Ok so has anyone seen any production of Hamlet ever where Hamlet Sr. and Claudius looked even remotely similar? Did anyone ever see a performance where they had any sort of family resemblance whatsoever?
If so please let me know
That’s one thing that always bothered me! People even draw them similarly. I want a Claudius that looks so much like Hamlet Senior, it’s hard for Hamlet to even look at him without seeing his father. A Claudius that so closely resembles the dead king, Gertrude could almost pretend her husband was still there. Give me a Claudius that jumps every time he passes by a mirror, a Claudius who is still mistaken for his dead brother, a Claudius whose murder felt more to him like killing his own reflection.
YES EXACTLY!
It’s so much harder on Hamlet that it’s his uncle- not just because no one wants their uncle marrying their mother, but because of all people to claim the role fo his new step father, it’s someone who actually resembles him from a far. Or maybe even from up close.
When I posted that, I had a feeling people would come after me claiming that they don’t look similar, and using that one scene where Hamlet compares their portraits to each other while yelling at Gertrude. But I’d have to say that that scene actually leads me to believe even more that they looked similar.
If two people look nothing alike, no one has to comment on that. It’s obvious, there’s no need to point it out. If two people look kinda similar, and you were trying to prove they don’t look that similar, you’d say “they have the same hair and eye color, but other than that they’re completely different”. You’d point out the few things that are the same about them, and then say that the rest is different.
HOWEVER, if two people look so similar that someone, upon meet each one once, wouldn’t be able to tell you which is which, you’d have to point out the subtle differences. You’d say “sure, they look similar, but if you want to tell them apart look closely at their jawline. That was has a more rounded jawline, while the other is slightly more pointed”.
I don’t have a copy of Hamlet in front of me. I can’t quote it. But I seem to remember the basic content of Hamlet’s speech to Gertrude describing the appearance of his father vs his uncle falling into that last category.
It must have been so hard on Hamlet. Having to direct his feelings of loss, sorrow, and grief, and his feelings of hatred, anger, and vengeance, towards people who looked so similar that when describing how they differ you’d have to go into the subtle nuances.