In Act 1 Scene 2 (from the beginning to Hamlet’s soliloquy), Claudius declares his marriage with Gertrude and explains why he married to Gertrude — his brother’s widow. While Hamlet is complaining about his mother’s marriage, and he thinks his uncle is a “satyr”. At that time, his view of the world was meaningless, useless and corrupt. He even wants to commit suicide if it is not a sin. Hamlet is a tragic play that was written by the famous playwright, William Shakespeare.
Hamlet was adapted to the movies since the development of the film industry, and that did the most influential two adaptations were filmed in 1990 and 1996, and directed by Franco Zeffirelli and Kenneth Branagh respectively. These versions are distinct from each other in several aspects through analyzing Act 1 Scene 2 in detail. Firstly, two versions of Hamlet are different in characters’ way of acting, but the players’ performance in Branagh’s version interpreted the play is better than Zeffirelli’s, which develops character and conflicts in the film.
Secondly, two versions’ sound elements are different in forming an appropriate external environment, though Branagh’s version still gains a competitive advantage by developing character and conflict. Lastly, two adaptations’ ways of referring to the original play are diverse, but Branagh does that better in showing the relationship between Claudius and Hamlet. Therefore, Branagh’s version presents Hamlet better by developing the story in a superior adaptation to Zeffirelli.
Firstly, two versions of Hamlet are different in characters’ way of acting, but the players’ performance in Branagh’s version interpreted the play is better than Zeffirelli’s. Firstly, after Claudius declared his marriage to the Danish court, he says “For all, our thanks” (1. 2. 16) with impassion and gratitude within Branagh’s version. He is cunning that he knows talking in that way would let all the court believe his faith of gratitude, which forms a foundation for him to gain the public and fits his characteristics.
While Claudius is quite diplomatic in Zeffirelli’s adaptation since his speech is cadenced, which shows he is emotionless about his brother’s death, that does not connect to his words “Have we, as’twere with a defeated joy”(1. 2. 10). Besides, Zeffirelli’s version does not show any response when Gertrude and Claudius see Hamlet is in black during Claudius’s marriage, which that cannot help the audience know the strangeness of wearing black during a marriage.
On the contrary, when Hamlet enters the foyer with black and sadness in Branagh’s adaptation, all the court members’ are surprised by Hamlet’s action seen through their abundant facial expressions. Lastly, Hamlet’s reaction of responding Claudius in Branagh’s adaptation is through his eyes. When Claudius says “To give these mourning duties to your father. But you must know your father lost a father” (1. 2. 89), and Hamlet is rolling his eyes and disparaging of Claudius through his eye expression.
However, Hamlet’s response to Claudius’s speech is flat in Zeffirelli’s, which he looks outside with empty eyes to pretend that he is not listening to Claudius, while that cannot show his negative feeling that appears in his soliloquy, where he describes Claudius as a “satyr” (1. 2. 140). Characters’ performances are influential in leading the theme of the film. In those two adaptations, Branagh’s version shows a deeper meaning behind the words while Zeffirelli’s merely shows superficial lines.
Thus, Branagh develops character and highlights conflicts between characters more exceptionally than Zeffirelli through characters’ interpretation. Moreover, two versions’ sound elements are different in forming an appropriate external environment, though Branagh’s version still gains a competitive advantage in appealing to movie-watchers’ emotions. The sound is a significant element in creating a film. In Branagh’s version, when Claudius is declaring his marriage to the court, the soundtrack is depressed, which reminds people of the death of the former king, and it also contrasts to most of the people’s performances.
In contrast, Zeffirelli’s version does not focus on using sound elements to foreshadow or create conflicts. Zeffirelli’s version is dull and plain since they do not use sound when King is declaring why he marries with Gertrude just after the death of the former king. Likewise, when they come to “No jocund health that Denmark drinks today, …. Come away” (1. 2. 125), the soundtrack becomes cheerful with fairy scattering flowers to present a romantic mood. During that time, Hamlet wears all black clothing which juxtaposes creating a conflict between the king and Hamlet; and highlights Hamlet’s personalities.
Branagh does a much better job of showing this than Zeffirelli. Although Zeffirelli places exciting music where all people celebrate for King’s marriage; Hamlet does not appear in that scene, which it cannot exert its function in helping develop the character, Hamlet. Then, there is no sound during Hamlet’s soliloquy in Act 1 Scene in the Branagh version which it affects in creating a mood of loneliness, worthlessness, and darkness, that fit the theme of Hamlet’s world’s view—meaningless, worthless and corrupt.
While, the director creates a sense of liveness and bustle to contrast through using the sound of nature and people’s conversations to contrast with Hamlet’s inner activities, which only emphasizes Hamlet’s loneliness. Both adaptations use sound elements to create an appropriate external environment to form conflicts or develop characters, but Branagh addresses more significant of sound in all. Thus, Branagh uses the sound elements more appropriately in developing characters and conflicts.
Last but not least, two adaptations’ ways of referring to the original play are diverse, but Branagh does that better in showing the relationship between Claudius and Hamlet. It is notorious that the setting of the story is in the late medieval period in Denmark, and the characters’ were all from high-class (SparkNotes Editors). Firstly, the culture that Zeffirelli’s version presents are more like medieval period in Denmark, which can be proven by people wearing medieval clothing, even during King and Queen’s marriage, they still wear casual clothing.
That approach of using elements of emotional appeals helps them gain audiences’ feelings of going back to the real time that the story takes place. On the contrary, players wear more modern as they are 19th-century clothes in Branagh’s version, especially during the marriage; the Queen wears a white wedding dress while white wedding dresses did not become popular until after 1840 (@ItinerantGroup. ), which contrasts to Hamlet’s black clothing and indicates conflicts among Hamlet, Gertrude, and Claudius as well. Secondly, a setting of a film suggests some meanings and most of the settings indicate the time period of that film.
These two versions of films show a distinguishing time period. The building expresses a sense of history and antiquity. That is appropriate in showing a medieval period in Denmark in Zeffirelli’s adaptation. Nevertheless, Branagh’s adaptation turns to integrate modern architecture into the castle. The inside of the castle is white, which shows the royalty of the building. The building appeals to audiences in an aesthetic which also helps contrast Hamlet with Gertrude and Claudius in developing the conflict between Hamlet and Claudius as well. Lastly, characters’ lines have been shortened in Zeffirelli’s adaptation.
It merely focuses on the main characters’ dialogue and made cuts to supporting roles’ lines. For example, the conversation between Claudius and his ambassadors has been cut off. From the original context, Claudius is saying “To our most valiant brother. So much for him ” (1. 2. 25), that can show people his gratitude about his brother. Whereas, Branagh’s version includes all characters’ lines; following Shakespeare’s play in Act 1 Scene 2. Branagh’s process helps develop Claudius’s characteristics through that way of referring to the original context.
Thus, both adaptations contribute some features in referring to the original context, but Branagh does that better in showing the relationship between Claudius and Hamlet. In conclusion, Branagh and Zeffirelli’s adaptations show a distinct Hamlet through actor’s performances, sound elements and the way that they refer to the original text. Firstly, two versions of Hamlet are different in characters’ performance, but the players’ performance in Branagh’s version interpreted the play is better than Zeffirelli’s, which helps develop character and conflicts in the film.
Secondly, two versions’ sound elements are separately in forming an appropriate external environment, Branagh’s version still gains a competitive advantage by developing character and conflict. Lastly, two adaptations’ ways of referring to the original play are diverse, but Branagh does that better in showing the relationship between Claudius and Hamlet. Therefore, Branagh interprets the play in a superior way to develop characters and conflicts, which presents Hamlet better by developing the story in a superior adaptation to Zeffirelli.
