Gregory Doran Adaptation Of Hamlet
Gregory Doran’s 2009 adaptation of Hamlet is a game changer for struggling students trying to understand Hamlet writes Callum Langdon
It is no doubt that Hamlet is one of the most studied texts in English literature worldwide. Although, not many senior English students are interested in studying Hamlet, including myself. At first glimpse it appears to be an indecipherable text, and even with side notes it’s still extremely difficult to follow. That is why I propose that Teachers must use Gregory Doran’s modernised; yet classical version of Hamlet as a method of conveying an understandable, impeccable and engaging version of the play to contemporary senior English students.
As a senior English student, I wouldn’t have understood Hamlet without …show more content…
This is accomplished through the use of black; creating inconspicuous feelings of mourning, death and sadness. Another feature is the recurring set details of reflective surfaces, mirrors and CCTV cameras, that enhance and enforce introspection and isolation; as well as imparting the paranoia in Denmark. The film also applies modern but classical features which work well together and in a way set the film in its own period. Adding to the isolation of the characters and setting from the outside …show more content…
Removing the political aspect surrounding the play and focusing more on the state of Denmark and the royal family. There has also been a larger emphasis put on Hamlet and Doran does a fantastic job over portraying him as bipolar, cynical and scathingly intelligent; but is flawed through his procrastination. Isolation of the characters is another major feature that the film captures; as characters are portrayed as being very isolated from the outside world and their families are in chaos.
Tennant captures his bipolar actions in his illustrious soliloquy ‘rogue and pleasant slave’ (Act 1, Scene ii, p.92), fluctuating from self-hate, ‘What an ass am I’ (p.93), to cunningness; with the intentions of trapping ‘the conscience of the king’ (p.93). For contemporary students this displays that the film has stayed true to the play. Also this emphasis on Hamlet allows students to understand his thought process more clearly with visual emotions.
Film
It is no doubt that Hamlet is one of the most studied texts in English literature worldwide. Although, not many senior English students are interested in studying Hamlet, including myself. At first glimpse it appears to be an indecipherable text, and even with side notes it’s still extremely difficult to follow. That is why I propose that Teachers must use Gregory Doran’s modernised; yet classical version of Hamlet as a method of conveying an understandable, impeccable and engaging version of the play to contemporary senior English students.
As a senior English student, I wouldn’t have understood Hamlet without …show more content…
This is accomplished through the use of black; creating inconspicuous feelings of mourning, death and sadness. Another feature is the recurring set details of reflective surfaces, mirrors and CCTV cameras, that enhance and enforce introspection and isolation; as well as imparting the paranoia in Denmark. The film also applies modern but classical features which work well together and in a way set the film in its own period. Adding to the isolation of the characters and setting from the outside …show more content…
Removing the political aspect surrounding the play and focusing more on the state of Denmark and the royal family. There has also been a larger emphasis put on Hamlet and Doran does a fantastic job over portraying him as bipolar, cynical and scathingly intelligent; but is flawed through his procrastination. Isolation of the characters is another major feature that the film captures; as characters are portrayed as being very isolated from the outside world and their families are in chaos.
Tennant captures his bipolar actions in his illustrious soliloquy ‘rogue and pleasant slave’ (Act 1, Scene ii, p.92), fluctuating from self-hate, ‘What an ass am I’ (p.93), to cunningness; with the intentions of trapping ‘the conscience of the king’ (p.93). For contemporary students this displays that the film has stayed true to the play. Also this emphasis on Hamlet allows students to understand his thought process more clearly with visual emotions.
Film