“He has the persuasiveness and physical courage of a ruler, but is morally empty”
Schofield on Claudius
Emund Willard’s 1930s Claudius
portrayed as a very business like villain, calculated and controlled rather than overtly evil
2006 University of Central Florida Conservatory Theatre on presentation of Claudius
Claudius internal struggles with guilt rather than pure evil, presenting him as a nuanced villain
“Hamlet is obliged to act on the spur of the moment”
Coleridge in 1800
Ian Rickson 2011 on Hamlet’s madness
Set in a psychiatric hospital, presenting Hamlet as truly insane, and Claudius as the chief psychiatrist
2009 David Tennant Film adaptation on Hamlet’s madness
Hamlet dresses erratically and acts in a hyperbolic manner as compared to when he is not being watched, suggesting feigned madness
2009 David Tennant observations
Unsettling due to a camera spying on characters at all times, characters cannot escape being watched
“Questions are only asked when people are uncertain”
Richard Gill 1998 on act 1 sc1
“‘who’s there’… soon expands into a more existential summary of the play’s themes”
Emma smith 2012
How does Polonius die in Hamlet RSC 2025?
Hamlet enters Gertrude’s room with a knife, Polonius attempts to disarm him by sneaking up, and Hamlet panics and stabs him
How does the 1948 Olivier production open?
‘this is a tragedy of a man who could not make up his mind’
What does Freud have to say about Hamlet’s lack of action? (20th cen Freudian)
He says Hamlet can indeed act, but cannot take revenge on Claudius because he fulfils his ‘repressed wishes’
What is Hazlitt’s take on Hamlet’s revenge? (19th cen romantic)
Hamlet cannot commit a ‘perfect revenge’ and thus ‘declines it altogether’
What does Terry Eagleton believe Hamlet’s main dilemma is? (Marxist 21st cen)
Hamlet is ‘unable to find self definition’ and thus goes against what society expects of him - ‘chivalric lover, obedient revenger or future king’
