To Be or Not To Be

There is a whole collection of versions when it comes to Hamlet. Everyone has a different way of interpreting the scenes, such as the director of the modern version of Hamlet, Almereyda. The main focus for today would be Hamlet's soliloquy, 'To Be or Not To Be'. 

The beginning of Oliver's version started with a menacing rumble  alongside a black and white setting which helped create a distressing aura. Hamlet starts out sitting at the top of the castle holding a dagger, contemplating whether to commit suicide or not. Almost a minute into the soliloquy, Hamlet closed his eyes and mouth, raised the dagger, and juggled between the ideas of death and eternal sleep. He sat on the edge, almost as if he is ready to jump, before the music intensified. As he drifted off in various thoughts, the dagger slipped from his hand and fell into the crashing waves. He walked away, making up his mind that living through the pain is worth it. This actor portrays the scene perfectly and you can plainly hear the helplessness in his voice.  

Zeffirelli's version took place in the dark and abandoned catacombs of the castle. He strolled around the room and questioned his existence as he observed the dead. This version wasn't so bad, but it did lack music. The catacombs and the darkness allowed for an amazing set but the lack of music felt odd. It was almost too quiet.  

Branagh set a different mood in the third version opposed to the previous two versions. This version was illuminated and took place in one of the castle hallways. Soft music slowly intensified and played in the background as Hamlet spoke to himself in the mirror. Unaware that he was being spied upon by Polonius and Claudius, Hamlet steadily walked towards the mirror and spoke to himself. You would think he was a mad man by the way he drew a dagger out and rested it on his head. I enjoyed this version of the soliloquy, even though it wasn't as suspenseful as the first version by Oliver. Branagh brought something new to the table and he introduced a calmer interpretation that was still extremely powerful. It showed Hamlet starting to express his madness which I thought was fascinating. 

The last version by Almereyda was a little disappointing because of how modern it was. Hamlet seemed to be in a Blockbuster, roaming down the action isles with a dazed look painted on his face. The orchestral music went along well with Hamlet contemplating death but there still felt like there was an emptiness in the scene. Action movies with gunshots playing on the televisions added to what Hamlet was contemplating but the actor did not seem fit for this role. He didn't show the pain and confusion like the other actors did in previous versions which was kind of a setback.