CRITICAL QUOTATIONS

Question 1

Stubbes

Answer 1

“Ophelia’s modest replies, the few words she uses… are inimitably charming’

Question 2

Cott

Answer 2

“Everything at Elsinore has been corroded by fear: marriage, love, friendship”

Question 3

Stanton

Answer 3

“The world will corrupt Ophelia as it has Gertrude. Gertrude has become a whore, a fate Hamlet wishes Ophelia to avoid, so he must therefore shock her, even by denying his feelings of love”

Question 4

Olivier

Answer 4

“Hamlet is the permeant rebel… and would be the same in any society or period of history”

“He approaches life like an actor, always trying on new characterisations to see if they fit”

Question 5

Kozintev quote regarding the presentation of Hamlet

Answer 5

‘It is impossible for a man to combine human worth with existence in a society based on contempt for man. To reconcile onseself, to swim with current, is ignominy. It is better ‘not to be’ ‘

“This tragedy portrays a man who doesn’t find himself between life and death, but between one era and another”

Question 6

Kozintev (1964) production of Hamlet

Answer 6

> Based in USSR, patriachal focus is a lot more realised that in many other productions, a real sense of danger and madness is presented in regards to Ophelia, as well as Ophelia is seen to be a great deal weaker, leaning into her father as though she is extremely distressed.
Hamlet is seen to have genuine care from Ophelia, although there is often a physical barrier between them ie. stairs.
Physically violent, seen in Ophelia and Gertrude
Uses many dramatic shots of nature, earthy and emotionally intense, similar to Olivier’s interpretation,

Question 7

Alymereda

Answer 7

> Modern production of Hamlet, video game designer
During ‘to be or not to be’, it is set in a video rental store with all the genre tags set to ‘Action’ reflecting the key theme of Action vs Inaction in Hamlet

Question 8

Peter Brook (2002)

Answer 8

> Starts with Hamlet, and nothing else, looking up reminscent of his father above.
Feels very natural and colloquial, sense of empathy is grown, ‘she wed’ very casually
Interactions with Ophelia come underlied with sadness and deep compassion, a sense of kindness with genuine warning
Red lighting and red surroundings, suggestion of anger.

Question 9

Robert Icke (with Andrew Scott playing Hamlet)

Answer 9

> performs ‘To Be or Not To Be’ as though a stream of consciousness trying to understand and come to terms with it
‘Get thee to a nunnery’ as an actual warning, perception that they have slept together and he is shaming her and is scared for her.