ADAPTATION TO THE (HYPER)REALITY: HAMLET AND HIS VIRTUAL WORLD

Abstract

In this article I will argue that the film adaptation of the play Hamlet by Michael Almereyda (2000) is a reflection on contemporary postmodern society that highlights the tragedy of an individual who is in a constant search for justice and identity through technology. I am particularly interested in the social transformations of a feudal world represented in Shakespeare's play and the values of advanced capitalism visible in this film by Michael Almereyda. I will also analyze how memory is constructed by editing and manipulating the image through the videos recorded by the main character in order to find out the truth and seek revenge for the death of his father. The image favors the evocation of the memories of Hamlet and connects him to the present while it stimulates the expression of past experiences, as well as the capacity for self-recognition, which helps to strengthen his own identity.

Keywords

• technology
• postmodern society
• adaptation
• hyperreality