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| Thursday, 20 May 2004 |
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The making of Hamlet by Gwen Herat
Of all Shakespeare characters, the most complexed one is that of Hamlet. He used the prince to cohabitate the real story to the 'play' within the plot to conjure and revenge his father's death. Shakespeare also used a very unlikely character to spark off the story which otherwise would have been a run-on-the-mill type. Here the unlikely character was the ghost of his father who plays but a small role in this tragedy and without whom the story would not have taken off. In effect, he was like Julius Caesar who plays a small role in the epic drama for which he has lent his name, playing the central figure. Horatio sees his ghost which he imagines at the beginning but materialises into reality and informs his friend, Hamlet that it appeared on the balcony at Elsinor. Hamlet says 'Me thinks I see my father' and Horatio asks 'Where, my Lord?'. Hamlet replies 'In my mind's eye, Horatio' and his friend replies again. 'My Lord, I think I saw him yesternight'. Thus begins the suspense-packed drama as Hamlet's suspicions awake. We also know about Shakespeare's passion for the Earl of Southampton that literally made him use Hamlet to target women. Obviously Shakespeare's women characters were either homicidal, suicidal murderous, fickle, arrogant etc. Though Ophelia is neither of these, he accuses her as a potential breeder of sinners. His mother, Queen Gertude was a fickle woman who betrayed her husband. Between the two of them, Halmet was a demanding character imploring his mother to admit and sending Ophelia to a nunnery. 'If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for the dowry; be thou as chaste as ice; as pure as snow, thou shall not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go; farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery go, and quickly too. Farewell. Scene 1, Act III The incursion of the players determined by Shakespeare resulted that he drew the last ounce from them including Hamlet's. It gave him the environment and the Bard to incriminate the king through as determine by the Prince because before the scenes of the play, his celebrated soliloquy to sing the evil that was to come. Hamlet was vary about the king's reaction and was afraid that his conscience would lead no further. That was not what the Prince desired. He had to force the king to confess while he revelled in its delight and his uncle's despair. Throughout the play, Hamlet watched the face of the king for proof of conscious guilt. Whether king Claudius was aware of the plot to trap him, is not what mattered to Hamlet but to avenge his father's death. So much so that he deviated himself from Ophelia whom he loved first, betrays and accuses her of their love, feigning madness. We find him muttering aimless indecencies in her ear, perhaps to drive her away form him but in doing so, the last thing Hamlet expected her to do was to drown herself in a shallow pond but we never see any of his reactions to this except when Laertes confronts him at the burial of Ophelia. The reason for rejecting Ophelia is explained; it is not because he did not love her but he was going to die at the end of the play of which he had the instinct hovering over his head. As he grappled with Laertes inside Ophelia's grave, he tells her; ' I lover Ophelia; forty thousand brothers, Could not with all their quantity of love. Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her? Act. V. Scene 1 The above passage makes me think that Hamlet loved her unto death but rejected her to clear his way for avenge. All of the female characters, Shakespeare singled out Ophelia as that of true innocence, beauty and of purity when he got Hamlet to drive her away to a nunnery where she would have remained chaste. In this tragedy, we find incidents piling one upon the other in speed. There is the scene where Hamlet confronts his mother in the closest and compares his father with the king and she replies: 'O speak to me no more: these words like, daggers Enter in my ears. No more sweet Hamlet.' Hamlet had a bone to pick with every character including his father's ghost and as we see him flitting - from one to another, the play gets complexed as Shakespeare planned it. Hamlet has some of the Bard's excellent dialogues and the beauty within the lines, surpass one to another. Why he got Hamlet to kill Polonius is still a mystery to me. It was no doubt an accident but which quickened Ophelia's death. And hitherto. Laertes an honest man, is fouled up with revenge when he hears his father's death, Claudius's assassination of his brother to get the throne and of his sister's suicide. Shakespeare, cleverly plots the last scene when he puts Laertas and Hamlet to fight unto death. The climax is full of suspense and tragic and ended the way Hamlet would have desired. These are a few of the episodes of the play and while there are countless numbers that can reveal marvel diversities. Hamlet remains the favourite tragedy for drama and films. The theatre offers the best credibility while it is spectacular as a ballet, we miss the famous and eloquent dialogue in it. It can be spoiled by nothing, not even by amateur actors. There is no doubt that the play is ideal for the theatre. It belongs to the stage intimately and passionately. It is profoundly psychological which I found years ago as a fourteen-year-old Ophelia and that aura still sits on me, hangs around my personality each time I touch this play. ########## 'Arisen Ahubudu Muresi' : A musical fiesta Arrangements have been made to hold a musical fiesta 'Arisen Ahubudu Muresi' on the evening of May 27 at the Elphinstone Theatre, Colombo in appreciation of the services rendered by Kalasuri Arisen Ahubudu towards the uplift of our language, nation and country as a Man of Letters, author, poet as well as a lyricist. Songs composed by Arisen Ahubudu that have gained popularity over the years as well as new ones have been included in this programme which has been organised to mark his 70 years of service towards the development of Sinhala arts. 'Arisen Ahubudu Muresi' which is directed by that eminent maestro Kalasuri Shelton Premaratne and ably assisted by his son Agra Premaratne will feature up and coming artistes as well as those of high standing. One hundred female students of the Institute of Aesthetic Studies will present some new songs on this occasion. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, Minister of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Vijitha Herath and the Deputy Leader of the UNP, Karu Jayasuriya will grace this occasion as Guests of Honour. A host of other invitees who appreciate the services rendered by Kalasuri Arisena Ahubudu are expected to be present at this musical fiesta. |
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