Hamlet is well known for his confusion and his great changes that he completes throughout the play. Although we know nothing about him from before his father passes, we can assume from the reaction of the people around him that he was not a mad and angry man before. from the beginning to the end of the play, hamlet changes a great amount. Internally, his motives change, his personallity changes, and his mood changes. Hamlet was first so intent on going back to school and studying, but as he is asked to stay home, he learnsabout his fathers murder from the ghost, and starts to change. Startign to plan against his uncle, he completely forgets about school, and now has new priorities, putting all his concentration on the revenge of his father. Since this is now the only thing on his mind, all htese thoughts build up adn cause frusteration and anger towards the others around him, because of thier lack of knowledge or belief that the new king od Denmark had murdered old Hamlet. This frusteration in turn is taken too far and affects the way he acts around the people around him, soon leading to what seems to be madness.
His external change, on the other hand does not change as drastically as internal, instead he does not start dressing differently, nor look differently, the only change is that he his mad and crazy thoughts effect how he acts and talks to people so in turn affects how he presents himself, making it a physical external change.
The people around him notice these changes, Claudius for example starts to turn against his new step son, he does not liekthe way he is acting and finds it severely suspisiouse. With this he tries to exile him to england, and plot against him in a fight to his death.
Horatio is perhaps the only one that believed that Hamlet was not at all crazy, but trying to find revenge upon his fathers death. Because of this, Horatio seems to be the only one that Hamlet will speak to normally without anger, but with " love" that is seen by any other charachters throughout the play.
Hamlet's mother does not wish to believe that her son has gone mad, but after a certain point, she is no longer able to fight it. Still loving her son, she tried to help him in figuring out what has happened to him and what has gone wrong, but instead all she gets is a cold shoulder and resentment rises to her.
Finally Ophelia, his love, can take this new and strange behaviousr no longer, she can see the meliciouse plots adn madness in his face when she looks at him, and is frightened by the sudden change. This new personality of Hamlet, and his murdering of her father takes her over the edge and causes her to kell herself.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Activity 1.3
The reality of Hamlet throughout the play plays a great part in the actions and consequences that occur throughout the play. Hamlets reality is that his father dies, adn eh later learns that it was his uncle that had murdered him, the king of Denmark in order to get his crown. With this discovery, Hamlet immediately convinced that his uncle is terrible for doign such a thing, he plots to kill him to make sure he is sent right to hell. This reality causes many unnessicary deaths, and consequences to the many people that surround him.
Gerturde has just lots her husband king of Denmark, but to keep her royal status,she quickly marries her previouse husbands brother Claudius that is next in line for the crown. By doing this, she has done what she thinks is best for her family, keeping the royal blood, but takes no consideration towards her sons feelings towards this act. This reality of the queen in the end leads to her death, having trust the man that killed her previouse husband, leads her to her last sip of wine the kills he rmomentarily.
Claudius has a reality of revenge and anger, and "pay back". For Claudius, killing his brother was a way at the crown that he was neglected from. Doing this would crown him royalty, and get him a beautiful new wife. As he finds Hamlet start to ask strangely, he starts to plan on killing Hamlet, his nephew in order for him to be the only one that was suitable for the crown of Denmark. By doing this, he has caused much pressure on many of the people in his surroundings, he caused teh death of his new wife, his own death, the death of Leartese, and in the end successfully killing his main target Hamlet.
Poloneus seems to have a blinded reality. He is the last parent left for his two children, adn indends to keep them safe. As this protective father he finds his right in keeping her daughter away from to him who seems to be a maniac, his laughters love; Hamlet. As Ophelia tells him more and more about the situation she is in with Hamlet, he goes from giving her advice, to forcefull obliged parenting, and keeps her from seeing her love. This reality of Poloneus in the end causes teh death of himself by Hamlet, and the death of his own daughter that he was trying to protect. For she has gone mad from the thought of loosing everything that she once had.
Journal Reflection
By looking and comparing the different realities and consequences of them through the different characters in the play, we can see that the different family units cause different reactions in scociety. First, looking at the Royal family we can see how they do not comunicate with one another, all are very seporated form one another and because if this, they all end up dying because of melisiouse murder plots against others. While if ou look at Polonius, Leartes and Ophelia's family, we can see that they are much closer, protective, and concerned about eachother. Although they all die as well by the end of the play, they die for different reasons, they die for love and revenge on their family members, or they get caught in the way of the royal family's murderous plots.
Gerturde has just lots her husband king of Denmark, but to keep her royal status,she quickly marries her previouse husbands brother Claudius that is next in line for the crown. By doing this, she has done what she thinks is best for her family, keeping the royal blood, but takes no consideration towards her sons feelings towards this act. This reality of the queen in the end leads to her death, having trust the man that killed her previouse husband, leads her to her last sip of wine the kills he rmomentarily.
Claudius has a reality of revenge and anger, and "pay back". For Claudius, killing his brother was a way at the crown that he was neglected from. Doing this would crown him royalty, and get him a beautiful new wife. As he finds Hamlet start to ask strangely, he starts to plan on killing Hamlet, his nephew in order for him to be the only one that was suitable for the crown of Denmark. By doing this, he has caused much pressure on many of the people in his surroundings, he caused teh death of his new wife, his own death, the death of Leartese, and in the end successfully killing his main target Hamlet.
Poloneus seems to have a blinded reality. He is the last parent left for his two children, adn indends to keep them safe. As this protective father he finds his right in keeping her daughter away from to him who seems to be a maniac, his laughters love; Hamlet. As Ophelia tells him more and more about the situation she is in with Hamlet, he goes from giving her advice, to forcefull obliged parenting, and keeps her from seeing her love. This reality of Poloneus in the end causes teh death of himself by Hamlet, and the death of his own daughter that he was trying to protect. For she has gone mad from the thought of loosing everything that she once had.
Journal Reflection
By looking and comparing the different realities and consequences of them through the different characters in the play, we can see that the different family units cause different reactions in scociety. First, looking at the Royal family we can see how they do not comunicate with one another, all are very seporated form one another and because if this, they all end up dying because of melisiouse murder plots against others. While if ou look at Polonius, Leartes and Ophelia's family, we can see that they are much closer, protective, and concerned about eachother. Although they all die as well by the end of the play, they die for different reasons, they die for love and revenge on their family members, or they get caught in the way of the royal family's murderous plots.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Debate report 2
The second day of Hamlet debates begins bright adn early first thing in the morning, sitting at the front, getitng ready to judge are Jennifer, Yanik and Nick. Today, these three will be judging whether or not Hamlet was crazy, Watching Kelsey Melissa and Jessica Barton, arguing that this famouse man is not crazy, while Mickey, Liddy, and Marry will try and convince them that he is.
Throughout this debate, Marry has her ears peeled for any falacy or rhetoric device that the opposing team may be dropping, these points can count when it comes down to the end, but why isnt the other team doing the same thing? Both teams are at eachothers necks, even in powerful arguments, and rebuttles, the against side uses quotes throughout the book, making it known that they have certainly read and understood the play, while the for side uses medical reasearch and journals to prove thier points.
As the debate falls upon the free for all, the arguments become very heated as each side tries to prove thier points trying to be heard over the other team. Julian a reporter comes into the debate ready to prove the points made by the against team, but is quickly turned down by Marry, her voice being heard over everyone, making sure that the debate is left between the two teams. With The freeforall over and the final arguments and conclusions, it is the judges turn to decide wich team has been the most convincing. After a few minutes discussion, the judges have made thier final decission and the team has wo nthe debate.
Throughout this debate, Marry has her ears peeled for any falacy or rhetoric device that the opposing team may be dropping, these points can count when it comes down to the end, but why isnt the other team doing the same thing? Both teams are at eachothers necks, even in powerful arguments, and rebuttles, the against side uses quotes throughout the book, making it known that they have certainly read and understood the play, while the for side uses medical reasearch and journals to prove thier points.
As the debate falls upon the free for all, the arguments become very heated as each side tries to prove thier points trying to be heard over the other team. Julian a reporter comes into the debate ready to prove the points made by the against team, but is quickly turned down by Marry, her voice being heard over everyone, making sure that the debate is left between the two teams. With The freeforall over and the final arguments and conclusions, it is the judges turn to decide wich team has been the most convincing. After a few minutes discussion, the judges have made thier final decission and the team has wo nthe debate.
Debate report 1
Friday december 11th, a shakesperean dibate was held at Rockland District High School. Wichin the following hour, the judges ( Seth, Colton, and Logan) would come to a decision on whether a modern or shakesperean tradgety is better. Teams to this debate are Dawson Justin and Ben for modern tragety, while the Shakespearean tragety is being fought by the Stephanie twins, Boucher and MacDonald, and Rebecca Ritchie. the rules to this debate was that every time one goes to make an argument, they would have to say " argument engage" and "disengage" when finished, the same must be done for rebuttles; after the rules were layed down, the debate was ready to begin. As the debate opens, Shtephanie Boucher starts with a very informed opening argument, one can tell that a certain team has done thier research. As the debate continues, the room begins to heat up with all the tension in the room, and with all this heat, as Justin Sweeny standy to make a rebuttle, he is overtaiken by the heat and must back down. Points are awarded to Dawson Lybert for his Shakesperean clothing, this small dressup might what decides teh winners if both teams continue with strong arguments as we started with.
After another argument made by Stephanie B, Ben stands up and calls a fallacy on her... Appeal to boredom? Ouch! Finishing her argument, Stephanie runns out of time and must be cut off. The modern tradgedy team starts to talk on and on, the counter team stands up, and calls them on speaking in circles, no points are being made, adn she seems to put her foot down. A judge does teh same, as at 1:56 Colton turns to dawson and sais " Common, what does this have to do with anything at all?" Dawson is forced to sit down and it is once again the other teams turn to rebuttle. This debate was almost over, when the Shakespearean side pulls out pictures of the opposing team drunk and passed out, pointing that they are just as much drunks as in thier tradgedies period meaning that they should be agreeing that shakespearean is better. Poisoning the well could ahve been called as a device used, but neither of the three men pointed it out, losing them a point to thier team. This was not the only dirty remark used by either teams, the modern team started to use sexist jokes about women in the kitchen... this did not get taken very well by the opposing team or any of the female reporters in the audience
Many points were lost due to fallacies adn rhetorical devices not being called, when in the end, Ben made a final statement " please let us end our misory". Having lost all of thier arguments to the strong points of teh Shakesperean side, the boys are ready for this debate to end. As the Judges tally up the points, it is quite clear to most wich team has won the judges over. At 2:30, a Shakesperean tradgedy was declared the better of the two.
After another argument made by Stephanie B, Ben stands up and calls a fallacy on her... Appeal to boredom? Ouch! Finishing her argument, Stephanie runns out of time and must be cut off. The modern tradgedy team starts to talk on and on, the counter team stands up, and calls them on speaking in circles, no points are being made, adn she seems to put her foot down. A judge does teh same, as at 1:56 Colton turns to dawson and sais " Common, what does this have to do with anything at all?" Dawson is forced to sit down and it is once again the other teams turn to rebuttle. This debate was almost over, when the Shakespearean side pulls out pictures of the opposing team drunk and passed out, pointing that they are just as much drunks as in thier tradgedies period meaning that they should be agreeing that shakespearean is better. Poisoning the well could ahve been called as a device used, but neither of the three men pointed it out, losing them a point to thier team. This was not the only dirty remark used by either teams, the modern team started to use sexist jokes about women in the kitchen... this did not get taken very well by the opposing team or any of the female reporters in the audience
Many points were lost due to fallacies adn rhetorical devices not being called, when in the end, Ben made a final statement " please let us end our misory". Having lost all of thier arguments to the strong points of teh Shakesperean side, the boys are ready for this debate to end. As the Judges tally up the points, it is quite clear to most wich team has won the judges over. At 2:30, a Shakesperean tradgedy was declared the better of the two.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Activity 1.5
By using Maslow's hierarchy, we are able to analyze and describe Hamlets personality. Maslow's hierarch is a pyramid in wich describes the phychological needs and how they are prioritized. The most important aspect of ones self is the physiological step. This consists of all the necesities that any human will need; things such like water, breathing, sleep and sex. The next greatest priority for humans according to Maslow is ones safety. The second greatest priority for humans security of our body, employment, family, health and the protection of what we have and cherish in our lives. The next one is the priority of love of ones family and friends, making sure that they beolng somewhere. The second last step to this perimid is to the esteme priority. It is what we make sure to have self esteme, confidence in what we do, and get respect for others and give respect to others. When finally the last part to this pramid is self-actualization. This is what keeps track of our morals, craticity and our spontanicity! As we move up this pyramid, the priorities lessen and lessen, for this phychological structure, we build from the bottom up.
By using all these stages, we are able to deconstruct the personality of the famous Hamlet. By choosing from Hamlets many extreme actions throughout the play, we are able to use the Maslow's hierarchy to find his reactions and see wich section of the pyramid he has satisfied.
Plotting his revenge on Claudius
At this thought, Hamlet has found out from the gohst of his father that he ws murdered by his uncle and unpon hearing this news, immediately starts to play a way to revenge his fathers death by killing his uncle, or his new step father if you prefer. This action and thought process, is using the safelt and loving adn belonging stages. As Hamlet has a great will to kill his uncle, he is doing this, as a way to keep his family safe, and restore his family to what it used to be. By killing his uncle, he thinks he is protecting his mother from his dirty slimeball of an uncle that web her only weeks after the barrial of her husband. Also while doing this he is returning his love and belonging to his family. Ever since the new king has been in power, hamlet has been called mentally insane, is nto respected by his new father, adn has even been exiled to england. By killing his uncle, he is creating a newsence of belonging once again to part of a family.
The murder of Polonius
This action is not planned and carefully thought out, instead it is a rushed decision, that ends in an inocent death. As he sits in his mothers room, the one and single thought that runs through his mind at all times throughout the play is killing the king. This act of spontianity could be placed in two different stages; the top one of self actualization, becuase it is a spontaniouse reation having to do with ones mortality ( to him killing the king is acceptible) or it coudl also be placed under physiological, for it was a primal thought of protection, no thought was put into the reaction, just as we do for breathing and our hearts beating.
Hamlets abrupt end to a relationship with Ophelia
This is a very simple situation to classify. As Hamlet is speaking with her, he is not shy adn coy, but loud and knows what he wants to say, this is part of the Esteem stage of this pyramid, making sure that even though he is broken inside, he is still respected by others, adn does nto loose his place in authority.
( i appologize for all the spelling errors it will be fixed asap)
Sunday, December 14, 2008
activity 1.4
Thesis: Was it the proper thing for her brother and Leartes to give Ophelia advice on what adn how to spend her life?
Reason: Leartes was trying to protect her being the only parent in this family, he has a stronger need to protect his daughter
Example: He tells her before anyhtign is said about the romance of Hamlet and Ophelia to stay clear of him that he is to be watched for. Being carefull that his daughter does nto get stuck in an unfortunate situation.
Example: When he finds out what Hamlet has done to his daughter, he forces her to go the the king and queen and read the note that he has written her.
Reason: Her father is the only parent in this family, and so he has become ver overprotective, creating an obediant atmosphere to grow up in. Her forced obedience affects teh way that she lives her life.
Example: Being so close to her father, she tells him everyhting that happens with her life. An example of this would be when she rushes into her fathers room and cries to him what Hamlet has done to her. This act shows he rlove and closeness to her father.
Example: She also obeys her father as he forces her to tell her lover that she can not see him any more. She never would have done this on her own, being underpressure to adn having he rlife controled for her.
Reason: All this advice, and forcefull obediencs has lead her down a path of madness and trouble rather then the path Leartes had intended her to go down.
Example: As she is ripped away fro the one she loves, she starts to go a little mad. All these little things that she is forced to do has finally brought her to a breaking pointleaving her mad and alone to melt in her problems.
Example: As she is getitng treated for her madness, this breaks her over the edge, and she can no longer take the lonelness, the pressure and theconstant obediance of her father adn brother anylonger. At this point she has nothign left to do but kill herself.
Conclusion: With all the forceull actions upon the father at this time when her lover gets ripped away, and her father dies, everything she knows is gone, adn so she has nothing left. The advice from her father was well given, but at teh wrong itme, and much too forecfull. for these terrible events to have not happened, lartease would ahve had to let go of his little girl just a bit more.
Reason: Leartes was trying to protect her being the only parent in this family, he has a stronger need to protect his daughter
Example: He tells her before anyhtign is said about the romance of Hamlet and Ophelia to stay clear of him that he is to be watched for. Being carefull that his daughter does nto get stuck in an unfortunate situation.
Example: When he finds out what Hamlet has done to his daughter, he forces her to go the the king and queen and read the note that he has written her.
Reason: Her father is the only parent in this family, and so he has become ver overprotective, creating an obediant atmosphere to grow up in. Her forced obedience affects teh way that she lives her life.
Example: Being so close to her father, she tells him everyhting that happens with her life. An example of this would be when she rushes into her fathers room and cries to him what Hamlet has done to her. This act shows he rlove and closeness to her father.
Example: She also obeys her father as he forces her to tell her lover that she can not see him any more. She never would have done this on her own, being underpressure to adn having he rlife controled for her.
Reason: All this advice, and forcefull obediencs has lead her down a path of madness and trouble rather then the path Leartes had intended her to go down.
Example: As she is ripped away fro the one she loves, she starts to go a little mad. All these little things that she is forced to do has finally brought her to a breaking pointleaving her mad and alone to melt in her problems.
Example: As she is getitng treated for her madness, this breaks her over the edge, and she can no longer take the lonelness, the pressure and theconstant obediance of her father adn brother anylonger. At this point she has nothign left to do but kill herself.
Conclusion: With all the forceull actions upon the father at this time when her lover gets ripped away, and her father dies, everything she knows is gone, adn so she has nothing left. The advice from her father was well given, but at teh wrong itme, and much too forecfull. for these terrible events to have not happened, lartease would ahve had to let go of his little girl just a bit more.
Activity 1.2
As we can see, the first of the two main families in the Shakesperian play of Hamlet is hamlet himselves family. This family starts off originaly being a perfect family or what we call a nuclear family. As the play moves on we lear that clausdius, hamlets uncle has murdered hamlets father, the king of Denmark. After this, Claudius marries his sister in law, now becomming the new king of Denmark. This beomes the big crisis of this family wich destroys thier appearance of a perfect nuclear family. After this occurs, Hamlet is discusted to find out this news of his fathers murder by his own uncle, and therefore insists on disobaying his wishes. Hamlet is also very discusted at his mother for marying his uncle, an almost insestuouse jest in such a short time after his fathers death. As a way to compe with these terrible crisese, Hamelt thinks of a way to get revenge on his fathers death, he plots a detailed plan to do so and murder his uncle.
The second family to this would be the one of Polonius, his son Laertes, and his daughter Ophelia. This family is closest to the nuclear family stereo type. the father is a strong man, powerful and well respected by his children, he gives them great advice, and they follow without any great complications, unlike Hamlets family. In this family, the crisis is twisted upon the royal's Polonius is a single parent from what we are able to gather since the mother is never mentioned, Along as Ophelia is very much in love with little Hamlet. As all becomes mad, Polonius is murdered by hamlet, and with this, all chance of a nuclear family is destroyed. With all the presure of obaying her father, dealing with the strange of hamlet, and everythign that is surrounding her, Ophelia is unable to cope and dies mysteriously adn is found in her watery grave. While Laertes with his own rage of his father being murdred, plots upon the revenge for his father on Hamlet.
The second family to this would be the one of Polonius, his son Laertes, and his daughter Ophelia. This family is closest to the nuclear family stereo type. the father is a strong man, powerful and well respected by his children, he gives them great advice, and they follow without any great complications, unlike Hamlets family. In this family, the crisis is twisted upon the royal's Polonius is a single parent from what we are able to gather since the mother is never mentioned, Along as Ophelia is very much in love with little Hamlet. As all becomes mad, Polonius is murdered by hamlet, and with this, all chance of a nuclear family is destroyed. With all the presure of obaying her father, dealing with the strange of hamlet, and everythign that is surrounding her, Ophelia is unable to cope and dies mysteriously adn is found in her watery grave. While Laertes with his own rage of his father being murdred, plots upon the revenge for his father on Hamlet.
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