critics Flashcards
Margaret Atwood
‘Madness gives her the licence to say things that in a sane state she would not be permitted to express’
Elaine Showalter
argues O’s madness highlights the sexism of period, denies it was caused by loss of most dominanr men that controlled her life
psychoanalytical critics - mad with guilt, wants H to kill P so they can have a relationship
madness suggests she’s a victim, some critics argue its a rejection of the traditional male hierarchy that forces chastity upon her
Freud
Oedipus complex, C did what he subconciously wanted to do, can’t kill him because that would be like killing himself, revenge would be like suicide
Stephen Greenblatt
Hamlet was addressing Elizabethan fear of being forgotten after death
notes that humanists turned a person’s thoughts into an important part of their identity - H’s need for revenge compromised as he’s so influenced by his thoughts, more concerned with inner feelings than duty
Catherin Belsey
argues S was trying to break away from classical tradition, characters not driven by plot, Hamlet resists the narrative as he delays his revenge
argues its dramatic interst lies within the conflict of authority and power - H a prince yet opposes those in power
play written at a time when the absolute power of the monarchy was being tested by the rise of capitalism, unspoken debate about the possibilities of resisting a monarch
Jeremy Collier
challenged its immorality and foul language, condemning O for being immodest when she goes insane
John Evelyn
criticised violent scenes, questioned whether H had a clear sense of justice
George Drake
argues there was justice as the murderers were caught in their own traps, O’s immodisty reasonably explained by her desperate state
Voltaire and TS Eliot
argue its just badly written, his delay can’t be explained as he wasn’t written well enough to make any sense of his behaviour
Reginald Scott
humanist, thought ghosts were the produce of a disturbed mind, or could be a bad omen for the future
Robert N Watson
argues a revenger addresses the balance on earth and removes their own guilt by avenging their loved ones instead of offering prayers
Dr Samuel Johnson
questioned whether H had to treat O so cruelly
Aaron Hill
praised H’s contradictions, more life-like
Goethe
romantic critic, H can’t reconcile his morality with his revenge task, his high intelligence prevents him from acting
Linda Bamber
states H is incapable of love, argues he threw himself into O’s grave as an act of aggression against L
Taylor
‘Her aimless death, neither suicide nor accident, is a fitting symbol of her aimless life.’
Richard Eyre (1980)
directed a version with no ghost, Hamlet spoke his ines as if he was possessed by the spirit of Old Hamlet
Laurence Olivier (1948)
more political scenes with Fortinbras removed, focus on intense family dynamic
depicts O as a wild creature of nature, has her distribute silk replicas of the flowers
Kenneth Branagh (1996)
sex scenes between H and O
only unabridged film version
III,I - H unaware they’re being watched, speaks to O with affection and warmth, thud alerts him, turns cold
H often shifts his gaze to mirrors around him - knows there are rooms behind them, could be spied on, 2-way mirrors
flashbacks to Yorik
H - introspective, calm, reserved, contemplative, wears black clothes, contrasts bright surroundings
softer lighting, rooms bright and open, luxurious castle
O - Kate Winslet attends her own delusional tea party, stairs into the air, doesn’t hold the actual plants she names
Janet Suzman (2006)
full script, military uniforms, multi-racial cast, represent stresses of apartheid and violence in Cape Town
Michael Almereyda (2000)
modern day, Manhattan, Denmark a business, reflect concerns about capitalism and corruption in big business
David Tennant (2009)
more comedic eg Yorik scene
H - flamboyant, manic, comedic, erratic
O - reserved, innocent, docile, demure
orange mustle shirt - contrasts formal dress, appear mad, emph alienation form other characters, sees things how they are, struggle with masculinity, putting on a costume of trad masculinity, overcompensating for insecurities, false vulnerability, faded orange, contrasts earlier suit - madness allows him to break free of societal constraints
no shoes
motif of security cameras, never alone, constant surveillance, modern setting
stark lighting in building w black walls and floors, mirrors stage with limited props and furiture, emph on characters
Franco Zeffirelli (1990)
Helen Bohem Carter distributes sticks and stones to the other characters - away from natural world and into gothic decadence
