"Like sweet tinkling bells, timeless and harsh" Hamlet's trust is betrayed by those closest to him (III.i.87). The theme of betrayal has its roots before the beginning of Shakespeare's tragedy, when Hamlet's uncle kills his father and marries his mother. These egregious betrayals, along with other purposeful deceptions, justify many of Hamlet's words and actions. A clear example of the deception that Hamlet suffers can be seen in the third act, scene before Hamlet: the convent scene. When Hamlet crosses the threshold, he finds himself in a web of secrets, deceit and dishonesty. Determined to discover the nature of Hamlet's madness, the king and Polonius have summoned Hamlet to a place where they know he will "meet" Ophelia under their observation; the scene is a set-up. Hamlet is spied on by his stepfather and deceived by his love in this moment of cruel deception. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In Olivier's 1948 film version of Shakespeare's Hamlet, the nunnery scene allows Hamlet to articulate his frustration without confronting his enemies. Hamlet enters the scene fully aware of his artificial nature, like an actor taking his place on the stage. The performance that follows is that of a narcissistic child who wins just to hear the sound of his own voice; Olivier's Hamlet has no real interaction with any of the other characters in the scene. Olivier's choice to focus on Hamlet and his feelings, rather than the action taking place around him, is highlighted in the nunnery scene and evident throughout the play Branagh, on the other hand sees Hamlet as an emotional tale of court intrigues and deceptions. Branagh's Hamlet is really affected by how the action unfolds. The open, abstract scene of Olivier's convent looks more like a stage than a room in a castle. This choice of setting suggests to the reader that Hamlet's words are purely expressive digressions (like the words of an actor) rather than focused dialogue (like the words of a betrayed man). The simplicity of the room provides no corner to hide secrets or shadows to hide deception. This staging reminds the reader that nothing in the scene is hidden from Hamlet. The effect of this set is to shift the focus from the action of the scene to Hamlet's unaltered performance. In stark contrast, the large black and white checkered floor of the nunnery scene in Branagh's Hamlet is the giant chessboard (C5) on which a complex and intricate game is played. is played. Dozens of hidden doors, two-way mirrors and secret rooms create a scene where the truth is elusive and twisted. Branagh's nunnery scene is a labyrinth of lies through which Hamlet must struggle to find the truth. The court setting could not be more appropriate to Branagh's idea that this scene is a game of strategy in a particular court. One step away from the scenario, Olivier's Ophelia is a woman with pale skin, dressed in white, with blond hair and a calm voice. two-dimensional virgin figure. All of Ophelia's feelings and intentions are manifested in her actions; his lies are obvious, his motives are clear, and he seems extremely unintelligent, as he does not understand Hamlet's purpose. Since Hamlet already knows that Ophelia has planned to deceive him, he has no information to convey to Hamlet during the scene. Most of what Hamlet says seems to be beyond his comprehension, even when Hamlet shouts and points to where Polonius and the king are hidden, Ophelia is unaware that he is aware of this. From theSince Ophelia never recognizes the deeper meaning of Hamlet's words, he seems to be speaking for himself and his hidden audience rather than for Ophelia. Indeed, the uninteresting nature of Ophelia's character, in Olivier's interpretation, makes much of Hamlet's dialogue seem like a monologue. In this way, Olivier uses his concept of Ophelia to shift the focus of the scene away from the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia. Once again, Olivier draws attention to Hamlet's lines as an unaltered performance. Red lips and rosy cheeks, Branagh's Ophelia, however, is a dubious and interesting character. At the beginning of the film Branagh uses flashbacks to show the audience that Hamlet and Ophelia are lovers. Ophelia gave herself to Hamlet, but later acts like an obedient daughter following her father's wishes. Ophelia seems to mislead both Hamlet and his father in this interpretation; the inconsistency in her character makes Ophelia's interaction with Hamlet in the convent scene dubious. When Hamlet enters the court, Ophelia is waiting behind the stairs, presumably because she knows that her father and the king will not see them there. The dialogue between Hamlet and Ophelia seems like the beginning of a fight scene, but Branagh has them argue while they passionately embrace. When Hamlet hears movement in the court and asks Ophelia where her father is, he is horrified by her fallacious answer. Ophelia's rapid transition from great affection to casual lies clearly influences Hamlet; their interaction brings the topic of betrayal into the spotlight. Branagh clearly highlights the moment when Hamlet goes from trusting Ophelia to feeling that she has betrayed him. The interaction between Hamlet and Ophelia is vital to the scene and the entire play. Branagh uses this relationship to focus attention from Hamlet's internal struggles to the scene's larger themes of relational give-and-take. They are hidden from Hamlet's sight, but Polonius and the king are pertinent to Oliver's interpretation of the convent scene. I thought they didn't interact with Hamlet at all during the scene, but their presence is the motivation for most of Hamlet's dialogue in this scene. Hamlet's anger towards Polonius and the king drives him to speak out, but his fear of repercussions prevents him from confronting them. For example, Hamlet threatens the king's life: "...all but one shall live." (III.i.144), verbally, but does not lift the (very accessible) curtain to carry out his threat. Instead, Hamlet acts like an elementary school bully who, frustrated with his teachers, takes out the students who are younger than him. Hamlet is yelling at Ophelia because he is frustrated with her anger towards Polonius and the king. Olivier uses this idea to explain Hamlet's self-centered performance in the nunnery scene. Polonius and the king are much more active participants in Branagh's monastery scene. When the camera pans behind the one-way glass, the audience can see Polonius and the king react to the scene between Hamlet and Ophelia. But Claudius and Polonius are much more than passive observers of what happens in front of them. A noise coming from behind the one-way glass reveals the location of the warning lights. This moment changes the momentum of the scene and the entire play. Once Hamlet realizes that his father and Polonius are watching him, he knows that he has been betrayed. In addition to bringing out the theme of betrayal, Polonius and the king provide the reason for Hamlet's harsh dialogue in the second half of the nunnery scene. Hamlet harshly chastises Ophelia as he searches for the men he knows are watching him, clearly illustrating that Hamlet's anger towards Ophelia stems from his participation in the staging of this scene. The active role taken by Polonius and Claudius is fitting, 1992.