Hamlet in Film: Gibson Against Tennant as the Play's Protagonist Juliet Li 12th Grade

Life's greatest tragedies will scorch madness and vengeance into the hearts of those willing to toss aside their humanity. Hamlet, consumed by calamity, names himself an Archangel of Death in the Shakespearean tragedy. A striking historical play of vengeance and hysteria, Hamlet is the tale of Prince Hamlet, out to exact retribution for his father’s death. It is commonly accepted as Shakespeare’s greatest play, immortalized through film by countless thespians throughout the past centuries, enduring the test of time. Amidst adaptation both classic and modern, are Gibson’s and Tennant’s Hamlet, featuring contrasting interpretations. However, one surpasses the other in conveying literary importance as analogous scenes are dissected and analyzed. The juxtaposing scene depicts Ophelia’s final moments before succumbing to a watery tomb, and it catalyzes the downward spiral of the royal family. In Act 4, Scene 5, the maiden is seen in a hysterical disposition, and as one of the most prominent themes in Hamlet, madness constitutes the pandemonium and turbulence in the court of Denmark. Ophelia’s character undergoes a major change in depth and complexity as her judgement recedes into alienated delirium, setting the stage for her tragic...