Hamlet was driven to, if not madness, something quite resembling it upon learning that his uncle murdered his father, then took his throne and married his mother.
At the beginning of the play, Hamlet was understandably upset with the recent death of his father, and was only more hurt to discover suspicion that it was his uncle who caused his father's death. It is also reasonable that Hamlet would feel poorly about his mother's marriage to his uncle so soon after her husband died. However, Hamlet takes these emotions to quite an extreme, and does many things that cannot be considered sane even despite his circumstances.
He decides to pretend to be mad in hopes that this will enable him to spy on the conversations of others and uncover the truth surrounding his father's potential murder. Although, we never see this have the desired effect, let alone any positive effect, in the play. Moreover, it is difficult to believe that a sane person came up with that plan to achieve his goals because it seems so ineffectual. He also, as narry a sane man would, scorns and casts aside his love, Ophelia, scaring her and severing any hopes of further connection with her. It is doubtful that a person in their right mind would push away his love instead of perhaps turning to her for comfort.
From the words of other characters, we can gather that Hamlet was a sane and great man before the events of the play turn him less so and drive him to do rather mad things.
Sunday, April 7, 2019
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Hesitation
Hamlet, with weapon in hand, stumbles upon the man he must kill in order to avenge his father's death in the most vulnerable and unsuspecting of positions. Naturally, then, he walks away and decides he cannot kill him at this time.
Not long after, while speaking with his mother in her chamber, he notices a figure hidden behind the curtain. Why, that must be his evil uncle! He doesn't need to double check, he made the clear choice to kill him right through the curtain.
These two scenes show the evolution of Hamlet's character and conviction. Initially, he hesitates to avenge his father's death, wanting all the facts before he jumps to any hasty conclusions or does any rash actions he may regret later. He comes up with incredibly indirect means to try and find proof of his father's murder at his brother's hand. However, by the second scene in his mother's bedroom when he kills Polonius behind the curtain, believing him to be Claudius, Hamlet has changed and we see exactly how far he is willing to go for revenge. This is the point of no return for Hamlet; not only has he killed an innocent man, but the man he truly wants to kill is onto him, and Hamlet is hesitant no more. He is prepared to kill Claudius.
Not long after, while speaking with his mother in her chamber, he notices a figure hidden behind the curtain. Why, that must be his evil uncle! He doesn't need to double check, he made the clear choice to kill him right through the curtain.
These two scenes show the evolution of Hamlet's character and conviction. Initially, he hesitates to avenge his father's death, wanting all the facts before he jumps to any hasty conclusions or does any rash actions he may regret later. He comes up with incredibly indirect means to try and find proof of his father's murder at his brother's hand. However, by the second scene in his mother's bedroom when he kills Polonius behind the curtain, believing him to be Claudius, Hamlet has changed and we see exactly how far he is willing to go for revenge. This is the point of no return for Hamlet; not only has he killed an innocent man, but the man he truly wants to kill is onto him, and Hamlet is hesitant no more. He is prepared to kill Claudius.
Polonius' Advice in Context
Polonius and Laertes are quite protective of their respective daughter and sister, Ophelia. When the pair discovers that she is becoming involved romantically with Hamlet, they intervene immediately. In their opinion, Hamlet is just toying with her and won't be able to follow through with his vows of love because he is royal and she is not. They also think Hamlet to be a bad influence on the naive girl. The two take it upon themselves to advise (read: to order) Ophelia not to engage in any contact of any sort with Hamlet; she is to cut him off completely. And she, being a mere girl, of course defers to the wise judgement of her brother and father, and dutifully obeys.
To a reader today, this exchange is bordering on misogyny. What place do these two men have telling a girl not to contact her boyfriend ever again? The "advice" Ophelia has received really factors her choice out of her relationship, diminishing her autonomy.
However, when viewed in the context of Elizabethan England, Polonius and Laertes were doing their duty as men in taking care of their female family member. Because of social stigmas and customs concerning status, Hamlet probably could never have married Ophelia because she is not of royal descent. And, had the pair in any way acted on their attraction, Ophelia would be shunned and ruined in such a society. Polonius and Laertes' warnings to stay away from Hamlet are in her best interest in these circumstances.
To a reader today, this exchange is bordering on misogyny. What place do these two men have telling a girl not to contact her boyfriend ever again? The "advice" Ophelia has received really factors her choice out of her relationship, diminishing her autonomy.
However, when viewed in the context of Elizabethan England, Polonius and Laertes were doing their duty as men in taking care of their female family member. Because of social stigmas and customs concerning status, Hamlet probably could never have married Ophelia because she is not of royal descent. And, had the pair in any way acted on their attraction, Ophelia would be shunned and ruined in such a society. Polonius and Laertes' warnings to stay away from Hamlet are in her best interest in these circumstances.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Life Update #2
My first ever time participating in a musical production at Severn has just come to a close, and I have lots of thoughts!
First, I was thrilled with what a success it was! Everyone seemed to really enjoy it, and the performances all went smoothly.
Second, I discovered that I really want to do more singing; I have always loved to sing for fun around the house and such, but I really enjoy it, and I want to do more of it, and I wish I had done more like this previously.
I also found a talent at using tools; I built houses with a charity organization over the summer so I was familiar with using power tools, and I really actually enjoyed building the set for the play. It is quite an empowering feeling being able to accomplish something like that. I felt very capable and empowered, and it was surprisingly fun.
There were less fun moments of this production, however, most notably the weeks leading up to the show when I would spend more than 12 hours at school on weekdays and only slightly less on the weekends. I definitely did not enjoy keeping up with an increasingly hectic schedule with decreasing amounts of sleep. There was a period of a few days in a row where I got 4 hours of sleep each night.
Probably the best part of the musical was getting to know people from all different groups and grades that I normally would not have interacted with. I really appreciate how incredibly talented many of the cast members are, and how people are very different, often better, than I would have expected them to be.
Overall, I had a great experience and I'm sad its over. I would have loved to have done this more times throughout high school, too.
First, I was thrilled with what a success it was! Everyone seemed to really enjoy it, and the performances all went smoothly.
Second, I discovered that I really want to do more singing; I have always loved to sing for fun around the house and such, but I really enjoy it, and I want to do more of it, and I wish I had done more like this previously.
I also found a talent at using tools; I built houses with a charity organization over the summer so I was familiar with using power tools, and I really actually enjoyed building the set for the play. It is quite an empowering feeling being able to accomplish something like that. I felt very capable and empowered, and it was surprisingly fun.
There were less fun moments of this production, however, most notably the weeks leading up to the show when I would spend more than 12 hours at school on weekdays and only slightly less on the weekends. I definitely did not enjoy keeping up with an increasingly hectic schedule with decreasing amounts of sleep. There was a period of a few days in a row where I got 4 hours of sleep each night.
Probably the best part of the musical was getting to know people from all different groups and grades that I normally would not have interacted with. I really appreciate how incredibly talented many of the cast members are, and how people are very different, often better, than I would have expected them to be.
Overall, I had a great experience and I'm sad its over. I would have loved to have done this more times throughout high school, too.
Life Update #1
It's Tuesday, 1:02 pm and I'm writing this life update as fast as I can. My computer is precariously stacked on top of my chemistry bider and calc books which I have been trying, with little success, to make progress in.
You see, I am so frantic because I just organized my agenda and now I know exactly how busy my week is going to be. Within the next three days I will take two tests, participate in a class debate in Spanish, complete AP style calc questions on a subject that, to put mildly, I do not understand a bit, do the AP physics online long answer questions, and, of course, write my two blogs and my Angels in America essay. And that all is just the homework that teachers have put on mysevern by this time- no doubt, there will be more.
Well, why don't I just use my ample free time after school to get ahead? Why don't I manage my hours upon hours of free time more wisely so that I don't end up with an overwhelming amount of homework? I would answer with another question: What free time?
Coming out of the musical, I thought my days of spending more than 12 hours at school were over, but, alas, I was mistaken. Yesterday, I woke up early and left my house around 7:15 to take my sister to walk the dog she is watching while her owner is on vacation and make it to school by 7:35. After a strenuous school day which culminated in my near avoidance of falling asleep during math class, I spent two hours at track practice. From there, I arrived (late) to acapella, and did not leave school after that until 8, arriving home five minutes later. 7:35-8:05: more than a twelve hour day.
But wait! There's more! God, what a foolish assumption that after days like that, immediately following a week and weekend of musical intensity, I would earn a moment of repose. No, I have to pick up dinner and drive my sister again to dogsit, of course I have to eat and shower, and then I get to start my homework.
After consecutive days and an entire weekend running on four hours of sleep per night, I, lucky me, got around six hours last night. I am exhausted.
You see, I am so frantic because I just organized my agenda and now I know exactly how busy my week is going to be. Within the next three days I will take two tests, participate in a class debate in Spanish, complete AP style calc questions on a subject that, to put mildly, I do not understand a bit, do the AP physics online long answer questions, and, of course, write my two blogs and my Angels in America essay. And that all is just the homework that teachers have put on mysevern by this time- no doubt, there will be more.
Well, why don't I just use my ample free time after school to get ahead? Why don't I manage my hours upon hours of free time more wisely so that I don't end up with an overwhelming amount of homework? I would answer with another question: What free time?
Coming out of the musical, I thought my days of spending more than 12 hours at school were over, but, alas, I was mistaken. Yesterday, I woke up early and left my house around 7:15 to take my sister to walk the dog she is watching while her owner is on vacation and make it to school by 7:35. After a strenuous school day which culminated in my near avoidance of falling asleep during math class, I spent two hours at track practice. From there, I arrived (late) to acapella, and did not leave school after that until 8, arriving home five minutes later. 7:35-8:05: more than a twelve hour day.
But wait! There's more! God, what a foolish assumption that after days like that, immediately following a week and weekend of musical intensity, I would earn a moment of repose. No, I have to pick up dinner and drive my sister again to dogsit, of course I have to eat and shower, and then I get to start my homework.
After consecutive days and an entire weekend running on four hours of sleep per night, I, lucky me, got around six hours last night. I am exhausted.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Why Read Shakespeare?
1). Shakespeare's works have an almost universal reputation of being incredibly hard to understand. Many find the old fashioned and complex language incomprehensible, others find the bard's works perfectly inapplicable to their own life. There reasons cause many to be prejudiced against Shakespeare, deeming it too hard or not relevant. However, as the author argues, Shakespeare can be understood and understood to be quite relevant with time and multiple readings. Like a piece of music, one can read Shakespeare many times and each time uncover something new of interest and deepen their understanding.
2). Mack argues that understanding Shakespeare is important for everyone - whether you be a scientist, an English professor, or a regular person, Shakespeare's works provide people with insight into themselves and others. Understanding Shakespeare increases the general and emotional intelligence, and self awareness, of a person, enabling them to better understand themselves and the world around them. As Mack says, Shakespeare provides readers with a lens through which to view the world.
3).
- Shakespeare is relatable; Mack argues that we can see ourselves in even his most villainous and flawed characters, increasing our own self awareness and awareness of others.
- Shakespeare aids our emotional intelligence; Shakespeare comments on and helps us to understand human nature, therefore our own nature, thoughts, and actions.
- Shakespeare requires effort and time to understand; the more we invest into understanding the more we will understand- we cannot possibly comprehend all the complexities at a first glance, and must work to understand fully.
-A main reason people are not interested in Shakespeare is they feel it is unrelatable or inapplicable; those in science fields or most fields other than English do not find that they need Shakespeare, but they could not be more wrong. Shakespeare is universally important.
- Shakespeare is valuable for world understanding; many of our common sayings and knowledge comes from Shakespeare, and his ideas are universally applicable.
4). My favorite argument is the argument that Shakespeare starts out difficult to understand and each reading provides more insight. I find that each successive reading and with more effort comes better understanding of Shakespeare. I enjoy learning something new and surprising each time I read.
2). Mack argues that understanding Shakespeare is important for everyone - whether you be a scientist, an English professor, or a regular person, Shakespeare's works provide people with insight into themselves and others. Understanding Shakespeare increases the general and emotional intelligence, and self awareness, of a person, enabling them to better understand themselves and the world around them. As Mack says, Shakespeare provides readers with a lens through which to view the world.
3).
- Shakespeare is relatable; Mack argues that we can see ourselves in even his most villainous and flawed characters, increasing our own self awareness and awareness of others.
- Shakespeare aids our emotional intelligence; Shakespeare comments on and helps us to understand human nature, therefore our own nature, thoughts, and actions.
- Shakespeare requires effort and time to understand; the more we invest into understanding the more we will understand- we cannot possibly comprehend all the complexities at a first glance, and must work to understand fully.
-A main reason people are not interested in Shakespeare is they feel it is unrelatable or inapplicable; those in science fields or most fields other than English do not find that they need Shakespeare, but they could not be more wrong. Shakespeare is universally important.
- Shakespeare is valuable for world understanding; many of our common sayings and knowledge comes from Shakespeare, and his ideas are universally applicable.
4). My favorite argument is the argument that Shakespeare starts out difficult to understand and each reading provides more insight. I find that each successive reading and with more effort comes better understanding of Shakespeare. I enjoy learning something new and surprising each time I read.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Intersectionality in AIA
Though the story takes place long before the term "Intersectionality" was widely considered, it covers many themes and central ideas which the term encompasses. I learned a considerable amount about intersectionality during Unity Day, and specifically how it relates to feminism, but it can also be applied to represent how people have such a vast background of identifiers and therefore experiences, and that no two people can experience something the exact same way or have the same interpretation of it. Specific to Angels in America, this applies to the various ways in which the gay men experience this aspect of their identity.
Belize, a black gay man who participated in drag experiences and expresses his sexuality differently than Prior, who also recently retired from drag but is white. Louis and Joe both come from devout upbringings, and while Louis does not share this aspect of his life with his Jewish family, Joe feels so confined by the Church of the Latter Day Saints that he cannot even admit his sexuality to himself. Roy, a high powered and influential man, also views his sexuality in his own unique way.
I appreciate this aspect of the characterization because it illustrates that there are too many facets to a person for anyone to be grouped and stereotyped.
Belize, a black gay man who participated in drag experiences and expresses his sexuality differently than Prior, who also recently retired from drag but is white. Louis and Joe both come from devout upbringings, and while Louis does not share this aspect of his life with his Jewish family, Joe feels so confined by the Church of the Latter Day Saints that he cannot even admit his sexuality to himself. Roy, a high powered and influential man, also views his sexuality in his own unique way.
I appreciate this aspect of the characterization because it illustrates that there are too many facets to a person for anyone to be grouped and stereotyped.
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