Hamlet Act 3:1 Soliloquy

Laurence Oliver’s video on Hamlet’s Soliloquy in Act3:1 was the best of the three videos displayed. Even though the film was very old and in black and white it’s as if Oliver directed it trying to achieve that effect. The clip starts out captivating with the sound the ocean playing in the background as the camera does a landscape shot and then zooms in to focus on our actor, Hamlet, about make his most famous speech.
Just as Hamlet is about to speak, the background music becomes very suspenseful, pulling the audience in even more into the story before it has even begun. “To be, or not to be, that is the question. (line55)” Hamlet ponders this as the mist and clouds roll into the foreground as Hamlet sits alone on a rock, delivering his speech. Deep in the thought, the actor ponders this idea of to be or not to be. Hamlet is saying whether one should live or not to live, but also to take action or not to take action. This idea leads us through the entire soliloquy with Hamlet stuck between this idea of taking action which can lead to death or not taking action but dying anyways. “Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them. (58-59)” Laurence really uses this line to set the scene, using the ocean waves to show exactly the kind of trouble he is talking about during his soliloquy.
Laurence then brings a dagger into the scene, creating more tension then before. “To die, to sleep, perchance to dream –ay, there’s the rub, for in sleep of death what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off. (63-66)” The camera focus’s only on Hamlet during this part of the soliloquy, to really focus on the seriousness Hamlet presents. He is talking about this idea of dreams which he brings up throughout the entire play. Hamlet describes dreams as a rub, an obstacle, which he has a hard time trying to get past as the play progresses. He then wonders what dreams would come from permanent sleep, when our soul leaves our trapped body and moves on. Still focused on Hamlet he states, “Th’oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, the pangs of despis’d love, the law’s delay, the insolence of office, and the spurns that patient merit of th’unworthy takes when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin. (70-75)” Hamlet is saying that the opposing force insults the proud man, and to feel the loss of love, the pathetic rulers who delay off lawful rights will soon be gone along with the effects of all these unworthy causes, they will end at with a mere dagger. Laurence uses the dagger to really enhance the scene and to show Hamlet’s characterization during this part of the act. When Hamlet closes his eyes, his speech still continuing, it shows just how deep in thought he really is. It shows that he is serious about taking action, which foreshadows the climax of the play soon to come.
Dark clouds roll into the scene as Hamlet moves from his rock for the first time to keep speaking. “But that the dread of something after death, the undiscover’d country from whose bourn no travelers returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have, than fly to others that we know not of? (lines77-81)” Death is brought up numerous times during his soliloquy. It could foreshadow not only the death of Claudius but also the death of Hamlet. He speaks of death with such knowledge to as if he has experienced it already, but at the same time knowing he has yet too, it frightens him which is why he struggles about killing Claudius. He states now that when one dies, it’s dreadful not knowing exactly where one might end up, whether it’s in Hades or up in Heaven. With no knowledge of these foreign places it completely baffles him and instead death holds him to all his faults he has experienced in life and then determines the right spot for him. Hamlet in the movie then brings his dagger closer and closer to where his mind is held and continues with his speech. “Thus conscience does make cowards [of us all], and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, and enterprises of great pitch and moment, with this regard their currents turn awry, and lose the name of action. (82-87)” Hamlet keeps with this idea about how humans act when determining their after life fate. He states that one’s conscience will always make one look scared, because everyone is scared of death, it’s only natural. When one underestimates their fear and achieves for something higher they will fall and lose the action they waited for. And that ends his speech however the actor walks toward the cliff and looks over the ocean and then descends down stairs and ends the scene. It looks almost as if he is walking into Hades himself, he has decided to take action and kill for revenge. It’s ironic because Hamlet acts and speaks knowing he is afraid of what comes during the after life. It’s as if he knows he is going to die soon, its going to be over. Laurence really captures that fear as he walks into his hell, and that’s why it was the best out of the three.