I, for one, do not like this performance- instead of being upset or distraught because he is thinking of committing suicide- I see a man- manic and looking for a psych consult.
@730andrea One contemplates suicide not while upset or distraught, but in the calm before amidst the storm. Though I can only speak for myself, I think this was performed the way it should be. He's haunted by it, rather than depressed or angry. There's a certain serenity as one contemplates such a serious action.
@DrumRDude92 Greatest ever? You are certainly intitled to that opinion, but frankly if that were the case then certainly we would all love him. I am watching this horribly made play simply because I must write a paper on it. Also as you are entitled to your opinion i shall also state my own which I am entitled to. A minority actually likes his out dated trash, the rest hate, dont care about, or simply just tolerate it.
I agree with the rest of you that it should be considered a soliloquy even though Polonius and Claudius are present; however, I should like to say that is is unclear whether or not Hamlet sees Ophelia. She was explicitly instructed by Polonius to stand where Hamlet could see her (3.1.42). While the canonical interpretation is without Ophelia present, in Derek Jacobi's and Jonathan Pryce's production, Hamlet is speaking directly to Ophelia. If this is the case, it is not a soliloquy.
Shakespeare is acknowledged as a genius precisely BECAUSE he breaks rules like this. We see him bend the rules for soliloquy in Juliet's balcony scene as well... Juliet is in effect speaking out a "diary entry" soliloquy about Romeo, but Shakespeare has Romeo overhear her soliloquy (thus emphasizing their "spirtual" bond of love). He also breaks rules regarding "Revenge play" rules throughout Hamlet. That's right, Shakespeare was a rebel....
I always appreciate other bardolaters like myself, but I must add in here that he is not known as a genius because he breaks rules. There's no doubt that he breaks rules, left and right, and it is one part of his genius.
But when you whittle it down, the reason why he is the best writer of all time is his perfect combinations of words, casting the greatest dilemmas in human existence perfectly into daily situations, and into more monumental ones such as this.
I think the problem you're having is in your definition of soliloquy. A soliloquy is usually when a character is alone on stage; however, it is specifically designed to reveal interior thoughts. It is a way for the audience to get inside the head of a character. Shakespeare (because he's a freakin' genius) does break the "rule" about a soliloquy being delivered while a character is alone on stage; however, Hamlet still reveals his deepest thoughts, making this a soliloquy.
this is not a soliloquy, becaus claudius is there, hamlet just cant see him. this is more a monologue. a soliloquy is a character talking alone and solely to the audience. in this scene hamlet is not only talking to himself, he is also talking to claudius but not knowing it.
Thou art mistaken. This is clearly a soliloquy. Because Hamlet does not know he is being watched, and because he does not know Ophelia is on stage, it cannot be a monologue. If you read the play you would know that Claudius and Polonius exit the stage - they are gone. Furthermore, soliloquies reveal inner thoughts of characters in a way that monologues cannot.
Tend to thyself - this is surely a soliloquy. Served.
These words haunt me, I can't believe everytime I hear them that they were written in an unenlightened society. It shows how little we have changed as a species in all these years, as these words still speake so much truth today.
close call between him and larry olivier... cannot choose... brain will explode... ahhh!! sanely speaking though - if one stops to consider how those two geniuses have portrayed radically different portraits of hamlet, both of which find authority in the text, then one might realise just how much there is to the (imho near sacred) text itself. *shiver* i love you william.
Branagh is my inner voice when I read Shakespeare - He's got the most wonderfull voice for the purpose... But must admit - my favorite Hamlet is Mel Gibson!! We share the view upon Hamlet's supposed madness - and this from a Dane.. ;p
There is something about Mel Gibson's portrayel of Hamlet that annoy's me, i suppose it is because you can't tell the difference from when Hamlet is acting mad and when he is actually mad.
I first experienced hamlet when i was 14 and decided to check out the unabridged audio tapes just because i had heard it was a good play. I think it is Shakespeare's best. I have to say that Branagh comes much closer to my idea of hamlet than Mel Gibson does. Gibson is a great actor, but i just dont see him as hamlet personified in his acting style et c.
that is the purpose of this work Mel Gibson purposely did this. it is the audience to decide whether or not Hamlet is actually mad or not. For what is the definition of madness? that answer is different for all of us.
I saw Branagh's Hamlet at Stratford (must be 15 years ago now). Great production - but for this soliloquy, he sat on the edge of the stage and rambled through it. Got laughs from the audience, but for me it had all the resonance of someone wondering out loud what to have for lunch.
i love the long version of this. kinda hard to buy jack lemmon, but kate winslet was wonderful. billy crystal was little odd, but he did a good job as the clown
it was while watching this version of Hamlet when doing Shakespeare at school, that I was finally able to understand what the play was about! Especially this scene, it captures the essence of the whole soliloquy
1997 a girl called lauren was walikng in a forest and then a she just dissapeared no one ever found her untill 2000 when a yoing girl called Mary found her body and markings on her chest saying: I wasnt pretty enough" and now you have read this she will appear in your mirror saying your not pretty enough and kill you. by the way the girl called mary died shortly after.
To be saved paste this to 5 other videos. THIS TRUE
GREAT NEWS!!! "William Shakespeare's HAMLET" is coming to DVD for the first time August 14th in a 2-Disc Special Edition. Now, will somebody PLEASE upload the magnificent trailer for this wonderful movie? (I'd do it myself, except that I don't own a VHS copy of the movie nor do I know how to make videos.
Branagh is an amazing actor. love him as Hamlet. And for anyone who didn't know, he not only starred in this movie, but directed it too. How many actors are capable of an undertaking like that?
He played Hamlet in 1980, the version which is arguably the most popular among scholars, because nothing good has replaced it yet. Shakespearian films are never good at that, because they are too far from original performances (ie. whispering is impossible in a Shakespeare play on stage).
Kenneth does an amazing job in this version. Cool little fact: the guy that plays Claudius in this version has been doing Hamlet on the stage for years and he always played Hamlet. Must have been cool to have played the villain for once.
oh i think it's so intense!hamlet's my favourite shakespeare's character,and kenneth made him fantastic also because he said he wanted to represent hamlet as a rational man,not really as mad,and he said that what makes him seem mad is that he pretends to be mad and that he sometimes can be passionate and violent in his speech.anyway the idea of using the mirror is a good one because it reminds us of the theme of the antithesis between appearance and reality,so to be or not to be.
Act 1 Scene 2, Act 2 Scene 2, Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 4 Scene 4 (my favorite) all contain a moment where Hamlet speaks to himself, but there is no soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 5.
Shakespeare would have been proud...
ASBcruzTV 1 week ago in playlist G: Hamlet, Act III Scene 1
this reminds of brit lit back in high school. good times
svitzzzzz 1 month ago
I t hought Mel Gibson's version was far more real. But I like Branagh's intensity.
moonshinevessel 2 months ago
The picture is stretched :(
ElTuco84 6 months ago
this is Hamlet's 5th soliloquy
murphy369 8 months ago
I, for one, do not like this performance- instead of being upset or distraught because he is thinking of committing suicide- I see a man- manic and looking for a psych consult.
730andrea 9 months ago
@730andrea One contemplates suicide not while upset or distraught, but in the calm before amidst the storm. Though I can only speak for myself, I think this was performed the way it should be. He's haunted by it, rather than depressed or angry. There's a certain serenity as one contemplates such a serious action.
dosuunmai 3 months ago
where's the cool skull?
TomReeseqazwsx 1 year ago
Why does it matter what it is called?! Shakespeares the greatest of all time and that's what matters!
DrumRDude92 1 year ago
@DrumRDude92 Greatest ever? You are certainly intitled to that opinion, but frankly if that were the case then certainly we would all love him. I am watching this horribly made play simply because I must write a paper on it. Also as you are entitled to your opinion i shall also state my own which I am entitled to. A minority actually likes his out dated trash, the rest hate, dont care about, or simply just tolerate it.
YokaiofYokais 1 year ago
Derek Jacobis Hamlet way better!
etellez1231 1 year ago
I can easily do that, presenting a soliloquy isn't as hard as it looks.
sommrandim 1 year ago
I agree with the rest of you that it should be considered a soliloquy even though Polonius and Claudius are present; however, I should like to say that is is unclear whether or not Hamlet sees Ophelia. She was explicitly instructed by Polonius to stand where Hamlet could see her (3.1.42). While the canonical interpretation is without Ophelia present, in Derek Jacobi's and Jonathan Pryce's production, Hamlet is speaking directly to Ophelia. If this is the case, it is not a soliloquy.
StatusQ3 1 year ago
BTW-
Shakespeare is acknowledged as a genius precisely BECAUSE he breaks rules like this. We see him bend the rules for soliloquy in Juliet's balcony scene as well... Juliet is in effect speaking out a "diary entry" soliloquy about Romeo, but Shakespeare has Romeo overhear her soliloquy (thus emphasizing their "spirtual" bond of love). He also breaks rules regarding "Revenge play" rules throughout Hamlet. That's right, Shakespeare was a rebel....
LordFigNewton 2 years ago
I always appreciate other bardolaters like myself, but I must add in here that he is not known as a genius because he breaks rules. There's no doubt that he breaks rules, left and right, and it is one part of his genius.
But when you whittle it down, the reason why he is the best writer of all time is his perfect combinations of words, casting the greatest dilemmas in human existence perfectly into daily situations, and into more monumental ones such as this.
toReasonWhy 1 year ago
Bulletcookiegirl-
I think the problem you're having is in your definition of soliloquy. A soliloquy is usually when a character is alone on stage; however, it is specifically designed to reveal interior thoughts. It is a way for the audience to get inside the head of a character. Shakespeare (because he's a freakin' genius) does break the "rule" about a soliloquy being delivered while a character is alone on stage; however, Hamlet still reveals his deepest thoughts, making this a soliloquy.
LordFigNewton 2 years ago
Do you think that Hamlet knows that the king and polonious are hidding in there during this scene?
TClose1327 2 years ago
this is not a soliloquy, becaus claudius is there, hamlet just cant see him. this is more a monologue. a soliloquy is a character talking alone and solely to the audience. in this scene hamlet is not only talking to himself, he is also talking to claudius but not knowing it.
bulletcookiegirl 2 years ago
Yo bulletcookiegirl:
Thou art mistaken. This is clearly a soliloquy. Because Hamlet does not know he is being watched, and because he does not know Ophelia is on stage, it cannot be a monologue. If you read the play you would know that Claudius and Polonius exit the stage - they are gone. Furthermore, soliloquies reveal inner thoughts of characters in a way that monologues cannot.
Tend to thyself - this is surely a soliloquy. Served.
smarterthanthou17 2 years ago 5
This comment has received too many negative votes show
not a soliloquy, ophelia is still there, hamlet is not alone
sergeantmiller12 2 years ago
this is a soliloquy
esxcoe 2 years ago
the music was perfect. Not superfluous and stupid, suggestive and quiet.
brainwasher9876 2 years ago
Great performance! I have no words for this !
dearmalika 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
PENIS!!
ps3rulez2008 2 years ago
These words haunt me, I can't believe everytime I hear them that they were written in an unenlightened society. It shows how little we have changed as a species in all these years, as these words still speake so much truth today.
RandlesBear 2 years ago 2
Awesome movie, very passionate. Brannagh is a great actor. He came out in "Operation Valkyre" as a fag guy o.0
Fas6pa 2 years ago
God, Branaugh is amazing.
oliviathefolkie 2 years ago 2
I love this version, Branagh is amazing in this, made more so as Hamlet is my favourite play.
He's even better as Iago in Othello.
The first time you see Hamlet in this movie and he's just standing there...SO AWESOME.
TheLastGalerian 2 years ago 7
no one does anything better than kenneth branagh!
trojangirl246 2 years ago 6
Where have I seen a floor like that before?
Nemesis459 2 years ago
I loved the sceene. Do you all know Mr. Hime's interpretation of Shakespeare?
softwareautomacao 2 years ago
this dude is brutal at shakespeare. He did a great job as Henry V, i believe it is him but correct me if im wrong.
demonslaughter0990 3 years ago
you´re right
muxaxete 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Olivier, only Olivier.
thewaronterror 3 years ago
I love this soliloquy
MapleSyrupPancakes 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
DEF best hamlet is a tie between Kenneth and Mel Gibson!!!
Bikerboy1137 3 years ago
He is the perfect Hamlet
BellatrixNellieLovet 3 years ago 5
really niceee.
i had to learn it all
im almost done yay :)
VCRMX 3 years ago 5
close call between him and larry olivier... cannot choose... brain will explode... ahhh!! sanely speaking though - if one stops to consider how those two geniuses have portrayed radically different portraits of hamlet, both of which find authority in the text, then one might realise just how much there is to the (imho near sacred) text itself. *shiver* i love you william.
ikklecookiemonsta 3 years ago 4
Incredible job on one of the most challenging roles imaginable.
xclassflare 4 years ago 43
Branagh is my inner voice when I read Shakespeare - He's got the most wonderfull voice for the purpose... But must admit - my favorite Hamlet is Mel Gibson!! We share the view upon Hamlet's supposed madness - and this from a Dane.. ;p
msSeus 4 years ago 4
There is something about Mel Gibson's portrayel of Hamlet that annoy's me, i suppose it is because you can't tell the difference from when Hamlet is acting mad and when he is actually mad.
MarissaTheGooner 3 years ago 2
Good observation. This is in fact what I find simply brilliant, and the core of the character:)
Mel Gibson is intense - but for a frame of reference, you should try to watch Laurence Olivier's version and then Gibson's.
Have fun mate
msSeus 3 years ago
I first experienced hamlet when i was 14 and decided to check out the unabridged audio tapes just because i had heard it was a good play. I think it is Shakespeare's best. I have to say that Branagh comes much closer to my idea of hamlet than Mel Gibson does. Gibson is a great actor, but i just dont see him as hamlet personified in his acting style et c.
USBMUndergroundFan 3 years ago 3
that is the purpose of this work Mel Gibson purposely did this. it is the audience to decide whether or not Hamlet is actually mad or not. For what is the definition of madness? that answer is different for all of us.
PBHans 3 years ago
he was the best actor for hamlet
Cooldude767576 4 years ago 31
@Cooldude767576 right on
HeyLetsPlayMinecraft 1 year ago
@Cooldude767576 no lawrence olivia was...
mrh3tic 10 months ago
kind of cold interpretation, but is close to hamlet's "insanity", lol. a bit too creepy, i memorized in a half an hour doin it tomorrow!!
guitargodslash89 4 years ago
I have it memorized. Going over it a few times before I do a presentation at my old school tommorow! = D
I loved hamlet. lol
LanceTheBlueKnight 4 years ago
One of the best, if not THE best, interpretations of this famous soliloquy I have ever seen.
Nettacki 4 years ago 2
Amazingly performed.
CarlasWrld 4 years ago
Someone needs to post the whole movie on YouTube 'cause I can't find it anywhere else
:(
LilyRodgers 4 years ago 6
Could you post the Billy Crystal or Robin Williams or Charlton Heston bits?
uofc57 4 years ago
search those keywords and you will find them... or look at my channel... i have them favorited
kwolf002 4 years ago
I saw Branagh's Hamlet at Stratford (must be 15 years ago now). Great production - but for this soliloquy, he sat on the edge of the stage and rambled through it. Got laughs from the audience, but for me it had all the resonance of someone wondering out loud what to have for lunch.
EvilEddtheRed 4 years ago
This is how it's done. I'm sick of hams flinging themselves around and caterwauling during this scene.
ChildeRolandofGilead 4 years ago 2
i love the long version of this. kinda hard to buy jack lemmon, but kate winslet was wonderful. billy crystal was little odd, but he did a good job as the clown
avery658 4 years ago
Bravo..the best I´ve seen of the "to be or not to be..."
yobnez 4 years ago
This one's not my favorite version of this soliloquy, but I really like the drama Branagh brings to the scene.
mrgreyshadow 4 years ago
it was while watching this version of Hamlet when doing Shakespeare at school, that I was finally able to understand what the play was about! Especially this scene, it captures the essence of the whole soliloquy
*kudos to Branagh*
dernieremode 4 years ago
Best brood on death I've ever heard. Shakespeare was a genius, and Branagh a brilliant actor.
iamcaelum 4 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
1997 a girl called lauren was walikng in a forest and then a she just dissapeared no one ever found her untill 2000 when a yoing girl called Mary found her body and markings on her chest saying: I wasnt pretty enough" and now you have read this she will appear in your mirror saying your not pretty enough and kill you. by the way the girl called mary died shortly after.
To be saved paste this to 5 other videos. THIS TRUE
Xaltiel 4 years ago
GREAT NEWS!!! "William Shakespeare's HAMLET" is coming to DVD for the first time August 14th in a 2-Disc Special Edition. Now, will somebody PLEASE upload the magnificent trailer for this wonderful movie? (I'd do it myself, except that I don't own a VHS copy of the movie nor do I know how to make videos.
ShakespeareHamlet 4 years ago
Branagh is an amazing actor. love him as Hamlet. And for anyone who didn't know, he not only starred in this movie, but directed it too. How many actors are capable of an undertaking like that?
WritergirlAD 4 years ago
McKellen did it with Richard III.
EvilEddtheRed 4 years ago
We watched this in English class
Jrockershadow 4 years ago 2
i love him. branagh=love
EmtheSoprano 4 years ago
Serentiy0047 - the man who plays Claudius is Derek Jacobi; he does quite a lot of Shakespeare stuff (I think he played King Lear at one point).
DuncanSneddon 4 years ago
He played Hamlet in 1980, the version which is arguably the most popular among scholars, because nothing good has replaced it yet. Shakespearian films are never good at that, because they are too far from original performances (ie. whispering is impossible in a Shakespeare play on stage).
Haephasto 4 years ago
Ooooh! Kenneth is sooo amazing as Hamlet! <swoons>
ShortyKitty 4 years ago
Kenneth does an amazing job in this version. Cool little fact: the guy that plays Claudius in this version has been doing Hamlet on the stage for years and he always played Hamlet. Must have been cool to have played the villain for once.
Serenity0047 5 years ago
devipachi and randomagain101.... you two are dumb... this is an awsome version of Hamlet! This has to be my favorite version of it.... by far...
Th3AbUs3D0n3 5 years ago
indeed, it is crap
devipachi 5 years ago
i have to say this a crap version of hamlet
randomagain101 5 years ago
Hes so pretty!
B0l33 5 years ago
Joerexia-not to be nitpicky, but Hamlet is spelled with an 'a' after the H, not an 'e'.
nikkiabi 5 years ago
oh i think it's so intense!hamlet's my favourite shakespeare's character,and kenneth made him fantastic also because he said he wanted to represent hamlet as a rational man,not really as mad,and he said that what makes him seem mad is that he pretends to be mad and that he sometimes can be passionate and violent in his speech.anyway the idea of using the mirror is a good one because it reminds us of the theme of the antithesis between appearance and reality,so to be or not to be.
sallyshade 5 years ago
Thank you
Many thanks
My favorite play
When does this film come in DVD
Long live my dear Ken
Oxava 5 years ago
I believe it's coming to DVD by the end of this summer (2007)
Serenity0047 5 years ago
Not to be nitpicky, but this is actually Hemlet's third soliloquy.
Joerexia 5 years ago
this should be his 4th;
1. Act 1 Scene 2
2. Act 1 Scene 5
3. Act 2 Scene 2
4. Act 3 Scene 1*
5. Act 4 Scene 4
RuGaNHoZ 5 years ago
Act 1 Scene 2, Act 2 Scene 2, Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 4 Scene 4 (my favorite) all contain a moment where Hamlet speaks to himself, but there is no soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 5.
Joerexia 5 years ago
@RuGaNHoZ there is like 7 in total
mrh3tic 10 months ago
@Joerexia not to be picky but his name is Hamlet
Lolskatorian 11 months ago
Kenneth is awesome playing Hamlet! Thank you very much for posting all this videos!!
pdavperl 5 years ago
Please DO NOT delete these. I'm looking forward to the DVD release of this excellent film version.
ShakespeareHamlet 5 years ago
do you know when that may be?
filipfie 5 years ago
it will be early 2007
rmaiolo 5 years ago