To Be Or Not To Be

Olivier's Version-  

 As I was watching this version I picked up on some of the symbols that were placed in it. As Hamlet says the line "Or to take the arms against a sea of troubles" he is actually laying on a cliff that is by the sea. When hamlet realized that he was not going to kill himself he ended up dropping the dagger off the cliff into the water. As Hamlet was describing that he was emotionally on the edge, he also was physically on the edge. The setting is very foggy and makes you mysterious about if he is going to kill himself or not. The way he presents his words in this version also adds up to the mystery. He would talk and then it would switch to internal talking. It seemed as though he was talking to himself at points.  

Zeffirelli's Version- 

Hamlet was wondering around a catacomb while presenting this speech. In his speech he realizes that he does not know what happens after death and as he realized that he happened to be looking at the dead bodies around him. He was looking at them and wondered what they felt like and what happened to them now. Hamlet was also talking up to the light as if he was talking to god to answer his prayers and help him. He would speak with anger in his words then switch to a very low tone when his emotions would change. They were back and fourth with anger and sadness. 

Branagh's Version- 

Branagh had Hamlet looking at himself in the mirror with the dagger in his hand at a castle. It showed that Hamlet was literally talking to himself. As he would walk towards the mirror the music came to be more noticeable. He holds the dagger to his face and then touches the mirror, he then pulls away when he notices that he is not the only one there. This version shows Polonios and Claudius hiding behind the mirror spying on Hamlet just like they were told in the actual play.  

Almereyda's Version- 

This version is very modern, Hamlet is speaking while he is in a DVD store. He happens to be walking up the aisle for action and does not take a movie. Hamlet is only thinking and fails to take action Which means that he has failed to take action which relates to what has been going on, He has not done anything that he wanted to after speaking to the ghost yet. In the back of Hamlet walking there is a movie playing that is about someone coming back from the dead for revenge. It is just like what the Ghost did, he came back to tell Hamlet so he can do something about it.  

I believe that there are so many versions of this play because people see the play differently. Everyone has their own opinion and we view things differently. Zeffirelli's version is still the best in my opinion. The way the characters present their lines in this play pulls me closer and gets me more interested.