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Mel Gibson's Soliloquy Comparison

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In the words of Hamlet, "To be or not to be, that is the question." The ever so popular soliloquy "To be or not to be" has been performed by many versatile actors, on set and on screen. Majority of our society believes that the soliloquy is simply Hamlet contemplating life or death. However, most have just heard about the solilquy and/or have read the soliliquy and did not completely analyze it. The soliloquy can also very well be Hamlet contemplating whether or not to be great and act, or not to be great and not act, and not just in the case of suicide. Mel Gibson's performance and Kenneth Branaugh's performance give very different takes on the meaning of the soliliquy through their delivery, and ones interpetation. Mel Gibson's version …show more content…

His performance also becomes more dramatic due to the setting being in what looks to be a mausoleum. In addition to the setting and his body language making the performance more dramatic, the dim lit setting and the way the camera flips from Gibson distraught and indecisive looking face to the skeletons and tombs around him makes it more emotional. The look on Gibson's face makes the performance exceedingly more emotioal due to the way he seems to be giving what he is saying a lot of thought and as the camera focuses in on his face his eyes give off a distraught and depressing look, which leads to why the performances s a also depressing. The scene is depressing because not only is Gibson projecting a depressing mood but the way he delivers the lines so slow,dreadful and lifeless makes the audience feel sorry for him. Therefore, Gibson's dramatic, emotional, and depressing performance of the To be or not to be soliliquy really makes the audience feel as though he is contemplating …show more content…

The scene is also intense due to the audience being aware that Hamlet is speaking into a two way mirror in which there are to other characters watching him as he performs the soliliquy, which then leaves the audience wondering if Hamlet has any idea that he is being watched. If Hamlet does indeed know that he is beining watched does that knowledge contribute to the aggressiveness in his delivery that makes it seem as though he is trying to make up his mind on whether or not he wants to act and be great or not be great. In otherwords, Hamlet is trying to decide if he wants to put his human greatness out in front and act on the way he is feeling or leave his human greatness behind in the form of weakness and not act. The performance becomes nerve wrecking and raises anxiety when Hamlet whips out his weapon as he gives the speach even more aggressively and sends the whole speech into a more threatening direction. This is why Branaugh's performance of the to be or not to be soliliquy delivers a more intense, nerve wrecking and anxiety raising performance and makes the audience believe he is trying decide whether or not to be

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