"To Be or Not to Be"

            In the Laurence Oliver version of Hamlet’s soliloquy, the setting is on a lonely coastline on top of some rubble during what can be before a storm, as the waves are strong and rapid. At the coastline there was no one else is there besides him which helps show how deep in thought Hamlet is. In this version, music is used the most, which works effectively as it gives it an eerie tone as the music gives it a dark and suspicious mood.

            The Mel Gibson version of Hamlet’s soliloquy is set in a basement, or tomb. This setting also brings a dark undertone, as Hamlet is surrounded by the coffins of the dead, and is deciding whether to join them or not. The scene lighting was very dark, as it was set in a basement, with Hamlet being the most visible thing in the whole room, which brings the attention to him only. Also, this version has no music, which leaves us alone with Hamlet’s words, letting us think more with Hamlet as he thinks. In this version, Hamlet speaks with an angry tone.

      Ethan Hawke’s version of Hamlet has the most recent setting of all the adaption’s. The soliloquy is in fact shown in a video tape store. This setting brings a bit of irony to the theme of the speech, as from a perspective, it can be viewed as a crazy guy as he speaks of what to do with his life. Also Hamlet’s speech was like timed with clips from movies.  Also, Hamlet speaks with a much more lost tone, as if he’s hoping to find out what he has to do. The music was combined with the sounds of the  televisions, help give the speech a dark undertone against the everyday feel of the store.

      The final, and best adaption of the “To be or not to be” soliloquy, is the Kenneth Branagh version from 1996. In this version, the setting is modern, and takes place in early 1900’s Denmark. The actual setting of the scene is the main hall of the palace. This setting affects the mood of the scene because it was a room of two way mirrors, and Hamlet knows that he was being watched by the one person who is putting him through his nightmare.  The music was barely used and clearly adds up during his speech.  Finally, Hamlet speaks with a calm emotion, face, and tone, which is ironic as well, since he was considering suicide.

      So many versions of Hamlet exist because it is a story that can be interpreted in endless ways.  There are so many ways for it to be displayed, the Kenneth Branagh version was the best. This is because his version chooses a period of time that is modern, but is not too recent, and not too old. Thus, the selection of early 1900’s was what was most effective about the film that made it my preferred version.