Last night a few of us got together and watch Hamlet. Apart from the last 45 minutes skipping it was really good!  This post is my reaction to the movie and as well as answers to questions I had. 


Q: Why wasn't Hamlet King? 
A: In Denmark at this time they operated with an elective monarchy. 
Q: What is an elective monarchy?
A: "In an elective monarchy, court officials–noblemen in high standing–selected the new king by vote. The son of a king was, to be sure, the prime candidate for the royal chair, and usually he won it. But the voting nobles had the right to reject him in favor of another candidate. And that was precisely what happened in fictional Elsinore. The nobles approved the king’s brother, Claudius." (This is from a site called Short Essays on Hamlet). 

• The stage in the great hall of the castle is, if you look at the main entrance double doors, set up like a traditional Shakespearian stage.    

•  I do not think that his mother was happy, in tis interpretation of the the movie. In the beginning when Claudius is giving his speech her arm is extended at full length and so she is as far away from his as she can possible be while still holding his hand.

• Kenneth Brannaugh has a profound ability to spit. 

• Are Ophelia and Laertes lovers? Stop kissing you brother!!!

• Someone sleeping in an orchard when there is snow on the ground deserves to die one way or another. Also Hamlet Senior looks like Santa Clause. 

Q: Are there poisons that can kill through the ear?
A: "I hope not." (Answers.com)
A: "It's highly doubtful that you'd remain asleep if someone started pouring poison in your ear, though, and there are far easier methods of killing you with poison."
A: "There are poisons that can be applied topically so I don't see why not." 
A: "Hot lead will kill if poured in the ear"
(The last three were retrieved from The Straight Dope, I do not know if any of them are true.)


I like Polonius's speech to Laertes but do not like the movies depiction of his talking to Ophelia, I thought of him as loving and concerned father as I read.  I also thought of him as an idiot which he kind of was. I mean who stands behind a curtain yelling for help when someone is threatened and the walls are made of stone, really? 


Hamlet is suffering, he has lost his father and had his heart broken in a short amount of time. I would go a little crazy too! Also I think he just wants someone to react to him. All any one does is humor him, he wants a fight, he wants to let off steam so he just keeps acting worse and worse in an effort to inspire a reaction so that he can have real communication with someone. He is suffering and no one will let him express it with a legitimate response all they do is smile and nod. It is when he is alone that he is actually crazy the rest of the time he is trying to illicit a reaction. 


"Madness in great ones must not go unwatched" this is true today as well we watch movie stars and such people and act like it is a big deal that they are doing something different while we wear plaid with stripes and say hello to our neighbor as he gets his newspaper in the nude.