Hamlet Critics Flashcards
Key Critics (18 cards)
Interpretation of Ophelia - Kenneth Branagh and Kate Winslet 1996
- Literally in a straight jacket and her white dress is inappropriate for court, the white dress represents the victim and innocence
The flowers she talks about and gives out are imaginary
Ophelia sits next the mirror in this staging - reflects her madness is genuine
She is an estattic, giddy state rather than angry and unhinged
references to sexual madness
Aspects of Laurence Olivier’s 1948 interpretation
Olivier’s views represents the torment and indecision Hamlet faces internally - being on the edge of madness
‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy is more visually represented, on the edge of a cliff
emphasise the Oedipal relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude, with the climax being the passionate kiss in the closet scene.
Aspects of Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 interpretation
Presents Hamlet as a hero more than any other interpretation but more self centred in his decisions/arrogant
The hall of mirrors setting places emphasis on the appearance vs reality, madness and deception themes
Gertrude is presented as passive, oblivious and underdeveloped
Aspects of David Tennant’s 2008 interpretation
Tennant’s Hamlet is quick-witted, often sarcastic, with a more youthful, frenetic energy than some previous interpretations
RSC uses the CCTV to embody a unique take on spying and control
Gertrude is presented as overtly sexual, Hamlet views her as shallow and lustful. The love between her and Claudius is genuine
Aspects of Andrew Scott’s 2018 interpretation
Focuses on emotion and Hamlet’s repressed rage
Scott’s interpretation of Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia is borderline abusive and aggressive - Ophelia being portrayed as meek
Ernest Jones
Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex
Psychoanalytic study exploring Freudian ideas between Hamlet and Gertrude, presented through the interpretation that Gertrude is overtly sexual and lustful in her marriage to Claudius but still passionately tied to her son.
‘The queen mother lives almost by his looks’ (4.7 126)
Similarities between Ophelia and Gertrude that attracts Hamlet to both - Naive, simple and obedient, they both live up to Hamlets frail view of women
Olivier (1948) adopts this interpretation with an uncomfortably close relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude and a kiss between them in 3.4
John Kerrigan
Remembrance
- The play is about remembering, Hamlet wants to remember his father as his idol/hero
- His father is the embodiment of all medieval kings, hero strong etc. where as Hamlet is the renaissance prince who’s a warrior, lover but a scholar also
-Gertrude wants to escape the memories of love, Ophelia wants to cling onto her old memories of hamlet
‘O, what a noble mind is here o’wethrown’ 3.2
Ophelia returning the love letters reminds Hamlet of his loss which could explain his distressing treatment of her in the nunnery scene.
Hamlet isn’t allowed to return to Wittenberg so is still surrounded by the memories of his father and so can never move on.
John Kerrigan Quote
“Hamlet never promises to revenge, only to remember.”
William Hazlitt
Hamlet is the embodiment of humanity and has experienced every emotion
We see ourselves in Hamlet
Not capable of deliberate action - only in the spur of the occasion
But declines his revenge because it is not perfect, moralises his weakness by confirming Claudius’s guilt
William Hazlitt quote
‘Cannot have his revenge perfect so declines it all together’
Janet Adelman
Hamlet’s principle concern isn’t revenge for his father but feelings towards his mother and his desire to purify her from sin.
ex:
- Gertrude compared to Eve as she’s a traitor in Hamlet’s eyes as he retells Cain and Abel
- Loss of father intensifies relationship with mother
- Closet scene seems like the climax
- Hamlet seems more motivated by Gertrude as opposed to his father
“He that hath killed my king and whored my mother”
Janet Adelman Quote
‘Confrontation between Hamlet and Gertrude is more vivid then any confrontation between Hamlet and Claudius’
Maynard Mack
Madness
-Madness grants people free speech
- Elizabethans believed madness from from an “excess of any passion”
- A character’s madness allows them insight
Maynard Mack Quote
“Privileged in madness to say things”
A.D Nutall
‘The Pleasure of tragedy’
Younger generation find pleasure in characters suffereing - links to death, fears and grief
The closet scene - Polonius’ death 3:4
The death of Claudius - the pleasure of everything coming together. 5:2
Ophelia’s madness 4.5
Gravediggers 5.1
A.D. Nutall Quote
‘The Pleasure of tragedy’
AC Bradley
The tragic hero
- Tragedies are always entered around the hero’s downfall
- Need a meaningful death to complement the build up of tragedy
-Had to be someone high born as a private life does not have the same effect
3.1 Ophelia - ‘O what a noble mind is here o’etherown’
Hamlet death
AC Bradley Quote
‘Tragedy in Shakespeare is always concerned with someone of a high degree
