Final Hamlet Post

                I really enjoyed Hamlet, and thought it was very dramatic, and it always kept the reader on its toes.  I never knew when the next twist would come, and was always shocked when it came.  I really enjoyed how at the end Hamlet realized what he had done to Laertes.  Hamlet found out that he put Laertes in the same spot he was, when his father was killed. I enjoyed the play, and liked how Hamlet finally took responsibility for his actions at the end of the play.  Also, Hamlets soliloquies were always very interesting, and in the end I enjoyed Hamlet.

                   Watching the play along with having the book in front of me was extremely helpful.   If I was watching the movie, and did not understand what was going on I could always refer back to the book.  Also, is the book was confusing I could watch the movie.  Another thing is that with watching the movie we could see the emotion and the passion in the characters.  With just reading we as readers do not always know how emotional a scene is.  For example with reading Hamlets soliloquies we cannot see truly how emotional he is when thinking if he should commit suicide.

                I liked the projects we do at the end of some of the acts in the play.  Although they are a hassle sometimes they are a great way to understand the play besides just reading.  The projects also let us connect with others in the class and hear their point of view.  The blog is a great way to use your imagination, and have fun with Hamlet.  An example of this is with the Hamlet love letter, we could connect with Hamlets and Ophelia’s love, while making it modern.

                This play makes me think about Shakespeare in a whole different way.  I wonder if Shakespeare ever was mad in his lifetime.  In many of his plays and stories he portrays a man who he insane, or does insane acts.  This makes me question if he himself was mad.  If not he must have had a great imagination and personality to portray such real life madness in his characters.   

Hamlet's Madness

I believe that Hamlets madness in the play if fake, but acting mad slowly starts his descent into actual madness.  Hamlet plays out and tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern his madness is just an act.  That he is pretending to be mad so he can get away with almost anything he wants.  One example of this when Hamlet talks to Claudius he yells and rambles on so he does not have to have a real conversation with him.  His madness lets people overlook his actions and they just so “Oh he is just mad it’s not his fault.”

Between acts II and III we start to see that Hamlets madness might not be a complete act anymore.  We start to see Hamlets “acting” insane more and more as the acts go on.  This leads us to believe that maybe it is not an act, and it is real madness.  An example of this is how Hamlet and Ophelia are not allowed to be together.  Ophelia is forbidden by her father to see, or be with Hamlet, and that plays a big deal into Hamlets madness.  After Hamlet goes into Ophelia’s sowing room, which is extremely rare for a man to go into.

Hamlet is acting insane, but he is only reacting to the events that have happened in the past two months. The death of his father, King Hamlet, has mad Hamlet depressed, but the fact that his mother, Queen Gertrude, has remarried so quickly, it leads Hamlet very confused.  The worst part of it all is that she remarries to his uncle, his father’s brother.  As the play develops, Hamlet learns that King Claudius, not only married his mother, but has murdered his father. During Act III, Hamlet has definitely reached a state of insanity. Everyone, except Horatio, is plotting against him in one way or another, and he finally confronts his mother.

Hamlet now starts to speak to Ophelia and Queen Gertrude is extremely harsh ways. Hamlet calls his mother a slut and tells her to keep it in her pants when it comes to Claudius.  He also yells and screams at Ophelia, and says she is good for nothing.  To me a sane person could never do this to two people he once cared and loved for so much.  Hamlet also shows no remorse for killing Polonius, and merely goes on and takes the body away like nothing even happened.  

Finally all this shows that Hamlet is not just acting anymore.  He is mentally unstable, and should be kept an eye on for the rest of the play.  Someone who was not insane could kill and man in cold blood, and feel absolutely nothing.  With everything Hamlet has gone through there is clear reason to believe he is insane.  I wonder how his madness will affect him against the plot that Claudius has against him.

Hamlet love letter

Dear Ophelia,
        I just wanted to tell you how much I care and think about you all the time.  If we can not be together, I think I could go insane and not be able to live a normal life again.  All I do is think about you and how amazingly pretty you are, and how cute we are together.  I also wanted to ask you if you would like to go out to lunch with me this weekend, maybe Saturday around 7.  There is a new restaurant just outside the castle and I think you would love it.
                                                                              See ya soon
                                                                                Hamlet xoxo

Act 1 class question

It was a few days before the battle was to be taken place between King Hamlet and The king from Norway.  The battle was for new land it would be a battle to the death.  This worried Hamlet because he did not want to see his father lose.  Hamlet would have no idea to do with out his father, and the castle and nation would be lost without him.  This is the conversation between the two.

Hamlet:  Father I have heard you will be fighting the King of Norway for new land in a few days, and it will be a battle to the death.
King Hamlet:  Yes i will be,that old man has no idea who he is messing with. (Chuckling to himself as he says it)
Hamlet:  I have all the confidence in the world that you will win this battle but I am still nervous that something may happen to you during the fight.
King: Son I know you worry about me, but there is no need, I have never lost a battle, i am a perfect 12-0.  I have never lost and do not plan on ever losing.
Hamlet:  I know dad but what if something goes wrong the nation could never be the same with out you, and i would never be the same without you.
King:  Hamlet I can assure you there is nothing is nothing to worry about, we have the best blacksmith in the world, and the best armor.  Even in my older age i can still beat Norway with one hand behind my back.
Hamlet: Alright father, lets be going to the festival they are throwing for the event.

They both walk to the festival together, but Hamlet does not believe everything is going to be fine as his father said.  He knows something "fishy" is going to go on soon but he does not know exactly what.  He keeps a close eye as they walk to the festival for the celebration.

Chapter 9 Symbols

In Chapter 9 you see a real connection between Wilson and  T. J. Eckleburg.  With Wilson grieving about his wife's  death, T. J. Eckleburg to him is God even though other people just see a huge sign.  He is is the only person who realizes the real symbolism behind the sign.  He believes that it is the eyes of god watching everyone in the towns sin and corruption.

Chapter 7 Minor characters

During chapter 7 the minor character Wolsheim only appears once for a brief moment.  Tom points out that Gatsby worked with Wolshiem and he is a bootlegger.  This shows that Gatsby did not earn some of his money legally and that makes Gatsby seem corrupt.

Another minor character that pops up is Michaelis.  He is the the neighbor and drops by to see if everything is ok with Wilson.  Michaelis seems like the neighbor would would be there in a flash if you need anything and is not corrupt like the others in The Great Gatsby

Chapter 5 Symbols

In chapter 5 the main symbol in the chapter seems to be the clock at Nick's house.  Gatsby walks into the clock and almost knocks it over, but catches it before it breaks.  Gatsby is nervous because Daisy is there and does not know what to do.  Finally Nick walks out and Gatsby and Daisy talk and laugh just like old times.  I believe that the clock symbolizes lost time or time that was lost between the two.  Gatsby wants to stop time just like the clock has stopped.