The question “who’s there?” remains relevant throughout the play of Hamlet. Our introduction to Hamlet in the court of Denmark (in act 1, scene 2), Hamlet’s meeting with Ophelia (in act 3 scene 1), and his interview with Gertrude before Polonius is killed (in act 3 scene 4) are good examples. In all these scenes, more characters are watching than just those who are speaking to each other, and characters who speak may or may not be aware of this when they are speaking. This kind of ambiguity gives actors and directors a lot of options for performance. STEP 1: use this scene * Act 3 scene 1 lines 99-175 “Good my lord... T' have seen what I have seen, see what I see!” STEP 2: Look at how the same scene has been handled in different productions (Directed by Gregory Doran (2009); Directed by Michael Grandage (2009 ; Directed by Michael Almereyda (2000) ; Directed by Franco Zeffirelli (1990) ; Directed by Eric Simonson and Campbell Scott (2000) ; Directed by Kenneth Branagh (1996); Directed by Sarah Frankcom, Margaret Williams (2015) ) and compare the choices made (how lines are spoken, positioning and movement of actors, etc.) STEP 3: Which version best understands and exploits the nuances of Shakespeare’s script? Write an essay explaining your reasons. TIPS: * While considering the strengths and weaknesses of each filmed interpretation, make sure that your answer is grounded in a close, careful reading of the play text. Pay attention not only to the overall effect, but to how specific lines are handled to convey meaning to an audience. Look out for any editing of the text. Are lines cut, changed, added, moved around? Are these changes justified in your opinion? * Consider both pros and cons, what is gained by making certain choices and what is lost. Do choices made by directors give audiences a greater understanding of Shakespeare’s script, or can they sometimes ignore, distort, or oversimplify its meaning? * Your focus is on one scene. However, to make a strong argument, you need to consider evidence from the whole play. Eg. if you are discussing a character, the clues to that character are present throughout the play, not just in this one scene.
The question “who’s there?” remains relevant throughout the play of Hamlet. Our introduction to Hamlet in the court of Denmark (in act 1, scene 2), Hamlet’s meeting with Ophelia (in act 3 scene 1), and his interview with Gertrude before Polonius is killed (in act 3 scene 4) are good examples. In all these scenes, more characters are watching than just those who are speaking to each other, and characters who speak may or may not be aware of this when they are speaking. This kind of ambiguity gives actors and directors a lot of options for performance.
STEP 1: use this scene * Act 3 scene 1 lines 99-175 “Good my lord... T' have seen what I have seen, see what I see!”
STEP 2: Look at how the same scene has been handled in different productions (Directed by Gregory Doran (2009); Directed by Michael Grandage (2009 ; Directed by Michael Almereyda (2000) ; Directed by Franco Zeffirelli (1990) ; Directed by Eric Simonson and Campbell Scott (2000) ; Directed by Kenneth Branagh (1996); Directed by Sarah Frankcom, Margaret Williams (2015) ) and compare the choices made (how lines are spoken, positioning and movement of actors, etc.)
STEP 3: Which version best understands and exploits the nuances of Shakespeare’s script? Write an essay explaining your reasons.
TIPS: * While considering the strengths and weaknesses of each filmed interpretation, make sure that your answer is grounded in a close, careful reading of the play text. Pay attention not only to the overall effect, but to how specific lines are handled to convey meaning to an audience. Look out for any editing of the text. Are lines cut, changed, added, moved around? Are these changes justified in your opinion? * Consider both pros and cons, what is gained by making certain choices and what is lost. Do choices made by directors give audiences a greater understanding of Shakespeare’s script, or can they sometimes ignore, distort, or oversimplify its meaning? * Your focus is on one scene. However, to make a strong argument, you need to consider evidence from the whole play. Eg. if you are discussing a character, the clues to that character are present throughout the play, not just in this one scene.
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