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.