Hamlet #6

Hamlet’s one-sided interaction with the Queen in act 3 scene 4, despite her few lines, offers a greater lens into viewing her character as a whole. Previously in the play, there is controversy surrounding the Queen’s willingness to marry Claudius, and Hamlet wonders whether she was complicit with the murder and that is why their marriage evolved so quickly. This explains why Hamlet was incredibly accusatory at the beginning of their conversation, making rude remarks that portrayed Gertrude as a villain. Hamlet describes the murder as “such an act / that blurs the grace and blush of modesty / calls virtue hypocrite… [and] makes marriage vows / as false as dicers’ oaths” (III.iv.49-51; 53-54). Hamlet is trying to lead the queen into confessing either her knowledge of the murder or her compliance with Claudius’ plot. As Hamlet continues to rant about this horrible crime, the queen seems to experience several states of feeling. At first, she is accusatory towards Hamlet, explaining how his actions have sent Claudius into a strong state of grief; however, then the Queen becomes afraid that Hamlet will kill her, followed by an overwhelming sense of fear and astonishment as Hamlet tears her life apart from the very seams by disgracing her wretched act.

By this point in the conversation, Hamlet is trying to determine whether the Queen actually took part in the murder, arguing that it is impossible to choose Claudius over King Hamlet without being absolutely compliant: “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…blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes?” (III.iv.70-75). Hamlet himself is almost disbelieving that his mother was not in on the murder because of the horrible decision she made to marry Claudius. Through all of these differing emotions, Gertrude is then disbelieving of Hamlet when he claims to be speaking to a ghost, and she then suddenly begins to offer an understanding for Hamlet’s actions. This wide range of emotions display the Queen’s reaction to Hamlet’s power as a great shock that only depresses her control over the situation that eventually leads to the acceptance of her mad son. Gertrude’s actions during this one-sided conversation answer Hamlet’s initial question: was the Queen compliant with the murder? The answer is no, simply because her short, rapid, and differing responses to Hamlet’s words display her tendency to be dominated by powerful men in the play. This would explain how Claudius was able to convince the Queen to marry him even after knowing he was the one who committed the murder.

Freestyle Poem

Hey you, what's this all about?
What's the purpose, the tone, just give me a shout!
Tell me anything, anything, anything at all!
I won't hold it against you, just make your call.

I don't know, dear Professor, it's as simple as that,
The tone's too bland and the syntax's out of whack.
I don't care if you want me to be more concise,
Go onto someone else, and let them roll the dice.

But I asked you, and I expect a good answer,
You're in AP fool, this is an educational disaster.
Just give me a look at this simile right here,
Or just continue to stare in bewilderment and fear.

It's not that I'm scared, oh wonderful teacher,
More that I don't know anything about Shakespeare.
Hey, look at the clock, class is almost over,
You could have moved on and let me regain my composure,
But no, you stood there and grilled me with questions
Wondering how to put an end to your calculating lesson,
And now I'm stranded in my body, between redness and shaking,
Putting light to understanding, which I can see is now fading.

I'm done, I give up, there's nothing you can say.
I'm putting this to rest... have a great day.

Childhood Memory

I’m now in my olden days

And reminisce on the young.

I see my face in every stake

And wonder where I’ve come.

I’m here to tell ya my good ole’ story

So sit down and have some fun

We’re going to go deep

in the years

From which I hailed from.

Don’t raise your voice

Or break my speech

So let’s get started ahem

and without adieu

I portray my story

Here, on to you.

It’s about a memory deep inside my head

I repressed many years ago.

It’s flooding back all of a sudden now

With my recent duty tour.

I was six or seven on a warm summer evenin’

When I decided to go on a trek,

I snuck out of my own safe home

And found myself in a wreck.

Between whirling wasps and pestering bugs

I couldn’t stand the infinite heat.

It drove me crazy as I ran in fright,

Very far away from my street.

I ran until I could run no more

And threw myself on the ground,

Panting and shaking I searched for a sight

But not anything was to be found.

I saw nothing but objects and could hear faint whispers

Impaling me further into the earth,

I tried to stand up and collect my thoughts,

And force myself to stand firm.

None of it worked, as I crumpled in defeat,

With my life nearly following short,

But all of a sudden, I raised a sense of courage,

And forced my panic mode to abort.

It’s the soldier in me that defines me thee

And thus it can define you,

I ventured forth into the wilderness,

To find a path to pursue.

I came across a magnificent lake,

With the water rippling back n’ forth,

Complete tranquility and a sense of prosperity,

I took a step for what it’s worth.

And even faster than light,

Came a grizzly fright,

That shook the trees and scared the crows.

Frightened by me, or me by it,

I didn’t stick around to know.

I got up and ran north but south-west

With a wild beast following closely behind.

I found a clearing and a gunshot whirled

And the villain fell to its hind.

I looked up at the sky

With not a thought in my head,

Other than thinking of how I’m not dead.

I cried out in despair, “Oh I hate it here!”

And lay in silence…absolute silence…

I woke to a face I recognized much,

‘Twas my father smiling in cheer.

My eyes glanced around to every corner of the room,

And I realized there was no fear.

Safe and sound in my own safe home,

I rejoiced the absence of doom.

I’m thankful to be here, and not out there,

For I don’t know what I’d do.

‘Tis the story of a battle I’ve faced twice in my life,

And one I hope you never get to see.

For the battlefields and destroyed cities

Are enough to frighten me.

I wish for an end 
To this ongoing plight,

For if one doesn’t come, 
You should fear for your life.

Hamlet #5

Scenes 1 and 2 of Act 3 serve as an emphasis for the true question at hand: is Hamlet truly crazy or is he a mastermind as an actor? Judging from Hamlet’s interactions with Ophelia both during Claudius’ attempt to spy on Hamlet and during the play itself, one would assume Hamlet to be truly insane. His cruelty towards Ophelia, women, and marriage may exhibit his frustrations, but they certainly do not eradicate any feelings of madness within Hamlet. At one point, while discussing the implications of honesty and goodness within women, Hamlet remarks that he “never did love [Ophelia] once”, and claims that Ophelia’s “wantonness” and “ignorance…hath made [Hamlet] mad”. In a very articulate manner, Hamlet expresses his discontent with Ophelia to promote the unsatisfactory predispositions he has towards society as a whole. This in turn seems to augment Hamlet’s true insanity. His continued bitterness towards Ophelia and lewd, obscene behavior during the play further propel this perspective. However, just as Hamlet describes himself as knowing “a hack from a handsaw” in the previous act, his ability to immediately change his behavior when speaking with Horatio indicates his dexterity in transitioning between wild, eccentric behavior and calm rationality. Where Hamlet’s seemingly never-ending fit of complete madness encompasses much of these two scenes, his amazing levelheadedness is clear and present with Horatio: “Give me that man / That is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him / In my heart’s core, ay, in my heart of heart / As I do thee”. Shakespeare juxtaposes Hamlet’s initial interaction with Ophelia with his down to earth and joyous personality towards Horatio. As the audience is being led into an upcoming emotional scene between Hamlet and his mother, this very juxtaposition can be viewed as an emphasis for Hamlet’s apparent madness. Knowing that the end result of this play is full of tragedy may be used as a focal lens for interpreting Hamlet’s duplicitous personality; it is only a matter of time before Hamlet’s emotions and insanity catch up with in when in the face of his family.

Hamlet #2 and #3

Hamlet #2:

Act I scene 3 placed King Claudius’ chancellor Polonious and his family in stark contrast to Claudius’ own relationship with Hamlet. Very early on in the scene, the audience is forced to intently listen to a monologue Laertes, son of Polonious, gives to his sister Ophelia about the implications of loving Hamlet. More importantly, Laertes is concerned that Hamlet’s prince-like charm will seduce Ophelia into sacrificing her purity saying, “The chariest maid is prodigal enough / If she unmask her beauty to the moon” (I.iii.40-41). Fearing that Ophelia’s purity will be jeopardized by a seductive appearance in front of Hamlet, Laertes shows an expressive amount of concern for Ophelia, and acting like a big brother, confesses his genuine feelings about the implications of Ophelia’s relationship with Hamlet. Following Laertes’ speech, Polonious enters the room stunned to find Laertes still there, as he is supposed to be heading back to France for school. Before pushing him out the door, Polonious offers much advice about his own personal well-being while he will be away at school. Polonious concludes his monologue with the statement, “This above all: to thine own self be true, / And it must follow, as the night the day, / Thou canst not be false to any man” (I.iii.84-86). In this passage, Polonious expresses his own concern over his son, genuinely offering advice that will hopefully offer many benefits. He explains the importance of being honest with who one truly is and never letting the falsities of life be made present to any man. The conversations between Polonious, Laertes, and Ophelia emphasize the disparaging relationship Hamlet has with his uncle. Even now that Claudius is his father, Hamlet does not seem to recognize his authority, and he despises his hypocrisy as a leader and a father. The contrasting relationships will most likely be heightened later on the play in order to further emphasize the sickening relationship between Hamlet and Claudius. 

Hamlet #3: 

High Hopes

How do I prepare for an event so predictable?

I am painlessly aware of that which is so visible.

I have known for seventeen years,

Now my eyes are full of tears.

Our time to separate has come,

Oh, please do write home!

For your worth and your size

Are everything in my eyes.

I love you just the same,

Now go create your fame.

I can grapple with this issue

In the time that I will miss you.

Your concern involves your future,

And not my emotional stupor.

I am a mother after all, pleasantly forbidding,

Now wander towards success, or should I be permitting?