Hamlet's Monologue To Be or Not To Be Analysis Essay Example

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, there are times where you know the character is alone and talking to himself or if he is talking to someone. There are times, however, in Hamlet, where the audience isn’t able to tell if Hamlet is trying to convey a message to those listening or if what he is saying are his true thoughts. With people around Hamlet is unable to convey his feelings truthly in fear of being killed or sent away. When alone Hamlet is able to talk out of his heart with no bias or words to cover up how he's truly feeling. The “To be or Not to Be '' speech is interpreted in hundreds of ways now in modern movies, many directors believe that Hamlet was aware of Claudius and Polnius’s presence while delivering his monolog meaning these weren’t his true thoughts. Many believe the contrary, that he believed he was alone and therefore was being genuine. The controversy with Hamlet's “To Be or Not to Be” is if Hamlet is being genuine or if he was putting on a show for Claudius and Polonius. Branagh was able to illustrate the idea that Hamlet knew he was being watched and was putting on a show for his viewers while Lester was able to convey his true feelings and was able to show the audience he was unaware of unexpected listeners and was being genuine.

Lester's interpretation of Hamlet's soliloquy was much different than Branagh's illustration. Lester demonstrated the true feelings of Hamlet. Lester was looking at the audience the whole time and never looked away to look for people listening or to talk to others listening. Lester was dressed in a black shirt that blended in with the background and made his head appear like it was floating. The floating head can be interpreted as his true feelings. If Hamlet has nothing but a head, then you are getting his thoughts not his actions, only his true thoughts and feelings can be conveyed with a close up . The camera was also zoomed into his head so that it was the majority of the frame throughout his whole monologue, escalating the fact that these are the true feelings in his head. This zoom in on Lester's head is another indicator that he was speaking his true feelings. Lester was contemplating his existence much like the other presentations of Hamlet but in Lesters version Hamlet was truly wanting to die but afraid of the unknown. Lester didn't make sudden movements or jerks when talking about death, indicating that he wasn't aware the man he wanted to kill was listening to him talk about death. Lesters monolog was about his true feelings and he was speaking from the heart. 

Branagh wants the audience to know that he is aware of listeners. Branagh is standing in front of a one way mirror and knows that Cladius and Polonius are on the other side listening to his plan and taking in every word he's saying. By knowing that they are listening Branagh puts on a show for his audience to listen. Branagh's monolog seemed like it was a speech memorized to take the most effect on the audience. In the speech Branagh put little emotion into his words until he brought up death and pulled out a knife at the one way mirror with Cladius and Polonius behind it. Branagh never looks away from the mirror and rarely blinks showing he sees a threat there, to the people in the audience it may seem as if his threat is himself but by going deeper you realize that he isn't threatening himself, but rather the people behind the mirror. Branagh walks straight to the mirror and doesnt look away the whole time because wants to be a threat to Cladius, he wants them afraid of him. Branagh's depiction of Hamlet's monolog is Hamlet's way of threatening Claudius and Polonius rather than expressing his true thoughts. Branagh puts on an act to Cladius by attempting to make Claudius fearful of him without clearly threatening him because he is aware he is being watched.

Lester was able to be genuine with his soliloquy because nowhere in his depiction of the scene does he show any awareness of what's around him. By showing the audience that Lester was unaware of his surroundings and if anybody was listening he was able to convey his true feelings. Lester is able to show the audience that he is genuinely confessing his true feelings through the actions and camera work of Lesters performance. Branagh was not genuine in his monologue. Branagh's performance of Hamlet was different than Lesters through the fact that in Branagh's performance there was a tiny slip of the scene where it plainly panned to Cladius and Polonius listening to him speak and threaten them from behind the mirror. Branagh was aware that he was being listened to. The controversy in Branagh's scene is whether he was being genuine due to the fact that he was aware of people listening to him. Branagh wasn't able to be genuine and truly express his feelings with people listening to him because through Branagh's depiction it was more of a threat to Cladius rather than to himself but he wasn't able to speak his thoughts. With Cladius and Polonius listening to Branagh he was forced to put an act on for his listeners.

In summary, Hamlet is able to be interpreted many different ways even with the same exact words. In Branagh's interpretation of Hamlet he is not able to be genuine because of his awareness of those listening around him. Lester was able to be completely genuine with the audience because of his unawareness of there being another listener. Hamlet is only able to be genuine when he is by himself due to the fact that when others are around he is forced to put on an act to please those around him or to keep those around him from killing him. Branagh was able to show the audience the act that is required while Lester was able to show the audience Hamlet's true feelings.