The Happy Hour Eulogy

In the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet, Act 1 Scene 2 opens on Claudius tapping his champagne glass to get the attention of his company. The king’s court, in this case, is presented as a cocktail party. He speaks briefly (a whole seven lines) about his brother’s passing and then moves onto other matters. His lack of grief is not only presented in the brevity of his eulogy but also in the setting the director creates. The fact that the king is serving champagne while speaking about his brother’s death is significant because of the opposing connotations of the two actions. Claudius drinks something that signifies celebration while speaking about a tragedy. 

The casual setting of what would normally be a solemn occasion highlights the fact that Claudius is unwilling to grant the event the gravity it is due. The director presents us with the idea that Claudius’s intent is not optimistic, but rather deceptive. Without the setting, his scantiness on the topic can be perceived as not wanting to dwell on the negative, but the setting creates an air of Claudius just keeping up appearances. It gives us the idea that Claudius does not actually care much about his brother’s death and therefore would prefer to change subjects. 

The fact that they serve champagne is especially interesting because I find it to be the director’s way to subtly show us that Claudius is actually glad to have his brother out of the picture. It amplifies his inner emotions without showing them outright. This keeps his intentions hidden from the rest of his court while discreetly hinting his excitement to us. In place of a heavier alcohol, the director chooses the most festive to show us that the new king is not as melancholy as one would expect after the passing of his brother.

The director also uses blocking to convey underlying meaning to the audience. While a traditional court would have the king sitting in the throne with everyone around him but easily visible and below him, the cocktail party puts him in the center of a circle. He is also on the same level as everyone. This indicates that, though he is the center of attention as the middle of the circle, he is still yet to ascend to the same level of power and respect his brother once held. He has to turn in order to address people rather than the traditional idea of staying static in his throne while the members of his court work to get his attention. His constant turning to face different people highlights that he still has to work to earn the same respect they accorded his brother.

The men's costumes (more specifically, Claudius's costume) in this scene are also notable. Everyone except for Claudius here dresses in mourning--black suits, long black ties, etc. Instead he wears a 3-piece suit including a white vest and bow tie. In the same way the service of champagne does not fit, such celebratory dress is a bit surprising for such a somber event. The white accessories to his otherwise black outfit represents the hidden elation he feels with King Hamlet out of the way.