Jayce Barillaro

ENGL 2011

9/19/13

Oliviers focus on the mind of Hamlet

Laurence Oliviers 1984 film adaptation of Hamlet takes some serious liberties in the text,

but in a way that may have been necessary to give attention and focus to the themes and points of

the tragedy he wanted to focus on. I would argue that the choices he makes with the text greatly

enhance the themes of Hamlets internal struggles and the personal conflicts and relationships

between characters, and pioneer new understandings of the text and character that still hold

precedence today. Rather than perfectly recreate every line and scene from the play, he cuts entire

characters and plot points, and uses modern (for the time) cinematic techniques to zoom in on his

own interpretations of certain characters and events.

The complete omission of Fortinbras and the political subplot is seen as detrimental by

many Shakespearean purists and critics, throwing away the larger, external conflict of the play and

completely disregarding the original analogies between the corruption within the royal family and

the rotten state of Denmark. In 16th century theatre, most of Shakespeares audience was

probably more focused on this political story in the play, the passage of power and the conflict

between Denmark and Norway. With a modern audience, Olivier was able to give spectators a

closer look at the psychology including Freudian aspects of an Oedipus complex within the title

character and center the tragedy around Hamlets inner turmoil rather than the political unrest.

With his new focus, analyzing the psyche of Hamlet, his morality and indecision, I would say the

absence of Fortinbras is not detrimental to the production, and if anything may have helped the
film maintain such an intense focus and still become a very popular and acclaimed adaptation.

Had Olivier spent too much time representing multiple plot lines, audiences may have become

bored, or at the very least it would have ended up a four hour production, like Kenneth Branaghs

version in 1996. The elimination of Fortinbras, and even Rosencrantz and Guildenstern,

streamline the performance, and for such important characters, it is surprising how little they are

missed, another accolade to Oliviers directing.

With his focus on Hamlets inner turmoil, and trying to convey to the audience the

characters true inner thoughts, emotions, and trauma, Olivier scripts a few sequences of his film

very differently from the original text. The original play leaves many of Hamlets soliloquies

ambiguous, up to the director, reader, or viewer to decide whether he is expressing his true feelings,

or knows he is being observed, and is simply part of his own performance of losing his mind.

Olivier makes one scene change in particular that is questioned by many viewers, the choice to

move Hamlets legendary to be or not to be soliloquy, and not include it until after he has left

Ophelia with his nunnery speech. Earlier, it had been made apparent that Hamlet was fully aware

of Polonius and Claudiuss plans to spy on his conversation with Ophelia. Olivier had to hold off

on to be or not to be until after the nunnery scene, to assure his audience that Hamlet was indeed

expressing his own inner thoughts and musings on the subject of suicide, and not feigning madness

for the benefit of the King and court.

Olivier uses distinct cinematic techniques and sets to take us inside Hamlets mind in ways

that theater could not. Instead of merely reciting his soliloquies, the director uses a combination

of speech, voiceover, and mouthing his lines to the voiceover track to give the audience a more

distinct impression that they are witnessing the private workings of Hamlets mind. The entire set,

the labyrinthine and barren, yet claustrophobic castle, is an analogy of Hamlets own complex and
confused psyche, and Olivier greatly emphasizes the possibility of Hamlets Oedipus complex,

with his mothers bed (and suggestive curtains) at the very center. Their extended kissing scenes

suggest this as well, along with Claudiuss uncomfortable reaction.

Theater and film can be similar, and yet very different mediums. Being so removed from

the actors and subtleties on stage, it can be difficult to present a story about inner turmoil or

emotional issues of one character, and often easier to provide huge, sweeping plots of political

unrest, rebellion, and war. Olivier makes excellent use of the cinema as an art form, and his

interpretation and focus on Hamlets psyche deserve praise for influencing new ideas and

understandings of the text and character. Though lesser in content, his adaptation of Shakespeares

classic was greater in focus, and a thoroughly intriguing work.