Tara+Woodward

media type="youtube" key="aMS0O3kknvk" height="315" width="420" Classic

Hamlet Blog #4 February 20, 2012

This week, with the wrapping up of the play, I feel like so much is missing from the play. I feel like I have a good understanding of the story, but I feel like so many things are left a mystery, but I guess that is what makes it such a studied play. The play really seemed quite ironic to me, I just felt like it was so strange that while everyone is plotting against another, something happens to cause their death, or someone else is planning to kill them. It seems like a story all based on the story of Karma.



Essential Question: To Be or Not to Be? When is a life not worth living? Who gets to decide if someone should live or die? It seems that everyone who thought they had the right to decide if another should die, ended up dying. I thought this was extremely ironic, especially because Hamlet was somewhat hesistant to seek revenge. I thought it was also interesting that Queen Gertrude dies, which leads me to believe she had a part in Ophelia's death. I also thought that everyone kind of realized at the end that they had what was coming for them.



**PRINCE FORTINBRAS** > Let four captains > Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage > For he was likely, had he been put on, > To have proved most royally: and, for his passage, > The soldiers' music and the rites of war > Speak loudly for him. > Take up the bodies: such a sight as this > Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. > Go, bid the soldiers shoot.

> > I thought this was really interesting that Fortinbras was so respectful towards Hamlet. I feel like Fortinbras feels a connection towards him or something, and that is why he takes Hamlet's body away with such respect. I'm glad he was respectful towards him, I think I would've been disappointed if he didn't care about what had just happened. It also would be very strange to come expecting a fight, and see a mess like the one that had just happened, "Take up the bodies: such a sight as this". It would be interesting to know what happens once Fortinbras totally takes over the kingdom.

Hamlet Blog # 3 February 10, 2012



This week really helped me with understanding Hamlet more. Watching others act out scenes, instead of just reading them, made things so much easier to understand, and was also very entertaining. Also the paraphrasing of Hamlet and Queen Gertrudes speeches really helped to understand the characters and what's going on in this play. I thought it was extremely interesting how calm Queen Gertrude was about Ophelias death, and I'm not sure whether she was happy Ophelia was dead, or if she just thought it was a pleasant way to pass away. Either way it's a little strange how she reacted, and how much she knows about Ophelias death.



Essential Question: To Be or Not to Be? When is a life not worth living? Who gets to decide if someone should live or die? This week we actually analyzed the To Be or Not to Be Soliliqouy, and we learn that Hamlet is very unsure of whether his life is worth living or not. He feels like life is not worth living, but not knowing what will happen after he dies makes life a little more worthy of living for. We also analyzed Claudius's speech, where we learn that he feels guilty for killing the King, but not guilty enough to give up his treasures and kingship. It seems that Claudius believes that he has the right to decided to kill someone, if he feels like that will make him better off. Which is exactly what he did, he killed his brother, so that he could be King. Hamlet is also hesitant to get revenge and kill Claudius, even though his father told him to do so.

Hamlet: Look here, upon this picture, and on this, The Counterfeit presentment of two brothers. See, what a grace was seated on this brow; This was your husband. Look you now, what follows: Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear, Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes? You cannot call it love; for at your age The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble, And it waits upon the judgement:

I find this passage very interesting because Hamlet is so confrontational to his mother. He is so emotional and angry, and it is so obvious. I almost feel bad for Queen Gertrude because of how guilty Hamlet makes her feel. I especially feel like he hits Queen Gertrude hard with the comparison of her two husbands. " This was your husband... Here is your husband." Hamlet is not afraid to say what he is thinking.

Hamlet Blog # 2 February 5, 2012

This week we examined the scenes in act one where Hamlet Sr. comes back in ghost form and informs Hamlet Jr. that he was murdered by his uncle. Hamlet Jr. is very surprised and very angry about the whole situation and is also told to seek revenge. Hamlet Jr and Sr have a very interesting interaction. Hamlet Sr is very demanding, and pretty scary, I know he is angry about being murdered, but you'd think he might be a little more friendly towards his son whom he is asking a very big favor of.

Essential Question: To Be or Not to Be? When is a life not worth living? Who gets to decide if someone should live or die? It seems that Hamlet Sr thinks he has the right to decide that Claudius should die, and I guess that makes sense since Claudius killed him. I'd be mad too, but I don't know if that would make me want to kill him. I also think it's interesting that although Hamlet Sr is technically dead, he's still kind of living, what a lucky guy.

Passage: Ghost

I am thy father's spirit, Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, And for the day confined to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid To tell the secrets of my prison-house, I could a tale unfold whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porpentine: But this eternal blazon must not be To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, O, list! If thou didst ever thy dear father love--

I like this passage because I think it's kind of ironic. It solidifies the thought that this is Hamlet Sr in ghost form, and it would be interesting to know if Hamlet Jr needed this to know for sure if this was his father back from the dead. He also states that he is " Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night," which makes it clear that he does not enjoy being back in ghost form. It'd be interesting to know what "Doom'd" him to being back, was it a higher power? Or did he doom himself back to seek revenge ? Also it seems strange that there is absolutely no emotional reaction between the two besides anger, and yet he begins to ask a huge favor with, "If thou didst ever thy dear father love--" It doesn't really seem like they loved eachother too much if there isn't even a little side conversation about how the other is doing. It's all about revenge, and that is the only reason he is back, which just seems so strange to me.



Hamlet Blog # 1 January 29, 2012

So far I've been pretty confused by the language in Hamlet, but it seems that this is difficult for everyone, so that's nice. It is also definetely helping to read it as a class rather than just read it, as I probably would not do a very good job with that. It is a very interesting story, but one of the things that I'm intrigued by the most is how anyone is okay with marrying your siblings widowed spouse.

This story is about death, and revenge, which is alot like our question. It's really difficult to say who gets to live or die, and it is obvious that some people think they can just kill anyone, like Claudius. He really thinks it's not big deal to kill the King, then marry his wife. He thinks it's important that he marry his brothers wife quite quickly, as he makes clear in his speech announcing their marriage. Some people though, are much more hesitant to kill, Hamlet Jr. for example. Death is a big deal, and taking someone's life is even more of a big deal. It's hard to say what is right and wrong, especially when it comes to killing someone. I don't really think anyone has the right to decide if someone else should live or die, and I think that this play shows that in a strange way.
 * To Be or Not To Be? When is a life not worth living? Who Gets to Decide if Someone Should Live or Die?**



Hamlet: I want to melt away into nothing. Why have you, God, made it a law to commit suicide? There seems to be no hope in this world. Darn, oh darn! This evil will spread if it isn't destroyed immediately. My father's been dead only two months! No, not even two: my father was such an excellent king. My father is like a god and my uncle a child. And my mother. My father would do anything for my mother. Why should I remember? She would hang on him, and the more she hugged and kissed, the more she wanted to hug and kiss him. That frailty- it’s a woman! How can she wear the same clothes to my father's funeral that she did to her own wedding? Like Niobe, all the tears she shed, why didn't my mother grieve a little longer? My uncle is not more my father than Hercules is my father. The salt of fake tears still on her face and swollen eyes, she married. And in the most wicked speed! Nothing good comes from evil. My heart is breaking, but I can't tell anyone.

I think this is a really interesting passage because it reveals just how angry and confused Hamlet is. He is obviously unhappy with his uncle marrying his mother, and feels very distant from both of the newlyweds. It also tells us how long his father has been dead, less than two months. It also connects to our essential question, "Why have you, God, made it a law to commit suicide?" It seems like God has the right to choose who gets to live or die, by making this law. It also is shown that Hamlet doesn't think he has the right to choose whether he can live or die, because of the law of God.