Tuesday, May 12, 2009

In the story of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, there are the very famous speeches of all the time. Especially, the line “To be or not to be” (3:1 line 64) that is the most important in the text. That was decided what he would do. A lot of people are still using this sentence today. It made us fell the people who said these sentences are sad. It was also showed us that the person was confused. In the video were acted difference from Kenneth Branagh, Alexander Fodor, and Laurence Olivier. We could see they performed so difference. This speech could express what hamlet’s feeling at that time. We could through the tone and the attitude to criticize the actor performed is good or not. In the video by Kenneth Branagh, he acted before the mirror. I thought that was very propriety as what the hamlet did, because hamlet was asking the question by himself. The mirror was reflected himself. He could ask any question, and the shadow in the mirror was liked listening. That made us thought hamlet was talking to himself. He was confusing what should he does. At the other way, the tone of Kenneth Branagh was also propriety. It was slowly and deep. It made the audience feel the pain in hamlet. In the video by Alexander Fodor, I thought the video inaccurate, especially in this speech. Alexander Fodor speaks too fast. It doesn’t make the audience feel the hamlet was in painful. It also sat there. It doesn’t have a feeling as hamlet in pain. In the video by Laurence Olivier, it also showed it was a good video. I thought that is the good video because there was the good setting. It showed us hamlet was standing before the sea. It also showed hamlet was deciding should live or not live. It also let the audience thought the situation in hamlet. In the book, hamlet thought of commit suicide. “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. To die, to sleep-“(3, 1, 65-68) He was confusing what should he does. It was hard to decide. In the video by Kenneth Branagh, I thought he was act very well. He was staring his shadow in the mirror. He was thinking about himself. It was corresponded the book. The speech was taking to him. If he stared to the shadow in the mirror that was correct. In the video by Alexander Fodor, I don’t think that can show the audience everything about the hamlet, because the light was very bright. It doesn’t feel the pain. And he was speaking very fast. I also thought his emotion was not the hamlet did. In the video by Laurence Olivier, it showed us the good setting as the book “ or to take arms against a sea of troubles.”(3:1 67) That was propriety what the book said. Even though it had showed us the good setting, but compare to the video by Kenneth Branagh, I thought the video by Kenneth Branagh is better. Hamlet only talked to himself. He only used the figure of speech. In the video by Kenneth Branagh, the speech was going on until the line “When he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin?” (3:1 83-84) hamlet took out his knife and appoint to the mirror. Suddenly, the picture was showed the king shock. Hamlet was getting closer to the mirror. That was showed us that hamlet would make the king surprise. The also means the king had felt the terrible from hamlet. The music at that time was also terrible. It made us following the direction by hamlet. When the speech goes on, hamlet was getting closer to the mirror. It was like hamlet go to find out the king after the mirror. It also could reflect to the book. I like the video by Kenneth Branagh because Kenneth Branagh could perfectly control the tone. He also showed us his speaking skill. He was standing in front of the mirror. He was facing himself. He also could perfect express what the hamlet did. He just showed his feeling as he experienced what the hamlet experienced. He could properly strong his voice, and controlled the speed. He made us to following his direction. We could also following the direction of the emotion. At the beginning, I wonder how the setting could was only set by the mirror, but until I watched the whole story and compare to the other two video. I thought the mirror was the most important to be setting. After I understand the whole story, I knew he was talking to himself. He was confusing. He could not make a decision. He could talk to his spirit. And the mirror can reflect him. That was as the spirit as the shadow comes out to the audience’s eyes. We could follow his tone and got more than the book. I also think about the costumes of hamlet. It was like the modern noble gentleman. The light was darkness. It made us feel dark in hamlet’s heart. All in all, I thought the video let me think hamlet will showed me how to effect to the king coming soon. Through the tone I can believe that hamlet would suffer the terrible thing before he accomplishes his revenge. I also can think about the king live hard after that, because he was shocking when hamlet took out the knife. He would worry about hamlet revenge. I think that Kenneth Branagh did a great job in re-enacting the scene from the act three scene one. I think he was success to fulfill the character of hamlet. He performed action more than I can image. It also made me more clearly about the story of hamlet. That was why I think the video by Kenneth Branagh was better than the other two people acted.

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