Lauren+Reeder

20 Feb 12 Funny Blog post: Check this out(: http://trextrying.tumblr.com/ Personal Response The end of the play brought the death of just about everyone, but ironically, the audience expects this and is not deeply affected by this, unlike in many other tragedies. Even the death of the hero is unsurprising. Throughout the play it is hard to get close to any one character, even Hamlet, as his erratic behavior pushes everyone away, including the audience.  Essential Question How does our perception of reality change reality?The end of the play does not really answer this question, but can be inferred from the play as a whole. Without Hamlet's perceived message from the ghost- his father- all of the action of the play would be missing, as Hamlet would likely have continued to mope until he returned to school and normal life. In fact, his perception of reality and the actions he took as a result led to the deaths of himself, Ophelia, Laertes, Polonius, Claudius, and Gertrude. Close Analysis"The rest is silence"With this dying statement, Hamlet is gone and the play comes to a close. This line is so fitting for this story, since it is in fact a play that does end here, and literally, there is no continuation, so the rest is silence. Also it indicates Hamlet's belief that there is nothing after death, which he has come to accept through the course of the play, by choosing to live in his To Be or Not To Be soliloquy. 10 Feb 12 Personal Response Hamlet's failure to follow through with the murder of Claudius in the church reveals his insecurity, which I hadn't really seen until this point. It is further emphasized in the contrast between the two characters after their respective soliloquies. Claudius realizes and eventually accepts that he is unwilling to change his ways and cannot be forgiven, while Hamlet is still stuck on analyzing the situation and is overly sensitive to all the possible outcomes, paralyzing himself with indecision. Essential Question In Hamlet's To Be or Not To Be soliloquy, his perception of the world as a dark and foul place changes inspires this suicidal pondering. Although he eventually decides to take no action (no surprise there), Hamlet's decision has changed the reality of those around him, affecting the queen, king, Ophelia, and others in the play. Everyone's realities are interconnected and personalized as everyone reacts to the world around them. Close Analysis "The undiscover'd country from whose bourn," Perhaps similar to the limbo from Harry Potter, book 7 This line from Hamlet's soliloquy casts a mysterious light on the world before and after death, with a hint of longing from Hamlet. The comparison between the "weary life" and this new world reveal his longing for peace and a new beginning, even though he cannot bring himself to take action and resolve his troubles.

5 Feb 12 Second Hamlet Blog Personal Response After reading and watching scenes 3&4 from act 1, I was surprised at the relatively little variation in people's interpretation of the ghost. The images and film chips we viewed were remarkably similar, perhaps due in part to the specific description in the passage. Here, each interpretation is quite close to the text, Hamlet kneeling and the ghost standing above, alone, while divulging his message of revenge. Here are some examples: Essential Question Did Hamlet really talk to the ghost? And how did the revelations given by the ghost change Hamlet's reality? Hamlet had been tormented by his father's death, his mother's marriage, and his uncle's behavior. The information the ghost imparted to Hamlet about his murder gave Hamlet just what he needed to lay the blame on his uncle and regain purpose in his life: revenge. Thus, the speech of the ghost, which may or may not have been solely in Hamlet's mind, changed Hamlet's reality, and through this changed the reality of his mother, uncle, Ophelia, and others who were affected by Hamlet's actions. Close analysis "'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father's life Now wears his crown."

Here, the comparison the ghost of the king draws between his death and the serpent alludes to an older tale of deceit, back to the story of Adam & Eve, where the serpent in the garden brings about their downfall. The king compares Claudius to the serpent, and therefore the devil himself. It is also interesting how the king does not tell Hamlet outright that his uncle killed him, but lets him come to the conclusion himself through this story.

26 Jan 12 First Hamlet Blog Our essential question: How does our perception of reality change reality? Scene of the week: Act 1 Scene 1 The mysterious beginning of Hamlet sets the stage for the rest of the play with a dark and foreboding tone. In different versions of the play, this is done various ways, but the appearance of the ghost changes Hamlet's reality entirely. Without the appearance of the ghost, Hamlet would likely have continued to bitterly mourn his father, but now, he is convinced that he must revenge his father's murder by killing his uncle himself. This changes everything for Hamlet, setting up the main elements of the play. media type="youtube" key="U-NLnsq3P7Y" height="315" width="560" align="center"

Side Note- Just found this, definitely applies to Shakespeare:

Here is something you should know about me:

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