Semester 1

This semester my favorite thing was definitely the first essay we wrote on Hamlet. That essay was one of the best I've written because I enjoyed the subject and the story itself. I loved being able to analyze the speech of each character and how it related to the story and connected their relationships. Because of this essay, I will read stories much differently because I can analyze the way they speak and how it effects the overall story.

Best Performance Choices

When acting out Act 1, Scene 2, my group chose to use Derek Jacobi's version as our inspiration. Anthony and I, who played the King and Queen, chose to stay close together. This position choice separated us from Hamlet (Marcel) and exaggerated his hatred for us. Anthony also had to ask me where Hamlet goes to school, also representing our separation. Marcel's responses towards us were incredibly sarcastic as I showed no sign of care of comfort for my son and just stayed by my husbands side. I feel these performances choices really helped our scene as we reflected a diverse version of Hamlet.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

"Do I dare 
Disturb the universe? 
In a minute there is time 
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse."

 In T.S Elliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the narrator speaks of his life experiences and how they have helped him learn. I specifically love the quote above as Elliot speaks of the essence of time and the importance of making good decisions. But at the same time, the narrator debates "disturbing the universe" with his actions and choses to let be a bystander rather than a leader. He also recognizes that the world can change in a minute, but it only takes your decisions to change the next minute. I feel this idea is incredibly profound as the world is constantly changing and that its the people who recognize the importance of time that will succeed in life and make a difference. More importantly, these people will take every opportunity in life and live it to the fullest- similar to the narrator and his experiences. 

Analysis of "To be or not to be"

In Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Hamlet's language distinctly identifies his feeling towards the betrayal of his kingdom. If I were to direct this scene, there would definitely be certain words and phrases that I would be sure to resonate throughout my audience. Through the words "heart-ache," "suffer," "troubles," "die," and "dreams," Hamlet emphasizes his pain for losing his dad, the betrayal of his mother, and the current king who murdered his brother without consequence. Hamlet is forced to hide this pain and choses to act like a madman in his plan to overtake the kingdom and find the king guilty. Through the use of the word "dreams," Shakespeare reveals Hamlet's crushed dreams of kingship and the "suffering" that he now must face.

Figurative Language

Figurative language is a way to analyze language. When authors use figurative language, they take a word or concept and compare it to another concept that exaggerates its meaning. Through this comparison, the writer can put better emphasis on a concept by creating a clearer and more distinct definition for the reader. Similar to imagery, the author elaborates on a concept or even a scene through language by creating a visual aspect throughout their story that engages the reader and allows them to picture the story through the details given. Although Hamlet lacks a narrator, stopping the reader from visualising a given scene, Shakespeare uses figurative language to create a setting through the language of his characters. In Hamlet's soliloquy, Shakespeare uses Hamlet's language to create an image of the current problems in Hamlet's head and kingdom: "The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks, that flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation" (3.1). Through the "thousand natural shocks" and "flesh," the reader can further understand the true pain and heartbreak of Hamlet through the image given by Shakespeare.

King Claudius and Laertes

After Hamlet kills Polonius, Laertes' father, Laertes goes to the Kingdom in attempts to gain the thrown. Instead, Claudius uses Laertes' pain against him, convincing him to carry out a duty he doesn't want the blame for while also pleasing his personal agenda. Similar to the death of Hamlet's father, Claudius questions Laertes' love for his father: "Laertes was your father dear to you? Or are you like a painting of sorrow, a face without a heart?" (Act 4, Scene 7). This appears directly as an insult to Laertes, as Claudius assumes that he pretends to love his father since he has done nothing to rectify his death. By questioning his love for his father, Claudius guilts Laertes into this action as a sense of pride and duty to his father: "To show yourself your father's son in deed more than in words?" (Act 4, Scene 7). Claudius wants Laertes to go after Hamlet for killing his father, and manipulates him to do so by guilting him and his self pride. By murdering Hamlet, Laertes will fulfill his duty to his father in action rather than words.

Hamlet and Gertrude

In Hamlet, Hamlet faces the uncomfortable situation between his mother and uncle (now father). Although he has let this situation make him almost mad as he must call the man who killed his real father "father" now, Hamlet chooses to confront his mother and alert her of her wrong doings. Through this emotional scene, Hamlet opens up to his mother about the conflicts that have bothered him, but the only outcome of this scene is Gertrude's faith in his craziness strengthened: "A bloody deed! almost as bad, good mother,
As kill a king, and marry with his brother" (Act 4). Hamlet accuses his mother of doing a deed as bloody as murder, marrying the person who killed her true love. By pointing out her marriage and complete betrayal of his real father, Hamlet belittles not only his mother, but her choices as well. Unfortunately, Gertrude fails to acknowledge her betrayal in full, but forces Hamlet to calm down: "O Hamlet, speak no more:
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul"(Act 4). She refuses to look into her soul and her wrongdoings, allowing the readers to fully see the truth in Hamlet's accusations as her soul tells her she is truly wrong. Although there is a shimmer of hope at the end of the scene as Hamlet and his mom rekindle their love, Gertrude leaves her room to King Claudius, only to tell him of Hamlet's craziness and have him sent away.