Molly+Gaughran

=media type="youtube" key="ca8w_brYBy4" height="315" width="420"=

I hate being tickled too!
=Hamlet Blog Post #4= 2/19/12

Reaction: This week we read the end of Hamlet. It wasn't a big secret that everyone dies at the end, but It was still odd to read, nonetheless, with someone dying every other line. I liked the ending overall, the drama of it all, added to the excitement and was fun to read.

Essential question: Had Hamlet acted earlier in any part of the play, and killed Claudius, none of the end would have happened. Instead Hamlet hesitated so much that a dramatic escalation was inevitable. Now, Claudius, Gertrude, Hamlet, and Laertes all died.

I can no more. The king, the king’s to blame.
====Laertes sees all the obstruction his grand plan has caused, and ultimately blames the king for everything, though it is probably about half Laertes own fault. The dramatic ending is in keeping with most Shakespearian tragedies, where its almost over-conclusive with everyone's death.==== = = = = =Hamlet Blog Post #3= 2/9/12



This week we've dealt with several lengthy soliloquies, including Hamlet's "To be or not to be.." speech, as well as watched performances for many of the scenes. I personally think it's easier to follow along when the play is being performed. Reading Hamlet, I tend to get caught up in a line or two that I don't understand, instead of trying to get the main idea. It was interesting after annotating several soliloquies how other classmates got a different meaning from the text than I did. It's so interpretative! The best example we've seen this week of "perception changing reality" was in Act 3 Scene 3, where Hamlet chose to not kill Claudius because he was praying, and him being sent to heaven would not have fulfilled his revenge. We know however that Claudius isn't actually praying, as he had given up. If Hamlet had not hesitated and acted in the moment, the tragic ending of //Hamlet// could have been avoided.
 * Reaction:**
 * Essential Question:**

Hamlet: To be or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?...
 * Section:**

These are some of the more famous lines of the play, and it's not hard to see why. Hamlet is so overcome by grief of everything that has happened and is fogged by oncoming insanity. He only sees two choices before him: to be or not to be. It is only human to at some point in life, feel crazy for carrying on any longer. Life often times can seem like "slings and arrows" and "a sea of trouble".

=Hamlet Blog Post #2= 2/5/12 I've really enjoyed what we've read in class this last week. Hamlet is a very interesting story, and a lot different from anything else we've read this year! Even though I have to admit I'm looking forward to the part of the year where we read uplifting stories... The story of Ophelia is particularly interesting to me, especially how immediately she tells her dad she will "obey him" or whatnot, and then hands him over the love letters that Hamlet wrote her. It seems a little unrealistic that someone would actually do that. The ghost speaking to Hamlet Jr is an interesting scene as well, as it turns Hamlet's life around, and will now be focused on revenge. For me it's too early to tell if he is actually going mad or not yet. I guess I will find out this week!

media type="youtube" key="H0QnWToh3Eg" height="315" width="420" Decent Hamlet Rap ^

Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge.
 * HAMLET (to ghost)**

I picked this quote because I find it ironic that Hamlet takes so long to take revenge, when in the moment of talking to his father he says he will do it right away.

=Hamlet Blog Post #1= =1/29/12=
 * Reaction**

Before this unit, I had no idea what Hamlet was about, besides the fact that it was a Shakespearean Tragedy. I thought that the first scene was interesting in that the text allows many directions in which the play can be taken. Stage directions are limited, which allow film and play directors to interpret Hamlet differently and is therefore an ever-changing story. This idea is supported by the scenes of the two different films we viewed in class, which contrasted greatly.


 * Essential Question**

"How can our perceptions of reality change reality?" Horatio perceived Hamlet's ghost as a parallel to the state of Denmark at the moment, hinting that the ghost was a sign of war that was about to occur. This perception that Horatio had, sets the rest of the story, as the state of the people worsen through out the play.

Horatio says ’tis but our fantasy And will not let belief take hold of himTouching this dreaded sight twice seen of us.Therefore I have entreated him alongWith us to watch the minutes of this night,That if again this apparition comeHe may approve our eyes and speak to it. It almost appears in this passage that Marcellus is self-conscious of his sanity being questioned by Horatio. Which is connected to the rest of the play, as sanity of other characters, such as Hamlet Jr are questioned.
 * Passage**
 * Marcellus:**