Monday, January 21, 2013
Hamlet
Hamlet has been my favorite play to read this year, by FAR. Even though Shakespeare is an absolute nightmare to translate into modern English, the plot is strong and exciting. The main drawback about the play is how very very long the monolauges sometimes are. Hamlet is the main culprit, but Horatio and Claudius have also used their fair share of time. The two main ways to enact this play are centered around Hamlet's relationship with his mother, the queen. One way is that Hamlet is an overgrown child, and thus cannot take his father off the pedistel that he has been placed upon. Or he has a Oedipus complex, desiring his mother and when talking about his father is really talking about himself.
Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself;
"An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
A station like the herald Mercury
New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill;
A combination and a form indeed,
Where every god did seem to set his seal,
To give the world assurance of a man:
This was your husband."
Hamlet, Act III
Hamlet is definitely not a saint. He kills at least five people, three on purpose but five non the less. He also talks quite a lot, leading some experts to say that this is one of Shakespeare's worst plays. I'm inclined to agree, because not much in this play is satisfying, except for Ophelia's madness scene. One of the play's most famous lines "To be, or not to be: that is the question" (Hamlet Act III) is nearly lost in a page long monologue that doesn't solve anything. It is far better than the plays we have analyzed previously though.
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Anna,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Hamlet is hard to translate, but has been worth it to read. I think it is interesting that you brought up the point about Hamlet just being unable to mature and accept the pact that someone else has taken his father's place. Wouldn't you be upset if you knew that your father was murdered and that your mom was not with a different guy? I think I would definitely be upset, but I agree that Hamlet does take it a little too far at times. I also think it is interesting to see that you thought this is one of Shakespeare's worst plays, since it is definitely one that is talked about and alluded to the most.
Hey Anna,
ReplyDeleteSo, since this is your Response to Course Materials, I'm gonna have to say it: you need to have a little more integration and reflection in this blog post. Yes, I think you picked up on relevant aspects of the text we've been analyzing, but it came across as more of a list rather than a rehash of the material we've been working on. You were very straightforward with your opinions, which I appreciate, but I think you could draw some more conclusions and connections than you did in this post.
Hey Anna,
ReplyDeleteI like how you provide a nice little summary for Hamlet, but I must agree with Michaela. There was a lot more material that could be covered in this Response to Course Materials. To name a few, we read the excerpt from "The Importance of Being Earnest", posted the answers to those poetry questions, and we were introduced to Ceremony.
Now while I did appreciate your summary of Hamlet, your Response needs more of your RESPONSES. (Hence, it is called a "Response to Course Materials") I think you have a lot of great things to say about Hamlet. Now all you have to do is type them out. :)
Anna,
ReplyDeleteI can't tell if this is your response to course materials or your summary or analysis...
But like I've mentioned in your other summery and analysis posts, you seem to be missing a lot of content! You always include your opinions to the analysis, which means you show a good understanding of the work. Nice job!