Jessica+Caves

Something Funny.... April 1, 2012

media type="youtube" key="Qhm7-LEBznk" height="315" width="420" Boise's finest.....

Blog Post #4: 2/19/12

A.K.A. Horatio We all know the common stereotype that "the black guy dies first" in movies. Well not in the case of the 2009 version on Hamlet. Somehow everyone BUT horatio meets death. Horatio watches as his best friend, his best friend's parents, and his best friend's girlfriend's brother die. That is a lot of catastrophe happening around one person within 5 minutes. When Horatio sees all of this death around him, he begins to feel left out and begins to think of ways he can join his best friend and all the others dropping like flies around him. The one solution he sees is the rest of the poison left in the cup. He explores this option while holding Hamlet in his arms when he says, "Never believe it:

I am more an antique Roman than a Dane:

Here's yet some liquor left.

Connecting this back to my classes essential question, How can our perception of reality, change reality? Horatio believes the world around him is crumbling by way of the death of most the people close to him. In his mind, the only option out of this, that he sees, is death himself. That is, until he is talked off the ledge by Hamlet in some of his last words when he says, " As thou'rt a man,

Give me the cup: let go; by heaven If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart

Tell my story." As you can tell, Horatio is clearly a drama queen like Hamlet, thinking that the only way out of this situation is death, rather than, oh I don't know, getting over it!?

Blog Post #3: 2/11/12 I just recently realized that both of my pictures in the last blog post dealt with cats... so we will try to stay away from that this time. In our close reading of Act 3, scene 3, I especially liked Claudius closing to his "prayer." "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go." This whole scene was a big confusing misunderstanding, yet when we take a closer look at it, we see that the long and short of it is, Hamlet is a wussy, and Claudius would kill his brother again if he had the chance. This scene is probably the best example of my classes essential question, how can our perception of reality, change reality? In this scene We directly see Hamlet's idea of his uncle- father and how he form it, yet we also see what Claudius is actually thinking and we understand it is the exact opposite of Hamlets ideas. Personally, I just wanted Hamlet to kill Claudius, but he is such an antsy pants and makes up all these plans but never follows through. Pretty much I think he is just a sissy and wants people to feel bad for him and cause a scene. I think this sums it up...

Blog Post #2: 2/5/12 Marcellus wasn't joking when he said, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." Because what ever is rotting, is causing fumes that Hamlet must be inhaling. In act 1, scene 4 or hamlet, we see the Hamlet being introduced to the ghost of his father and we get the background of how the King was killed by his brother. (Now, why the guards were so afraid of the ghost, i'm not too sure." The act I am performing in class is Act 2, scene 2, where Lord Polonius talks to Hamlet, and we get a first glimpse at how crazy hamlet is actually turning. Hamlet confuses his lovers father for a "fishmonger", then continues to interrupt the conversation with his random rants about if people could crawl backwards like crabs and grow younger, and warns Lord Polonius to not let his daughter out of the house so that she does not get pregnant.In my opinion, Hamlet must be high off of the fumes of rotting Denmark, because who tells their girlfriend's father not to let her out of the house? Doesn't he want to see her? Spend time with the person he claims to love? Relating this back to my period's essential question: How can our perception of reality, change reality? Marcellus assumes that because the King's ghost is presenting itself to them, something has to be wrong, and soon after that, Horatio and Marcellus see their loyal friend walk off with the ghost. They must both think their "leaders" are loosing their marbles. The good news is that the State of Denmark is actually controlled by Claudius, who may not be as crazy as Hamlet... but he still killed his brother and married his sister in-law...

Blog Post: 1/29/12 Hamlet can be a difficult text to read and comprehend on your own. Thankfully we are going through it as a class, and since we are only as strong as the weakest link, for those of you still struggling, here is a video to keep you up to speed. media type="youtube" key="dogM0-EdQQI" width="425" height="350" Out of the many memorable quotes in Hamlet, I found one that stands out against the rest. When hamlet is addressed as a cousin AND a brother, he responds, "More than kin and less than kind." I believe this is where all of the tension began for Hamlet. I mean, its one thing for someone to kil their brother, but its a whole other ball game when you marry their wife a few days later! Creep much? Here is a video of Act 1, Scene 2 so you can watch the awkward moment in its entirety! media type="youtube" key="JiFVU_7txno" width="425" height="350" Would Hamlet be as bitter about his fathers death if it were not followed up by such an incestuous encounter involving his mother and uncle? Now going back to my periods essential question, how can our perception of reality, change reality? Within the first part we read it is obvious that how Hamlet feels about his new found relationship to his already uncle will change how he feels about his "parents." Just like how people believe in thinking positive to live a happy life, maybe Hamlet should try to look at his uncle- father and aunt- mother in a new light and take a positive spin on things... that means less present to buy at christmas time!
 * Incest is best kept in the family, right?**