Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and Poland

Hamlet is a timeless play, which has been inspiring artists - actors, directors, film makers as well as writers, for over 400 years. The beauty of language, but also the universality of the topics such as revenge, betrayal, struggle for power, love, as well as the role of theatre are the reasons why...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Anna Wołosz-Sosnowska
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Polish Association for the Study of English 2020-06-01
Series:Polish Journal of English Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://pjes.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PJES_6-2_3_Wolosz-Sosnowska.pdf
_version_ 1828084240236937216
author Anna Wołosz-Sosnowska
author_facet Anna Wołosz-Sosnowska
author_sort Anna Wołosz-Sosnowska
collection DOAJ
description Hamlet is a timeless play, which has been inspiring artists - actors, directors, film makers as well as writers, for over 400 years. The beauty of language, but also the universality of the topics such as revenge, betrayal, struggle for power, love, as well as the role of theatre are the reasons why Hamlet is still so contemporary. Nevertheless, Shakespeare’s plays reveal their full potential when they are staged, but staging Hamlet in the 21st century in Poland, in Poznan is connected with the question ‘why?’. What is the reasoning behind staging this Elizabethan play today? Nowadays the adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, both on stage and on screen, are not without a reason; the already mentioned universality transforms itself into a comment on socio-political situation. In the play itself, Shakespeare refers to the theatre-mirror metaphor which comments on the reality. By staging Hamlet in Teatr Polski in Poznań (2019) Kleczewska touched upon many contemporary problems of Poznań and Poland. She collected and commented on the anxieties and issues with which we tackle. Multiculturalism, Ukrainian immigration, multiple languages on the streets, feminism, the role of culture are just few topics touched by Kleczewska in the performance, but also topics which make the audience consider their place within the socio-cultural space. The aim of the paper is to indicate and analyse in these elements which occur in the performance.
first_indexed 2024-04-11T04:21:59Z
format Article
id doaj.art-aa7b5cc355e64c5c88cd638e75e6e305
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2545-0131
2543-5981
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-11T04:21:59Z
publishDate 2020-06-01
publisher Polish Association for the Study of English
record_format Article
series Polish Journal of English Studies
spelling doaj.art-aa7b5cc355e64c5c88cd638e75e6e3052022-12-30T14:51:32ZengPolish Association for the Study of EnglishPolish Journal of English Studies2545-01312543-59812020-06-01623142Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and PolandAnna Wołosz-Sosnowska0Adam Mickiewicz UniversityHamlet is a timeless play, which has been inspiring artists - actors, directors, film makers as well as writers, for over 400 years. The beauty of language, but also the universality of the topics such as revenge, betrayal, struggle for power, love, as well as the role of theatre are the reasons why Hamlet is still so contemporary. Nevertheless, Shakespeare’s plays reveal their full potential when they are staged, but staging Hamlet in the 21st century in Poland, in Poznan is connected with the question ‘why?’. What is the reasoning behind staging this Elizabethan play today? Nowadays the adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, both on stage and on screen, are not without a reason; the already mentioned universality transforms itself into a comment on socio-political situation. In the play itself, Shakespeare refers to the theatre-mirror metaphor which comments on the reality. By staging Hamlet in Teatr Polski in Poznań (2019) Kleczewska touched upon many contemporary problems of Poznań and Poland. She collected and commented on the anxieties and issues with which we tackle. Multiculturalism, Ukrainian immigration, multiple languages on the streets, feminism, the role of culture are just few topics touched by Kleczewska in the performance, but also topics which make the audience consider their place within the socio-cultural space. The aim of the paper is to indicate and analyse in these elements which occur in the performance. http://pjes.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PJES_6-2_3_Wolosz-Sosnowska.pdfhamletshakespearemaja kleczewskapolandtheatrical performancewomen
spellingShingle Anna Wołosz-Sosnowska
Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and Poland
Polish Journal of English Studies
hamlet
shakespeare
maja kleczewska
poland
theatrical performance
women
title Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and Poland
title_full Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and Poland
title_fullStr Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and Poland
title_full_unstemmed Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and Poland
title_short Maja Kleczewska’s Hamlet as a Mirror of Contemporary Poznan and Poland
title_sort maja kleczewska s hamlet as a mirror of contemporary poznan and poland
topic hamlet
shakespeare
maja kleczewska
poland
theatrical performance
women
url http://pjes.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PJES_6-2_3_Wolosz-Sosnowska.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT annawołoszsosnowska majakleczewskashamletasamirrorofcontemporarypoznanandpoland