Analyzing Hamlet's 'Mousetrap'
“The Mousetrap” Essay
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the play-within-the-play is intended to prove if King Claudius killed Hamlet's father. The best interpretation of the Mousetrap scene was with actor, Kenneth Branagh, because of the things were portrayed like the characters’ behavior, staging and movement, and audience reactions. The interpretation the acting company is trying to convey in this version was to have the people of Denmark begin to suspect that Claudius killed Hamlet’s father, as the play progressed. The company interpreted this by having the audience exchange looks among themselves, then exchange looks with King Claudius and Queen Gertrude.
Although there are many different interpretations, Hamlet’s behavior towards Ophelia stood out to me the most. He was being unmannerly and inappropriate with Ophelia makes her feel uncomfortable. For example, he had assumed that Ophelia was thinking about sex after asking her, “shall I lie in your lap.” Throughout the whole scene Ophelia seemed very uncomfortable around Hamlet. She responded quietly with short answers as Hamlet rudely spoke loud, causing audience members to turn their attention towards them.
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When things start to heat up during the dumb show we see audience members whispering to each other. Hamlet begins to look back to see if there is any discomfort with King Claudius. The spectator also sees Horatio looking at King Claudius through the binoculars as he begins to shift when the tension begins to rise. As a matter of fact, I liked how royalty sat in the balcony while the rest of the audience sat below them. I thought this signified the way that they are higher than the rest of the people
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645 Words | 3 PagesBy verbally harassing Ophelia and estranging himself from her, Hamlet provides the apparent image of losing his prior care without a great amount of consideration. Additionally, Hamlet further displays his anger for his father’s death through this display. By dissolving his relationship with Ophelia, Hamlet furthers his image of insanity to further illustrate himself as incapable within Claudius’s eyes while still communicating distaste for his loss of his father. With Hamlet’s intentionally swift change of heart for Ophelia, Hamlet’s procedure warrants a certain level of sanity. Regardless of the sudden nature, Hamlet’s continual barring from Ophelia possesses procedure which causes further doubt of Hamlet’s mental instability from the audience of the
Comparing Films 'Mousetrap And' Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet
609 Words | 3 PagesEach time it comes to Hamlet’s lines he goes with a sarcastic tone speaking fast making it uncomfortable for Ophelia to respond. Hamlet interacts with Ophelia in a way that is rude and insulting, also creating facial expressions to portray how uncomfortable Ophelia is with Hamlet. For example, Ophelia tried complimenting Hamlet’s observation of the play only to backfire with Hamlet’s comment that he could read Ophelia’s relationship like a puppet show she once did to him. Not only does he make rude comments but vulgar ones as well telling Ophelia, “It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge,” making the conversation painful to Ophelia. The interaction between both characters is different with one another.
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Examples Of Insanity In Hamlet
1154 Words | 5 PagesWhen Ophelia returns all his letters and gifts he tells her that he has never loved her and that she should “get thyself to a nunnery.” This is one example how his mood changes throughout the play. Then after all this her father, Polinous, is murdered by Hamlet. The Hamlet is sent away to England All of these actions result in her feeling such stress that she becomes insane in the end.
The Insanity Of Hamlet's Treachery In Hamlet By William Shakespeare
727 Words | 3 PagesFurthermore, Hamlet makes a play up that imitates the way his father was murdered. Hamlet says to Horatio, “Watch him closely. I’ll stare at him too, and afterward, we’ll compare notes on him.” This is to confirm suspicion on King Claudius for the murder of Hamlet's father. When Hamlet gets questioned he has to refuse what they are asking and mislead them on their very own question.
Did Run Smooth Themes In Hamlet
497 Words | 2 PagesOphelia went against her father’s wishes as he forbid her from talking to Hamlet since he was a player. Polonius said “I would not, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to talk with the Lord Hamlet” (Shakespeare, 2015, p. 253). Laertes also warned Ophelia about Hamlet. Hamlet was rude and controlling towards Ophelia one minute and loving to her the next. Hamlet freaked out Ophelia once and was rough with her, “He took me by the wrist and held me hard” (Shakespeare, 2015, p.265).
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1099 Words | 5 PagesWith a shift of the scene, the audience discovers King Claudius and Queen Gertrude are also at the play, sitting in their royal seats. As the play is acted out in front of the crowd, Branagh does extraordinary work catching the audience’s attention with the camera. When the play continues, the actor queen says something along the lines of when a women takes a second husband she must have killed off the first. Branagh uses a crosscut in this scene to show the action; first he starts by panning the crowd, encapsulating their reaction as to what just happened in the play. Next, Hamlet is shown with a calm and even-keeled attitude as the camera shifts from the King and Queen, to Hamlet and Ophelia several times in the course of seconds.
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745 Words | 3 PagesOphelia is grieving the loss of her father after Hamlet kills him. Ophelia doesn't know that Hamlet killed her father. But Ophelia has gone mad from learning about her father's death. Also, after Hamlet telling Ophelia that she needs to go to a nunnery, Ophelia is a little bit discouraged. She is discouraged because Hamlet had told her before that if Ophelia would sleep with him that they would get married.
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1056 Words | 5 PagesHamlet does not value Ophelia 's feelings he belittles her. In Hamlets defense this is the way he was brought up to treat women, during that time this was a common way to treat a women. Even though in today 's society it is not at all ok to treat women with such disrespect. He also likes for everything to go as planned and this may result in why he can not have a stable relationship with a woman. This also causes him to have many stumbling blocks in his life that causes some emotional pain
Hamlet Act 3 Scene 2 Analysis
743 Words | 3 PagesIn this scene, Shakespeare directs and manipulates theatrical conventions to help define the subtleties of Hamlet’s conflict. 1. The Mousetrap a Perfect Example of a Play within a Play First thing to remember is what myse en abime means. In general, it is “a French term derived from the heraldic device of inserting a small shield into a larger shield bearing the same device, and related to “composition en abyme”, and a play within a play.” At the heart of Hamlet, the meta-theatrical play The Mousetrap, also known as The Murder of Gonzago is a brilliant example of a play within a play as it closely resembles the actual
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698 Words | 3 PagesPolonius then tells Claudius how he thinks the source of Hamlet’s madness is Ophelia’s rejection, and suggests that Ophelia talk with Hamlet one on one, while either Polonius or Claudius spies on them. Hamlet then walks in reading a book, and Polonius goes to talk to him, over-interpreting every word as Hamlet mocks and plays with him. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern walk in after Polonius leaves, to go chat with Hamlet. Hamlet soon figures out that they are sent by the King, and so Rosencrantz changes the topic to a group of actors that passed through. Hamlet then decides to request from the players a special
Hamlet Nunnery Scene Essay
1054 Words | 5 PagesThis scene is a play within a play. In this scene, Hamlet instructs the play performers to act out the parts that he has written for them. Hamlet then instructs Horatio to watch Claudius’s behavior during the play to see if he reacts to the murder scene. Their plan was to “catch the conscience of the king” (3.3.582). Horatio agrees with Hamlet that if the king reacts, he is guilty.
Hamlet Play Analysis
1376 Words | 6 PagesIn order to proceed to his mission, to take revenge, he has to find solid proof of Claudius’s guilt. Therefore, Hamlet attempts to “catch the conscience of the king” (II.ii.597) by using a play. The play-within-a-play,
The Guilty Of Claudius In William Shakespeare's Hamlet
194 Words | 1 PagesThe dramatic importance of the play within a play was executed to display not only the evidence of Claudius being his brother’s murderer, but as well to portray Hamlet and his madness over the whole situation, “‘Whose blood and judgement are so well commeddled that they are not a pipe for Fortune’s finger to sound what stop she please.”(Act 3, Scene 2, 67-69) After seeing how Claudius is guilty Hamlet becomes more obvious about his hatred and intent towards Claudius, “Ah ha! Come, some music; come, the recorders. For if the king like not the comedy, why then, belike he likes it not, perdie.
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