To be or Not to be....a Movie Director

1.     1.    The imagery that refers to the uncertainty of death is

1.    "'Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep, / To sleep-perchance to dream- ay, there's a rub;"(3.1.63-65).

2.    "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/ When we have shuffled in off his mortal coil..."(3.1.66-67)

2.    Identify imagery that refers to the negative experiences of life is

1.    "...a sea of troubles," (3.1.66)

2.    "...mind to suffer..." (3.1.58)

3.    "The heartache and the thousand natural shocks" (3.1.63)

3.    Appeals: Which appeal(s) does Hamlet use to convince and/or motivate his audience?

·         Pathos: Appeal to the emotions or interest of the audience

o    The following quotes help to convey how Hamlet feels about life and how he appeals to the emotions and interests of the audience. He makes us know his feeling by what he says in a dramatic way.

o    “To be, or not to be: that is the question:”(3.1.56)

o    “The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,” (3.1.58)

o    "To grunt and sweat under a weary life," (3.1.78)

o    “Be all my sins remember’d” (3.1.90)

·         The significance of all of these literary devices is to emphasize how strongly Hamlet feels about life and death. If these devices weren't in there, the soliloquy would be very boring and pointless to the point that the reader or audience would fall asleep. The primary metaphor Hamlet uses is "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?" (3.1.58-61) This metaphor is very important in the impact it has on the audience how much emphasis it puts on how hard life is in the world. Hamlet is trying to get across towards the audience is that death is inevitable and will come to all. Dealing with loss is a hard thing, but we have to deal with it because life goes on and your loved ones that are gone now wouldn't want you to mourn them forever, they would want you to move on and live your life in a better way.

 Today I watched several different versions of Hamlet's soliloquy on youtube.com You all my devoted readers know how much fun it is to watch videos on YouTube. You should see all those funny super cat videos. I'm sure the King of England would thoroughly enjoy that hahaha. But alas my guilt got worse and worse as I watched each video. In Kenneth Branagh's version of the To be Or Not to be soliloquy, He is very quietly whispering as if thinking out loud as he stands in front of the mirror in which I am behind. He has some make up on his face as seen by the light rosy hue on his cheeks. As usual my son Hamlet, is wearing his dark black cloths as if still mourning. I see his face through the mirror as he quietly talks to himself, as I listen my heart is beating normally, but when he takes out the sword, my heart starts beating dramatically! I felt as if he was gonna stab me right through the mirror! I was relieved when he put down the sword!

In Laurence Olivier's version, Hamlet as Laurence Olivier there is rushing water. He is doing a monologue because I'm not there and neither is anyone else. He's by himself on top of a tower by the ocean just like a tower that Rapunzel might have lived in except that there were stairs leading to the top. And in this version, Hamlet had a small dagger instead of a sword as in Kenneth Branagh's version. Also in this version, Hamlet is wearing a prince outfit, and since the video is black and white, I cannot tell if he is wearing make-up or not but I suspect he is since most actors and actresses do to bring out their looks and facial features. There is a focus on Hamlet only, and not much of the background except for the sound of the rushing waves against the cliff. This made me feel guilty in the way Hamlet described "...a sea of troubles" (3.1.66) which hit the very core of my being all the way towards the good part in me which made me feel awful about the deed I have committed!

In Mel Gibson's version, Hamlet as Mel Gibson there is the sound of steps as Hamlet walks down the steps towards the tomb of my brother, the older Hamlet. Also there is monologue again to himself because as I said before, I'm not in the room or in the scene at all, and no one else either for that matter. There are no props used in this version unless you call the tomb stone of my brother a prop hahaha..... sigh as days go by I feel guiltier and guiltier about the murder...Uhh but let us get back to Mel Gibson's acting. Just like Kenneth Branagh's cloths of mourning, Mel Gibson was wearing similar cloths in the color and mood he gave off as gloomy and mournful. I think He had some make up on and had a nicely groomed beard. There is a focus on Hamlet's face to show the emphasis on his emotions and to get the audience to feel the same things Hamlet is feeling in his soliloquy.

In Ethan Hawke's version, Hamlet as Ethan Hawke there is some background music to keep the reader attentive on the tone of Hamlet's monologue. He is walking through the aisles of a Blockbuster video rental store. He starts out by walking through the action aisle which is ironic in that Hamlet has done nothing yet to expose me as the murderer of his father the Older Hamlet. He has on casual clothing and a hoodie on his head to imply that it is cold outside. He has no make-up on that I can see on him. There is a focus on him and the background so that the audience gets a feel of the setting as he walks and can see the irony in his words. This version in particular made me feel guilty and anxious as to when Hamlet will confront me on murdering his father...I hope never, but alas, he will do it eventually...

The Kenneth Branagh's version is the most effective because he produces a real fear in me when he points the dagger at the mirror in which I am right behind fearing for my life. I feel that inspiring fear in me is most vital to make the delivery seem so real and personal at the same time that I quiver in my shoes. He had the expression of a mad man as he does all the time now a days on his face when he gripped the dagger as if he would at any second stab me through the mirror. If he hadn't made me fearful there would have been no impact and the soliloquy would have been unmoving and pointless.

There are very few things I would have changed about Kenneth Branagh's version of the soliloquy because he did it in such a fashion that made me fearful for my life. I would have changed his facial expression to one more of a scolding and murderous intent than that of a sad mournful little boy who can't get over his father! I mean like come on, its been more than four months, get over it already! He asks like such a baby that I'm surprised he wants to kill me! Haha he's just very ridiculous! That is the only thing I would change so that the mood is more dark and eerie and more terrifying that it inspires fear in the hearts of the audience as it did in mine. 

~Claudius