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Caroline Augaitis
ENG 111
Paper 2: A Cinematic Solution of an Interpretive Problem
Variations on Insanity:
The Character of Hamlet According to Almereyda
When reading a play, one is forced to envision what the actors and actresses may look
like, and even a more difficult task, imagine how their reactions to situations might appear, if the
play were seen in person. ... Michael Almereyda
led the audience to take this great leap and based Hamlet in 2000 New York City. In
Almereyda’s Hamlet, the entire play was seen in quite a different light, especially the personalities
of the characters. The issue of whether or not Hamlet may be insane in the text can also be
argued within the film by Almereyda. Based solely upon the text, it seems as though Hamlet is
leading everyone to believe that he is insane. Almereyda emphasized on the idea of insanity, but
also gives Hamlet the noteworthy characteristics of defiance and extreme loneliness. These
characteristics are demonstrated through the initial scene as Hamlet is introduced, Hamlet’s
meeting with the ghost, the nunnery scene with Ophelia, and Hamlet’s soliloquies, in order to
show Hamlet as a truly insane character.
The movie opens very differently than one would imagine Hamlet to begin from reading
the text. ... The beginning is very loud
and bustling, and when Hamlet is seen alone in the limousine in comparison with the business of
the city, it begins to demonstrate the greatly emphasized element of loneliness in his character.
Being given the chance to see the way he reacted to the “press conference” during which Claudius
announced his marriage to Gertrude also gives the viewer insight to Hamlet’s character, as he is
very standoffish to the announcement.
Approximate Word count = 1297
Approximate Pages = 5.2
(250 words per page double spaced)
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