As she watches the play “Hamlet” for the first time, Shakespeare’s grief-stricken wife begs to know what this work of fiction has to do with her late son.
That question lies at the heart of the new film, “Hamnet,” based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell. In reality, little is known about William Shakespeare’s personal life. But he and his wife Agnes, or Anne, had three children together, including son Hamnet — a name that was interchangeable with Hamlet at the time. A few years after their son died, “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” premiered. “Hamnet,” directed by Chloé Zhao, fills in the missing details with O’Farrell’s imaginings.
Though the name William Shakespeare attracts viewers, the heart of this film is Agnes, played movingly by Jessie Buckley. Dressed in red, Agnes is most at home away from her harsh stepmother and in the lush forest by her home. There she finds comfort in her pet hawk, herbalism, memories of her deceased mother and in her kind brother, Bartholomew (played by Joe Alwyn). Shakespeare (played by Paul Mescal) is working as a Latin tutor when he meets Agnes and is immediately enamored. Though they know their families will disapprove, they become secretly engaged and convince their families to consent to the match once Agnes is pregnant.
The beginning of the film, featuring the couple’s courtship and family life, is relatively serious but remains interesting and inviting. William and Agnes are devoted and supportive of one another and their children. They lovingly muddle through as William stages his plays in London while Agnes and the children reside in the countryside with Shakespeare’s parents.
The cinematography beautifully highlights the scenery, from Agnes’ light-filled forest to the dimly illuminated Tudor-style homes. The film doesn’t shy away from the rustic realities of the Elizabethan era, from squeaking quill pens to dirt-streaked faces. Naturally, the bard’s quotes from several plays are sprinkled throughout the movie, providing fun Easter eggs for Shakespeare buffs.
But the film takes a turn when Hamnet’s twin sister, Judith, catches the plague. In the midst of nursing her, Shakespeare’s mother, Mary, (played by Emily Watson) gives a sober soliloquy about the importance of cherishing one’s children. In the middle of the night, Hamnet heroically sneaks to Judith’s bedside, convinced he can trick Death into taking him instead of her. Judith awakens feeling better; Hamnet dies screaming in his mother’s arms. William, who has been away, finally arrives at the house to find Judith healed and Hamnet lying dead. Agnes and William’s grief does little to mend the growing emotional rift their physical distance has exacerbated.
The filmmakers take no pains to spare the viewer’s feelings during this protracted and horrifically unflinching view of a child’s death. Additionally, the couple express no faith in the afterlife. While many grieving parents question God, the portrayal of a child’s death experienced without the hope of heaven makes the story even more bleak. And in reality, there is evidence that Shakespeare was Catholic, as his family and many associates had ties to Catholicism during a time of great persecution in England.
The rest of the film explores how Shakespeare’s 11-year-old influenced the bloody, royal tragedy bearing his name. Passages of the play where characters wrestle with mortality are highlighted, including lines from the famous, “To be or not to be” speech, but few other clues are offered. While respectively performing and watching the play, William and Agnes find some healing, which ends the film on a tolerably hopeful note. But there’s no forgetting the gratuitous suffering portrayed before it.
“Hamnet,” runs 2 hours and 5 minutes long. It was released by Focus Features Nov. 26 in select theaters with a wider release in December. The film is rated PG-13, and includes a sex scene, partial nudity, domestic violence, and fortune telling.
Maraist is a freelancer from Reston.
