You will choose one question and respond to it. You will also comment on a classmate's post. (Two posts total for Act IV).
1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
2. Do Hamlet and Fortinbras meet in IV.iv? Why is this significant?
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
4. Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
5. Why is Hamlet less present in this act than in the previous three?
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Elias Kassir Responding to a Question:
ReplyDelete1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
I believe that the person who serves as Hamlet's foil is Laertes. Hamlet is a person who wants revenge for the eath of his father at the hands of King Claudius, and Laertes wants revenge for the death of his father at the hands of Hamlet. They are both quite young an are fairly important in terms of position in Denmark's hierarchy/aristocracy. Both also want revenge on the people they believed wronged them because they believed that the person who killed their fathers also hurt a woman close to them. In Hamlet's case, he also hates Claudius for convincing Gertrude to marry him, and in Laerte's case, Laertes hates Hamlet because he believes Hamlet's treatment of her led her to kill herself.
However they differ in some respects, Laertes is very quick to action. As soon as he heard that his father had died, he marched directly up to the castle and immediately wanted to know who was responsible so that he could exact his revenge. This puts emphasis on how different Hamlet is in this respect. Hamlet is not ry quick to action at all, he is a lot more reflective and delays killing Claudius for as long as possible. He is also not very open like Laertes was; Hamlet never actually goes up to Claudius and asks him if he killed his father.
Karyn Schwab responding to question:
ReplyDelete3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
Ophelia is mad because the main people in her life have either left her or abandoned her. Ophelia’s father Polonius was killed on accident by Hamlet, whom told her he didn’t love her and her brother Laertes went away. All three of these men were a huge part of her life and she depended on them. Ophelia not only had to deal with the heartache of her fathers death but she now had to deal with the heartache of having the man you love tell you he doesn’t any more. During Act IV Ophelia has gone mad and is making no sense. It seems like she in some sort of a daze because she does not connect to anyone and she speaks in circle and doesn’t really make sense when talking. At the end of the Act Ophelia drowns herself which symbolizes her dependence on men and symbolizes the state of mind that Denmark is in right now. There is a lot of change going on in Denmark and there is a lot of back stabbing and undermining taking place. Ophelia has been depended on men for her whole life and now that all of them left her she could not take it anymore, so she drowned herself. Ophelia’s death was the start of the unwinding of all the back stabbing done in the play.
Karyn’s comment on Elias response:
ReplyDeleteI also agree that Hamlet’s foil is Laertes because not only does Laertes character contrasts Hamlet’s but his characters tells you a lot about Hamlets. With the death of Polonius the first thing Laertes does is figure out who killed his father in order to seek revenge. This contrasts how Hamlet goes about the news of his father’s death. Hamlet mourns his father’s death and it takes him a while to come to the conclusion to seek revenge on who ever killed his father. Laertes quick action for revenge shows you how spineless Hamlet was because of his inaction till the end of the play.
Priscilla Zecua
ReplyDelete3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
Ophelia in act IV became mad after learning of the death of her father. After Hamlet had told Ophelia that he did not love her that made her extremely upset but she was still commonsensical, she was in a way able to bare the pain. Unfortunately after Polonius’s death Ophelia felt as is she had lost all the meaningful aspects of her life. Her father was dead, her brother had fled and in that sense had abandoned her as well, and Hamlet the man she loved showed nothing but disdain towards her. Ophelia being chaste in delicate in nature had absolute dependence on the men in her life and that was her predicament. She became so dependent on them that when they were gone she felt as if there were no reason for her to continue living. When Ophelia was made she was saying all sorts of things many of them did not make much sense but they were significant in a way, they were a reminder that the corrupt world had taken its toll on pure and innocent Ophelia. At the end of Act IV Ophelia drowns her self in the river as an act that represents her desperate act to end her suffering. Her madness and death symbolize the consequence that corruption and rottenness in the kingdom can cause.
Priscilla commenting on Elias's post
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with him about the stament of Laertes being the foil of Hamlet. He is because they have so many things is common like the one's Elias mentioned but they also have a difference that clearly shapes the personality of each. Laertes is quick to take action, he does not hesitate. That reflects Hamlets personality because Hamlet on the contrary postponed Cladius's death to the very end. And that being because he felt much rage after Cladius had indirectly killed his mother, and after learning that he had plotted to kill him as well.
Do Hamlet and Fortinbras meet in IV.iv? Why is this significant?
ReplyDeleteNo. The two characters never meet. When Fortinbras enters the scene Hamlet has already nominated him to be king and then died. The fact that the two characters meet is significant because William Shakespeare was allowing for Denark to experience absolue cleansing. By not allowing te two characters to meet, Shakespeare allowed Fortinbras to become King without any advice or guidance from Hamlet or Claudius- both of these characters having contracted the disease of "revenge". With the new reign of Fortinbras, Denmark will be able to experience a good nwchange and will also hve a rightful King.
Response to Priscilla's post.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. THe only reasons Ophelia apprared to be mad in the play was because all the men in her life ad left her. This is another example of the role of women in Shakeperean literature. Why is it that Ophelia had to go mad. I mean women have been losing their husbands, sons and fathers for thousands of years, why did Shakespeare ave make Ophelia go mad. It makes me question why all of Skakespeares femal characters go mad and kill themselves.
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteOpehlia is mad due to her depression and anger of being let down by men. As the reader must now Hamlet told Ophelia that he does not love her, her father was accidentally murdered by Hamlet, and her brother is currently not present. She feels as if she is all alone, and that she is not loved. Due to her depression and all the emotions she is feeling she has started to not make sense. Nothing she says makes sense to anyone besides her brother Laertes who states "This is nothing more than matter." Everything she seems to say are poems and songs that are talking about horrible things. At the end of Act IV Ophelia hangs herself from the "willow that leans over the brook". Because Ophelia resulted to hanging herself and ultimately drowning herself this shows that she was very weak when it came to men and that she relied on the men in her life very much so. And when they all seemed to have walked away for one reason or another she didn't know what to do because she had no one there to support and stand by her. Her madness and death symbolize that the current state that Denmark is in is slowly declining and becoming more hectic. First Hamlets father was killed, then because Hamlet wanted revenge, he accidentally killed Polonius which then lead to Ophelia committing suicide, and Laertes wanting revenge as well.
1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
ReplyDeleteI think that both Fortinbras and Laertes act as foils for Hamlet. All three lose their fathers at some point during the play, and both Fortinbras and Laertes are compared to Hamlet at some point in the play in order to highlight Hamlet’s character. His father dead, Fortinbras inherits the throne of Norway, and he proves to be a strong king. When Hamlet learns that Fortinbras is fighting fiercely for a small and fairly useless piece of land in Poland, he has a soliloquy in which he ruminates on his own inaction over an issue that seems to him much more important than a tiny scrap of land: his father’s murder. In this scene, the comparison between the two shows Hamlet to be less inclined to act on his beliefs. This could be interpreted as cowardice or laziness; either way, Hamlet needs the extra push of feeling less manly than Fortinbras before he decides to actually do anything to get revenge for his father’s death. Later on, Hamlet is compared to Laertes through their reactions to the murders of their fathers. In contrast to Hamlet’s repetitive refusal to do anything to avenge his father’s death, Laertes goes to confront the king as soon as is humanly possible after he hears of his father’s murder. As opposed to Hamlet’s roundabout method of reenacting the murder, Laertes boldly asks the king directly who killed his father. When Laertes is plotting with the king to kill Hamlet, he mentions that he would even kill Hamlet in the church to get his revenge. This accentuates the difference between Laertes and Hamlet, who wouldn’t kill Claudius because he was praying at the time. Both Laertes and Fortinbras act as foils to shed light on Hamlet’s inability to act on his beliefs.
Response to Tillan's Post
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Tillan. Hamlet and Fortinbras never met in Act IV.iv. I also believe that because they never met it allows for the state of Denmark a chance to start fresh and have a new King who is not influenced by Hamlet or Claudius in any ways. As Tillan stated "these characters had contracted the disease of "revenge"" and by them not coming into contact with Fortinbras shows that he will not act in the same way as the others, and therefore Denmark will be cleansed.
In response to Tillan's comment, the question was about act four scene four, in which Hamlet has a soliloquy about how he needs to act to avenge his father's murder. Hamlet dies in act five, not act four. Still, it is true that Fortinbras and Hamlet never meet. I agree with your assessment that Hamlet and Fortinbras not meeting does symbolize the cleansing of Denmark, but that doesn't really come into play until act five. For now, the two not meeting shows that Hamlet is starting to act for himself instead of just moping around about his father's death. After his long-winded speech about how he needs to be manly like Fortinbras and act on his beliefs, Hamlet finally decides to actually get revenge for the death of his father. The fact that the two don't meet shows that Hamlet is finally becoming independent and taking the initiative in avenging his father's death.
ReplyDeleteMelanie Baca responding to:
ReplyDeleteWhy is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
Ophelia, in the last scene of Act IV, appears to have basically lost her mind. This is due to, not only the death of her father, but also the departure of Hamlet from her life. Women seen throughout Shakespeare’s writing seem to pretty much depend on men, and when the men in Ophelia’s life are removed from the picture, she no longer knows quite where she belongs.
While it may seem like Ophelia is simply rambling about things that make no sense, she does make a few points. Her singing about death, for example, could, obviously, relate to her late father. Also, when she says to Claudius, “Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be,” I immediately thought back to what Hamlet said about how the very worm that eats the remains of a king may be used to catch a fish that feeds a beggar. I also thought about how, in the next act, the gravediggers mention how we’re basically all the same when we’re dead, despite our standings when we were alive. It sort of goes to show how all of this corruption to gain the throne is pointless in the end, because we all die.
At the end of Act IV, Ophelia is found drowned after falling in the river. Ophelia’s madness and eventual death shows how the corruption throughout Denmark does not affect only those directly involved in the murdering/revenge-seeking madness, but also people with nothing to do with the incidents, such as Ophelia. It shows how deep the “something rotten” has grown.
Melanie responding to Elizabeth:
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Elizabeth’s selection of both Fortinbras and Laertes as Hamlet’s foils. As she said, all three of the characters are put through the loss of their fathers, and throughout the play, you are shown the actions of Fortinbras and Laertes in comparison to Hamlet, which only accentuates how inactive he truly is about the whole matter. Upon the loss of his father, Fortinbras stepped up and did what needed to be done. Laertes, once he learns of the death of his father, tells Claudius that he would go so far as to murder Hamlet in the church in order to get his revenge. This shows not only how inactive Hamlet is, but also how he enjoys to constantly use religion as an excuse throughout the play.
Julia Rodriguez responding to this question:
ReplyDeleteDo Hamlet and Fortinbras meet in IV.iv? Why is this significant?
In act IV scene iv Hamlet doesn’t meet Fortinbras, but rather a Captain in Fortinbras army whom Fortinbras has ordered to get permission from the king to move his troops across Denmark into Poland. This scene is significant because it reflects on one of the plays major themes of action and inaction. This shows the contrast between Hamlet who is inactive in taking action of the revenge of his father’s death and Fortinbras whose in a similar situation where he wants revenge for his father’s death. The difference between the two character’s is Fortinbras acts by attacking Poland for no concrete reason and fighting over such a little piece of land whereas Hamlet is characterized by inaction and over thinking his every move. This scene also signifies the greater conflict in Hamlet which is the rotten state of Denmark.
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteI personally really love Ophelia. I just, really do. I think she's very interesting. Of course, she has the personality of a dead fish *(pun..), she doesn't make her own decisions (besides the suicide one, naturally), and she's just overall rather boring as a person because all she does is get rejected by Hamlet, agree with her father, and provide absolutely no new interesting twists in the play. Yet, contextually she is a fabulous enigma which is why I adore her character. Her crazy is far overshadowed by Hamlet's crazy but for a moment I think we should digress and discuss Ophelia and her insanity.
The fab thing about Shakespeare is that his crazy people are probably the most sane out of everyone in his plays. (Like the clown in King Lear who is practically a genius, and Lady Macbeth whose moments of clearest recognition of her sins come at the time of her insanity). Ophelia is no different. She sings songs that the modern reader doesn't immediately recognize as way inappropriate, but in Elizabethan England, they definitely were. She's singing about how she shouldn't have let this guy "come to her bed" because if she hadn't then he would have married her. I might have mentioned this earlier but some scholars speculate that she is pregnant because of this song. I think this theory is very interesting (and possible) given the purity with which she is portrayed and the tendency of Shakespeare to corrupt all pure elements of the play (filial relationships/religion/etc). Basically, this tendency is what Ophelia's death represents. The downfall of all that is pure and good in this world at the hands of the corruption of Denmark (which is symbolized by Hamlet's need for revenge).
Ophelia's comments don't make sense to people in the play because she's gone mad. However, Shakespeare, (genius that he is), loves symbolism (and birds, but that's besides the point), and decides to put symbolism into Ophelia's crazy. Essentially, all the flowers have alternate meanings that tie into the larger meaning of the play. I've already written like a billion words so I won't go into it but to sum it up, she gives King Claudius "rue". This is probably the least subtle of them because rue, rueful, "Oh gods, I rue the day I was born & the day I poured poison into that guy's ear"... It's sort of a linear progression.
In terms of WHY Ophelia is crazy, it's really not technically specified. We can assume it's a combination of her father's death, and Hamlet's rejection of her. Some people connect Ophelia and Hamlet and say perhaps she saw the ghost of Polonius. That would be a nice twist.
In conclusion, at the end of Act IV we can pretty safely assume that Ophelia kills herself by drowning. As water is the purifying element, we can assume that Shakespeare meant her death to symbolize that in order to purify the kingdom of Denmark from Corruption, death is necessary. Therefore, Ophelia's death is some pretty heavy foreshadowing about the conclusion of the play.
Hamlet's Foils- Cara commenting on Elizabeth's post.
ReplyDeleteIn Hamlet, Shakespeare really likes this idea of things mirroring each other. Reality mirroring illusion, illusion mirroring reality, the dead mirroring the living, a play mirroring actuality, characters mirroring the country, the insane mirroring the "sane", etc. I agree with Elizabeth in that I think that Laertes and Fortinbras are both foils for Hamlet. Particularly Laertes and Hamlet share a lot of traits that make easy parallels. However, I think because of the nature of this play and the common trait of corruption in Denmark that leaves no stone overturned, we can safely say that all characters have elements of Hamlet's personality and therefore mirror him. The insanity that spreads throughout the characters (like poison, and as poison) shows this common trait. Perhaps the women in the play are immune (especially Gertrude because Ophelia is infected with the insanity of Denmark as well as losing her father, ironically at Hamlet's hand). I think that Laertes is the most obvious foil for Hamlet but I think that the interconnected nature of the characters in the play make them reflect traits of each other (namely the need for revenge, insanity, lust, and the fact that they are all ultimately doomed).
Emily's post
ReplyDeleteWhy is Ophelia mad? Does anything she says make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
Ophelia is mad because she feels abandoned, rejected and feels indignant. She feels rejected because Hamlet, the love of her life, has rejected her and denied any romantic emotion towards her. She feels indignant for the murder of her father Polonius and the way his dead body was found. But mainly she feels abandoned and this is an emotion that comes to overwhelm her sanity. Her brother Laertes has left, her father has been murdered for no apparent reason, and Hamlet has rejected her love. All of this was too much for poor Ophelia and so at the end of this Act she loses her sanity, she begins talking nonsense and eventually drifts away from reality into an unstable state of mind. Throughout the play, Ophelia has been presented as a fragile character and in this act completely breaks; this can be compared to how the kingdom was calm at first and eventually found itself in the middle of a chaotic situation. Both the kingdom and Ophelia were put thru intrigue of their people. Her death seems to symbolize and end to the oblivious outlook the kingdom had of its ruler’s relationships.
Eric responding to: Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteOphelia has gone mad due to her father's death. Though she seems to just be babbling on about nothing, she actually does make a bit of sense. She sings to the queen "How should I your true love know, From another one?" relating her father's death to King Hamlet's death at the beginning of the play and "He is dead and gone, lady, He is dead and gone" telling her of her father's death. Ophelia is essentially going mad for the same reasons Hamlet has gone mad, though she seeks no revenge on her father's death. She then drowns in a stream. As shown by the end lines of her song, her death symbolizes the kingdom falling to pieces from the poor leadership under Claudius.
Julia Rodriguez commenting on Haleigh’s post
ReplyDeleteI agree with Haleigh’s interpretation of Ophelia. Ophelia is dependent on men and the death of her father and loss of Hamlet had slowly driven to insanity which ultimately lead her to her death, which symbolizes the state of Denmark is “slowly declining and becoming more hectic”. Only I don’t think Ophelia was angry or depressed well at least not until her insanity consumed her. I see Ophelia as a frail virtuous innocent woman who was corrupted by the world around her and I think she wasn’t able to handle it so she fell apart. Although it appears to be a suicide because of the conflicting emotion of Hamlet killing her father yet she is in love with him and her irrational behavior (the weird singing), Ophelia’s death was an accidental drowning, but that does not mean she didn’t not want to die. On the contrary the pain ad guilt was too much for her so she let the water take her.
Emily commenting on Priscilla Z. post
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about Ophelia’s dependency on men however I disagree with your assessment on how when the men in her life had abandoned her she felt she had no reason to continue living. I disagree with that because it’s not that she lost her reason to live, it’s that she lost her guide. So (to me) it’s kind of like she felt so lost and felt overwhelmed because she didn’t know how to face life because everything she had ever done had always revolved around her father’s desires and orders.
Eric commenting on Julia's post
ReplyDeleteI think the meeting with Fortinbras' messenger is, as Julia says, to signify Hamlet's inaction in avenging his father's death. Hamlet has always criticized himself for his inaction and this just brings it out more. If Fortinbras would invade Poland in order to maintain honor, then why can't Hamlet get revenge against Claudius who has so shamed his family as well as the entire state of Denmark.
Monica responding to: Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteIn the last scene of Act Four, after Laertes confronts Claudius that the death of his father, Polonius, is on his hands, Claudius stirs up more trouble with his latest devious plan. He naturally convinces that he never did kill Polonius and that it was really in fact Hamlet, the mad man in Elsinore, who had stabbed the man behind the arras. Because Claudius has grown more suspicious of Hamlet’s rather bizarre behavior recently, he rather eliminate him once and for all before any more turmoil arises or stirs. So, when Laertes swears revenge on Hamlet, Claudius manipulates Laertes by deciding to guide him in the death of Hamlet with three different strategized plans all to ensure his death, and so Claudius would not have to do the deed himself therefore reassuring he will go to heaven (in Act 3 he is also seen praying).
Initially what Claudius and Laertes plan to do is try to provoke Hamlet into a duel against Laertes, who is well known for his sword fighting skills, and try to take a “hit” at Hamlet by penetrating him through the chest and hopefully killing him. If Laertes is not able to stab Hamlet, then he is to try and cut Hamlet with the poisoned tip of the sword and kill him by that strategy. Yet, if Laertes fails to do either plan and is eventually killed in the duel, than Claudius will celebrate his victory with a cup of poisoned wine and hopefully by then Hamlet will die. Because Hamlet is hard to predict, they needed three separetly devised plans in order to ensure that if one fail or more fails, that at least another will still take his life.
This seen establish Laertes as a foil of Hamlet because as stated before, both Laertes and Hamlet have each lost their father recently and as a way to honor their deaths, they plan to take revenge on whomever had stolen their lives. Yet, what differs Laertes character from Hamlet’s, is the simple motivation that Laertes holds and puts into action immediately while Hamlet finds it very difficult to actually finish Claudius off. Because Laertes is more blunt on his approach towards his enemy, he is able to accomplish his initial plan quicker and therefore is seen more as a stronger male character with a backbone as oppose to Hamlet, who goes mad.
4. Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteIn Act IV, scene vii, Claudius meets with Laertes to make him understand that Hamlet is the one that should be blamed and punished for the death of Polonius. They agree to challenge Hamlet to a duel against Laertes, who was quite the expert with swords. However, Laertes planned to fight with a sharpened sword instead of the not-so-dangerous fencing tip. To ensure the death of Hamlet, Laertes also poisons his sword so that a mere scratch will be mortal. Claudius, not willing to take any chances, would poison the cup from which Hamlet was to drink in honor of his victory, if such was the result. Before this meeting with Claudius, Laertes and Hamlet could have been seen as parallels of each other. The two had their own fathers’ lives unrightfully taken from them, and both had to fulfill their desire for vengeance. Both had also high moral standards, and begin to loose them as their quest for killing becomes overtakes them. At this point, however, Laertes’ purpose as a foil character for Hamlet becomes clearer. He begins to really highlight Hamlet’s inability to take quick action. Hamlet was constantly arguing with himself, giving reasons for why it was never the right moment to kill Claudius. Laertes was not wasting time hesitating, pronouncing that he would slit Hamlet’s throat in the church if he had to. This comes in contrast with Hamlet’s earlier decision to delay the killing of Claudius because he was praying. The meeting where Claudius and Laertes plot to kill Hamlet therefore reveals the readiness that Laertes had to take revenge, which Hamlet lacked when he first knew he had to kill Claudius.
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteOphelia goes mad because the influential men in her life have left her. Her father Polonious was killed by her love, Hamlet, and Hamlet had told her that he doesn't love her and that she should just go to a nunnery. Her rambling although strange, relates back to death, betrayal and love all things that made her go mad. Later in act 4 she drowns herself. I think her death is extremely symbolic, it shows how even a pure, innocent and naive young women could be corrupted by the Danish court.
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteAt the end of scene IV, Ophelia drowns in the river. We can assume that Ophelia kills herself and not that it was an accident because she was mad. She became mad because her father was killed by Hamlet, the man who she was in love with, but he rejected her. All of this was too much for her to handle, and that's completely understandable. If my father died, I would be a huge emotional wreck. The songs that Ophelia sang don't make sense to the people in the play, but that's because she's mad and she's just rambling on about a lot of things.
Right from the beginning of the play, Ophelia is associated with flowers. In the first scene, Polonius presents her with a violet, then after she goes mad, she sings songs about flowers, and then she drowns among them. I think that the flowers are meant to symbolize Ophelia's fragility.
The death of Ophelia, was a big blow to her brother Laertes, especially occurring so soon after his father's death. Claudius was so worried that the death of Ophelia might reawaken Laertes' rage and threaten the King's power. This is the first time that anyone threatens the Kings power. So in that sense, Ophelia's death was significant.
The death of Ophelia represents how Claudius' crimes has led to the rotting state of Denmark. Claudius' murder of King Hamlet has ignited this domino effect; Hamlet killing Polonius, Ophelia killing herself, Laertes killing Hamlet, Hamlet killing Claudius, and Claudius accidentally killing the Queen.
Monica commenting on Priscilla’s post:
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree on Priscilla’s perspective on the symbolism of Ophelia’s death in Act IV. Because Ophelia put so much dependence and weighed her actions on the thoughts of the main male roles in her life, her vulnerability towards them made her the innocent and pure elements of the play. She listened to Polonius when he warned her to not get to close or attached to Hamlet because he could be more danger to her than she thinks, she was close to her brother because she trusted his judgment on most occasions, and then she believed Hamlet truly didn’t love her ever which broke her heart terribly and made her feel that maybe she was not worthy after all. Her death symbolizes how the rottenness and darkness of backstabbing, corruption, and manipulation in Elsinore and Denmark can take the life and meaning of even the purest and innocent things in life such as marriage and love.
Natalia commenting on Julia's post:
ReplyDeleteI like Julia’s statement that Fortinbras, although full of action, did not have a real reason for attacking Poland, while Hamlet had all the reason to kill Claudius yet hesitated for so long. This leads one to wonder which is better, the thoughtlessness of Fortinbras or the inaction of Hamlet? Fortinbras, like Laertes, made a great foil character for Hamlet and impacts him even without meeting him. Seeing how easily Fortinbras could dive into pointless violence influenced Hamlet. This comparison that even he was able to make himself made him want to finally do something and have it set in his mind that he had to murder Claudius once and for all.
Esmeralda commenting on Elizabeth's Post
ReplyDeleteWhen reading question 1, the person that I thought of automatically for the answer was Laertes, but Elizabeth's argument of Fortinbras, being one of Hamlet's foils persuaded me to believe that he could be one of Hamlet's foils. Elizabeth makes a strong case for Fortinbras when she says that he also lost his father and that both men have completely different priorities- Fortinbras fighting over a worthless piece of land and Hamlet seeking revenge for his father's death.
Commenting on Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteI do agree that Laretes and Fortinbras act as Hamlet's foil. Although i dont think Fortinbras is the king of Norway, like with Hamlet situation, the previous kings brother got the title of King, not the sons. Laetes and Hamlet are similar as well by the situation they find them selves in, both wanting to revenge their fathers death. But it is in Laertes that we see a rash, bold man this is opposite of Hamlet who contemplates longer his revenge.
Due to Shakespeare’s love for similes and parallels, many different characters in Hamlet express similarities to the actual character of Hamlet. However, the clearest foil for Hamlet is Laertes. Hamlet’s father dies and once he discovers the actual cause, murder, he immediately wants to get revenge. Similarly, Laertes’ father is killed by Hamlet and Laertes wants to immediately avenge his death by killing Hamlet in turn. Another connection is that both Hamlet and Laertes have a close relation to Ophelia. Hamlet is in love with her and he is the cause of her death while Laertes is her brother (and debatably in love with her). Both characters also act rashly at one point in the play. Hamlet kills Polonius without checking to see who it actually was and as he becomes madder he becomes more impulsive. Laertes acts rashly by poisoning the sword and not thinking about the implications and risks of his actions.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJustin commenting on Eric’s post:
ReplyDeleteI agree with Eric’s claim that Polonius’s death as a cause for Ophelia’s madness and suicide because he was her father and that is a traumatic experience. However, I don’t think that Ophelia’s madness and death were causes solely by Polonius’ murder. Hamlet is a major factor that made Ophelia go insane, because she also sings about a “man going to her bed” and him falling in love with her in turn.
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteThe case for Ophelia's madness is much more clear cut than that of Hamlets. While Ophelia does not see ghostly apparitions or kill anyone, her madness had no motivation. Whereas Hamlet seeks to find his father's killer, and may have at least initially used his apparent madness to disturb the King in an effort to do so, Ophelia has little to gain from appearing mad. Her madness, a result of Hamlets poor treatment of her after a period of affection and the murder of her father by Hamlet himself, disturbed those that love her around her. Ophelia is, in essence, the clearest example of a victim. Not only does she die at the end of act IV, indirectly leading to the death's of most of the primary characters, but her innocence is stripped by the actions of those around her. Though she attempts to maintain a measure of her past self, singing tunes and handing out flowers, as a girl of her social status would be expected to, these acts are corrupted by here own insanity. This corruption of Ophelia, as a beacon of innocence in the state of Denmark, represents how the nation is plunged into deep moral decay.
Katie Jeffers responding to question...
ReplyDelete3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
Ophelia has lost her marbles because of all the deaths of her loved ones going on around her. Her father was killed by the man she loved, who now tells her that he has no feelings for her and that she should join a nunnery. She has seen horrible things happen around her and because of this loses a certain innocence she had before and begins to go mad. Nothing she says quite makes sense, it seems like she is trying to maintain her sanity which only pushes her deeper into insanity. She represents how corrupt Denmark has become and how slowly it seems everyone is losing their minds in trying to find revenge or cover up their dirty little secrets.
Nathan responding to Elias's post:
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elias on the contrasts between Laertes and Hamlet. While Hamlet appears to be far more reluctant in seeking his revenge than Laertes in the production. While Laertes makes haste for the castle after his father dies, Hamlet does not take the chance to kill his father's killer, even when he is defenseless. Only through accidentally killing an innocent man does Hamlet truly enact his revenge. It can therefore be concluded that Laertes is much more ready to take his revenge through definite action, while Hamlet is, at the most, more pensive, and at the least, afraid to take his revenge.
Elias Kassir commenting on Elizabeth Kruger's Post:
ReplyDeleteEh, while I agree with the majority of the points you make, I diasgreee (and I may be nitpicking here) with youur statement that Hamlet needed to feel cowardly compared to Fortinbras in order to take action. I say this because when Hamlet learns of the attempts by Fortinbras to take over a useless piece of land, by this point he is already quite committed to killing Claudius, even if he goes in a more roundabout way of doing it.
Katie Jeffers commenting on Eric Hensley's Post:
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what Eric had to say about Ophelia being mad. It is obvious that her father and Polonius' deaths were traumatic and horrible for her to have to live through, and I agree with what he said about Ophelia symbolizing how the state of Denmark is falling apart under the rule of Claudius. I do however think that Hamlet is also playing a large role as in why she is going crazy.
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ReplyDeleteI could not disagree with Cara Shaffer more. I am disgusted by her lack of insight and shallow analysis of Ophelia's personage and action.
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm just kidding. :D
I agree with Cara in that the events surrounding Ophelia's Harrowing of Madness are by and large symbolic. In a fashion almost contradictory of Will Shakespeare's nature, the allusive elements with regards to Ophelia lack subtlety. As in Cara's reference to "Rue", to say nothing of Ophelia's death, Ol' William seems almost as if he is attempting to bash us over the head with the symbolism.
On another note, I feel as though rejection by a lover and the death of a father at said lovers hands is a perfectly acceptable reason to allow oneself to loose all one's marbles, to go "Guano" crazy (think about it) and to take a little ride to Bonkerston, Crazyville or any of the other stops on the Northern European route of the Cukoo Train.
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ReplyDelete1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
ReplyDeleteWhile both Laertes and Fortibras both serve as Hamlet's foils, the character of Laertes is the most vivid contrast to Hamlet's character. Hamlet's signature and most frustrating characteristic is his indecision. He suffers from a need to weigh and consider to the point of being almost crippled. He is a man of inaction, not action.
These character traits are made even more stark and realized when put into direct comparison with Laertes. Laertes suffers the death of his father. He does not, however, suffer indecision. Instead, he acts with rashness and certainty. Before Laertes is even sure that his father has been murdered, he gathers the support of a crowd and storms Denmark with the mission of confronting Claudius.
Hamlet is nothing if not measured. He is overly concerned with his image and the appearance of his family in the public eye. Hamlet's complexity in fact results from his inability to make a decision, to ponder and brood, weigh and sort options. This is made all the more obvious when compared to Laertes' decisive resolve.
It is hard to imagine a character further removed from Hamlet's indecision. By using a foil is such contrast to Hamlet, Shakespeare shines a bright light on Hamlet's manner making it no only hard to miss or mistake, but also sheds that light on how the tragedy will play out.
By shining the light so brightly on Laertes, Shakespeare draws even more attention to Hamlet.
Fortibras also assists in the characterization of Hamlet's weakness or indecision. Fortibras is a character based on revenge. His family is in disgrace and without considering public image and without hesitation, Fortibras is determined to make Hamlet pay for his father's debts.
Hamlet is so different from these characters that he considers suicide rather than confront and revenge. This is not a choice either Fortibras or Laertes could possibly make, but one that makes a kind of sense for Hamlet.
In response to Katie J....
ReplyDeleteI agree. There is much that can be said in regard to all of the reasons for Ophelia's insanity or madness, but I think the simple truth is the best explanation. There is simply too much stress/drama/insanity in Ophelia's world for her to hang onto her sanity. She has suffered horribly, party as a result of her own actions, and drowns in the web of lies and betrayal around her. The more sense she tries to make of things, the less sense things make. Perhaps madness became a more comfortable place for her to be. Perhaps it is better to be mad than to have to accept the tragedy around you and to accept any responsibility for your part in that tragedy.
Kathryn Holmstrom responding to:
ReplyDeleteA foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
Both Laertes and Fortinbras are like Hamlet in the sense that they have all had their fathers murdered and seek revenge for what they have lost. However, Laertes and Fortinbras seem a bit more brave than Hamlet in their quests for vengeance. Hamlet takes a much longer time to react, and only reacts when he is on the verge of death, a cowardly way of committing the murder... While Laertes bursts in demanding the name of the person who killed his father, and Fortinbras raises an army in retaliation to the death of his father and the loss of his land.