Textual Integrity of Shakespeare’s Hamlet

What the…?

Why is this question from Hamlet still “famous”???

Because the play (it’s characters, events, attitudes and conflicts) has “textual integrity”…It has continuing and enduring appeal to new audiences

The syllabus defines textual integrity as:

O The unity of a text; its coherent use of form and language to produce an integrated whole in terms of meaning and value. (p 100)

• Agreement• Harmony• The way it

“fits” together

• Clear • Rational• Consistent• Reasonable• Believable• relevant

• Method• Play • Script• Structure• construction

• Language features• Literary devices• Dramatic techniques• Style• Register

• Believable• Realistic • No inconsistent actions

or reactions• Complete narrative• Everything “fits” and

makes sense – even the ambiguous bits

• Ideas and their importance

• Worthiness of knowing the characters

• Relevance of the actions and consequences

• Merit• usefulness

Evaluating a text in terms of its textual integrity requires the students to consider: O the features and elements of a text =

O Language featuresO Poetic devicesO StructureO Hamlet’s soliloquyO Religious symbolism and lawsO The “delay”O Elizabethan (religious conflict) values and contextO A play-within-a-playO A supernatural element Vs God = contrasting images /

charactersO CharacterisationO Dramatic techniques

O the extent to which it may possess an overall unity =

Evaluating a text in terms of its textual integrity requires the students to consider:

• Language features• Poetic devices• Structure• Themes / events / settings• Hamlet’s soliloquy• Religious symbolism and laws• The “delay”• Elizabethan (religious conflict)

values and context• A play-within-a-play• A supernatural element Vs

God = contrasting images / characters

• Characterisation• Dramatic techniques…

– when they’re all put

together.. How

important are all these things…

…in giving

the play it’s…

• Consistent and “realistic & human” characters

• Believable events

• Relevant & “timeless” themes and issues

• Valid, interesting, controversial and ongoing appeal to different audiences, directors and actors

Ok… so… ????So…

O Literary students and academics – people who are educated and “cultured” – people who like to go to the theatre – English teachers – historians – play and film directors – actors – and, other people who like to argue over what things (texts) “really” mean – all these people - they all……LUUUUUURRRRVE TO ARGUE… (and sound very intelligent)

ABOUT WHAT THEY EACH THINK ABOUT THE “REAL”, TRUE NATURE OF

THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS IN HAMLET!!!

In other words…In simple 21st-Century-teenage, non-board-of-studies, non-English-syllabus-jargon and plain-English-terms…

Think of Shakespeare’s Hamlet as being the cause of

arguments between readers (-- audiences – directors –

and, actors) in the same way that 21st Century texts

cause you to “argue” with a friend (or frenemy) about

things like:

that 21st Century texts…eg:

The Hunger Games…Sparks “discussions” / arguments / debates about things like:

O The book is so much more “believable” and powerful than the film

O The film is not consistent with the book!

O Katniss seems like a total b*%@ in the film – whereas, in the book, that’s not her character at all!

O Team Peter!!!… tots

that 21st Century texts…eg:

Twilight…Sparks “discussions” / arguments / debates about things like:

O Kristen Stewart is a hopeless actress and is nothing

like how Bella should be portrayed!

O Team Edward!

O All the characters are so superficial and one-

dimensional!! None of them are believable at all!

O I hate how all the supporting characters (especially

the teenagers) are so stereotyped and

“predictable”…

Hamlet… ???

• The characters: their “true” natures and agendas;

• the events;

• the consequences of the events;

• the conflict between the Christian values and the human “flaws” and superstitions;

• the sexual desires and relationships among the characters;

• Etc..

It would seem that Shakespeare has

deliberately and carefully

written the play (and… a play-within-a-play)

so that the “truth” is ambiguous…

this ambiguity is the thing that ensures that

you – and other readers - actors – directors –

artists – students…

…will continue to “argue” about the play for a

long time to come!

This is the thing… “the play is the thing”… that

ensures its lasting appeal!

Shakespeare uses dramatic and language techniques to make responders develop and form their own opinions, reactions and conclusions about the “true” nature (interpretation) of:

O A writer needs to have a lot of skill with: O language O narrative structure O characterisation O motifs O lexical chains O imagery O irony – juxtaposition – connotation – metaphor

and symbolism… etc…to be able to develop lots of levels of ambiguity (and certainty of “truth”). If a composer isn’t skilled at doing this – there will be NO textual integrity!

Sparks “discussions” / arguments / debates about things like:O Hamlet is “acting” the whole time… he’s not mad at

all!...O Hamlet is mad! He’s so paranoid and “messed up” in

his grief about his Dad being murdered that he completely looses the plot! (pardon the pun )…

O Hamlet is “in lust” with Gertrude… and she’s “in lust” with Hamlet…

O Hamlet really does love Ophelia – and just “pretends” to hate her in an attempt to protect her…