Thinking activity on Hamlet.

Hamlet is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare in English literature. We have seen movie Hamlet directed by Kenneth Branagh on 30th Aug, 2018. Film is adaption of Shakespeare 's play Hamlet

Major characters of Hamlet :

1.king  Hamlet - Father of Hamlet.

2. Prince Hamlet - son of the late king.

3. Gertrude - Queen of Denmark.

4. Claudius - king of Denmark.

5. Polonius - The lord Chamberlain.

6. Laertes - son of Polonius.

7. Ophelia - daughter of Polonius.

8. Rosencrants &Guidenstern  - friend of Hamlet.

• How faithful is the movie to the original play ?

I think that movie  is much faithful  for me because I have not read original full book of Hamlet by Shakespeare. But, after disscusion during the movie screening I can say that many scenes are added by director which are not described  in real Play.

Ex :  In Shakespeare  Hamlet there is not a statue and camera roll on statue but, it is happened in film.

• Film showed the glory of kingdom but in book we don't find any type of writing about court relates.

• Kenneth Branagh had showed  the physical relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia but in play it is not mentioned and in original play we can't find any type of detail about dressing sense and in film all courtyards with good cloths.

• After watching the movie, have your perception about play, characters or situations changed ?

Absolutely yes, after  watching the movie my perception about play, characters or situations are changed. Before watching movie my imagination was a little bit different. Because I thought that as a young prince Hamlet was looking good and as a prince of Denmark he will be very attractive person but in movie I don't find him as my imagination .in film I found that Hamlet is a older than my imagination. Mirror scene was beyond my  imagination.

               

        My imagination about ghost was not good but as a fearful person and a scared out looking. But in film the ghost of Hamlet' s body structure  was good.

• Do you feel aesthetic delight while watching the movie  ? If yes, exactly  when did it happen ?If no,  can you explain with reasons ?

                       

Yes,  I feel delight while watching movie.when gravedigger were digging the grave of Ophelia and they were singing song. This scene was more delighted  for me.

• Do you  feel "catharsis " while or after watching movie ? If yes, exactly  when did it happen  ? If no, can you  explain  with reasons ?

 Yes,  I feel catharsis  during the movie  screening.

 A. Hamlet's very bad and cruel behaviour with Ophelia.

B.  When Hamlet was in depression  about her mother's marriage  within couple of months with his uncle. 

C.  When king Claudius and Laertes both were decided about fencing fight at that time Gertrude come and said that ;

"your sister's drowned, Laerters".(Iv,vii)

D . Polonius Death due to Hamlet's misunderstanding. 

E.  When king Claudius repenting at that time Hamlet thinks to take revenge rather than do work? 

• Does screening of movie help you in better understanding  of the the play  ? 

Yes,  screening  of movie help me a lot in better understanding  of the play because in play we can't  see facial expressions ,dressing sense, movements of characters. But in movie we can see many type of facial expressions like Anger, pity, fear, smile.

I think that everything is not covered  through only reading  so it is necessary to watch movie.Everyone can't read original play because of it is too bulky. So it is better to watch movie to know about the structure of play. After watching movie my imagination is little bit changed and I can better understood the play. And also with the help of movie screening I can write about questions 's answers through  the imagination. 

• Was there any particular  scene or moment in the movie that you will cherish literature  ?

Yes,  when gravedigging scene was coming at that time Hamlet came and said that ;

" I loved Ophelia ,forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum- what will thou do for her? (Act v ,scene I) 

At   first time we find that Hamlet brcame rude with Ophelia but after her death during her funeral ceremony we found his love for Ophelia. 

• If you are director, what changes would you like to make in the remarking if movie on Shakespeare's Hamlet  ?

As a director of film, first at all I would  like to remove all unnecessary scene.  Ex ;   fencing fight scene was too long. So l will make it short. And as a Hero of the play the character of Hamlet will be stronger than other characters. I would like to shown him as a young prince of Denmark and the character  of Ophelia was also weak in Kenneth Branagh 's play. I will make bold character of Ophelia and change some critical situations. 

• In the beginning of the movie, Canara rolls over the statue of king Hamlet outside the Elsinore castle. The more ends with similar sequence wherein the statue of the king Hamlet is hammered down to the dust  what sort of symbolism do you read in this? 

Actually  ,Before the class discussion  I don't understand the falling statue of king Hamlet. But after class discussion we can say that the "Revenge" is not a right way for moral answer. The falling statue signifies the fall of Empire And the father king Hamlet suggest his son Hamlet to take revenge and he also wanted his murder to be avenged. 

• While studying the play through movie which approach do you find more applicable to the play  ? Why? Give reasons with illustration. 

Here are the approach which I find more applicable  to the play :

# Moral and philosophical Approach. 

# psychological Approach. 

# Feminist  Approach. 

# Cultural  Approach. 

# Mythological Approach. 

# Historical and Biographical Approach. 

I found psychological Approach  is more applicable  for the play. Hamlet don't want to became king but due to his father's  Ghost he decides to take revenge of his father's murder. Hamlet's delay to take a revenge also kind of psychological Approach. In the play Hamlet is suffered from"oedipus complex".He felt hatred for his mother's marriage with his uncle. We found him as a mad person in the play. 

• Which of the above mentioned  approaches appeals you more than others?  Why? Give reasons. 

From my point of view, I think that Feminist Approach should be appeals more than others because  in the play we find female characters are weaker ;

"Frailty, thy name is woman! "(Act I, II) 

Above quote expresses Hamlet's feeling that all women are weak, cheater and the destroyer of men. 

Ophelia is surrounded by powerful men and these men in her life ultimately become the cause of her madness. 

                                                

Gertrude could be viewed as an negative stereotype of women shaped by patriarchal society of Shakespearean time. Within the play she represents many roles like :

• she is hamlet's mother. 

• Queen of Denmark. 

• she is also the widow  of ghost. 

• Claudius's wife. 

So, I think that in Shakespeare 's play women were presented very weaker than men.