Hamlet As The Mona Lisa of Literature

WELCOME BACK TO THE LOVELY
SHAKESPEAREAN CLASSES
By: Saad M. S. ABUSHARBAIN
December “2020”
ECW 573 SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY
Lecturer: Prof. Dr. GÜNSELI İŞÇİ
İSTANBUL YENİ YÜZYIL UNIVERSITY
COMPARİNG HAMLET TO MONA LİSA
• “[Hamlet’s] name means something even to those who
have never seen or read Shakespeare’s play. In this
respect he is rather like Leonardo’s Mona Lisa. We
know she is smiling even before we have seen the
picture. Mona Lisa’s smile has been separated from the
picture…It contains not only what Leonardo expressed
in it but also everything that has been written about it…
It is not just Mona Lisa that is smiling at us now, but all
those who have tried to analyze, or imitate that smile”
The excerpt above is taken from the following resource:
Jan Kott, Shakespeare Our Contemporary, New York:
Anchor Books, 1966, p. 58.
COMPARİNG HAMLET TO MONA LİSA
• Starting with fame, both the two works of art_ Hamlet and Mona
Lisa_ are well-known art productions because they contain many
implications, indications and suggestions. For example, the
portrait of Mona Lisa goes beyond its social limitations and
acquires a universal meaning. Although centuries have passed, we
still continue reviewing the secrets of this piece of art. The same
can be applied on Hamlet because till now there are debates on
some questions related to the play. For example, does Hamlet
really love Ophelia? Does the ghost of Hamlet's father real? Does
Gertrude love Claudius? Is the prince of Hamlet a victim or a
deceptive character? Regarding Mona Lisa, there are many
questions and analyses on the woman within the painting. Some
critics say she is a noblewoman, whereas others claim that she is
Leonardo's beloved girl. Also, there are other critics who declare
that behind the Mona Lisa there is a picture of Leonardo himself.
• Ziad Abushalha in his essay The Adaptation of
Shakespeare’s Hamlet in Different Cultural and Historical
Contexts says:
• “Hamlet’s story, themes and structure have
distinguished it not only from other Shakespearean
works but from other theatrical performances, and
perhaps no play in the English literature received all
that much of attention, translation, and reworking more
than Hamlet. The play showed a huge flexibility to
conform to many cultures and histories and registered a
huge ability to cross borders, cultures and times. It
became transcontinental, multicultural and
intermediate.”
AN İMPORTANT POİNT
The Mona Lisa, marked by many as the most
important work of Leonardo da Vinci, has
intrigued individuals for centuries with its
enigmatic expression that seems both attractive
and aloof. Likewise, as an equally enigmatic
character, Hamlet, also identified by many as the
most important play by William Shakespeare.
Hamlet, too was analyzed and reanalyzed by
critics and psychologists. For example, Sigmund
Freud claimed that Hamlet had an Oedipus
Complex. At the same time, the Mona Lisa was
repeatedly scrutinized, admired, copied, and
parodied.
T .S.ELİO T AND THE O BJECTİV E CO RREL ATİV E
• Also, T. S. Eliot (1932, p.124) says: “Hamlet is the ‘Mona Lisa’ of literature”.
Besides, he studies Hamlet from a psychological view. He sheds light on the
character of Hamlet not only on the play; Hamlet is a clever character. He has some
plans, but he is sometimes confused with his thoughts and the behaviors of his mom,
Gertrude. However, when T. S. Eliot says “Hamlet is the ‘Mona Lisa’ of literature”,
he means that readers appreciate Hamlet because they are fascinated by its actions,
yet they do not evaluate the work as a real work of art. It is the same as Mona Lisa,
many spectators regard it as a fabulous work of art because they are only attracted by
its vague smile. According to T. S. Eliot, the work of art should be evaluated as a
whole work of art for its objective correlative, devices, techniques, themes, figures of
speech, diction, message and so on.
WHAT DOES OBJECTİVE CORRELATİVE MEAN?
Eliot also lends New Criticism some of its
technical vocabulary. Thanks to Eliot, for
example, the term objective correlative has
become a staple in poetic jargon. According to
Eliot, the only way of expressing emotion
through art is by finding an objective
correlative: a set of objects, a situation, a chain
of events or reactions that can effectively serve
to awaken in the reader the emotional response
which the author desires without being a direct
statement of that emotion.
MİND THESE POİNTS REGARDİNG
• Many literature students study Hamlet and Mona Lisa from a psychological and
psychoanalytic views since these two works of art are replete with visual images
that involve the reader or the spectator in the scene with all his senses, feelings, and
emotions. Moreover, metaphors have great role and perspective in these works.
There are always lots of analyses behind the employed lovely metaphors in the two
works of art. These two works of art are unique; their influence and significance on
peoples' minds and hearts are elevated. Each time you read Hamlet, you can
discover new matters related to the society or manners. The same is true when you
shed light on Mona Lisa; it is replete with lovely scenes that let you dive deeply
into your imagination and fancy. These scenes amuse your soul and mind.
THE
END SAAD M. S. ABUSHARBAIN
19131308972

Anglo-American Literature and
Creative Writing Master
Program
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