To Be Or Not To Be Speech

Branaugh's Hamlet   has a few interesting ideas. Having hamlet facing and speaking into a mirror is an intense idea, Hamlet is not only questioning life and death but he is looking at him self and asking him self to be or not to be alive. It does however give the character  sense of strength cause it must take a lot to be able to say such words while looking into your own eyes. The director also choose to use a dagger, the dagger its self did not do much other than just emphasize a point, but what was interesting and intense was how Hamlet holds the dagger up to his own head. So not only is he already questioning life but he is watching him self appoint this dagger at him self, the interesting twist to this however id that the mirror was a two way mirror and he is being watched  and spied on. 
What could have been better about this version is the actors reaction and facial expression, throughout this speech Hamlet seems to be serious, very serious but so serious its as tho he has no emotions. he goes through this whole speech with the same expression and kind of gives a sense on false wonder or desire to know what there is beyond this life.


 Zeffirelli's Hamlet By Mel Gibson has to be my favorite for this scene, everything about this scene seemed appropriate. The setting for example, was a very good choice for this specific speech, Hamlet is in the like basement of the castle where the dead bodies are, completely  appropriate for the question, to be or not to be alive. Hamlet in this version speaks and in his voice it self has so much feeling to it, and in his eyes, his facial expression you can tell this character truly wonders and questions him self. Whats really interesting about this version is how Hamlet speaks to his father during this speech as if he was asking his father what it is like to be dead, a dream or a terrible nightmare and he speaks as if was really wanting an answer from his father. The to bo or not to be speech by Mel Gibson was truly for me the best version.