Hamlet (39 page)
Authors: William Shakespeare
Brooke, Michael,
“Hamlet
on Screen,”
www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/566312/index.html
. Valuable overview. Registered schools, colleges, universities, and libraries have access to video clips, including extracts from the 1913 silent version, Olivier’s 1948 film, and the 1964 production at Elsinore.
Dawson, Anthony B.,
Hamlet
, Shakespeare in Performance (1996). Excellent roundup.
Hapgood, Robert ed.,
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
, Shakespeare in Production (1999). Good accounts of wide range of productions.
Howard, Tony,
Women as Hamlet: Performance and Interpretation in Theatre, Film and Fiction
(2007). Fascinating, and of even further-reaching interest than its title suggests.
Lavender, Andy,
Hamlet in Pieces: Shakespeare Reworked by Peter Brook, Robert Lepage, Robert Wilson
(2001). Lively accounts of experimental versions.
Maher, Mary Z.,
Modern Hamlets and Their Soliloquies
(2003). Based on interviews with actors, including David Warner, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Kline.
Players of Shakespeare 1, 2, 3
(1985–93). Each of these three volumes includes excellent interviews with actors who have played major roles in
Hamlet
.
Royal Shakespeare Company, “Exploring Shakespeare: Hamlet,”
www.rsc.org.uk/learning/hamletandmacbeth/keyidea/hamletkeyidea.htm
. Rehearsal footage, actor and director interviews, commentary on Michael Boyd’s 2004 production.
For a more detailed Shakespeare bibliography and selections from a wide range of critical accounts of the play, with linking commentary, visit the edition website,
www.therscshakespeare.com
.
Hamlet
, directed by Hay Plumb (1913, DVD 2004). The longest Shakespeare film from the age of silent film.
Hamlet
, directed by Laurence Olivier (1948). Highly influential.
Hamlet
, directed by Grigori Kozintsev (1964). Powerful Russian version.
Richard Burton’s Hamlet
, directed by Bill Colleran (1964). Film of American stage production.
Hamlet at Elsinore
, directed by Philip Saville (1964). Film of BBC television production that played at Elsinore; not currently available, but extracts may be seen via screenonline website (see above).
Hamlet
, directed by Tony Richardson (1969). Film of London Roundhouse stage production starring Nicol Williamson.
Hamlet
, BBC Television Shakespeare, directed by Rodney Bennett (1980). Starring Derek Jacobi.
Hamlet
, directed by Franco Zeffirelli (1990). Starring Mel Gibson.
Hamlet
, directed by Kenneth Branagh (1996). Uncut text.
Hamlet
, directed by Michael Almereyda (2000). Underrated version transposed to contemporary New York.
The Tragedy of Hamlet
, directed by Peter Brook (BBC4 television, tx. 6 March 2002, DVD 2006). Starring Adrian Lester; superbly lucid version, in heavily cut text, with a documentary “Brook by Brook.”
AND PICTURE CREDITS
Preparation of
“Hamlet
in Performance” was assisted by a generous grant from the CAPITAL Centre (Creativity and Performance in Teaching and Learning) of the University of Warwick for research in the RSC archive at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded a term’s research leave that enabled Jonathan Bate to work on “The Director’s Cut.”
Picture research by Helen Robson and Jan Sewell. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for assistance with picture research and reproduction fees.
Images of RSC productions are supplied by the Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive, Stratford-upon-Avon. This library, maintained by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, holds the most important collection of Shakespeare material in the UK, including the Royal Shakespeare Company’s official archives. It is open to the public free of charge.
For more information see
www.shakespeare.org.uk
.
1.
“Rapier and Dagger” in private collection © Bardbiz Limited
2.
“They change rapiers” in private collection © Bardbiz Limited
3.
London’s Drury Lane Theatre, Forbes Robertson (1913). Reproduced by permission of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
4.
Sarah Bernhardt (1899). Reproduced by permission of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
5.
Directed by Peter Brook (1965). Reg Wilson © Royal Shakespeare Company
6.
Directed by Buzz Goodbody (1975). Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
7.
Directed by Ron Daniels (1989). Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
8.
Directed by Michael Boyd (2004). Manuel Harlan © Royal Shakespeare Company
9.
Directed by Ron Daniels (1989). Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
10.
Directed by Michael Boyd (2004). Manuel Harlan © Royal Shakespeare Company
11.
Reconstructed Elizabethan Playhouse © Charcoalblue
List of parts
KING
called Claudius in his first entry direction, but never named in the dialogue, so a theater audience would not know what he is called
Act 1 Scene 1
1.1
Location: the gun terrace of the royal castle at Elsinore, Denmark
2
me
Francisco asserts that, as the sentry on guard, he is the one who should be making the challenge
2
unfold
reveal/identify
6
carefully … hour
responsibly at your appointed time
14
rivals
partners
16
ground
country
17
liegemen … Dane
sworn servants of the Danish king
18
Give
God give
27
fantasy
imagination
29
Touching
concerning
29
of
by
30
along
to come along
31
watch
remain awake during/keep guard through
33
approve
corroborate the reliability of
36
assail
attack
41
Last … all
this very night past
42
yond
yonder, that
42
pole
Pole Star (i.e. North Star)
43
t’illume
to illuminate
47
figure
appearance/likeness
48
scholar
i.e. one knowledgeable enough to know how to address a ghost; a ghost was thought to be unable to speak until spoken to
49
Mark it
observe it closely
50
harrows
wounds/distresses
51
would
wants to
53
usurp’st
wrongfully occupies (both the night and the form of the dead king)
55
Denmark
the King of Denmark
56
sometimes
formerly
56
charge
order
63
on’t
of it
65
sensible
perceptible to the senses
65
avouch
assurance
70
Norway
King of Norway
71
parle
negotiation
72
steelèd pole-axe
halberd or similar long-handled weapon (tempered with steel) carried by the bodyguard of a king
76
In … not
i.e. I don’t know exactly what to think
76
work
occupy myself, engage
77
gross and scope
general drift
78
eruption
disturbance, turmoil
79
Good now
a polite entreaty for attention
81
toils
causes to toil
81
subject
subjects
82
cast
casting, manufacturing
82
brazen
brass
83
mart
trading
84
impress
conscription
85
Does … week
i.e. they work seven days a week including Sundays
86
toward
impending/afoot
90
whisper
rumor
93
Thereto … pride
refers to Fortinbras, not Hamlet, the Danish king
93
pricked
spurred
93
emulate
ambitious, rivalrous
96
sealed compact
formally certified agreement
99
seized on
legally possessed of
100
moiety competent
sufficient portion
101
gagèd
pledged
101
had returned
would have gone
103
cov’nant
i.e. the
sealed compact
104
carriage … designed
carrying out of the clause that had been drawn up in it
106
unimprovèd
untested/undisciplined/uncensured
106
mettle
temperament, spirit
107
skirts
outlying parts
108
sharked up
gathered up indiscriminately, as a shark does fish/seized upon like a predator
108
list
troop
108
resolutes
resolved people/desperadoes
109
For … enterprise
i.e. men who will serve in return for food/men who will serve to feed the enterprise
110
a stomach
courage/an appetite
111
state
governing powers
113
compulsative
compulsory
116
head
origin
117
post-haste
great speed
117
rummage
turmoil, bustle
118
soft
wait a moment
118
Lo
look
119
cross it
challenge it/make the sign of the cross at it/cross its path (believed to expose one to evil influence)
119
blast
wither/destroy
126
haply
perhaps
127
uphoarded
hoarded up
128
Extorted
wrongfully obtained
131
partisan
long-handled spear
132
stand
stop, remain
147
Th’extravagant and erring
the wandering and straying (out of bounds)
147
hies
hastens
148
confine
specific region/place of confinement
149
probation
proof
151
gainst
in anticipation of/just before
152
our Saviour
i.e. Jesus Christ
153
bird of dawning
i.e. the cock
155
wholesome
healthy (damp night air was usually viewed as noxious)
155
strike
destroy with evil influence
156
talks
whispers spells (some editors prefer Quarto’s “takes,” enchants/steals)
156
charm
cast spells
157
hallowed
holy
157
gracious
full of divine grace
159
russet
reddish brown (from the coarse cloth of that color)
Act 1 Scene 2
1.2
Location: the royal castle at Elsinore
2
green
fresh
4
contracted
knit together
5
discretion
good judgment, reason
8
sometime
former
9
jointress
widow with rights to property that she formerly owned with her husband