Logan+Larsen

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This is my favorite.

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Mrs. Bear's English class We learn about Frankenstein And crazy monster
 * Just a quick Haiku

Hamlet Blog #4 2/20/2012

Hamlet: Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? Never Hamlet: If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, And when he's not himself does wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it. Who does it, then? His madness: if't be so, Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd; His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.

Where do we draw the line between sanity and insanity? That line is long gone. Hamlet is super insane. The element that supports Hamlet being completely out of his mind is the fact that he starts speaking in third person. He is not only is he speaking in third person, but he goes on to blame his wrongdoings on his serious mental illness. He thinks he knows that he is insane, but he really doesn't, which makes him even more insane. Confusing right? Imagine being Hamlet. When Hamlet randomly began speaking in third person, I thought that was one of his highest points of insanity as he was all over the place.

I don't think that the play could have successfull ended any other way. Everyone dying at the end just seemed to fit the whole play. I couldn't see each of the characters forgiving each other and making up in the end with all the scandals, hatred, and revenge going around between Hamlet, Laertes, Claudius, and all the other character in the play. If Shakespeare had finished the play, Hamlet, off with a big "group hug," I don't think that Hamlet would be a significant work of literature today. And I wouldn't be doing this blogging thing on Hamlet right now..... just saying... Anyways, in my opinion, the end of Hamlet plays a huge role in the play and meaning of the play as a tragedy.

Hamlet Blog #3 2/10/2012

Hamlet : ...Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent: When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed; At gaming, swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in't; Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damn'd and black As hell, whereto it goes.


 * This is the part of the play where Hamlet decides not to kill Caludius, and wait until he is sinning.
 * The element that sticks out to me is Hamlet's word choice. It sounds like Hamlet has gone into some sort of crazy rage.
 * You can tell that Hamlet is fuming at this point. He wants nothing more than to send his uncle to hell.
 * Shakespeare makes it clear how angry Hamlet is with his choice of language.

Anger definitely plays a heavy role in impacting Hamlet's fall from sanity to insanity. His anger has been built up from the beginning of the play, when we learn that Hamlet's father is dead. Things just don't go Hamlet's way, especially when his uncle marries his mother and takes the his place as king. When Hamlet learn for sure that Claudius was the one who assassinated his father, he can't hide his anger. That anger is converted into insanity as we get further and further into the play.

Hamlet Blog #2 2/5/2012

As we continued to read the play and watch the movies, my claim I made about Hamlet's insanity is definitely upheld. Our essential question, "Where do we draw the line between sanity and insanity?" comes into play as we really can't tell what's going on in Hamlet's head. Here is a passage where it is clear that Hamlet is just not thinking clearly anymore. When Horatio tries to reason with him, Hamlet just doesn't care what he says. At this passage and this point in the play, Hamlet is coming up on the line between sanity and insanity. He's still on the side of sanity, but is falling towards that "line" that separates sanity and insanity.

HAMLET It will not speak; then I will follow it. HORATIO Do not, my lord. HAMLET Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life in a pin's fee; And for my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself? It waves me forth again: I'll follow it. HORATIO What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles o'er his base into the sea, And there assume some other horrible form, Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason And draw you into madness? think of it: The very place puts toys of desperation, Without more motive, into every brain That looks so many fathoms to the sea And hears it roar beneath. HAMLET It waves me still. Go on; I'll follow thee.



Hamlet shows how stubborn he is when the ghost of his father appears. When Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, he practically freaks out. Rather than being surprised or confused about the ghost, he wants to follow the ghost at all costs. His two wingmen, Marcellus and Horatio warn Hamlet that the ghost might be setting some sort of trap, or it might drive him into madness. Hamlet flat out just doesn't give a rip as he brushes off their warning and follows the ghost alone.

Hamlet Blog #1 1/29/2012

The topic that I found most interesting when we were first introduced to Hamlet was sanity vs. insanity. The whole concept of sanity vs. insanity pretty much dominates the entire play as everyone goes insane and the play practically ends in an insane massacre where everyone just dies. Here's just a quick recap in 60 seconds of how Hamlet and Ophelia go crazy and everyone dies.

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The essentia question for our class is "Where do we draw the line between sanity and insanity? To what extent can we trust the insane?" The scenes we read this week are related to the essential question because it is the first step in the process of insanity for all the characters in Hamlet.

This passage in particular highlights how the characters are in disbelief that they are seeing the ghost of the dead king. They are very surprised and filled with both fear and wonder. I think this is the "beginning of the end," and first step to insanity. The whole insanity problem all starts when the ghost of Hamlet's father appears. Hamlet's dead father pays him a visit to avenge his death, and this is the point where Hamlets starts to lose it. On top of that, he's still probably freaked out because his uncle married his mother soon after his father dies. Hamlet then falls in and out of madness as he tries to deal with his father's death, the ghost, his evil uncle, his mother, and Ophelia. Looking at all the characters in the play, it looks like insanity is contagious. Hamlet's mother marries her brother-in-law soon after her husband dies? Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, when he is assassinating the king pours poison in Hamlet's fathers ear. Of all places, he goes for the ear? For me that is probably the craziest part of the entire play. Who's ever heard of taking someone out by going for their ear? Ophelia goes insane and eventually drowns herself. It's evident that insanity is a major factor in the plot. I don't know what Shakespeare's fascination with insanity is in Hamlet, but I wouldn't be surprised if he started to go insane himself while writing it.
 * **Marcellus.** Peace! break thee off! Look where it comes again!
 * **Bernardo.** In the same figure, like the King that's dead.
 * **Marcellus.** Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio.
 * **Bernardo.** Looks it not like the King? Mark it, Horatio.
 * **Horatio.** Most like. It harrows me with fear and wonder.