Hamlet Assignment #3

Mis En Scene Analysis

Kenneth Branagh: In Kenneth Branagh's version of Hamlet's soliloquy, the diagetic sound of the scene is just Hamlet speaking in his soliloquy, and there is no non-diagetic sound. This is done in order to ensure the audience focuses on the important speech that Hamlet is making. The setting of this scene is Hamlet in the palace talking to himself in a full-size mirror in order to draw a parallel to the two options Hamlet speaks of in his soliloquy: to be  alive and suffer for no reason or to die a noble death. Hamlet's costume is a black suit. The color is black to show the gloom and despair of Hamlet's speech, as black is a color that represents darkness. The make up is done so that Hamlet's face looks dark instead of lit up. The main camera angle of this scene is a view from behind Hamlet where the audience sees the back of Hamlet's head and part of his shoulder while also seeing his reflection in the mirror, which again parallels Hamlet's two options he contemplates for human life. The camera angle also closes in and gets a closer closeup on Hamlet's face in the mirror as the scene and soliloquy intensifies, which emphasizes the intensity and importance of the second part of Hamlet's soliloquy.

Laurence Oliver: In Laurence Oliver's version of Hamlet's soliloquy, the diagetic sound is originally some creepy music and then it transfers over to Hamlet speaking in his soliloquy, and the non-diagetic sound during the soliloquy is the same gloomy, creepy music. This is done to emphasize the despair of Hamlet's words. The setting of this scene is Hamlet sitting on rock on a cliff overlooking the ocean. This is done in order to show how Hamlet is contemplating suicide in parts of the speech, and how he could jump off the cliff any second but as he contemplates he decides not to. The cliff also shows the difference between life and death. Hamlet's costume is black, again showing the gloom and despair of his soliloquy and the scene in general. The make up is done so that Hamlet's face is lighter than the rest of the scene, and this is done in order to emphasize his soliloquy. The camera angle starts off at the back of his head and the audience can see the ocean in front of his face. It then zooms in on his head, and the audience goes inside his brain as the soliloquy starts. Then, it pans out to a medium shot of a front view of Hamlet and stays there for most of the rest of the scene, with an occasional closeup of Hamlet's face. This emphasizes the intensity of the scene.

Mel Gibson: In Mel Gibson's interpretation of Hamlet's soliloquy, the diagetic sound is Hamlet speaking and there is no non-diagetic sound except for the occasional sound of Hamlet's footsteps. This is done in order to have the audience focus on the despair of Hamlet's soliloquy. The setting of this scene looks to be an underground cemetery or 

graveyard. Hamlet walks down the stairs during his soliloquy to a coffin that he then hugs and looks at it with a mournful expression. The scene is set here in order to emphasize the important death aspect of Hamlet's soliloquy.Hamlet's costume is a black cloak and black pants, in which the black again represents the darkness of the soliloquy. The cloak also represents the darkness because a cloak is a piece of clothing used to cover a person, and can sometimes imply hiding all of your secrets. Hamlet does not wear a lot of makeup in this scene. The main camera angles of this scene are a close up of Hamlet’s

 face at the beginning of the soliloquy, a long shot of the coffin, and a long shot of Hamlet hugging the coffin and speaking the soliloquy to it. This is done in order to emphasize the uncertainty of death aspect of Hamlet's speech. 

Ethan Hawkes: In Ethan Hawkes' version of Hamlet's soliloquy, the diagetic sound is a voiceover of the soliloquy.The non-diagetic sound is gloomy music, Hamlet's footsteps, and the sound from the movies playing on the TV screens. The setting of the scene is a Blockbuster movie rental store. This is done to help modernize the scene as the

 words that Hamlet is saying are Shakespeare words that aren't modern. Hamlet's costume in this scene is kind of a frumpy hat, a black blazer, and black pants. Again, the black emphasizes the gloom and despair of the solilquoy as

 black represents darkness. The hat and blazer help to also modernize this version of the Hamlet's speech. The props used in this scene are a bunch of TVs that are playing a movie. Hamlet wears very little make up in this scene in order

 to make him appear has modern as possible. The camera angles of this version are a medium shot of Hamlet from his back, a closeup of Hamlet's face as he walks through the Blockbuster, and another medium shot of Hamlet, but looking at his front side. These medium shots are done in order to show the modern aspects of the setting of the scene

as well as his costume.

The delivery that I think is the most effective is the Ethan Hawkes version because the modernization of the scene appeals to a broader audience and also helps the audience understand and connect with Hamlet more. 

I would change the Laurence Oliver approach. I don’t like how how Hamlet is placed on a rock overlooking an ocean because it seems as though he is going to choose suicide over living by the end of his speech. I would change it by placing Hamlet on a beach pondering his thoughts while looking at the ocean because it wouldn’t make the audience automatically jump to the conclusion of suicide.