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.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Historical Background - Elizabethan Ghost-lore
2.1. The Catholic Concept of Demonology
2.1.1. The Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory
2.2. The Protestant Conception of the Spirit World
2.2.1. Damned or Saved
2.2.2. The Protestant Devil
2.3. Reginald Scot and his Discoveries of Witchcraft
3. The Reception of a Ghost on Elizabethan Stage
3.1. The Revenge Ghost
3.2. Ghosts in Shakespeare’s Plays
3.2.1. Hallucinations, Dreams and Paintings of the Subconscious
3.3. The Ghost in Hamlet - Where does He Come from?
3.3.1. Catholic and Protestant Debates
3.3.2. Psychological and Philosophical Approaches
4. Hamlet’s Ghost in the Movies
4.1. Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet
4.1.1. The Abusive Father
4.1.2. Olivier’s Closet Scene
4.1.3. Revenge, not Remembrance
4.2. Grigor Kozintsev’s Hamlet
4.2.1. A Ghost Clad in Iron
4.2.1.1. Time is out of Order
4.2.2. Remember Me
4.2.3. The Weight of History
4.3. Franco Zeffirelli’s Hamlet
4.3.1. A Father Returns
4.3.2. „Ghostus Interruptus“
4.3.3. Italian Family Values
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This work examines the elusive nature and function of the Ghost in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, specifically analyzing how this supernatural element is presented across three distinct cinematic adaptations from different decades. The primary research goal is to understand how directors reconcile the contradictory theological and psychological interpretations of the Ghost within their respective visual and cultural frameworks.
- The historical and religious context of Elizabethan ghost-lore, including Catholic and Protestant debates.
- The literary and dramatic function of the Ghost in Shakespeare’s original play.
- A comparative analysis of the Ghost's representation in Laurence Olivier’s psychological interpretation.
- The political and historical dimension of the Ghost in Grigor Kozintsev’s adaptation.
- The focus on family values and parental legacy in Franco Zeffirelli’s cinematic version.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1.1. The Abusive Father
Olivier has kept the first scene of Shakespeare’s script. It is midnight and fog signifies that something mysterious will happen soon. When the Ghost appears to Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo, he is fogbound. Only his ghastly silhouette is recognisable. He is a tall figure wearing a crown and a cloak. It is difficult to tell what else he wears. The reflection of metal suggests a suit of armour. He wears a helmet under the crown as well. For one short instant his face is shown and it looks like a skull. He is a lifeless figure reminding one rather of a scarecrow than a hero king. When Horatio addresses the Ghost he approaches and raises his arm. When he hears the cock crow he disappears all of a sudden.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research focus on the multifaceted nature of the Ghost in Hamlet and introduces the comparative analysis of its cinematic portrayals.
2. Historical Background - Elizabethan Ghost-lore: Explores the tension between Catholic purgatorial beliefs and Protestant demonic interpretations of apparitions in the 16th century.
3. The Reception of a Ghost on Elizabethan Stage: Discusses how Shakespeare utilized the inherent ambiguity of contemporary supernatural beliefs to enhance dramatic tension in his play.
4. Hamlet’s Ghost in the Movies: Provides a detailed comparative study of the Ghost as depicted by directors Laurence Olivier, Grigor Kozintsev, and Franco Zeffirelli.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that the Ghost serves as a philosophical symbol of history and moral duty rather than being restricted to a singular religious classification.
Keywords
Hamlet, Shakespeare, Ghost, Elizabethan, Purgatory, Protestantism, Catholicism, Cinema, Olivier, Kozintsev, Zeffirelli, Adaptations, Supernatural, Demonology, Revenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research?
The work explores the nature and function of the Ghost in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, examining how its ambiguous identity is interpreted in three influential film adaptations.
What are the core themes discussed?
Key themes include Elizabethan ghost-lore, the conflict between religious doctrines regarding the afterlife, psychological versus political readings of the text, and the role of the Ghost as a symbol of history and familial duty.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The primary aim is to analyze how different directors adapt the Ghost's presence on screen to reflect their own directorial visions and the cultural contexts of their time.
Which scientific or analytical method is employed?
The author uses a comparative analysis method, evaluating historical and theological contexts alongside formal cinematic techniques to interpret the Ghost's role across various adaptations.
What content is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body investigates the religious foundations of spirits in the 16th century, the original stage reception of Hamlet, and a critical analysis of specific scenes (such as the closet scene) in films by Olivier, Kozintsev, and Zeffirelli.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Important keywords include Hamlet, Shakespeare, Ghost, Elizabethan era, Purgatory, Protestantism, Catholicism, Cinema, and various directorial interpretations.
How does Laurence Olivier’s portrayal differ from others?
Olivier focuses on a Freudian, psychological reading, presenting the Ghost as an abusive figure linked to Hamlet’s Oedipus complex.
What makes Kozintsev’s version distinct?
Kozintsev offers a political reading, portraying the Ghost as a "herald of national disaster" representing the weight of history and the corruption of the state.
What is the significance of the "Ghostus Interruptus" scene in Zeffirelli’s film?
This term, used by Mary Z. Maher, describes Zeffirelli’s interpretation of the closet scene where the Ghost appears not to demand revenge, but to prevent an incestuous encounter between Hamlet and Gertrude.
- Quote paper
- Magister Artium Melanie Bobik (Author), 2002, Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Movies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/149185
