Hamlet intro

In the Ethan Hawke and David Tennant versions of Hamlet, the two directors set up very different atmospheres and dynamics. While the story and script are still the same Shakespeare, the setting, camera angles, casting, and acting dramatically change the interpretation of the story. Although both versions bring the story into modern times, the director’s choices in the Ethan Hawke version take away some of the depth of the original play, while the David Tennant version preserves the feeling of Hamlet’s crazy despair. The different characterizations of Claudius and stagings of his introductory speech in Act I Scene ii illustrate these differences.