How and Why We Have Interpreted Hamlet

The 2007 play ‘Hamlet’ played at the Ryutopia Noh Theatre in Niigata, Japan retold the story of Hamlet in a spectacularly unique way. Not that it had a different story to tell but the production had a different perspective to share on Hamlet’s dilemma. The play highlighted the love that Hamlet had for death and the constant notion exhibited by him. In Japan, like most urban areas, depression is prevalent especially among the working population, young individuals just like Hamlet. Such depression is as a result of pressure form life, bereavement and an assortment of worries; and such individuals are ignored by society, often noticed once they lose the battle with their minds. He tries to express his turmoil-filled life using metaphors in a bid to offer some sort of comparison.

He calls his life “a sea of trouble” to depict the chaos thronging his life in waves. He also likens his existence to “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”; a prince with everything he could ever want but none of it sweet. The most common interpretation of the play ‘Hamlet' is to believe that the characters as victims of peripheral forces especially Hamlet, having him cave into his own longings. Hamlet's tragedy does not result from his weaknesses, mistakes in judgment or flaws but it finally results from the situation of a murderous uncle an unendurable situation forced on him. Hamlet is in love with Ophelia but he has no idea how to properly express himself. His all-black outfit doesn’t help because Ophelia views him exactly as he wanted to portray his state of mind: “My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,  Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced, No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled,  Ungartered, and down-gyvèd to his ankle, Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other, And with a look so piteous in purport As if he had been loosèd out of hell To speak of horrors—he comes before me.

” (Shakespeare 39) Hamlet’s desire to appear mad and wild actually works as Ophelia is persuaded that he is indeed mad. We, however, know that Hamlet is nowhere near mad; it’s just a façade he’s trying to put forward to get Ophelia’s attention (Ng 917, Shakespeare Review). This may be attributed to the fact that he lacks the capacity to handle grief and love at the same time. There are several elements that turn the cogs in the play; the main being the aspect of revenge that works as the green screen, a backdrop for Hamlet's predicament (Ng 922, Shakespeare Review). It is clear that Hamlet's thoughts are intended to be the superior entity within his personality, making to his outward actions a channel to the interpretation of the play.

After expressing all possible indications of his hopelessness, he tells his mother that he would much rather he's judged the basis of his thoughts: "These indeed 'seem'/for they are actions that a man might play; /But I have that within which passes show/these but the trappings and the suits of woe" (Shakespeare 14) In today's society, most of us feel like Hamlet delayed too long resulting to need for more action in order to avoid the disaster. We as the audience feel that Hamlet gave too much thought to his option without any thought of action thus fostering the failure of progression. This train of thought has enabled the audience to feel as though less contemplation is necessary when making an allowance for an option and that action is the only way towards progression.

A detailed picture of the murder being painted in Hamlet’s mind, from the tool used to the feeling experienced all through; all painted perfectly by the Ghost in an effort to get Hamlet to avenge his. Apart from convincing Hamlet to avenge him, Shakespeare successfully sheds light on the untold truths within the play. From the time of the King’s death, both the audience and Hamlet are in the darkness about the killer. And even those with a clue feel that the need to confirm the suspicion that it is indeed Claudius who killed the King. Following the fact that Hamlet is not really mad, he has to be onto something with all the imagery he uses to describe things. Hamlet, despite being shrouded in drama, is a troubled soul that cries out for help in all the unknown languages.

The various traits of melancholy are fear, sadness, doubt, and distrust. Hamlet embodies all these qualities as he is extremely ravaged by the murder of his father and hurried re-marriage of his mother. Upon further examination of the play and the styles used, Hamlet is basically an embodiment of what depression looks like. Works Cited Brokering, Jon M.