310 Blog Post: Hamlet

310 Blog Post: Hamlet

I wanted to focus my last blog post for the plays we have been watching on Hamlet and specifically on the Globe production that we saw. I wanted to talk about how the production did not really create the atmosphere and acting that I was hoping for. This blog post will be selfish and state that I did not really feel that this productions interpretation was expecting in any way. One of the main points of this play that I did not enjoy was the costume decisions prescribed to Hamlet. I did not like the idea that the minute that Hamlet’s madness “begins” to show, it was physically known and displayed to the audience through the decision of putting Hamlet in a full clown costume, with obvious face paint. I felt that when I read Hamlet and when I have seen it in other productions and adaptions, Hamlet is in madness, but with a madness signified by his lack of modesty and courtesy, aka no care in the world of what he is supposed to say and how he is supposed to act. This interpretation of Hamlet did not only fail within the lines of wardrobe choices, but I felt that the Michelle Terry’s interpretation of how she portrayed Hamlet was in certain terms a failure as well. The reason I would say this is because I felt she did not do Hamlet’s character justice. As we talked in class she did rush the lines and did not take breath enough to extend and accentuate Hamlet’s monologue and emotions. This is beside the point for me, I felt that the character I read is mainly making fun of people because he is arrogant and knows he is smarter and more aware of the mendacity that has plagued the Danish kingdom. Hamlet within the plays seems to believe that his acting the way he does is in a sense of righteous duty, to right the wrongs committed against the crown, his father’s crown. Yet, in the Globe production, I did not feel this attitude from Terry at all in her interpretation. I felt that the Globe’s Hamlet was creating a Hamlet that lacked the sort of gusto that Hamlet’s haughty dialogue usually provides.

I am not saying that Hamlet is a great character and is without fault because he does have a really bad attitude and reality is completely diluted to the fact of what is morally right and wrong, but I feel that antihero description fits in with the treachery that he has witnessed within his household. The Globe production makes one forget the severity of what King Claudius has done and makes the Hamlet the worst of the worst. I never felt any pity or sympathy for the Globe’s Hamlet and I do believe that that is a failure on the Globe’s production. Whether you like Hamlet, the character, or not there are points within the novel that you do pity him and the misfortunes that have befallen him. The idea that is father has died and he realizes that his uncle is the murderer, but his uncle is now King and married to Hamlet’s mother. The whole idea has a hint of sorrow, where The Globe’s Hamlet was without this sympathy. I know the story of Hamlet and, yet I felt sorry for the other characters who had to deal with Hamlet’s bad temper and his annoying outburst of rude condemnation. Again, maybe the Globe got it right portraying Hamlet as an annoying thirty-year-old child, but I had some different view and perspective for Hamlet. This perhaps is where the Globe succeeded in their Hamlet production, they changed the traditional view of Hamlet. They completely focused on Hamlet’s annoyingness and wanted to highlight his main characteristic, as an emo kid who acts out to get his point across. Despite the Globe’s Hamlet being a bit of a disappointment, I am excited to say that they did do something different with it.

It was a foreign viewing experience of Hamlet, but I can say that I did enjoy a few parts of the play especially the music. The music within the scene with the play within a play was very enjoyable. I liked the jazz that mimicked and replaced any necessary dialogue within the play. I also enjoyed this scene because there seemed to be this flow with the characters in the play that showed them dancing with each other. Hamlet was basically encapsulated within this small play and that was enough for me.