Mirrors of Madness: A Cinematic Exploration in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet

In the Kenneth Branagh film version of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, the director highlights the production aspect of props/setting to express his interpretation of Hamlet’s madness.

The three key scenes within this film in which mirrors are used to represent the director’s interpretation includes Hamlet’s soliloquy in in Act 3 Scene 1, Hamlet and Ophelia’s ‘get-thee-to-a nunnery’ encounter scene, which is also in Act 3 Scene 1, and the death of Polonius in Act 3 Scene 3. More specifically, in this version, the use of mirrors in the film reveals the intensity of Hamlet’s madness.

In Act 3 Scene 1, the scene begins with Hamlet entering a vast room surrounded by mirrors and stopping in front of one mirror to begin his soliloquy: “to be or not to be… that is the question.” The director’s use of having Hamlet stare into one mirror out of the several in the room shows that he convinces himself that his ‘madness’ is simply an act to deceive other people.

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However, when he is alone with the single mirror staring back at him, he truthfully cannot deny that he's contemplating thoughts of death; his self loathing expressions are very real because there is no one else with him to lie to in this moment except himself. His soliloquy shows that even though he can see his own reflection, he cannot see things clearly because he is in a state of mania. Hamlet spends so much time putting up a facade for others that he cannot handle being confronted with the harsh reality of his true mental state.

The mirror is distorting Hamlet’s perception of himself, especially at the moment he pulls out his sword and points at himself. He cannot see himself clearly since he tries to convince himself that he is not insane to others, and to himself, even though he knows that his thoughts and perception have been distorted. Although his perception is distorted, the mirrors are undeniably a reflection of oneself, and therefore they represent that his madness is very real and even more prevalent.

Also in Act 3 scene 1, Hamlet’s encounter with Ophelia begins with her walking into the main room as Polonius and Claudius are spying on them from above. In this version, there is a clear sense between Hamlet and Ophelia that they did have a relationship, as expressed through their persistent eye contact and emotional facial expressions. However, in this scene, the director makes it clear that Hamlet knows he is being watched by Polonius and Claudius, and after hearing a loud noise, he opens a double sided mirror door and pushes Ophelia against the mirror. The noise he may have heard could have triggered Hamlet's constant feeling that he is always in the public eye, and therefore is always being watched by others. Hamlet is forced to become more vulnerable in this scene and when he pushes her into the glass, it is symbolic of the director’s interpretation that Hamlet is at the height of his ‘breaking point.’

In Act 3, scene 3, the main focus on this scene was the death of Polonius, after Hamlet kills him. This scene is very significant in portraying the author’s interpretation of Hamlet’s intensity of madness. While by this scene, it has become clear that Hamlet is in a very scattered mental state, what becomes more clear is the intensity of his madness- in which he impulsively takes all of his frustration and rage caused by Claudius and Gertrude’s marriage, his father's death, and his self- inflicting issues out on Polonius. However, it is very likely from this version, that Hamlet knew it was Polonius behind the curtain that he killed and not Claudius. Although in this scene there is no physical mirror, the camera is set at an angle in which the audience can see Hamlet’s reflection when he peers at the pool of blood spilling out of Polonius. The detail of blood being reflective, validates that Hamlet has just killed all of his morals by killing Polonius. He can also physically see what he has done and yet emotionally and mentally he has no reaction of remorse or guilt after just murdering his lover’s wife, as his unstable mental state has resulted in his loss of control all aspects of his life. Especially in terms of his thoughts and actions, it is as if his spirialing mental state has also resulted in a lack of conscience and knowledge of right from wrong.

As exemplified by these three scenes, the Kenneth Branagh film version truly captured the intensity of Hamlet’s heightened mental state through the use of mirrors. Although mirrors are a reflection of oneself, it is evident that Hamlet’s perception and mental state was so distorted that he could not even be truthful with his own feelings, without convincing himself that he was not insane. With no direction of self control, the director makes it very clear that Hamlet’s mental state parallels his loss of sanity.