Interpretations are Inevitable.

As the video states, “William Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and of these one stands out among the rest it is called The tragedy of Hamlet, king of Denmark.” (Discovering Hamlet.) this play has been studied for a very long time, and even me that have only studied it for about two weeks now know that there are millions of interpretations and opinions about it. It is inevitable to expect that anybody that reads something or even watches does not relate to it in some way or develop a personal opinion about it. We can’t know for sure what Shakespeare intended Hamlet to represent and that’s why every interpretation (within reason) is valid. Up to know I have seen two different versions of the play, the Kenneth Branagh one and the David Tennant one. In each Hamlet is played by a different actor and each actor acts the role in the way they identify to it. Based on what I stated above, I was surprised to see how another great figure of literature would criticize Hamlet.

In his text Hamlet and his Problems T.S Eliot explains how “Hamlet the play is the primary problem and Hamlet the character only secondary.” (Hamlet and his problems) and how the character is most jeopardized by the critic that has creativity. This did not make sense to me because if there would be no creativity then how would an interpretation be possible? The problem is then, that “Hamlet is a stratification” and how each critic builds upon the previous one to interpret the play, therefore not focusing on the play itself but on some interpretation. Of course I am nobody compared to this great author still as I read more of his essay it was shocking to me and how he dared to say that Hamlet was the “Mona Lisa of literature” and that people believe it to be a work of art mainly because of the fame it has gained throughout time. He could be right, and the reason that the play has been around so long can lead to the many interpretations that exist but I think, disagreeing with the author is that each interpretation is valid and comes from the root Hamlet.

He also talks about emotion and how the key is to express emotion with the action, something that Hamlet fails to do because he can’t express it. In other words saying that “Shakespeare tackled a problem which proved too much for him” (Hamlet and his problems). But this we can’t know for sure because we will never know what Shakespeare wanted Hamlet to mean. That is why interpretations are important. And every person that reads the play or has some contact to it will make an interpretation for themselves. This happens not only with literature and not only with Hamlet but with any work of art. Not everyone leaves their “mark” on the play. Only few critics and actors that interpret the character but this proves my point. And how it is inevitable not to let an interpretation be involved because unfortunately a very long time has passed since the original came out.

I am sure that as time passes this play will still be read by many people that will each react differently to it and there will be more critics and actors that will leave a mark on the play. Therefore it is inevitable not to base ourselves on the versions or interpretations that already exist. The important thing is that Hamlet will be Hamlet always, no matter how we look at it or what we get from it.

Words.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

1.Stratifaction: formation or deposiion of layers as of rock or sediments.

2.Lull: to cause sleep or to rest; to sooth or calm

3.Irrefragable: impossible to refute or controvert.

4.Superfluous: exceeding what is sufficient or requiered. Excessive.

5.Bafflement: to defeat or check (as a person) by confusion. Disconcert.

6.Aberrations: a departure from the normal or typical.

thefreedictionary.com

The Women.

Women, most of the times have an important role in the stories I have heard. Although I have only read two Shakespeare plays, in both of them woman is of vital importance. In Romeo and Juliet she is the main character and the story revolves around how she can marry Romeo leaving aside the family issues. She can be seen as a rebel that contradicts her family and most importantly her father on a tradition that existed I am guessing long before she did. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth has the power. Shakespeare portrays her as strong woman in character by making her manipulate her husband’s actions to get what she wants. Both demonstrate woman strength, and how in both cases they go “against a man” to get what they want.

In Hamlet, the female roles that exist are nothing like the ones mentioned above. Two women are very important in the play: Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother and Ophelia, Laureates daughter and Hamlet’s lover. They don’t show a sense of power or rebellion towards men. Instead they fallow order and can be seen as insecure characters. In Act 3 Scene 4 Hamlet has an encounter with his mother after the play and he is rude to her, still she does not show so much sense of authority towards his son, she shows fear. Hamlet’s actions can be justifies. His mother married the man that killed his father I wouldn’t be too happy either but why does she let him her treat that way? at some point in the scene when the conversation has just started Gertrude says: “Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.” and Hamlet answer her: “mother, you have my father much offended”. (A3.S.4) Gertrude was talking about Claudius, his step father and Hamlet meat his father. It was a way of telling her again, that he is appalled with what she has done. He makes points like this repeatedly in the scene trying to make her feel bad about what she did. He is rude and still she does not do anything. It may be because she knows that was she did was wrong and is too ashamed to accept, demonstrating a weak and insecure character, the opposite as the other women in Shakespeare plays.

Before the ghost appears, Hamlet is rude again and tells her: “Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, stewed in corruption, honeying and making love over the nasty sty”(A.3S.4). he makes her feel guilty of sleeping in the same bed that belonged to her husband with her brother, insulting her and she says nothing more except “no more, sweet Hamlet.” He makes her loose her pride by telling her she nothing more than a prize to Claudius, a sign of victory.

No Regret.

Regret is something I think all humans being have experienced. Even if it is in the dumbest situations, everyone can think of something, and say to themselves why didn’t I do that or why did I. There are different ways to deal with it, you can do something to change what you did or in some cases you have to deal with it. I have regretted many things in my life but I have my conscious clean because I have done things to make it better. Reading Hamlet, I thought about Claudius and how he deals with the fact that he killed his brother to marry his wife and become king. Not one time on the book does he express feelings of regret or guilt.
Then I thought about the difference between guilt and regret. The dictionary says they are basically the same thing except that guilt is more commonly known when someone does something and violates a rule, so not everyone has felt guilty. Going back to Claudius, he is obviously guilty and he knows that but he does not seem to care. Until act 3 scene 3:

O, my offence is rank it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,
A brother's murder. Pray can I not,
Though inclination be as sharp as will:
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent;
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy
But to confront the visage of offence?
And what's in prayer but this two-fold force,
To be forestalled ere we come to fall,
Or pardon'd being down? Then I'll look up;
My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder'?
That cannot be; since I am still possess'd
Of those effects for which I did the murder,
My crown, mine own ambition and my queen.
May one be pardon'd and retain the offence?(Act3Scene3)


This is one of the few times if not the only one that he comes clean about what he did. When Polonius goes to eaves drop on the conversation between Hamlet and his mother, Claudius tries to pray. He first says what he did and then realizes he can’t pray because he still wants the prize that came with the sin. This is when the difference between guilt and regret is seen. He does feel guilty, but can’t pray because he does not feel regret. he never expresses that he wishes he had not killed his brother. He knows it was a crime, something he should not have done, but he can’t ask for forgiveness because he does not want to and in some ways knows he does not deserve it. He states it clearly:

“O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder'?
That cannot be; since I am still possess'd
Of those effects for which I did the murder,”
He still wants the crown and Gertrude so that’s that. There is anything else that can be done. He admits that the committed a crime but also recognizes that even though he is guilty there is nothing that can be done. He still wants the prize, there is no remorse or sorrow in what he did. If this were different and Claudius would have felt shame Hamlet would have been a different story, and he would have don’t something about his mistake. But that is not that case he still want the power. And we learn the difference between guilt and regret thanks to Claudius.

The Question.

We all question ourselves at some point in our lives. And due to different situations we must decide what we want to do. But the decision is hard, and you are never really sure if you chose well. A really simple example would be to choose between two guys, a classic Hollywood movie. You have guy A and guy B each different but great at the same time and you know that if you choose one the doubt of what would have happened if you chose the other one will never leave your mind. That happens with mostly every decision we have to make and until one of the two does something weather to prove he is “the one” or does something wrong you won’t be at peace with your decision. I even risk to say that you won’t be able to decide.

Hamlet, just like us deals with a situation like this (Although his is nothing like the example mentioned above). His father was killed, his uncle became king and married his mother, and he sees a ghost and tries to prove if his uncle killed his father. Poor Hamlet, he’s desperate. Due to all of this he must decide if he kills his uncle or not. But before that, comes the famous line that to most people represents Hamlet: “to be or not to be, that is the question” (A,III S i). Because of his desperation he must decide if he wants to kill himself or not. He asks himself if it’s worth to suffer or better to fight the problem but by ending it. Either by reading the soliloquy or by watching it you can identify Hamlets emotions. In the play (book) he considered both options just like we do, but can’t decide because both are the same. One is not better or worse than the other. In David Tennant’s interpretation the camera focuses on Hamlet’s profile from the back and the scene is dark and blurry except his face. He tries to hide behind a wall and has his eyes closed showing worry and fear. I can’t be sure but when he says “thus conscience does make cowards of us all” (A.III Si) Hamlet answers his own questions. The fear of dying keeps us and in this case him from choosing one reason over the other. We prefer to suffer with something that we know than experience something new. So the question that Hamlet’s asks himself is something that we ask ourselves every day, sometimes with more important topics than other. Shakespeare did not write to die or not die. Of course this was the case for Hamlet, but the “be” opens the questions for whatever we want to fill in with.

The Perfect Hamlet.

In my last blog I wrote about how it does not really matter what interpretation of a character you experience as a viewer. What’s important is if the actor is able to transmit the characters emotions. As I listened to the radio recording I was surprised. I never imagined that prisoners would do that in jail but the idea fascinated me. When it was over I actually told my sister that she should listen to it.
My idea of the perfect play was Broadway and every time I thought of Hamlet I imagined New York City and Jude Law. But I was wrong, this was the perfect Hamlet. It didn’t matter that the actors weren’t famous. Instead they were criminals, people that had actually done the things the play talks about. And that makes it ideal, because they don’t have to fake the emotion, they have felt it so they know how to transmit it.

As the recording said, most of them barely had a high school education and all they knew about Hamlet was the famous quote “to be or not to be” but that was the main point because all of them were going through the same dilemma. Do they or live or don’t they? Do they change and regret what they did? Most of them want that and feel identified with the character. Four guys play Hamlet, they divide the lines and they actually said that Hamlet was like their fifth friend.

What Agnes is doing I think is really great, because the impression I got from the recording was that they prisoners learn and realize that what they did was wrong. They can have a real experience with the play because they can relate to it. Of course I can relate to it too. I can watch it, enjoy it, and say it impacted me and from the first time I saw it left a mark in my life for whatever reason. But that experience is different compared to the one the people of the Missouri East Correctional Institution have. They take the play as lesson, and through the character they represent realize the mistake they did. So it helps them. And if we were to see that play (I think) we would enjoy it too because it would be as if we were seeing a real life Hamlet. The character would have actually killed a man.

Modern vs. Classic

A same role can be interpreted in many different ways. In Kenneth’s Branagh version we see a more classic Hamlet. Even before I started reading the play or even watching one of these clips I had a vision of Hamlet in my head, it was almost the same as the Hamlet we see in the video. The video focuses mostly on his face to enhance on the problem he seems to be having. He moves slowly and focuses on the words he says portraying anger and desperation.

The interpretation of Hamlet by Tennant, Downie, and Stewart shows a different soliloquy and a different Hamlet at the same time. Just the first few seconds of the clip demonstrate this when we see the character’s clothes. He wears jeans, a simple t-shirt and is barefoot. The focus of the camera also differs, here we see a wider shot, and they don’t focus only on the characters faces because he moves much more than the other Hamlet.

Both characters are interpreting Hamlet. That is an obvious similarity, but apart from that the scenery in both is also similar, it’s dull and represents the typical castles or noble homes we all know from movies. So we can’t say that is the difference and is what separates the two clips into modern and classic. Hamlet, the interpretation of the character is what creates the difference. The way the two directors create their character reveals the main difference between them (regardless of the fact there different parts of the play). That is what I found interesting, how one play, one plot can be represented through different approaches. In one we a see “today” Hamlet, the way he dresses, speaks and moves is like someone today would express anger and desperation. While in the other one we see a typical Hamlet, the one we expect to see when we think about Shakespeare play. The important thing and what both these directors manage to do is that no matter the approach they take with the character, they can make him express to the audience the emotions he feels.

From Passive To Active Voice.

Passive:

1.The statue is being visited by hundreds of tourists every year.

2.My books were stolen by someone yesterday.

3.These books had been left in the classroom by a careless student.

4.Coffee is raised in many parts of Hawaii by plantation workers.

5.The house had been broken into by someone while the owners were on vacation.

6.A woman was being carried downstairs by a very strong firefighter.

7.The streets around the fire had been blocked off by the police.

8.Have you seen the new movie that was directed by Ron Howard?

9.My car is in the garage being fixed by a dubious mechanic.

10.A great deal of our oil will have been exported to other countries by our government.

Active:

1.Hundreds of tourists visit the statue every year.

2.Someone stole my books yesterday.

3.A careless student left the books in the classroom.

4.Plantation workers raise coffee in Hawaii.

5.Someone broke into the house while the owners were on vacation.

6.A very strong firefighter carried a woman downstairs.

7.The police blocked the streets around the fire.

8.Ron Howard directed a new movie, have you seen it?

9.A dubious mechanic is fixing my car in the garage.

10.Our government will export a great deal of our oil to other countries.

The Truth Behind Krapp.

I find Krapp interesting, the whole plays is interesting and intriguing. It’s short, and about an old man listening to some recordings of himself years before. As readers or viewers we can’t be sure why he acts that way and why he listens to his recordings. There are several options that one may come up with. As I mentioned in my last blog the character could be desperate and unsatisfied with the outcome of his life or as my classmate Mariana wrote in her blog he is crazy and at the same time driving himself crazy.

He may also be seen as funny character, like those old people that are just simply confused and don’t know what they are doing that decide to look at their things from the past. Or the play can also show the characters regret. Life is about that, and when you are old, at least in my family, my mom, aunt, grandmother and so on are always nagging about the mistakes they made and they regrets they have. They tell me what they did and then why they regret. When Krapp says “just been listening to that stupid bastard I took myself for thirty years ago, hard to believe I was ever as bad as that” (Beckett), it’s like when a family member tell their story to me, the difference is that in this case, Krapp does not want anyone to learn from his mistakes except himself, it is only know thirty years later that he understands and realizes that he does not agree with the way he lived before, he regrets it.

There’s no way of being sure that old man Krapp regrets his life, still it is a possibility and watching him alone at his basement made me think about the movie Seven Pounds. Where this man Tim Thomas makes a mistake and not only hurts himself but seven other people including his fiancée. And then full of regret he donates his organs to the point of killing himself so that he could save the life of seven strangers. So there are two types of regrets, or better yet, two ways of feeling regret. With one, you make a mistake and try to make it up like Tim Thomas did, or like Krapp that knows he made them but accepts it. And imagines the “What if” or the “could have” of the situation.

Krapp can also be seen as the readers “puppet” we deduce or create a situation for him. I have two that are linked together. He is a desperate old man because he regrets the way his life has been up to now. But at the same time is confused and can’t decide which Krapp he wants to be the guy from the tapes or the man that is listening to them. He reveals the uncertainties that a person has to always deal with. Every choice you make has a consequence and every person will always doubt if he chose the right one. What we have to do is follow Krapp advice and don’t “want them back” (Beckett).

25 Words. Act 1 Scene 3.

Laertes: Farewell. Pherhaphs loves you know but you must fear.

Polonius: What is't Ophelia he hath said to you.

Ophelia: He hath made tenderous affection to me.