In John Everett Millais' picture of Ophelia she is shown to be surprised and a little bit scary. Her mouth is open as if she was yelling for help, while her body is showing that she gave up fighting. So I think he picture portrays her committing suicide.
All the pictures of Ophelia drowned were portrayed in different. In my opinion Ophelia was going crazy, so many things had gone wrong within the past couple days, and that's how she died.
Ophelia died a woman gone crazy so in the state of death she should be portrayed as relieved in a way. She is finally not crazy anymore like a weight is lifted off her shoulder. I believe that she didn't intentionally kill herself. Many people view it as she did but in her time killing yourself was socially and religious unacceptable (it still is today, but it didn't happen a lot then). She was raised with religion and it is considered a sin to kill yourself so she wouldn't "defy God". When the branch broke underneath her, maybe she did think about giving in or throwing in the towel, but her dressed pulled her under. Usually the more you struggle the worse the situation gets, so I believe she fought until her fighting got her killed. Yes, maybe Gertrude did sit by, but she did it uneasily. My thought is that she figured letting Ophelia die would finally make madness settle, as if she were to live she may never find relief or comfort without her father living.
To me Ophelia's madness is brought on by her fathers death but also her love for Hamlet, seeing him act crazy and him telling her all these crazy things are getting to her head, thus making her go crazy. All these things lead to her demise, and maybe Gertrude letting her die, is foreshadowing the up coming events. Maybe Gertrude is even letting her die to save her from the pain and tragedy she might see within the next couple hours/days. If I were to draw her picture I would draw her looking solemn, no emotion as if she finally is set free from all her worries and her madness. With her eyes closed, when you sleep your eyes are closed- its how you dream and how you mind is set free-, so in a way the closed eyes is a way of showing this.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Hamlet's TO BE OR NOT TO BE
Laurence Olivier's Hamlet--
This version of Hamlet was very plain, there wasn't much expression in Hamlet's voice or his face. He happened to be very monotone, which did in a way fit the speech "To be or not to be". Yet I think with more expression it could have mad the entire monologue 100 times better.The setting for this one is amazing , it gave him that edge of life or death. The music was good but not dramatic enough. The figurative aspects of the speech that were represented literally definitely added to the overly dramatic speech.
Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet --
This one was my personal favorite. The actor who played Hamlet, Mel Gibson, really played the part perfectly. His voice gave away his feeling inside and how it changed made it seem like the decision was a heart wrenching one. The setting of the catacomb was that dark and dreary look. Like maybe he really was considering killing himself. Being in the catacomb added to that "this is where I'll be" look.
Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet --
This verison of Hamlet is where Hamlet is standing infront of the mirror talking to himself. It makes him kind of look crazy but that was the point, people were supposed to thinkhe was crazy. He is thinking out loud basically. Then Claudius' face appears in a flash across the screen and it makes him angry. Which is a perfect effect to the crazyness.
Micael Alymereyda's Hamlet --
This version was the moderest of the all four we watched. I liked how Hamlet was making his decision while in blockbuster. It adds to the choices and decisions aspect. When your in a video store you usually have trouble choosing what you want to rent unless you already know going into it what your going to rent. It's different then the rest but it makes it original which i think is great. During a lot of the speech he snt talking which makes him look crazy like these are all the thoughts going through his mind.
This version of Hamlet was very plain, there wasn't much expression in Hamlet's voice or his face. He happened to be very monotone, which did in a way fit the speech "To be or not to be". Yet I think with more expression it could have mad the entire monologue 100 times better.The setting for this one is amazing , it gave him that edge of life or death. The music was good but not dramatic enough. The figurative aspects of the speech that were represented literally definitely added to the overly dramatic speech.
Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet --
This one was my personal favorite. The actor who played Hamlet, Mel Gibson, really played the part perfectly. His voice gave away his feeling inside and how it changed made it seem like the decision was a heart wrenching one. The setting of the catacomb was that dark and dreary look. Like maybe he really was considering killing himself. Being in the catacomb added to that "this is where I'll be" look.
Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet --
This verison of Hamlet is where Hamlet is standing infront of the mirror talking to himself. It makes him kind of look crazy but that was the point, people were supposed to thinkhe was crazy. He is thinking out loud basically. Then Claudius' face appears in a flash across the screen and it makes him angry. Which is a perfect effect to the crazyness.
Micael Alymereyda's Hamlet --
This version was the moderest of the all four we watched. I liked how Hamlet was making his decision while in blockbuster. It adds to the choices and decisions aspect. When your in a video store you usually have trouble choosing what you want to rent unless you already know going into it what your going to rent. It's different then the rest but it makes it original which i think is great. During a lot of the speech he snt talking which makes him look crazy like these are all the thoughts going through his mind.
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