Peter Bart Explores Love and Grief in ‘Hamnet’ Against the Colorful Background of the English Renaissance and Awards Season
Oscar Voters’ Emotional Taste: A Deep Dive into Hamnet
As award season approaches, Hamnet has emerged as a striking contender, drawing acclaim for its emotional depth while facing criticisms for its narrow focus. Directed by Chloé Zhao and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes, the film challenges the louder competition, such as the current frontrunner, One Battle After Another.
Zhao, who garnered significant accolades for her film Nomadland in 2021, adapts Maggie O’Farrell’s popular novel to explore a poignant narrative set against the backdrop of Renaissance England, a time rife with cultural rebirth and overshadowed by the ravages of the Black Death.
The Shakespeare family at the heart of Hamnet includes Will, a young Latin tutor portrayed by Paul Mescal, and his spirited wife Agnes, played by Jessie Buckley. Agnes revels in her pastoral existence with their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, and two daughters, though she grapples with the elusive genius of her husband.
Will, perpetually consumed by his craft, spends his nights composing plays by candlelight and frequently travels to London to pitch his work to a chaotic array of theatrical producers.
Critics suggest that Zhao might have benefited from insights offered in Stephen Greenblatt’s Dark Renaissance, which provides a compelling look at a society under Elizabeth I’s tumultuous reign—one marked by religious conflict and the burgeoning theatrical movement that birthed classics like Tamburlaine and Doctor Faustus.
Amidst this backdrop, the looming presence of the Black Plague creates a tension that further complicates the Shakespeares’ narrative. A mix of spies and enforcers relentlessly pursue figures like Will’s brilliant friend Christopher Marlowe, an advocate for progressive ideas, including gender fluidity.
As Will navigates the challenges of a powerful vicar seeking to censor his work, tragedy strikes with the loss of his son to the plague in 1596. Despite his grief, Will’s play Hamlet ultimately finds its way to the stage, coinciding with the mysterious murder of Marlowe.
‘Hamnet’
Focus Features / courtesy Everett Collection
Agnes’s profound grief serves as a wellspring of emotional intensity in the film, with some critics arguing that it leans towards emotional excess—an issue potentially magnified by the cinematic score, which features pieces like On the Nature of Daylight, previously utilized in films such as Arrival (2016).
Greenblatt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning exploration of Renaissance disorder, The Swerve, enriches the portrayal of the Shakespeares’ turmoil, fostering a nuanced backdrop for Hamlet’s narrative.
Zhao’s distinctive vision promises to leave a significant mark, positioning Hamnet as a strong contender for awards in the upcoming season.
