Natalie+Waller

"Funny Post" [] =media type="youtube" key="pCdmiZyyGjQ" width="425" height="350"= =__**Hamlet Blog #4**__=
 * //2/20/12//**

Now that we have read and seen the entire play, along with multiple representations of it i feel like a have a pretty good understanding of the play, the characters and many of the plot elements. I think the last few scenes were some of the most interesting, with alot of action and "keep you on the edge of your seat" materiel it kept me really intriuged, such as when Hamlet, Gertrude, Laertes, and Claudius all die tragic deaths. However, i feel that some of the elements were a bit unrealistic, for instance, how Claudius dies from Hamlet pooring the wine down his throat. Couldnt he just not have swallowed it!? Also, Hamlet gets stabbed by Laertes before Laertes gets stabbed, although Hamlet dies quite a while after Laertes which just doesnt really make sense because it was the same poison... Relating to our Essential Question, Gertrude percieves Claudius as a good and trustworthy man, and therefor ignores his comment "Gertrude, do not drink". As she percieves his concerns wrong she drinks the wine and ends up dying. I feel like if she would have percieved him as a murderer she probably wouldnt have died.

Hamlet:
 * Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon— **
 * He that hath killed my king and whored my mother, **
 * Popped in between th' election and my hopes, **
 * Thrown out his angle for my proper life **
 * (And with such cozenage!)—is ’t not perfect conscience **
 * To quit him with this arm? And is ’t not to be damned **
 * To let this canker of our nature come **
 * In further evil? **

I think this passage is notable because, throughout the play, Hamlet expresses his hatred for Claudius, like he does in this one. However, this one is different because Hamlet finally takes charge and follows through with his revenge. This is probably one of the biggest moments in the play, as Hamlets indesiciveness finally ends. =__**Hamlet Blog #3**__=
 * //2/9/12//**

I think the story line has gotten much more interesting as we have gotten farther into the play. As Hamlets questionable sanity has gotten more obvious it makes it more interesting to read and decide whether or not he is actually sane, for example, when he talks to Lord Polonious and starts talking about random things in the middle of their conversation, like when he states “For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god kissing carrion—have you a daughter?”.

Connecting to our essential question, in Act 3 Scene 3 Hamlet perceives Claudius as praying. As Hamlet thinks this, he decides not to kill Claudius in that act of prayer, because he wants his uncle to go to hell. Instead, Hamlet decides on killing Claudius another time, such as “When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, or in th’incestuous pleasure of his bed.” Little does he know that Claudius actually isn’t praying, but instead thinking of what he’s done and deciding he still reaping the benefits. Hamlets perception of reality plays a huge role in this scene, because if he knew Claudius wasn’t praying he might have killed him when he had the chance.

This quote is a quote from Hamlet, from 3.3,

As hell, whereto it goes”.
I find this quote very interesting because the ideas of heaven and hell are juxtaposed. While he states that Claudius will down to hell with his heels kicking up towards heaven, it is still interesting because Hamlet refers to heaven when killing his uncle throughout his whole soliloquy prior to this quote. He thinks Claudius will go to heaven if he kills him right then, although like I said earlier, he doesn’t know that Claudius is actually praying.



=__**Hamlet Blog #2**__=
 * //2/5/12//**

Now that we have read a little more of Hamlet, I am getting more used to the language. Although it doesn’t seem to get too much easier, one thing that really helps me is paraphrasing short passages so that I get used to translating his language.

As we already know, one of the main themes of Hamlet is whether or not Hamlet is actually insane or if he just pretends to be. In Act I Scene V, Hamlet sees his father’s ghost and reacts in a very nervous and erratic way and his uncertainty seems to come out. I think his reaction of being so upset could be due to either seeing a real ghost or due to his imagination, so it isn’t necessarily clear what to believe. Relating to our essential question, “how can our perception of reality change reality” it is quite obvious in my earlier example, that once Hamlet perceives the ghost, he cannot be sure that it is truly his father. His uncertainty on what the ghost is exactly may be one of the main causes of people questioning his sanity.

Hamlet: Speak. I am bound to hear.

Ghost: So art thou to revenge when thou shalt hear.

Hamlet: What?

In this conversation from Act I, Scene V the ghost warns Hamlet that he should be ready for revenge once he hears what the ghost says. I think its interesting because he almost just assumes that Hamlet will do it, he almost forces Hamlet to seek revenge. Although, as the play goes on, Hamlet has trouble deciding what to do and what not to do. This quote from the Ghost almost provides a false foreshadow.

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=**__Hamlet Blog #1__**=
 * //1/29/12//**

Hamlet is a play about death, secrets, insanity, family secrets, revenge, ghosts and much more. While the language can sometimes be very difficult to understand, the plot is very interesting and always keeps me intrigued as to what happens next. Beginnning the unit with reading Act I, my first reaction was a little scary, due to the fact i really didnt have a clue what was going on. However, something that really helped me was reading a summary of the story once before watching the film. Therefor, when i was watching the movie it made it alot easier to understand what was happening and decifer the language. In this passage from Act 1 Scene 1 it is interesting because Horation suggests that the ghost will not come again and is very reluctant to even believe himself that he saw the ghost. However, when the ghost re-appears he doesnt deny his existance, which i think makes Horatio the most realistic character, showing his fear and intelligence.

** HORATIO ** Tush, tush,’twill not appear

** BERNARDO ** Sit down awhile;And let us once again assail your ears,That are so fortified against our story. ** HORATIO ** Well, sit we down,And let us hear Bernardo speak of this. ** . . . ** ** BERNARDO ** Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio.

** HORATIO ** Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder.

I watching this pbs version (below), and while I anticipated the movie to be boring or too informal, I actually really enjoyed this version. The movie was set in a pretty modern time frame, mostly seen in the way they dress which also made it more enjoyable to watch. []

While I really only have this movie to base my opinion on about Hamlet, it gave my a good first impression. There are multiple things I noticed about the story in general, and also different things most likely specific to this version…


 * Hamlet often times acts crazy even when he is alone- which makes me think he is actually insane
 * In the pbs version the characters often look into the camera to speak- maybe done to show narration
 * Claudius seems very nice and welcoming at the beginning of the play, but becomes much more angry throughout the play, especially after Hamlet shows the play, basically recreating the death of his father.
 * While Hamlet has a difficult time making decisions on what is right or wrong, he always seems to be looked at in sort of a negative light, while many think he is insane. For example when Rosencranzs and Guildenstein are sent to look after him.

My class’s essential question is //“ How can our perception of reality change reality?” //



==== Many people question whether the ghost is real or not. However, whether it is or not, Hamlet believes that it is reality, which is what he bases most of his decisions on. Because the ghost said that he was his fathers spirit and Claudius killed him, it sets the platform for the rest of the story, in that Hamlet seeks revenge against Claudius. This idea of one secret affecting the lives of many others actually relates directly to the thesis of my research paper, which makes this lens even more interesting. My thesis for my research paper is “ While we are told never to lie, some lies are told with good intentions, however, a single lie can affect much more than originally intended."Which you can see is closely related to the plot of Hamlet.====