Nate+Fisher

**Hamlet Blog #4**
I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers Could not, with all their quantity of love, Make up my sum.
 * Hamlet:**


 * Act V, Scene i

This passage above was one of the few (if only) sections of Act V that sowed Hamlet displaying any sign of insanity, and even here it's tough to consider it insanity. Insecurity is, perhaps, a better term. Other than this quote, Hamlet's interactions with other characters appeared relatively normal, sane, and lucid; something quite different than what we have seen earlier and recently from Hamlet within the play. This leaves me questioning and wondering about Hamlet's sanity throughout the entire story.

After finishing the play and now understanding the ending, I honestly don't know what to think about it all. Was Hamlet crazy? Was he just faking insanity the entire time? Did he really love Ophelia? Why couldn't Gertrude see Hamlet Sr.'s ghost? Why didn't Claudius //truly//attempt to stop Gertrude from drinking the poisoned wine? What is going on, and why is all of this stuff so confusing? It sounds like I'm the one losing my mind, not Hamlet.

On another note, I really enjoyed the movie interpretations ofthe final scene and battle between Hamlet, Laertes, and Claudius. Some were more realistic than others, but the most exciting and //insane// rendition was the Kenneth Branagh version with Hamlet's epic (and //possibly// unrealistic) sword throw coupled with the crashing chandelier. Here, take a look:

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That was pretty crazy. Maybe even borderline LINsane! I don't know, however, if this video rendition compares to Jeremy Lin and his truly LINsane success and statistics.

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I don't know. It's a tough call. Many of our Hamlet debates and discussions are centered around the topic of insanity, and both of these videos are pretty insane (or LINsane) in their own right.

**Hamlet Blog #3**
I did love you once.
 * Hamlet: **

Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
 * Ophelia: **

You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not.
 * Hamlet: **

I was the more deceived.
 * Ophelia: **


 * Act III, Scene i

I found this passage from this week's reading/performing to be particularly interesting. By this point in the play, Hamlet is well into his plan of acting insane, and this passage (and scene itself) is a great indication of it. Hamlet, in a matter of three sentences, is able to tell Ophelia, first, that he did indeed lover her only to quickly retract his statement and inform her that he never did love her. Talk about confusion. Women talk about how men can be complicated and hard to understand, I'm beginning to think they may have a point.

All of this confusion Hamlet is creating would make seem as if Ophelia is playing the "he loves me, he loves me not" game.



And my question to this is whether Hamlet truly does, or ever did, love Ophelia and what the connection is between this potential love and insanity. With the exception of the passage posted above, Hamlet's interaction with Ophelia seemed relatively normal and coherent, far from his dealings with others (such as Polonius) from other scenes in Act II. This would lead us to believe that Hamlet really is sane and does not love Ophelia. Or it may mean that he is still just acting insane and telling Ophelia that he doesn't love her is just part of his game and illusion. Yet this would contradict a lot of information from earlier in the play about Hamlet's interactions and feelings for Ophelia (others had seen them spending time together, and Polonius was worried about Ophelia and Hamlet's relationship), and would cause further confusion because if Hamlet truly does love Ophelia, he probably would have told her his plan to act and seem insane (unless he was worried of her telling Polonius and risking discovery from his mom and Claudius). Yet maybe Hamlet legitimately is insane and is leaving behind this huge trail of confusion because no one has any idea what is going on. Who knows?

All of these options, I believe, are viable and demonstrate the confusion and uncertainty within the play.

**Hamlet Blog #2**
Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
 * Ghost:**

Murder!
 * Hamlet:**

Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange and unnatural.
 * Ghost:**

Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge.
 * Hamlet:**
 * Act I, Scene v

This excerpt, as we all well know, is, not only, Hamlet's decision to seek revenge on his uncle Claudius, but more importantly is the beginning of Hamlet's downward spiral into insanity and madness. The argument can be made that, yes, that this original demise started with his father's death, but the more important factor was in realizing and discovering that his previous suspicions were indeed true: that fowl play was involved and that his uncle was the cause of his father's untimely and tragic death. This, is truly what spurns the insanity that ensues. The interesting thing to note is that, while we are not quite to this part of the play, while Hamlet devises his plan to seem insane as a method of achieving his revenge, it is my belief that Hamlet really does lose it.

I read the psychoanalytic critical analysis of Hamlet which, in a really long winded essay, essentially stated that Hamlet's struggles are a direct result of the parenting he receives throughout his life and particularly during this difficult period of his life. I find this response to be both interesting and, perhaps, quite accurate. I, and am sure that many others as well, see a direct correlation between the way someone was brought up and who they become later in life. Hamlet had some bad experiences with his parents, his mom in particular. I believe that, for this reason, while Hamlet does hatch a plan to seem insane, he quickly passes the "point of no return" and falls deep into the depths of madness.



There are many examples of bad parenting, the image above for example. But another great example is the treatment Hamlet receives from his parents, Gertrude and Claudius in particular. Their roles as parents were utterly neglected. Claudius and Gertrude failed Hamlet, and that's a shame. When a parent fails to fulfill their obligation and role as a parent, it, not only directly correlates with the child's behavior, but is a reflection of the parents themselves and is a travesty for both parties.

Hamlet Blog #1
This week's Hamlet Blog proved, and is proving to be rather difficult. As a class we have only read Act I Scene i of the play, and this makes it difficult to analyze and respond to passages we've read. For this reason, the focus of this blog post will be on the //utter delight// I had in viewing the Ethan Hawke version of Hamlet.

I was not the biggest fan of this version of Hamlet. After viewing it, I was left feeling confused and rather dissatisfied. I decided to watch this version because it was the shortest and thought that it would give me the best understanding of the plot while retaining my interest. I figured that while the others would probably follow the plot a little closer (as they were longer), they would be long winded and would lose my interest very quickly. I figured the contemporary version would hold my interest while allowing me to understand and appreciate the play and content within. Yes, these ideas were probably a little unreasonable or irrational. Yet the fact remains the same: unfortunately, these figurations were grossly inaccurate.

Here are a few examples of some rather //interesting// segments of the film.

Here is the Mousetrap section of the movie. I find this segment to be the epitome of the rather strange nature of this movie. It comes across as very awkward and almost uncomfortable.

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And here is the infamous "To Be or Not to Be" monologue performed by Ethan Hawke. I believe Shakespeare would strongly disapprove of this rendition and recreation of his play, and this scene in particular. This interpretation of Shakespeare's play was, I believe, a little extreme and over the top.

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Overall, I found the film (with the contemporary setting coupled with the Shakespearian language) to create an utterly awkward and confusing vibe that I was genuinely unimpressed with. The plot was hard to follow and I often found myself confused with many elements of the story. Not to mention that Ethan Hawke played a Hamlet that, rather than devising a plan to seem insane, legitimately did seem mentally unstable and emotionally insecure. This film was rather unimpressive and flat. Hopefully the play itself provides more value and satisfaction.