in battlements of the castle but drifted into the party wearing a
smoking jacket and led his son to a sit
A follow spot/ spotlight to track the movement of specific actors on stage amidst the party goers
Stage and Screen-
Dorian’s production – David Tennent's
Use of mirror in Gertrude’s closet to reflect reality, after the death of Polonius it is cracked as a
result of his murderous action, he looks in the mirror again at the start of act 5 scene 2.
This production cuts out Fortinbras and is more focused on how hamlet destroys himself
CCTV Cameras-a visual powerful reminder that hamlet is always under a state of paranoia and
surveillance, in which everyone is spying on each other.
The same character plays Claudius as old hamlet, the visual similarities between the brothers add to
the complicated nature of hamlets need to get revenge.
Screen-
In Olivier's 1948 version, much of the brad’s original text was removed to save time, including the
characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. This enabled the film to focus more on hamlet himself
Kenneth Branagh 1996 platinum blonde hair makes him look like Claudius drawing the parallels
between the tragic hero and the Villain, giving the impression that there is less of a distinction as the
play progresses.
Indirectly references the wars beginning in eastern Europe, following the collapse of communist
dictatorships
The ending feature soldiers dismantling old hamlets statue, signifying that one tyranny based on
individual power will be replaced by another and nothing really changes.
, In 1990 Franco Zeffirelli presented a colourful strongly cast version of the play. Set within the huge
stones of a Scandinavian castle, with a charismatic hamlet played by Mel Gibson, His version cut
Fortinbras as well and delivered a highly charged picture of dysfunctional families.
Mark Rylance 1989 Hamlet became known as the pyjama hamlet, wearing pyjamas which drew
parallels with psychiatric patients in a asylum. Feigned maddens or made by a rotten world.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Kateisabel04. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.89. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.