Zeffirelli And Hamlet Comparison Essay

Over 4 centuries ago, an older William penned one of his most famed works; it would go on to be one of the most recognized tragedies in his universe, and while he likely never imagined the influence that the one work would bring to the literary world, he certainly would have never guessed that his play would ever take setting in a legitimate castle, over a vast country land, while of course being surrounded by a large camera crew. Unfortunately for Shakespeare, this grandiose stage comes at a price; others are open to reinterpret his work.

Although it will never be known how the true playwright would portray his work on this massive scale, both Kenneth Branagh (1996) and Frank Zeffirelli (1990) try their hands at recreating Hamlet for the big screen. Despite sharing a similar plot

Although Zeffirelli’s abridgment may prevent a few yawns out of his audience, his shortened version comes at a definite price; various omissions in the film take away from Shakespeare’s masterwork, leaving viewers with a watered down experience. Yet, this change definitively makes both the film and plot more engaging. In contrast, the much longer version by Branagh builds stronger character development and enables Branagh to follow closer to the text of Shakespeare.

Perhaps one of the largest differences between these films is also the most passive; the setting. Branagh’s adaptation is set sometime in the 19th century and portrays a more modern Hamlet, which is best illustrated by the gorgeous palace of Elsinore; mirrored doors, decorative white trim, elaborate staircase and bright lighting all share dramatic contrast to the palace in Zeffirelli’s film. The shorter film portrays a more medieval Hamlet, with a dimly lit stone castle and an overall less decorative setting in which characters rarely don extravagant clothing aside from