Just vengeance or righteous follies; which Hamlet did you see?
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published 28/11/2008
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Summary
William Richardson describes Hamlet’s character as one “moved by finer principles, by an exquisite sense of virtue, of moral beauty and turpitude.” (Hoy 147) Richardson goes on to say that a man like Hamlet “will find [his sense of moral excellence] a source of pleasure and of pain in his commerce with mankind.” (147) The deployment of the word turpitude is a perplexing one given the rest of the modifiers used. Turpitude means depravity or baseness. Coupled with the more complimentary terms applied to Hamlet, Richardson’s use of this word suggests that he believes there to be a certain complexity to Hamlet’s character that compels an audience member to question his actions and feelings. This complexity should also allow the audience member to be able to better relate to Hamlet than they would be if he were simply depicted as infallibly in the right. G. B. Harrison explains Hamlet’s various facets in simpler terms by defining Hamlet’s prevailing at the beginning of the play as a “young man’s unreasonable disgust when he discovers that his elders are as strongly sexed as himself.” (Hoy 242) This childish disgust is then justified when Hamlet sees the ghost and is charged with its vengeance. However, Harrison notes that in the second part of the play Hamlet is in the same situation “but worse…still he can do nothing.”
Table of Contents
- Introduction.
- G. B. Harrison's explaination of various facets of Hamlet.
- Harrison's analysis of Hamlet's character.
- Fredson Bowers focus on one line of Hamlet's after he has killed Polonius.
- The specific use of the word 'scourge'.
- The film productions of the play Hamlet directed by Lawrence Olivier and Franco Zeffirelli.
- Olivers decision to cast himself as Hamlet.
- The decision to not cast a 'too old' Vivien.
- Olivier's performance and direction of this lead role.
- The cadenced, lyrical way Olivier handles Hamlet's dialogue and monologues.
- Olivier's use of verticality in the film.
- The duel scene.
- The scene in Ophelia's bedchamber.
- The verticality in Zeffirelli's version of Hamlet.
- Hamlet's chase of the ghost.
- Conclusion.
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