Hamlet: Film Directed By Kenneth Branagh

When a book becomes a film, many people become worried that the director won’t make the film accurate to the book. Many times the movie fits a hollywood setting and portrayal. Fans can be left unhappy, or completely satisfied with the film version.

Claudius a huge character in the play, Hamlet. Claudius betrays people, kills the king whom everyone adored, especially the people of Denmark. He affects others, including his own family, such as Hamlet, without caring about how they feel.

Revenge for Claudius starts as soon as Hamlet figures out he has killed the king in the play. Hamlet starts to plot how he could get revenge on Claudius, but little does Hamlet know, he should act sooner than he thinks, as Claudius is plotting as well. In both the book and the film, revenge is a huge theme for both Hamlet, and Claudius too.

In contrast with Act three, scene two, a scene with Hamlet and Claudius is a bit different.

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In the book, Claudius leaves an argument scene without saying anything, or without anyone saying anything to him. In fact, the audience doesn’t even really notice that he has left. Though differently in the film, Claudius leaves the scene while Hamlet investages his departure by yelling at him. Hamlet makes connections between the play and Claudius’ betrayal. Within this scene, the scripts are practically identical.

Meanwhile, how Claudius and others are killed is a bit different between the book and film as well. In the book, Hamlet stabs Claudius after learning that the sword actually is poisoned, saying, “The point envenomed too!” (Act five, scene two.

) Though with this part in the film, Claudius was killed by the sword from Hamlet, though the sword is thrown like a spear, and Hamlet swings from a chandelier onto Claudius. This scene from the movie is a lot more dramatic, and very hollywood like. In addition to this scene, the characters are facing Fortinbras’ army in the film, though in the book, the characters are frightened due to the deadly sword fight and the death of the king and queen.

Shakespeare's works were intended to be plays, not as novels. When Hamlet is viewed as a script, acted out on a stage or set, it comes to life for all to see. This play being acted out cannot be conveyed by words on a page. With the film, directed by Kenneth Branagh, has been more dramatized which helps show the madness of Hamlet. This also helps show the state of mind of the characters, and to empathize with the vengeful and impulsive prince Hamlet. Additionally, the use of facial expressions, and visual cues allows the viewer to translate and interpret the no longer used language of Shakespeare. This allows for a deeper understanding, and it lets the viewer sympathize with the characters because they can see them as people, rather than individuals words being spoken on paper.