Ophelia's Eulogy

Dearest Ophelia

Not only today, but forever ... may we remember and honor Ophelia's life. Her death is not important and as valuable as the life she lived. A daughter and sister first, friend and acquaintance second. She was survived by a loyal man, Polonius. And a sister to Laertes. Like her father, she put her father and brother's needs and expectations first. Ophelia lived to make her father and brother happy with her decisions,  and everybody else.

Yes, we were alarmed and astonished by her tragic death... but we cannot judge for we were not Ophelia. We appreciate her life more now that she has passed because of the change it has brought upon us. Her story should be revealed by the way she lived, not how she died. When someone you love passes away, there is a strong temptation to remember them perhaps a little too well. Misdeeds are forgotten. Offenses are forgiven. Only the most shining characteristics of our loved one make it into the version of them that we keep when they depart. Ophelia's only mistake that she forgot to take care of herself. Ophelia's world collapsed when her father passed, Laertes was away, and Hamlet betrayed her. She did not have a mother figure to turn to, especially when she was raised by her father and had support of her brother. 

The best thing that she has left behind for us is her example. Most people who knew her would be surprised to learn that she struggled with internal conflict.  Around family, she felt obligated to do everything and anything for anyone she loved. But even with all of her challenges, she faced the world with unparalleled hope and optimism. Her passion of loving and pleasing everybody drove her to insanity. Because it's hard to love, and please people when you cannot love yourself first.

Unfortunately, her stress toppled the situations she could not handle. Before any other tragedy can happen... it is better that Ophelia is at rest now with her father. I look to Ophelia as an inspiration for a strong woman. All the weight she carried, made her relentless and tenacious. I would want to be Ophelia, in the sense of being able to make the people around me proud and appreciative of what I've done for myself and for others.  At the end, she could not lean on anyone and was not knowledgeable to handle it herself. Out of all she's been through, something still beautiful remains... and that is the memory of kindness.

 

Hamlet's Dilemma

This scene made me wish that Hamlet should've turned the dagger on himself. Hamlet has the perfect opportunity to avenge his fathers death by killing his uncle. But the reason revealed in context, is that Hamlet believes that Claudius will go to heaven if he kills him at that moment because Claudius is repenting and asking for forgiveness.

There is a Christian idealistic behind Hamlet's backing out. If he does believe in this, then why can't he act like a Christian? He could just forgive Claudius, and just move on... 

Also, Hamlet is just impulsive throughout the whole play. He has this set goal, but half the time he cannot make up his mind. And if Hamlet takes action, it's out of impulse. 

Besides my rants and complaints about Hamlet's childish behavior... I do believe he made the right decision to ponder on the death of his uncle. Hamlet simply cannot kill Claudius and send him to heaven during his time of forgiveness. Hamlet  thinks that would not avenge his father's murderous death, because Claudius killed King Hamlet without giving him the opportunity to pray, and therefore, King Hamlet must spend time in hell. 

It's incredibly ironic tho, that Claudius wasn't really repenting and asking for forgiveness in my opinion. Sure he's on his kneels, in his private chapel (but it's the same as people pretending to bow their heads in church but are actually on their phone)  ... he's giving himself a self-evaluation and is realizing that he's in deep horse poop. When Claudius says "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below./ Words without thoughts never to heaven go," ... he is really admitting that he knows he isn't forgiven. 

Overall, Hamlet just needs to get his priorities straight. This was probably the best decision he made throughout the whole play tbh. 

To Be or Not To Be Versions

Each director in the following versions displayed a certain, and consistent technique to present their perspective of the play.

In Oliver's version of Hamlet's TB/NTB soliloquy, the scene was black and white (only because it  was an old film) but it played a certain emotion. The black and white set a weary, and sorrowful scene. The setting was on a cliff above the sea, ( which honestly made me think it was The Little Mermaid) however it set a realistic suicidal feeling to it. The director used the camera to zoom into Hamlet's face (mostly forehead)  so that we can perceive it as suspense leading to his mentality and internal conflict.Then Hamlet snaps out of his trance, and returns to the reality of why he'd rather stay alive than die. His tone of voice was calm, and not as frustrated as Branagh's Hamlet. Hamlet's emotions were like the tides and waves, not like a tsunami.

Mel Gibson's interpretation of Hamlet was my favorite tbh. The directors used camera angles, like close ups and wide shots to emphasize the setting in the tomb and the emotion. The lighting is usually dark in this version since the director perceived the play dark, and forlorn. In this version, the setting was meant to put Hamlet into realization of where he'd go if he committed suicide. Unlike Oliver's and Branagh's version, the Hamlets were lost in a trance talking to themselves. But in this version, he was surrounded  by death technically. And that is realistic enough, surrounding by dead bodies brings realization of death which would eventually cause someone back out of committing suicide.

Branagh's version always drives me crazy. I honestly think in this scene though, that the director uses the mirrors as a major prop. Here, we have Hamlet talking to his reflection in the mirror but is also talking to Claudius and Polonius since they are behind that "two-way mirror". It was not really interesting as much as Branagh's Ghost Scene (where it was fast, and jumpy). I do realize though that the director made this scene calm and slow like how most students and people would interpret this scene.

In Almereyda's modern intake of the TB/NTB scene is moved by the props  such as the aisle name like Action, the Blockbuster covers of action movies, including the televisions above Hamlet with explosions. I was still confused why he was in a Blockbuster store. In a modern version in Manhattan, i would expect Hamlet looking over the Empire State or something.

Ghost Scene Versions

In Zeffirelli's version of Hamlet, he used camera angles and certain lighting to emphasize Hamlet and his father's  relationship and also the Ghost's emotions very well. While people questioned the dark lighting in the introduction of the Ghost's speech, I thought of it to symbolize the revelation of the truth behind the King's death. As the story was revealed, the lighting began to illuminate the scene which eventually became a clear image of the Ghost. Also, the camera angles focused on the characters' faces with close ups instead of wide shots, which emphasized the emotion and relationship between the late father and son. Even though the Ghost's full body was not revealed so often, it was obvious enough that the Ghost was not wearing armor, as described in the play. Mel Gibson's portrayal of Hamlet was more emotional than I had imagined when I read the scene. There was anger, frustration and a strong sense of vengeance in his actions and tone after the Ghost Scene. Throughout out the scene, Zeffirelli kept the lighting dark, with gloomy music, and a not so fast, not so slow speed. 

However, in Branagh's version of Hamlet... the Ghost Scene was very active, cutting scenes from the trees, to Hamlet, the ground, to Hamlet, the smoke, to Hamlet etc.The camera angles also captured the setting, from close up of Hamlet to the wide shot of the forest.  It interpreted Hamlet's emotion of confusion and panic. While running through the forest, Hamlet's (Branagh) rant sounded like a musical. The music was more whimsical and fairy tale like, rather than frustration and anger. I thought I was watching a bonus feature from Into The Woods... then it set a Wizard of Oz feel when the Ghost began his few lines in a loud, unseen and dark voice. Branagh used flashback as visual elements, which is the only technique I liked when watching this scene. The flashbacks were more colorful, and bright which interpreted the more "happy" times in the Hamlet palace. Also, it helped me visualize the scene better. Unlike Zeffirelli's focus on the Ghost, you kinda just sit there trying to understand the language. In this version, you can understand the language while pairing up parts of the speech with the flashbacks. I questioned Branagh's emotion when he is receiving his father's revelation, his jaw is dropped pretty much the whole time. After the Ghost Scene, Branagh goes to a calm trance?! Is he angry or in love? 

Taking a different take on Hamlet, Almereyda's version was more modern. The director used props to provide symbolic emphasis to the scene. Such as Hamlet welcoming his late Father by opening the door into his apartment, the seat used as a throne, the television showing explosions, the father dabbing his ear where he was poisoned etc. The relationship between the father and son was more realistic than the other two versions. The Ghost was able to hold Hamlet and even hug him. In the other two versions, the Ghost barely got to hold Hamlet before disappearing. Almereyda's showed a true, real and the close relationship between the father and son. There are no altercations with the lighting at all, Almereyda did not want to hide the Ghost at all. There were more wide shots due to the use of the props in the scene.