Summaries, revision notes and essay plans from a consistent A/A* grade student now studying English Literature at a Russell Group University. For OCR a level English Literature:
Paper One: Hamlet
Paper One: Chaucer's 'The Merchant's Tale' compared with Ibsen's 'A Doll's House'
Paper Two: dystopi...
Hamlet has a clear fear of the ghost – hair stands up every
time it appears (wig)
Focuses on Hamlet and Old Hamlet. Hamlet displays a
tender expression of love for his father (also a strong bond in
Edwin Booth’s 1833 Hamlet)
Hamlet’s bursts of anger over his love for his father
Omitted final act of the play
Olivier, 1948 (film noir)
Cast:
Begins with a dead Hamlet being carried by soldiers to the
Hamlet: Laurence Olivier top of a castle
Ophelia: Jean Simmons Medieval and barbaric
Many soliloquies/speeches spoken in the background, like
Claudius: Basil Sydney the audience are intruding on characters' thoughts. Also
presents Hamlet as an inward character with thoughts
Gertrude: Eileen Herlie
trapped in his mind.
Every time the ghost appears, there is a sound of a
heartbeat
Hamlet holds a dagger to himself while on a cliff above the
sea (“sea of troubles”), symbolises his mind
Omits Fortinbras, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern, and some
of the more political aspects of the play. Hamlet’s revenge
is personal not political.
Court represented as a shadowy labyrinth (reflects Hamlet’s
mind)
Hamlet and Gertrude kiss passionately, oedipal emphasis.
Gertrude deliberately cast younger than Hamlet.
Hamlet stabs Claudius then takes his place on the throne
before dying. The court bow allegiance to him (avenges his
father and momentarily takes his place)
Childlike Ophelia who playfully tries to steal Laertes' sword
and money.
, Bennett, 1980
Cast:
Hamlet: Derek Jacobi Armed guards kill Horatio and remaining members of
the court
Fortinbras depicted as despicable
Particularly sharp-witted Hamlet
Interchangeability of R&G is continually exploited
No ghost – its terrifying speeches wrenched out of
Pryce as though he were in the grip of psychic
possession.
Hamlet speaks ghost’s lines as if he were possessed
and the only way to expel it was killing Claudius (1
body, 2 Hamlets)
Pryce - “I wasn’t' sure I had anything fresh to bring
to Hamlet”. The burden of playing Hamlet and
Hamlet’s burdens. His version
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