Claudius' Journal

Oh how the pain strikes me so. If only one could find a relief of remorse. How doth such evil come from mine own hands? Since the murder of thy brother I have not been able to forgive myself. If only these riches could come without guilt. Mine own stepson hath not yet accepted my rise to power. Gertrude as solid as stone has given away to grieving her deceased husband. If this could only be grasped. If only thou Hamlet could accept me, though I know my evil will never be forgiven nor forgotten. I hath a challenge forth to handle. I must understand what it is that troubles young Hamlet. Could he possibly be aware of what evils within me hath taken his father? Thou has been inclined towards the idea.


The earlier play, the actors, all of which occurred for reason. Could Hamlet know what blood covers these hands? Never the less, he has gone mad. Hamlet is no longer the witty upheld boy he had been. Tis soon I must seek the roots of his behavior, for it may cost me my life. What must one do? Having invited Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, what more must be done. Can gold grant me thou’s acceptance? What must be done of the women in his life? Thy mother Gertrude and lover Ophelia whom he has lost great interest in, could this foreshadow his greater evil? Has he truly gone mad? Oh! Such pains, so many struggles, so many questions, yet still no answers. One is only inclined to repent. I must pray to thee almighty lord. Dos thou forgive one poor wretched soul? That soul turns to thee in times of need for forgiveness and prays ever so greatly that thy guidance may lead him to the heavenly kingdom.

Mike Almereyda's Hamlet

Out of all three renditions of Hamlet I have come to the conclusion that Mike Almereyda’s version is of most interest to me. This rendition is the most recent and takes place in a modern day setting. I feel that this is a great form of expressing the story of Hamlet. Firstly, I believe that this version is unique and interesting in the fact that it represents Denmark and Elsinore castle in the form of a company, where Hamlet is the son of the deceased CEO. I also believe that Mike Almereyda expresses Hamlets first soliloquy in a unique and inventive way. In fact, I believe his method provides more of a mode and insight into Hamlet’s true feelings through his reflection of videos with him and his father. One similarity between the original Hamlet and the film is the language used.

I feel that in this movie, Hamlet was portrayed most effectively. I feel so because he is properly shown as a young man in mourn of his father’s death. He seems to perfectly fill the role of the character originally described by Shakespeare. If I were to ask the director to make one change to the film, I would recommend he do similar to Franco Zeffirelli’s version of Hamlet. In that version, Franco preludes to the play with providing a scene of Hamlet’s father’s death. I believe that Mike’s film would greatly benefit a similar scene. A detailed scene of the death of the CEO of Denmark Corp. in the beginning of the film would greatly improve the production.