Comparing Two Versions Of Hamlet Act III, Scene I

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The two versions of Hamlet, that I compared for Act III, Scene i are Hamlet starring Mel Gibson released in 1990 and Hamlet staring Kennith Branagh released in 1996. Theses two were interpreted differently even though they followed the play written by William Shakespeare somewhere between 1599 and 1602. Both of these recreations were set in Denmark in a royal palace. However, scenery was different and so was costume design.

In Act III, scene i of Hamlet starring Mel Gibson, Gibson is in a dark dungeon looking area where his father's sarcophagus is. Hamlet is dressed in all black, almost in a knightly attire. The background shows skeletons and dirt floors with stone walls. Gibson moves about the stage and speaks as though he is confused and tormented during his soloquey. He kneels next to the sacophagus of his father during the speech about dreaming in death. There is a sense of empathy from the audiance because is is so torn from his thoughts. He meets with Ophelia and she wants to return belongings of his, he denies giving them to her and states he …show more content…

Branagh is in a foyer of a palace, with bright lighting and mirrors everywhere. Behind one of the mirrors is Poloius and Claudius. In this version, Hamlet is dressed in a dressier attire, black suit with white shirt and cleaner fashion. Hamlet walks up to the mirror, the other two men are behind and starts the "To be or not to be," speech. He speaks in a harsher tone than Gibson, and the camera play is though Hamlet is preaching the speech to himself, all the while knowing the other two men are behind the mirror. This in one way Hamlet can take his claim on acting crazy. He even pulls out the dagger and points it at the mirror in a threatening fashion. After his speech he also meets up with Ophelia and this version follows the play. He is much more forceful and harsh to Ophelia than in the Gibson

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