Monet: Eulogy for Ophelia

We are gathered here today in ceremony, to honor and celebrate the life of our dear Ophelia.

One who was kind, sweet and unique in her own special way. Her last days were those of suffering and pain. It is still a sensitive topic about whether or not Ophelia was worthy of a proper Christian burial. I stand to say that she was. She did nothing that warranted otherwise. We don't know what Ophelia's thoughts were in her head. That is between her and God only. As far as on Earth, I see her as the innocent victim and therefore, she deserved a correct burial. So it is our obligation to do so.

Ophelia was loaded with a leap of heavy burdens all at once. From the pain that Hamlet brought her, to the sudden death of her father by the supposed man she loved. This was her downfall. She fell into that trap that most girls do where you become so blinded by love, that you don't see the tragic gradually building up behind it. Hamlet spoke to Ophelia as if she was some dog on the street; no respect for her what so ever. He talked to her any which way he wanted without any care in the world. This should have been a red light for Ophelia. She allowed him to talk to her that way, but she needed to put an end to it right then and there. To make the situation worse, this supposed lover of hers killed her father. She was left alone to battle this hurt. She had no support system to back her up and help her get through this tragedy. I mean "what else was she supposed to do?" She lost her father to a senseless man. Drowning herself was her last resort. What is extremely disappointing is that it could have been avoided if there were others around in her the most vulnerable point in her life.

I constantly wonder if anyone really cared for Ophelia or is this death really what they wanted. I can't fathom how she was really left alone, even after the fact that she searched and seeked for someone's attention to help her. She died over things that had nothing to do with her. She was simply just guilty of falling into that love trap. I have come to the realization that you cant fall in love with someone to hard because you never know when they are going to flip and start lashing out on you. After a rough final days, now Ophelia can rest in peace. She will be remembered for her radiant beauty that someone else lost due to their own circumstances.

Monet: Hamlet's Dilemma

"Is it better to be a man of thought or of action?" This is the question that arises throughout this scene. Hamlet, as we all seen throughout this scene, battles with the idea of whether or not he should kill his uncle Claudius. His overall decision to take time and think it through was the best choice at this time, for if he wanted to kill him now, the fault would be on Hamlet. Everyone images Hamlet as this psychotic, crazy man, which at times he can be. If he were to kill Claudius, it would only prove to the others that there is truly something wrong with him. We witnessed Claudius confess his sins and repent (ask God for forgiveness) which King Hamlet did not get the chance to do. Therefor, Claudius has an automatic pass into heaven because once God sees your heart and confess of your sins, He always forgives. If Hamlet kills Claudius, when Claudius eventually dies, he will have access into heaven, while Hamlet roams the Earth living in sin, along with his father's spirit. Although Hamlet was given step by step instructions on ways to seek revenge against Claudius by King Hamlet, it would not be right. Claudius called on angels to help, got on his knees, and prayed to God in hopes for heavenly pardon. In essence, the father's instructions would not be useful because they would not have benefited him in the end.

It is only right that Hamlet wait to kill Claudius at a sinful moment and thus send him to hell. Hamlet does not want to follow in the footsteps of his father, where the King suffers in the afterlife because Claudius killed him at a vulnerable time where he was unprepared for heaven. Despite how I despise Claudius so much, anyone who asks God for forgiveness deserves to be forgiven. After all, Hamlet's ultimate decision was for the better of him, not his father's.

Monet's "To Be Or Not To Be" Speech

After watching all four versions of Hamlet's "To Be Or Not To Be" speech, I have come to the realization that once again, each director had his/her own different strategies to showcase this very dynamic scene. The first version directed by Olivier, was a black and white scene. These two colors together portray a very dark and gloomy atmosphere, which was perfect for this particular scene. The only effect that brought a somewhat calming sensation was the subtle sound of the ocean in the background. While Hamlet is reciting his soliloquy to himself, I happened to observe that the camera rocked back and forth zooming on his head. In a way, it looked as if he was talking directly to us. However, the subtle waters did not last for it turned into a police siren in the background. It became a tumultuous setting. There was a sense of suspension when Hamlet was sitting on the rock overlooking the ocean with the dagger in his hand. From there, it had me wondering whether or not Hamlet was really going to commit suicide.

In the Mel Gibson version by Zeffirelli, Hamlet was in the dark basement of the castle with a tint of light. Here, Hamlet had a more powerful voice and seemed 10 times more outgoing. Because Hamlet had more of a deeper, stronger voice in this version. it resulted in more emotion and dramatics in his speech. Mel Gibson put more emphasis on his words showing how Hamlet's fighting internally with himself. Hamlet may have seemed more reserved and humble in the play, but personally, Mel played the role well. His  power did not take away from the message in any way. My favorite part of this version was when the light shone through the top of the castle and Hamlet looked up. It gave me the impression that Hamlet was talking to the heavens with a sincere heart. To note a quick observation, throughout the speech, Hamlet drifted between calm to angry. This symbolized the many emotions he's going through and the indecisiveness of his thoughts.

Branagh's version, and my personal favorite, Hamlet had a creepy, soft, whispering voice. The camera followed him as he walked towards the mirror. The music was a slight intense sound sort of leading to his death. I got interesting when Hamlet pulled the dagger out and rest it on his head as if he was going to just stab himself right then and there. He never stopped looking at himself. I felt that represented his thoughts.This version, in my opinion, represented the original play the best. The tone wasn't as outrageous as Gibson's.

I am not a big fan of the Ethan Hawk Almereyda version. It is way too modern for my liking. It completely gives off a different vibe from the other versions. Almereyda really took off with the modern version. For starters, the setting was in Blockbuster. How much more modern can it be? I mean, Hamlet walked around the aisles of Blockbuster looking clueless as if he was drunk. There was a serious lack of emotion. In the background, there was subtle music, but fire playing on the TVs, similar to the pit of hell. This helped to visualize how Hamlet strolled around the store pondering if he should take action, but made no decision. Plus, the movie "The Crow" was also playing on the TVs. If you are familiar with this movie, you will know that it was about a guy returning from the dead seeking revenge on the person that murdered him and his girlfriend. That is exactly what Hamlet was doing. He was contemplating life and death and states that no one knows what happens after death.