One of the assignments that I am most proud of from this trimester is my Summer Reading Compare/Contrast paper. I devoted a lot of time into writing this essay and truly dug deep into both the complexities and analysis of my book, The Namesake. Of all the essays we have done this trimester, I feel that this particular essay was my best as far as analysis of the text, analysis of Mise En Scene, and the writing of the piece in general. I felt like I really understood the themes and ideas presented in my story which helped give me the confidence as a writer to execute a well written paper. As far as weaknesses with this assignment, I feel like I could have done a better job at directly addressing the complexities within the text. While I did recognize them at some level, I believe that one of my major critiques was to better evaluate those complexities and provide more evidence for my overall argument. Through this assignment, I learned a lot not only about the novel as a whole, but also about myself as a writer. I realized what I was capable of accomplishing which served as a basis for the rest of my work throughout the trimester.
Another assignment that I am extremely proud of is the Drama Presentation. Not only did our group receive a high grade, but I was able to develop myself as a leader and hone in my skills in order to direct the group and, in turn, create a successful project. This project was also, in my opinion, the most enjoyable project we worked on this trimester. It was fun to work with different people and see how each of us was able to contribute to the project as a whole. As I said, I served as the leader, dividing the tasks among the members of the group and making sure that everyone stayed on task to ensure that everything was completed. I was also in charge of designing the storyboards which allowed me to bring out the creative, art side of my personality. One thing I saw as a weakness, however, was that I wasn't involved in the analysis of the play as much as I would have liked to be. I feel like I devoted so much of my time to leading the group that I missed opportunities to widen my scope of learning in regards to analyzing text. This project also taught me a lot about myself. I got to work on my leadership skills and develop friendships with people that I would not have otherwise become friends with. I also learned a lot about Mise En Scene in that we had to consider all aspects while creating our film.
As far as my participation in class, I think that I would describe it as adequate. I tend to be somewhat shy in the classroom, especially in classes where I feel intimidated. This was definitely one of those classes. I felt as though everyone around me was smarter than me or knew more than me which, I think, frightened me from voicing my own opinions. There were also a lot of times where I feel like I maybe did not understand things as quickly as others, especially during the first few assignments. It made me feel as though I didn't belong in a class of that stature which, in turn, lead to my lack of confidence in myself and my opinions.
Considering that, however, I think I did a good job of adapting throughout the trimester. As I said, it was mainly during the first few assignments where I felt lost and confused. As the trimester progressed and we discussed the various types of poetry and literature, I felt myself coming out of my shell a bit more. I might not have expressed this through class discussions necessarily, but when working with small groups I was able to voice my ideas and not be afraid of being "made fun of" or "shut down" if my answer was not correct. I think that working with small groups was something that really helped me to gain confidence in myself which benefited me not only in this class, but in other classes as well.
Discovering this confidence also helped me in terms of individual assignments. Up until this trimester, asking for others help and opinions on my writing was something that I was extremely scared of. Typically, I would write a paper and rely solely on my own criticisms which was not exactly the most effective way of editing a paper. After working with multiple small groups and sharing our ideas, however, I became much more confident in asking for other people's help. In fact, for my final Hamlet essay I asked numerous people for their opinions and through their opinions, I was able to improve my essay tremendously.
Another key to my success was keeping up with my time-stamped, measurable goals over the trimester. When we first created our goals, mine were to improve my multiple choice test score by six points, to increase my vocabulary, and to learn how to stay focused while reading hard texts. For the most part, I was able to meet these goals.
In the beginning of the trimester when we took our first AP multiple choice test I scored a 30 out of 47 possible points. In other words, I did pretty poorly. I believe that score comes out to be around a 64 percent. After broadening my knowledge of literature, though, I was able to bring my score up significantly. Without test corrections, I got a 67 percent which, though not much higher, is three percentage points more than my original score. With test corrections, I was able to bring my score up even higher to an 82 percent. This is a huge accomplishment for me and I am extremely proud of myself and all that I was able to achieve.
Another goal of mine was to increase my vocabulary. During the first test, I struggled to recognize many of the words that were in not only the text but the questions as well. Not understanding both the text and the questions made taking the test extremely difficult. After reading numerous texts throughout the trimester, though, my vocabulary increased significantly which showed during our final exam test. There were only a few words that I did not recognize and even then I was able to make assumptions on their meanings based on the words around them. While I probably did not learn one new word a day as I had hoped to do, I did learn multiple new words over the course of the past few months which has helped me to improve my test score and diction as a whole.
The last goal I had was to read more difficult texts in hopes of being able to stay focused while reading. A big problem I experienced when taking the first multiple choice test was constantly drifting away from the task at hand. While reading I would start day dreaming, thinking of my plans for later that day, because the text was too hard for me to understand which caused me to, in a way, simply give up. After reading all the literature we read this trimester, though, such as Mrs. Tiresias, Hamlet, and Porphyria's Lover, reading the texts in the AP multiple choice test was a breeze. I now feel much more confident tackling complicated works of literature, especially poetry.
This trimester has been a huge learning experience for me and although there were times where I wanted to give up, I am glad that I stuck it out till the end. Thank you for all you have taught me, Ms. Wilson. Even though I am not continuing onto part B, I still have learned so much not only about literature but about myself. Being able to have a class with someone as passionate about their job as you has been an honor and I am so grateful for the many, many things you have taught me.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Blog #16: Blog Post #4
Lord, am I the only sane one left in this country? King Claudius and Queen Gertrude have sent Hamlet away to England because he killed Polonius, the father of his "lover", Orphelia, and now Claudius believes Hamlet poses a threat not only to him, but to the entire country. Orphelia, as a response to losing her father, has become mentally deranged. I think it's not just the fact that her father is dead but also the fact that Hamlet was the one to kill him. How torn she must be... the man to whom she "shouldst have been" a "wife" has both murdered her father and abandoned her without even the slightest of goodbyes (5.1.220). Not to mention, her brother is no where to be found as Polonius had previously sent him away.
I'm sure it also doesn't help that her mental illness is all anyone can seem to talk about. The whole town is buzzing with news of how insane she has become. The latest thing going around is the recent episode she had at the castle. Queen Gertrude had sent for Orphelia so that she could attempt to talk to her but when Orphelia entered, not only was she entirely mad, but she would not stop rehearsing these odd songs. Queen Gertrude was astounded by these songs, not quite sure what to make of them. In fact, the first thing Queen Gertrude said to Orphelia was "how now" and "what imports this song" (4.5.21/26).
Now, I'm no expert or anything but after talking with this one fellow named Peter Seng, I feel as though I might have some idea of what her songs meant. The first thing Seng told me about was Orphelia's appearance. He said that when she first entered the room, "her appearance confirm[ed]...that she [was] mentally deranged". Her eyes crazed, face pale, body thrashing- there was no question that she was not in her right mind. But then again, who would be in her circumstances? As I said, she's without her father, her brother, and her lover. I think I, too, would lose my mind.
Poor, poor Orphelia. All alone in Denmark, trapped in what "has become a prison" (Seng). You know, it's somewhat ironic that Denmark has become a prison for her. If I do recall correctly, Hamlet once said, "to me, [Denmark] is a prison" (2.2.35-36). I suppose it must be if both Orphelia and Hamlet are calling it one.
Never mind, I'm getting carried away. Back to her songs. So in talking to this Seng character and hearing about the lyrics Orphelia sang, there's no question in my mind that the lad she was referring to was none other than Prince Hamlet when she sang of "Saint Valentine’s day" and "the maid" who "never departed more" (4.531/37-38). It appears as though here she was singing of her innocence and how it was corrupted by Hamlet who reeled her in with his words of love and marriage. But Hamlet alone is not to blame for the loss of Orphelia's innocence. According to Seng, "Orphelia's father and brother had their share in the spoliation of her mind's purity and her childlike trust" too. When she sings "young men will do 't, if they come to 't./ By Cock, they are to blame", she is not only speaking of Hamlet but of all the men in her life who have destroyed her purity through false accusations and careless lectures, specifically her father (4.5.44-45). A while ago, just as Laertes was sent away, I remember hearing of how Polonius had accused Orphelia of being "most free and bounteous" with Prince Hamlet (1.3.93-94). Following these accusations, he threated her to "tender" herself "more carefully" simply so that he would not be "tender[ed] a fool" (1.3.107-110). Not only are his comments rude and self centered, but by accusing his daughter of these acts he is doing nothing but instilling the idea of them in her mind. As Seng said, "the very abruptness and impatience with which her father catechizes her is an accusation of guilt where no guilt has been".
Anyhow, Orphelia's songs went on for a while and at some point, Laertes returned home to seek revenge for his father's death. In coming home, however, he discovered Orphelia in her mad state. I think seeing her in this state, though, only made his craze for revenge stronger because the first thing he said when he saw Orphelia was "by heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight,/ till our scale turn the beam" (4.5.132-133). But don't let this fool you, his desire for revenge is in no one's interest but his own. He does not even recognize that Orphelia is speaking of him when she sings of a "false steward that stole his master's daughter" because as Seng said, "he is heedless of every thought except revenge" (4.5.149). Perhaps it is this lack of attention that ultimately leads to Orphelia's death. Shortly after Laertes' arrival, Queen Gertrude announced that "[his] sister's drowned" (4.7.161). Oh it's so sad. It pains me to see such a young soul lost to the carelessness of those around her. In my opinion, it is none other than Polonius and Laertes who are at fault for Orphelia's death. They may say that she drowned but if I had my guess, her death was far from accidental.
Needless to say, it's been rather sad here in Denmark. All I can do is simply hope that things will turn themselves around quickly. I don't know how much more bad news I can take.
I'm sure it also doesn't help that her mental illness is all anyone can seem to talk about. The whole town is buzzing with news of how insane she has become. The latest thing going around is the recent episode she had at the castle. Queen Gertrude had sent for Orphelia so that she could attempt to talk to her but when Orphelia entered, not only was she entirely mad, but she would not stop rehearsing these odd songs. Queen Gertrude was astounded by these songs, not quite sure what to make of them. In fact, the first thing Queen Gertrude said to Orphelia was "how now" and "what imports this song" (4.5.21/26).
Now, I'm no expert or anything but after talking with this one fellow named Peter Seng, I feel as though I might have some idea of what her songs meant. The first thing Seng told me about was Orphelia's appearance. He said that when she first entered the room, "her appearance confirm[ed]...that she [was] mentally deranged". Her eyes crazed, face pale, body thrashing- there was no question that she was not in her right mind. But then again, who would be in her circumstances? As I said, she's without her father, her brother, and her lover. I think I, too, would lose my mind.
Poor, poor Orphelia. All alone in Denmark, trapped in what "has become a prison" (Seng). You know, it's somewhat ironic that Denmark has become a prison for her. If I do recall correctly, Hamlet once said, "to me, [Denmark] is a prison" (2.2.35-36). I suppose it must be if both Orphelia and Hamlet are calling it one.
Never mind, I'm getting carried away. Back to her songs. So in talking to this Seng character and hearing about the lyrics Orphelia sang, there's no question in my mind that the lad she was referring to was none other than Prince Hamlet when she sang of "Saint Valentine’s day" and "the maid" who "never departed more" (4.531/37-38). It appears as though here she was singing of her innocence and how it was corrupted by Hamlet who reeled her in with his words of love and marriage. But Hamlet alone is not to blame for the loss of Orphelia's innocence. According to Seng, "Orphelia's father and brother had their share in the spoliation of her mind's purity and her childlike trust" too. When she sings "young men will do 't, if they come to 't./ By Cock, they are to blame", she is not only speaking of Hamlet but of all the men in her life who have destroyed her purity through false accusations and careless lectures, specifically her father (4.5.44-45). A while ago, just as Laertes was sent away, I remember hearing of how Polonius had accused Orphelia of being "most free and bounteous" with Prince Hamlet (1.3.93-94). Following these accusations, he threated her to "tender" herself "more carefully" simply so that he would not be "tender[ed] a fool" (1.3.107-110). Not only are his comments rude and self centered, but by accusing his daughter of these acts he is doing nothing but instilling the idea of them in her mind. As Seng said, "the very abruptness and impatience with which her father catechizes her is an accusation of guilt where no guilt has been".
Anyhow, Orphelia's songs went on for a while and at some point, Laertes returned home to seek revenge for his father's death. In coming home, however, he discovered Orphelia in her mad state. I think seeing her in this state, though, only made his craze for revenge stronger because the first thing he said when he saw Orphelia was "by heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight,/ till our scale turn the beam" (4.5.132-133). But don't let this fool you, his desire for revenge is in no one's interest but his own. He does not even recognize that Orphelia is speaking of him when she sings of a "false steward that stole his master's daughter" because as Seng said, "he is heedless of every thought except revenge" (4.5.149). Perhaps it is this lack of attention that ultimately leads to Orphelia's death. Shortly after Laertes' arrival, Queen Gertrude announced that "[his] sister's drowned" (4.7.161). Oh it's so sad. It pains me to see such a young soul lost to the carelessness of those around her. In my opinion, it is none other than Polonius and Laertes who are at fault for Orphelia's death. They may say that she drowned but if I had my guess, her death was far from accidental.
Needless to say, it's been rather sad here in Denmark. All I can do is simply hope that things will turn themselves around quickly. I don't know how much more bad news I can take.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Blog #15: Blog Post #3
Imagery referring to the uncertainty of death:
Lines 67-69- "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/ when we have shuffled off this mortal coil,/ must give us pause."
Lines 80-81- "The undiscovered country from whose bourn/ no traveler returns,"
Imagery referring to the negative experiences of life:
Line 59-60- "The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ or to take arms against a sea of troubles"
Lines 62-63- "And by a sleep to say we end/ the heartache and the thousand natural shocks/ that flesh is heir to"
Lines 71-75- "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,/ th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,/ the pangs of despised love, the law's delay,/ the insolence of office, and the spurns/ that patient merit of th' unworthy takes"
Appeals:
Ethos: He appeals to ethos by addressing the audience as "we" which helps Hamlet to identify with the audience, allowing them to build connections and relations with him. He also mentions a wide variety of situations such as "the insolence of office" and "the spurns that the patient merit of th' unworthy takes".
Pathos: Through strong, emotional diction like "whips and scorns" and "pangs of despised love", Shakespeare emphasizes the emotions expressed by Hamlet. These words carry so much meaning and imagery behind them that it draws the audience in and allows them to feel the same emotions as Hamlet in this moment.
Logos: Shakespeare uses numerous rhetorical questions throughout the soliloquy one of those being the opening line, "To be, or not to be?", where Hamlet questions whether it is better to be dead or alive. By using rhetorical questions, Shakespeare addresses the logic behind Hamlet's thinking and/ or actions and expresses what is going through Hamlet's mind in this moment. It also makes the audience question these same things and leads them to then consider the logic behind life and death.
Literary Devices:
Shakespeare utilizes paradox, parallelism, the infinitive, synecdoche, tone, diction, and metaphor in order to further enhance the complex emotions expressed by Hamlet in this soliloquy as he struggles to make a decision on what to do in response to the many trials and tribulations he is facing. At this part of the play, Hamlet is not only dealing with feelings of sorrow and anger in response to both his father's death and his mother's marriage, but he is also carrying with him the knowledge that his uncle murdered his father. This knowledge is driving Hamlet crazy in that he doesn't know how to react and properly seek revenge for his father. All these literary devices work together to create the strong sense of emotion and effectively depict what is going through Hamlet's mind.
Metaphors:
Metaphor number one- Comparing slings and arrows to his own troubles
Lines 58-61- "Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,/ And, by opposing, end them?"
Metaphor number two- Comparing death to sleep
Lines 61-64- "To die, to sleep—/No more—and by a sleep to say we end/ The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/ That flesh is heir to."
Comparisons:
Life on earth- "The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and "To grunt and sweat under a weary life"
Afterlife-"ay, there’s the rub,/ For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/ When we have shuffled off/ this mortal coil" and "The undiscovered country from whose bourn/ No traveler returns"
Death- "To die, to sleep—/ No more—"
Humans- "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,/ Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,/ The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,/ The insolence of office, and the spurns/ That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,/ When he himself might his quietus make/ With a bare bodkin?"
Thinking- "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,/ And thus the native hue of resolution/ Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought"
Oppositions:
Through this soliloquy, Hamlet questions whether or not it is worth it to live out the rest of his life and whether committing suicide in order to escape his problems is an acceptable choice. Ultimately, he decides against committing suicide, deeming it unacceptable.
Mise En Scene Analysis:
In the Kenneth Branagh version, the soliloquy begins with an over the shoulder camera angle that looks over Hamlet's shoulder into his reflection in the mirror. This angle creates a sort of dominance between the mirror and Hamlet as it captures only his reflection speaking, emphasizing that Hamlet is losing control of himself and his emotions and is at a loss for what to do. Up until Hamlet says "this mortal coil", the scene contains only the voice of Hamlet as he speaks to himself in the mirror. At about one minute, however, non diegetic sound is used as a medieval-type song begins to play in the background. By opening with just Hamlet's voice, Branagh draws emphasis solely to Hamlet and the words he is saying. The music that is brought in then serves to add drama to the scene and highlight the depth of the soliloquy. In this version Hamlet is dressed in a black suit which signifies that he is still mourning his father's death and is in a state of darkness. He is captured in a fancy room that is appears to be well lit and decorated to represent the home of royalty and the main props used are the mirror, which serves to emphasize his lack of power, and the knife, which serves to showcase that he is truly contemplating whether to kill himself or not.
In the Laurence Olivier version, the scene opens in black and white with the camera following the path of a long, curvy staircase leading to the top of what appears to be the castle which overlooks an ocean. When the camera reaches the ocean, Hamlet suddenly appears in the shot and the audience sees him watching the ocean, looking as if he is debating whether or not to jump. The camera then focuses in on Hamlet's head and images of the ocean waves rolling in are played. Up until this point, only non diegetic sound has been used including both orchestral music and a voice over of Hamlet saying "to be, or not to be". After Hamlet's voice over, Hamlet is captured sitting on a rock in costume that resembles what a pirate might wear. Here, Hamlet starts off by speaking and then the scene cuts to another voice over as Hamlet pulls out his dagger and the camera moves in closer to his face. After about a minute, Hamlet drops his dagger and the camera switches to show the dagger as it falls into the ocean, gone forever. This serves to represent Hamlet's ultimate decision to not commit suicide and instead try to fight his problems.
In Mel Gibson's version, Hamlet is captured walking down a large set of stairs into a very dark, dungeon-y room. The camera follows him all the way down and then pans the room, showing the audience what the room looks like from Hamlet's perspective. The camera then focuses back on Hamlet with a close up shot where he begins rehearsing the soliloquy. As the angle pans out, Hamlet enters the room which happens to actually be some kind of chamber holding what appears to be mummies. The rest of the scene switches between close up shots of Hamlet and medium shots as he walks around the room and then exits. In this version, he is dressed in dark clothing and only diegetic sound (his voice) is used.
In Ethan Hawke's version, the scene opens with Hamlet standing in a store that looks to be similar to a Blockbuster. He is dressed in a suit and winter hat and only non diegetic sound is used including a voice over of Hamlet speaking, intense background music, and sound effects of guns, whips, chains, etc. Hawke uses medium shots, long shots, and close up shots throughout the scene to capture Hamlet's emotion, which in this version comes off as very dazed and confused. The camera follows Hamlet as he travels through the movie store, walking in a very zombie-like manner (slow and heavy). At about one minute, the sound switches from non diegetic to diegetic and Hamlet is captured speaking. He continues to speak throughout the rest of the scene and at the very end of the scene, a TV screen with a man burning in fire is captured.
Knowing my good friend Hamlet, I personally think that Kenneth Branagh's version was the best interpretation of his soliloquy. He effectively captured the essence of Hamlet's confusion and complications by filming him in the mirror through his own perspective. By doing this, Branagh really conveyed the emotions going through Hamlet's mind and the struggles he is having with even knowing how to control himself. I mean, being his friend, I can tell you that this man is losing it. He doesn't know how to handle everything that is being thrown at him. From his father, to his mother, to his uncle- the poor lord has just gone through so, so much. Thank goodness, though, that through this conversation with himself he was able to realize that suicide is not an acceptable option. The way Branagh captured Hamlet pointing his dagger at himself and then putting it down really emphasized this and showed that, perhaps, Hamlet does still stand a chance at conquering his problems.
If I were to change any of the approaches, I think I would change the Ethan Hawke version. I, personally, did not understand the point in having Hamlet wander around a movie store dressed in a winter hat and suit. To me, it just didn't make sense. It did not have the same emotional effect as the other versions did in that it did not capture the emotion felt by Hamlet in this moment of the play. If I wasn't aware that this scene was from Hamlet, I would have thought that it was simply a lost man discovering Blockbuster for the first time. The setting, props, and costumes were not relevant to the original play at all and the delivery of the soliloquy was far too "chill". It did not portray Hamlet as torn and confused as in the other versions which I feel is an important thing to include when interpreting this scene.
Lines 67-69- "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/ when we have shuffled off this mortal coil,/ must give us pause."
Lines 80-81- "The undiscovered country from whose bourn/ no traveler returns,"
Imagery referring to the negative experiences of life:
Line 59-60- "The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ or to take arms against a sea of troubles"
Lines 62-63- "And by a sleep to say we end/ the heartache and the thousand natural shocks/ that flesh is heir to"
Lines 71-75- "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,/ th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,/ the pangs of despised love, the law's delay,/ the insolence of office, and the spurns/ that patient merit of th' unworthy takes"
Appeals:
Ethos: He appeals to ethos by addressing the audience as "we" which helps Hamlet to identify with the audience, allowing them to build connections and relations with him. He also mentions a wide variety of situations such as "the insolence of office" and "the spurns that the patient merit of th' unworthy takes".
Pathos: Through strong, emotional diction like "whips and scorns" and "pangs of despised love", Shakespeare emphasizes the emotions expressed by Hamlet. These words carry so much meaning and imagery behind them that it draws the audience in and allows them to feel the same emotions as Hamlet in this moment.
Logos: Shakespeare uses numerous rhetorical questions throughout the soliloquy one of those being the opening line, "To be, or not to be?", where Hamlet questions whether it is better to be dead or alive. By using rhetorical questions, Shakespeare addresses the logic behind Hamlet's thinking and/ or actions and expresses what is going through Hamlet's mind in this moment. It also makes the audience question these same things and leads them to then consider the logic behind life and death.
Literary Devices:
Shakespeare utilizes paradox, parallelism, the infinitive, synecdoche, tone, diction, and metaphor in order to further enhance the complex emotions expressed by Hamlet in this soliloquy as he struggles to make a decision on what to do in response to the many trials and tribulations he is facing. At this part of the play, Hamlet is not only dealing with feelings of sorrow and anger in response to both his father's death and his mother's marriage, but he is also carrying with him the knowledge that his uncle murdered his father. This knowledge is driving Hamlet crazy in that he doesn't know how to react and properly seek revenge for his father. All these literary devices work together to create the strong sense of emotion and effectively depict what is going through Hamlet's mind.
Metaphors:
Metaphor number one- Comparing slings and arrows to his own troubles
Lines 58-61- "Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,/ And, by opposing, end them?"
Metaphor number two- Comparing death to sleep
Lines 61-64- "To die, to sleep—/No more—and by a sleep to say we end/ The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/ That flesh is heir to."
Comparisons:
Life on earth- "The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and "To grunt and sweat under a weary life"
Afterlife-"ay, there’s the rub,/ For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/ When we have shuffled off/ this mortal coil" and "The undiscovered country from whose bourn/ No traveler returns"
Death- "To die, to sleep—/ No more—"
Humans- "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,/ Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,/ The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,/ The insolence of office, and the spurns/ That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,/ When he himself might his quietus make/ With a bare bodkin?"
Thinking- "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,/ And thus the native hue of resolution/ Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought"
Oppositions:
Through this soliloquy, Hamlet questions whether or not it is worth it to live out the rest of his life and whether committing suicide in order to escape his problems is an acceptable choice. Ultimately, he decides against committing suicide, deeming it unacceptable.
Mise En Scene Analysis:
In the Kenneth Branagh version, the soliloquy begins with an over the shoulder camera angle that looks over Hamlet's shoulder into his reflection in the mirror. This angle creates a sort of dominance between the mirror and Hamlet as it captures only his reflection speaking, emphasizing that Hamlet is losing control of himself and his emotions and is at a loss for what to do. Up until Hamlet says "this mortal coil", the scene contains only the voice of Hamlet as he speaks to himself in the mirror. At about one minute, however, non diegetic sound is used as a medieval-type song begins to play in the background. By opening with just Hamlet's voice, Branagh draws emphasis solely to Hamlet and the words he is saying. The music that is brought in then serves to add drama to the scene and highlight the depth of the soliloquy. In this version Hamlet is dressed in a black suit which signifies that he is still mourning his father's death and is in a state of darkness. He is captured in a fancy room that is appears to be well lit and decorated to represent the home of royalty and the main props used are the mirror, which serves to emphasize his lack of power, and the knife, which serves to showcase that he is truly contemplating whether to kill himself or not.
In the Laurence Olivier version, the scene opens in black and white with the camera following the path of a long, curvy staircase leading to the top of what appears to be the castle which overlooks an ocean. When the camera reaches the ocean, Hamlet suddenly appears in the shot and the audience sees him watching the ocean, looking as if he is debating whether or not to jump. The camera then focuses in on Hamlet's head and images of the ocean waves rolling in are played. Up until this point, only non diegetic sound has been used including both orchestral music and a voice over of Hamlet saying "to be, or not to be". After Hamlet's voice over, Hamlet is captured sitting on a rock in costume that resembles what a pirate might wear. Here, Hamlet starts off by speaking and then the scene cuts to another voice over as Hamlet pulls out his dagger and the camera moves in closer to his face. After about a minute, Hamlet drops his dagger and the camera switches to show the dagger as it falls into the ocean, gone forever. This serves to represent Hamlet's ultimate decision to not commit suicide and instead try to fight his problems.
In Mel Gibson's version, Hamlet is captured walking down a large set of stairs into a very dark, dungeon-y room. The camera follows him all the way down and then pans the room, showing the audience what the room looks like from Hamlet's perspective. The camera then focuses back on Hamlet with a close up shot where he begins rehearsing the soliloquy. As the angle pans out, Hamlet enters the room which happens to actually be some kind of chamber holding what appears to be mummies. The rest of the scene switches between close up shots of Hamlet and medium shots as he walks around the room and then exits. In this version, he is dressed in dark clothing and only diegetic sound (his voice) is used.
In Ethan Hawke's version, the scene opens with Hamlet standing in a store that looks to be similar to a Blockbuster. He is dressed in a suit and winter hat and only non diegetic sound is used including a voice over of Hamlet speaking, intense background music, and sound effects of guns, whips, chains, etc. Hawke uses medium shots, long shots, and close up shots throughout the scene to capture Hamlet's emotion, which in this version comes off as very dazed and confused. The camera follows Hamlet as he travels through the movie store, walking in a very zombie-like manner (slow and heavy). At about one minute, the sound switches from non diegetic to diegetic and Hamlet is captured speaking. He continues to speak throughout the rest of the scene and at the very end of the scene, a TV screen with a man burning in fire is captured.
Knowing my good friend Hamlet, I personally think that Kenneth Branagh's version was the best interpretation of his soliloquy. He effectively captured the essence of Hamlet's confusion and complications by filming him in the mirror through his own perspective. By doing this, Branagh really conveyed the emotions going through Hamlet's mind and the struggles he is having with even knowing how to control himself. I mean, being his friend, I can tell you that this man is losing it. He doesn't know how to handle everything that is being thrown at him. From his father, to his mother, to his uncle- the poor lord has just gone through so, so much. Thank goodness, though, that through this conversation with himself he was able to realize that suicide is not an acceptable option. The way Branagh captured Hamlet pointing his dagger at himself and then putting it down really emphasized this and showed that, perhaps, Hamlet does still stand a chance at conquering his problems.
If I were to change any of the approaches, I think I would change the Ethan Hawke version. I, personally, did not understand the point in having Hamlet wander around a movie store dressed in a winter hat and suit. To me, it just didn't make sense. It did not have the same emotional effect as the other versions did in that it did not capture the emotion felt by Hamlet in this moment of the play. If I wasn't aware that this scene was from Hamlet, I would have thought that it was simply a lost man discovering Blockbuster for the first time. The setting, props, and costumes were not relevant to the original play at all and the delivery of the soliloquy was far too "chill". It did not portray Hamlet as torn and confused as in the other versions which I feel is an important thing to include when interpreting this scene.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Blog #14: Hamlet Blog Post #2
"Justice at any cost."
In Law Abiding Citizen, revenge is a predominant theme in that Clyde Shelton, played by Gerard Butler, seeks to "kill everyone" because of what two men did to his family. Shelton lost both his wife and daughter when two men broke into his home one night. While both the men were captured, one was deemed innocent and set free. Shelton, who is infuriated by this decision, decides to then take justice into his own hands by not only tampering with the death of the man who was captured but also finding and personally executing the man who was set free.
Just as Shelton seeks revenge for the death of his wife and daughter, my good friend, Hamlet, also seeks revenge for his father's murder. When he and I were standing guard the other night, we were visited by the ghost of King Hamlet. While I personally did not speak to the ghost, Hamlet made me "swear by [his] sword...never to speak" of what I had seen (2.5.156-157). By this measure, I presume that whatever King Hamlet's spirit told Prince Hamlet must be of high significance. You don't just ask someone to swear upon a royal sword unless it's a big deal.
Anyways, I haven't seen much of Prince Hamlet since that night. I did, however, hear that he has plans to reveal King Claudius at tomorrow night's performance of "The Murder of Gonzago" (2.2.468). Rumor has it that some players came to visit the royal family and that after their first performance, Prince Hamlet called to one of the players asking him to "study a speech of some dozen or sixteen lines" that he had written himself and then memorize those lines for tomorrow night's performance (2.2.502). They say he is going to have the player "play something like the murder of [his] father before [his] uncle (2.2.557-560). He is then going to "observe his looks" and if King Claudius is to show any signs of guilt or remorse, Prince Hamlet will know that he the ghost was not lying and that Claudius did indeed kill King Hamlet (2.2.560). Oh how I can not wait to see how this play pans out. I hope and pray that for Hamlet's sake, he finds the answers he is looking for so that he can return from this tragic state he is in.
What's odd is that both Shelton and Hamlet act quite similar in that both are strongly determined to seek their revenge, though their situations are somewhat different. Both did lose a loved one, however, while Shelton knows the identity of the men to whom he must seek revenge, Hamlet has an idea of the identity but no real proof. Until he receives that proof, then, he mustn't act upon his desires. Shelton calls his revenge "justice" while Hamlet calls his "vengeance", a term more closely related to revenge than justice (2.2.544). Hamlet also has not yet set out a plan to seek this vengeance where as Shelton immediately devises a plan, telling the counselor that he will "bring the whole place down" referring to it as "biblical". In general, both men have strong ambitions to seek out revenge against those who hurt them, closely relating them to one another.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Blog #13: Hamlet Blog Assigment #1
Ah where to begin... let's just say, a lot has happened these past few weeks.
Ever since King Hamlet died, it seems as though everything is traveling in a downwards spiral. Prince Hamlet refuses to accept his father's death which, I personally think, is understandable as it has not even been two months since King Hamlet's passing. What doesn't help the cause, however, is that his mother, Queen Gertrude, has already remarried. And to make matters worse, her new husband is King Hamlet's brother, Claudius.
To put it simply (well, as simple as this can get), Queen Gertrude has married her former brother-in-law, making Prince Hamlet both the son and the nephew of his former uncle turned father...
Even King Claudius himself doesn't know how to address Prince Hamlet calling him both his "cousin Hamlet, and [his] son" (1.2.64).
Talk about screwed up, am I right?
How this is even legal I'm not quite sure. I suppose it must be because they are royalty. Royalty does, after all, do whatever they please.
What makes me the most angry about this situation is that both Queen Gertrude and King Claudius expect Prince Hamlet to just forget his father and move on. Gertrude said to him, "Do not forever with thy vailèd lids/ Seek for thy noble father in the dust./ Thou know’st ’tis common./ All that lives must die,/ Passing through nature to eternity" (1.2.70-73).
I mean, yes, everyone does die eventually. And yes, at some point or another you must move on with your life. But as I said, it hasn't even been two months! Give the man a break. Perhaps if Gertrude hadn't remarried so quickly, Hamlet wouldn't have such a hard time coping with his father's death. Hamlet was right when he said that "The funeral baked meats/ Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables" (1.2.179-180).
And on top of all that, Claudius has already established himself as Prince Hamlet's father. Typically when a mother remarries, the step-father takes his time to get acquainted with his new children but not Claudius. No, Claudius is too good for that.
What really got my goat was when Gertrude and Hamlet were having their own conversation about mourning King Hamlet's death when all of a sudden, Claudius decided to chime in telling Hamlet to "throw to earth/ This unprevailing woe, and think of us/ As of a father" (1.2.107-109). Good job, Claudius. Tell your new son that his mourning is pathetic and useless. See how far that gets you.
It's as though Claudius just assumes that because he is officially married to Hamlet's mother he automatically becomes Hamlet's father too. Well, newsflash Claudius, you might be married to Queen Gertrude but Hamlet isn't calling you "father" anytime soon.
Oh poor, poor Hamlet. I do not know how he will ever make it through this. I simply hope and pray that I can be all the friend he needs during this time.
Aside from my worries for Hamlet, though, I worry for this country. Already we have Young Fortinbras pining against us. All because King Hamlet killed his father. And King Claudius thinks that he can take on Fortinbras. What a fool, Claudius couldn't take on a field of daisies if he tried. Nevertheless he continues to gloat, claiming that he has strength and power as he says that Young Fortinbras is "Holding a weak supposal of our worth" (1.2.18). Well maybe so, King Claudius, but perhaps Young Fortinbras is right. Maybe we are weak. After all, what do you know about being King?
I sincerely hope that the death of King Hamlet, the marriage of Queen Gertrude and King Claudius, and the pathetic state of Prince Hamlet do not too terribly affect our country.
May God help us all.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Blog #12: Character Decision
For my blog assignment I have chosen to write through the perspective of Hamlet's dear friend, Horatio. As stated in the character description, Horatio serves as the "voice of reason" throughout the play. Whenever Hamlet finds himself in a bind, Horatio is there to help him get through it. One of the reasons why I find Horatio's character so intriguing is that many of his characteristics remind me much of myself. As a friend, I try to always do my best to help out however I can. If family members are fighting or a friend is upset, I like to be the one to make things better by stepping in as the mediator, offering up my advice, or being there to listen. That being said, if Horatio were to be on social media, he would, without a doubt, be "that guy" that is always trying to solve other people's problems. If there was a Twitter fight, he would be the one to break it up. If someone posted a status about being upset, he would be the one to call that person and make sure they were ok. If someone didn't know which filter to use on Instagram, he would be the one to offer his opinion and help that person make a decision. Basically, he would be the go to guy that people look towards when they are in need of advice. For these reasons, I think that analyzing the play through Horatio's perspective will be both different and unique and provide me with the opportunity to look at a classic play through the eyes of a character that many people disregard.
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