Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Movies

The Perception of Hamlet's Ghost in Zeffirelli, Kozintsev and Olivier

Trabajo , 2002 , 27 Páginas , Calificación: 1,7

Didáctica de la asignatura Inglés - Literatura, trabajos

Shakespeare’s Hamlet, „the Mona Lisa of literature“, features a supernatural element that launches the tragedy: the ghost of Denmark’s murdered king. Ever since the play was staged, the Ghost’s true nature and his function in the play have been much discussed issues. Obviously, the playwright used people’s uncertainty about the ghost-lore of his time to deliver a play that remains opaque until today.

Film makers like Zeffirelli, Olivier and Kozintsev have dealt with the Ghost’s identity in different ways and show the essential position of it within the play. One created an abusive father who comes back to seek revenge. The other one presents a rather political reading of the Ghost. In the 3rd movie under investigation the Ghost conveys the message that family values must be remembered in order to maintain a society.

This paper analyses the different views, theological and philosophical ones, and provides more than 30 bibliographical sources for further reading and research.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Historical Background - Elizabethan ghost-lore
• The Catholic Concept of Demonology
• The Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory
• The Protestant Conception of the Spirit World
• Damned or Saved
• The Protestant Devil
• Reginald Scot and his Discoveries of Witchcraft
• The Reception of a Ghost on Elizabethan Stage
• The Revenge Ghost
• Ghosts in Shakespeare's Plays
• Hallucinations, Dreams and Paintings of the Subconscious
• The Ghost in Hamlet - Where does He Come from?
• Catholic and Protestant Debates
• Psychological and Philosophical Approaches
• Hamlet's Ghost in the Movies
• Laurence Olivier's Hamlet
• The Abusive Father
• Olivier's Closet Scene
• Revenge, not Remembrance
• Grigor Kozintsev's Hamlet
• A Ghost Clad in Iron
• Time is out of Order
• Remember Me
• The Weight of History
• Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet
• A Father Returns
• ,,Ghostus Interruptus“.
• Italian Family Values
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to analyze the different views, theological and philosophical ones as well, focusing on the presentation of Hamlet's ghost in three films of different decades. It explores the historical context of Elizabethan ghost-lore, examining both Catholic and Protestant interpretations of the supernatural. The paper then delves into the reception of ghosts on the Elizabethan stage, particularly in Shakespeare's plays, and examines the various interpretations of Hamlet's ghost, including psychological and philosophical approaches.

• The historical context of Elizabethan ghost-lore
• The Catholic and Protestant interpretations of the supernatural
• The reception of ghosts on the Elizabethan stage
• The various interpretations of Hamlet's ghost
• The presentation of Hamlet's ghost in three films of different decades

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction explores the ambiguity surrounding Hamlet's ghost, highlighting its enduring influence and the ongoing debate surrounding its true nature and function in the play. The paper then delves into the historical background of Elizabethan ghost-lore, examining the prevailing beliefs and attitudes towards the supernatural during that era.

The chapter on the Catholic concept of demonology explores the dual interpretation of apparitions, where ghosts could be either devils in disguise or souls in purgatory. It delves into the Catholic doctrine of purgatory, its imagery, and the belief that souls could return from purgatory for specific purposes. The chapter also examines the Protestant conception of the spirit world, contrasting it with the Catholic view. It explores the Protestant belief in divine election, the absence of purgatory, and the role of the devil in tempting and deceiving individuals.

The chapter on the reception of a ghost on the Elizabethan stage examines the role of the revenge ghost in Elizabethan drama and explores the various ways in which ghosts were portrayed in Shakespeare's plays. It delves into the psychological and philosophical interpretations of Hamlet's ghost, exploring the debates surrounding its origins and motivations.

The chapter on Hamlet's ghost in the movies analyzes the portrayal of the ghost in three different film adaptations: Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, Grigor Kozintsev's Hamlet, and Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet. It examines the unique interpretations and visual representations of the ghost in each film, highlighting the directors' individual approaches to the character.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The keywords and focus themes of the text include Hamlet's ghost, Elizabethan ghost-lore, Catholic demonology, Protestant conception of the spirit world, purgatory, the devil, revenge ghost, Shakespeare's plays, film adaptations, Laurence Olivier, Grigor Kozintsev, Franco Zeffirelli, and the historical and cultural context of the supernatural.

• Universidad: Free University of Berlin (Englische Philologie / Filmwissenschaften)
• Calificación: 1,7
• Autor: Magister Artium Melanie Bobik (Autor)
• Año de publicación: 2002
• Páginas: 27
• No. de catálogo: V149185
• ISBN (Ebook): 9783640598410
• ISBN (Libro): 9783640598311
• Idioma: Inglés
• Etiqueta: shakespeare, william, hamlet, movie, film, ghost, zeffirelli, laurence olivier, kozintsev, denmark, prince, ophelia, reginald scot, purgatory, katholiken, katholizismus, catholic, protestant, evangelisch, protestanten, christentum, christen, christianity, geist, vaterfigur, vater, church, kirche, england, british, philosophie, theologie, theology, philosophy, drama, theater, elizabethan, belief, lore, Thema Hamlet, fegefeuer, katholisch