Hamlet Mind Map
Characters
Setting
Theme
Hamlets first scene in Mel Gibson's version of Hamlet set the tone and mood using impressive backgrounds, costumes and facial expressions.
When reading the play, one is able to create their own thoughts and feelings about all the characters. When one is watching a movie, their opinions, thoughts, and feelings towards the characters are created by the director using shakespeare's true intentions. Mel Gibson allowed the actors to truly capture the spirit of the play.
The three main themes in Hamlet are love, death and betrayal. The director creates these themes by allowing the viewers to see and feel these themes for themselves. Main themes are highlighted using different characters, acting skills, and background settings.
As seen in the picture, the setting is enhanced though using real life backgrounds. The mood is created by allowing the viewers to see the actual place where the play takes place. Allowing the readers to see Denmark, sets the mood for the entire story.
During this scene of Mel Gibson's version of Hamlet, the mood is created using the castle as the background.
This picture shows the setting of the castle. Allowing the viewers to see the living place of the characters, lets the viewers interpret what their lives may be like. This also enhances the environment of the movie. Considering this is where the majority of the movie takes place, it is important for the viewers to have a complete understanding of the setting.
In the graveyard scene, it is important that the viewers understand where it takes place, as the entire mood is set through the setting.
The darkness in this scene allows the viewers to feel scared or worried, like something bad will happen. It is expected that through using real skeletons, the viewers will be anxious, wondering what is going to happen next. The mood created though the setting is very important here as it allowed the readers emotions to be evoked.
When Hamlet is acting mad towards Ophelia, it is important that the setting is correctly formed, allowing the viewers to feel certain ways about the situation.
Allowing the light to shine on them in this scene shows that Hamlet is just fainting madness and truly does love Ophelia. It allows the readers emotions to feel enlightened, even though Hamlet is acting crazy towards Ophelia, the viewers are not as worried.
"Faith, if he be not rotten before he die- as we have many pocky corses nowadays that will scare hold the laying in- he will last you some eight year or nine year" (5.1.150-152).
This dark scene sets the tone and mood for this quote. This quote also allows the tone to be set. Hamlet knows that the gravediggers are speaking about him, and he asks how long corpses usually last, and other things about himself. The gravediggers responses allows hamlet to wonder why they think this about him. It also allows the tone to become more worried and anxious. For the rest of the play the readers are wondering what will happen to Hamlet, and if he will die. This quote foreshadows the future.
"This bodes some strange eruption to our state" (1.1.68).
This quote is spoken by Horatio, the smartest guard.He realizes that something bad will happen in the state of Denmark soon. The outdoor setting that this quote is spoken in allows the ability for the characters to look over Denmark as they realize the foreshadowing that something bad will happen. This setting and quote together allow the mood to be created for the rest of the story, and was a very wise choice by the director.
"Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd then the force of honesty can translate beauty into likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once" (3.1.113-116).
This quote is spoken by Hamlet about how he used to love Ophelia (yet the readers know he still loves her), and how a beautiful girl can also become a virgin and a good girl can become a whore. In this scene Hamlet is fainting madness, yet the setting, where it takes place, allows the viewers to see that it is light and in the castle where they both live. This allows the viewers to feel comfortable with the situation even though Hamlet is mad.
"The play's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king" (2.2.566-567).
Hamlet begins to tell the players the lines they should add to their play, allowing him to see the real side of the king. The setting here is expected be on a stage, but in this version it is in the centre of the castle, allowing for the viewers to understand the true lives of the characters.
Mainly, this director creates the play in such a way that allows the viewers to understand it in a better view. The settings are arranged so that the viewers can better understand the mood, tone and environment that the play is set in. The settings are also so well thought out that it allowed the viewers to learn more about the play, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. In this sense, Mel Gibson created the setting in a way that Shakespeare would have loved.
Hamlet
Claudius
Old Hamlet
Ophelia
Polonius
Old Hamlet captures the spirit of his character by using different tones of voice, and allowing the viewers to see through him (literally). Mel Gibson directed Old Hamlet to use his voice in a shaky way, allowing him to sound like a ghost. The producers created his image to be see through, allowing the readers to see through him, increasing the ghost figure he is expected to be.
"Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand of life, of crown, of queen, at once despatch'd; Cut off eve in the blossoms of my sin" (1.5.74-76).
This quote is the ghost giving Hamlet reasons to hate clouds and reasons to seek revenge which leads to his antic disposition. The ghost tells Hamlet everything Claudius stole, his life, crown and wife. This also foreshadows the story that the players will tell. His character's main place in the play is to tell Hamlet how to get revenge. He does this by allowing the viewers to understand his words by changing his tone of voice, and making him pronounce words with more oomph.
Polonius's character is used to enhance the play by increasing Claudius' opinion everything he did. Polonius acts as a second opinion to Claudius. The actor used his facial expressions and bod language to increase his emotions towards Claudius' decisions. He also adds to Claudius' thoughts.
"Mad let us grant him then. And now remains That we find out the cause of this effect" (2.2.102-103).
In this line, we see that Polonius is telling Claudius that Hamlet is really crazy, and they need to do something about it. In the movie, this seen is used with extra hand motions and facial expressions that allow Claudius to agree with Polonius. This also foreshadows Polonius' death because he knows they should find why he is crazy, but spying was obviously not the answer.
Hamlets character is used to find revenge and act crazy towards most characters. Hamlets actor was able to act crazy using different tones of voice, and body language. It was easy to see how crazy, and fainting madness he was due to his want to seek revenge.
"O, that this is, too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! (1.2.129-130)
It is seen through this soliloquy that Hamlet is a melancholic, depressed and suicidal. Hamlet is contemplating life here, and why he still is living. He is crazy here, not on purpose. This foreshadows the antic disposition that will happen later. Hamlets actor says this line using different tones of voice, slowing at times, and speeding up. This allows the viewers to understand he really is crazy, and that he either will seek revenge or kill himself.
Ophelia is a character who is innocent, sweet, but becomes crazy in the end. The actor chosen for Ophelia's character was someone with a soft voice, showing her innocence, and one that was simple and very dainty. This allowed her character to be seen as relaxed, and the young, weak girl that she is.
"There's a fennel for you, and columbines. - There's a rue for you, and here's some for me. We may call it 'herb if grace' o' Sundays. - Oh, you must wear your rue with a difference. - There's a daisy. I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died. They say he made a good end" (4.5.179-184).
This quote of Ophelia's allowed the readers to understand her innocence in a new light. She was seen as a nice, normal character until this point when she had officially gone crazy. She gives flowers, still showing her innocence. She gives flowers symbolizing adultery, repentance, unrequited love, and faith. The way the actors recreated this scene was in such a way that Ophelia was relaxed, still allowing the viewers too see that she was a very dainty character.
Claudius' character was used to take all the good away from Hamlets life. He was the reason that Hamlet was so depressed, melancholic, and suicidal. Claudius' actor helped increase the torture towards Hamlet by always giving bad looks towards Hamlet, and using body language in such a way that it really looked like he despised Hamlet.
"O Gertrude, come away! The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch But we will ship him hence, and this vile deed We must, with our majesty and skill, Both countenance and excuse" (4.1.28-32).
In this quote, it really shows how much Claudius really hates Hamlet. He explains to Gertrude that he will get rid of Hamlet for the murder he committed. He used his body language and facial expressions to look disgusted whenever he must say Hamlets name.
The theme of death is prevailed throughout the entire play. Many characters are killed and die during the movie. Polonius, Claudius, Ophelia, Hamlet, Gertrude, and Old Hamlet are all dead by the last scene in the play. This theme is seen many times, allowing viewers to think upon it and elaborate their thoughts.
"Oh proud death, what feast is toward in thine eternal cell, That thou so many princes at a shot So boldly hast struck?" (5.2.368-371)
This quote is by Fortinbras, explaining how there are so many corpses and dead princes. He explains how almost everybody in Denmark is dead. The director has done an amazing job explaining how all the characters are dead, which allows the deaths of all characters. This also helps the viewers see this theme as many characters die. The readers are led feeling empty, much like a real death of a loved one.
The theme of betrayal is seen though many characters. First, Claudius betrays Old Hamlet, by taking his life, crown and wife. Then Hamlet Betrays Ophelia, his mother and Polonius. Gertrude also betrays Hamlet. Many other characters are betrayed throughout the play as well. The betrayal is seen many times throughout the play, allowing the readers to see this theme in many ways.
“Mother, you have my father much offended …You are the queen, your husband’s wife …” (3.4.10-15)
This quote is Hamlet speaking the betrayal he felt for his mother. The director creates the scenes, where the themes are prevailed by quotes in such a way that allows the readers to feel betrayed as well. Allowing the readers to feel betrayed, enhances the story line, and also helps the themes be seen in a better way. It is also seen that revenge leads to death of loved ones and death of oneself.
Love is a theme that is seen throughout the entire play. Hamlet and Ophelia have a love that is always changing. Gertrude and Claudius are faking their love. Gertrude was in love with Old Hamlet. Also, there are sibling loves, such as Larites and Ophelia. Also family loves such as Ophelia and Polonius and Hamlet and Gertrude. Love is seen in ay ways to enhance the play. The theme of love allows the readers to see the feelings behind all the characters better.
"This is the very ecstasy of love" (1.2.102).
Love is a major theme within this play. Allowing the viewers to feel in love as well increases the theme that much more. Mel Gibson used acting skills and settings to create the perfect love scenes, allowing the viewers to see how in love all the characters were, but also to see that betrayal can wreck love.