Sunday, December 14, 2014
Response to Course Materials #4
So. Much. Hamlet. That is about all we have done since the last course materials response post. The first exercise was read the play aloud in class. At times, I really struggled to understand what was going on, but it helped when we would have a mini discussion right after each scene. After taking a week or so to get through the play, we began watching it. The first version we viewed was the Tennent version. This was a more modern take on the antiquated play. Watching the film made me dislike Polonius even more than I did when just reading it. He is so nosey and is interested in everyone's business all the time. I enjoyed the symbolism of the bare feet, as well as seeing some of the key scenes. At first I was not a fan of Ophelia in the Tennent version, but I think she did a great job in the scene where she goes crazy. The next film we watched was the Branagh version. The first scene we viewed was the ghost scene, and the ghost was creepy. His piercing blue eyes gave me chills. It was interesting to compare the two films. In the fencing scene, there are many people observing the fight in the Branagh version. In the Tennent version there is just a select group of people. Unfortunately, I missed the last two clips, but I did hear from classmates that Hamlet and Horatio had a special relationship. I did not pick up on this from reading, but there are many ways to interpret it. This week we will be wrapping up our discussion and then it is winter break!
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Hunter,
ReplyDeleteYou say you're not a fan of Ophelia. Do you mean in the Tennant version or overall? I really enjoy Ophelia because she's an independent thinker, at least compared to many of the other characters.
Did you prefer the Tennant or the Branagh version? Personally, I found the ghost scene and fight scene of the Branagh version laughable, but to each her own.
As for the Horatio and Hamlet situation, I think that the key to picking up on this is to compare it to the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia. Hamlet seems to be more intimate, deep and honest with Horatio than with Ophelia. While nothing is strictly stated in the text, it seems pretty clear that this isn't the typical relationship between royal and advisor.
Do you feel like you understood Hamlet better after watching the films? Or just during the discussions? I think in general, most people today have questions after discussing Hamlet, so I'm on the same page with you about understanding it better after certain scenes were discussed and explained.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Darby is saying about clarifying when you don't like Ophelia. I want to extend that to Polonius and the rest of the characters as well though. I was somewhat confused as to if you just dislike them in the movies, or the play, or specific movies. Do you like the ghost? What do you think of it in the play and the two movies you saw? Do you like when it's more supernatural, or more "father coming back because he cares and trusts his son"?
All in all, you talk mostly about the characters in the two films you saw and not a lot about the play itself or things you noticed about the themes in Hamlet. Is it your first interaction with Shakespeare, or have you read other plays like R&J? How do YOU interpret Hamlet? (Since there are many ways to interpret everything, not just the theory that Hamlet and Horatio have a bond deeper than friendship.)
Hi Hunter,
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how opinionated you are on the characters, and I find it kind of sad that you don't like Polonius (the lone comic character), in my view that makes the play less fun. As Sarah and Darby both mentioned, it is a little unclear where your lines between movies and the text lie when you are saying you like or dislike something, could you clarify that?
I wonder if you are putting a little too much into what your classmates said (hypocrisy noted) with regards to Hamlet and Horatio's relationship. Shakespeare is beautiful because it can mean so many different things, and because each person has their own interpretation, as we saw with the articles we read in early November. If you don't see it, stay firm in your convictions, and remember that no matter how good a movie may be, there's nothing quite as true as your read of the original text.
Happy break,
Erik