Hamlet Act 1, scene 3

The settings of the performance of Act 1, scene 3 on the video are quite different from my imagination which is based on the texture Hamlet book. The setting of the performance is set in a study room. The study room is full of books and well decorated. The decorations of the study room seem to be luxurious and modern. The white wall of the study room gives a sense of civility to the viewer. The dress of Laertes and Opheria and Polonius seem to be faddish and modern. Those settings of performance are very distant from my imagination. The time of the Hamlet play is set on the late medieval period, I think back on that period people would wear long gown and gingham instead of wearing business suit and T-shirt. Base on the book, I think the entire conversation would occur at a port or a station where Laertes would get on the vehicle, because at the beginning of the scene, Laertes says that “my necessaries are embarked. Farewell, And, sister,as the winds give benefit And convery assistant, do not sleep, But let me hear from you.” At the beginning of the performance, Opheria is holding a photo and staring attentively at the photo. There is a male on the photo, and I guess the male might be the prince Hamlet. This scene makes me feel that Opheria loves hamlet deeply. But on the texture book, there is not a sentence to describe that Opheria is holding a Hamlet’s photo, and also there isn’t a sentence shows Opheria likes or care about hamlet. The way of speaking of Laertes is regardful and propositional. He uses his raising and falling voice to emphasize the key sentences. Laertes lowered his voice when he saying “but you must fear, His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own; For he himself is subject to his birth.” The effect of lowering voice emphasizes the key words in the sentence. He raised his voice when he saying “He may not, as unvalu'd persons do, Carve for himself; for on his choice depends, The safety and health of this whole state; And therefore must his choice be circumscrib'd, Unto the voice and yielding of that body Whereof he is the head.” The effect of raising voice impacts the audience intensely; the audience would remember the word subconsciously. Laertes lowering his voice when he saying “Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open, To his unmater’d importunity.” The modulation in tone delivers the feeling of the narrator to the audience frankly, and vivifies the conversation. Opheria seems to be annoyed and uncomfortable when her brother Laertes talks with her about the prince Hamlet. She walking around arbitrarily and her face delivers a sense of she is being annoyed by the contents of the conversation. Her countenance reflects that she cares about the prince Hamlet and she does not want anyone to set any obstacle on the relationship between hamlet and her. She seems to be distracted and doesn’t want to listen to the lesson her brother Laertes gives. There are some sentences the performance omitted—“The chariest maid is prodigal enough, If she unmask her beauty to the moon: Virtue itself scopes not calumnious strokes: The canker galls the infants of the spring, Too oft before their buttons be disclos'd: And in the morn and liquid dew of youth, Contagious blastments are most imminent. Be wary then; best safety lies in fear:” I think the omitted sentences play a role in the conversation; the sentences exemplify the consequence of being in love in lies of Hamlet. These sentences reflect the attitude of Laertes toward the prince Hamlet. The way of speaking of Opheria is impassive. She seems to be sad about her brother’s leaving. The relationship between Opheria and Laertes surpass the relationship between brother and sister. Laertes speaks farewell Opheria with hoarse, heartrending voice. He talks a lot with Opheria before he leaves; this is not ordinary to brother and sister. When Polonius enters, Laertes begins to pack his belongings. The way of speaking of Polonius is propositional and calm. Polonius gives some advices for his son Laertes. The relationship between Polonius and Laertes is not look like the relationship of father and son. Their relationship looks like friend. During Polonius talking with Laertes, Laertes is walking around to pack his stuff, he seems to be annoyed by the contents his father gives. Laertes is going to college and he is an adult already, but his father still treats him as a kid. Polonius putted some money in the pocket of Laertes’s cloth. This shows that Polonius cares about his son Laertes and he wants his son to be well and behave well. He tries to teach Leartes to be a well educated man. “Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice: Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy:” The relationship between Laertes and Opheria seems to be closer than the relationship of Laertes and Polonius. Laertes never says farewell or goodbye to his father, this is strange that Laertes only says farewell to his sister. The performance of Act1, scene 3 is quite different from my imagination.