You will select a question from the list below and respond to it for the Act I thread. You will also respond to another classmate's post. (You should have two posts total for Acts II & III).
1. The First Player's speech is often cut in performances of the play. Explain why it is important and why it should not be cut.
2. Hamlet's "O what a rogue and peasant slave am I" is the first of his soliloquies. What is he saying, and how does this set of words help to move him to action? What does he decide to do at the end of this speech?
3. What is the subject of Hamlet's second soliloquy, the famous "To be or not to be" speech?
Why is he so cruel to Ophelia immediately thereafter?
4. Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
5. What happens in III.iv (the closet scene)? Why is this death so important for the play, or what does the death of this figure represent?
6. Based on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
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What is the subject of Hamlet's second soliloquy, the famous "To be or not to be" speech?
ReplyDeleteWhy is he so cruel to Ophelia immediately thereafter?
When Hamlet gives his speech ihe is referring thigs towards death. What would it be like and how would the afterlife be. Would he go to heaven or hell? like ine Act one you asked us if the church played a role in his decision of commiting suicide, he wondered if he really would pay the price of killing him self in the burning falmes of hell. He is contemplating there after, to see beyond your regular state of mind about life and death. Is life the same after death?
he is filled with remorse, about lots of things but he had been trying to act like he was crazed out, but i think he never truly did go crazy, just because he knew people were always watching him, so he was trying to make them beleive he was truly crazy, thats why he acted so rude to Ophelia, i dont ever think he meant to hurt her at all.
Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
ReplyDelete-Hamlet declines to take action against Claudius because he really hates him, so he thought that if he killed Claudius while he was praying, he would go to heaven, and knowing what Claudius has done, he doesn't deserve to go heaven. after this, he decides that he would wait until the right time, so that Claudius would pay his condemn in hell. this reveals how religious people were during that period of time, even thought he had a lot of fury and revenge in his heart, he chooses to not to kill and just wait, following what he believes.
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ReplyDelete3. What is the subject of Hamlet's second soliloquy, the famous "To be or not to be" speech?
ReplyDeleteWhy is he so cruel to Ophelia immediately thereafter?
Hamlet’s second soliloquy is basically a debate he is having with himself regarding the pros and cons of death and life. He compares dying with sleep, and like many suicidal people, toys with the notion of simply giving up as opposed to fighting against all the “sea of troubles,” in life. He considers what happens after death and realizes we don’t really know, and in fact, that’s what makes us fearful of it. He says that “consciences does make cowards of us all,” essentially meaning that we don’t commit suicide because we’re afraid.
The remarkable thing about a lot of great literature is that mirrors a lot of human though and feeling, such is the case in this soliloquy. I think things like suicide, the point of life, and other such almost existential elements, have crossed most everybody’s mind at one point or another. This soliloquy cleverly illustrates the duality that presents itself in many problems in life. Hamlet says it's noble to hold against the barrage of problems in life, but so much easier to just quit.
“To be or not to be” is something often attributed to situations that involve living on the edge and taking risks, per se. Almost like the renowned “Carpe Diem.” Such, it is something that people hold on too when they are in need of a little motivation to do something, that extra little nudge and they just say it to themselves.
To answer the second question and to relate it to Hamlet’s soliloquy, I think it is just Hamlet taking a huge risk in the name of the greater good. He’s sacrificing what he wants in the short run by pushing Ophelia in order to exact the vengeance
In response to Juan's Post
ReplyDeleteI agree in the sense that in order to not want somebody to go to heaven, and in fact, want them to go to hell, you have to hate them pretty darn badly. However, the fact that he does this in the name of religion, just truly shows how hypocrisy comes into play a lot. Like Andrew said in a previous post, it is essentially a satire of religion. This proves that point. Christianity preaches "loving your neighbor as yourself" and "he who claims to love God but not his brother is a liar because God is love." In this scene, a lot of inconsistency takes root, and it subtly criticizes the inconsistent church of that time. Nevertheless, like you said, it still dose prove how religious people were during that time and illustrates role it played in their daily lives and decision making.
---Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
ReplyDeleteHamlet decides not to kill Claudius during this scene because he is “praying” when in reality he was thinking of praying but couldn’t because he felt guilty for killing his brother. Hamlet’s way of thinking was that while he should kill Claudius while he’s praying and be avenged, Claudius would be sent to heaven and all will be right in the world, but then he thought better of it and decided to kill him when he’s sinning. Basically Hamlet lets Claudius live because of religious reasons. If you kill someone while praying they will be sent to heaven because they were confessing their sins to God, but kill someone when sinning they will be sent to hell for doing wrong.
Killing Claudius while praying will be doing him a favor, it would end all his torment and he will be forgiven and sent to heaven a chance he didn’t give to his brother King Hamlet. So in order to make him suffer just like his father is suffering now would be by sending Claudius to hell. So Hamlet uses religion as a way to get his revenge by having God punish them for him.
Hamlet's "O what a rogue and peasant slave am I" is the first of his soliloquies. What is he saying, and how does this set of words help to move him to action? What does he decide to do at the end of this speech?
ReplyDeleteIn Act Two Scene Two, Hamlet begins his soliloquy with "O what a rogue and peasant slave am I" He is talking to himself and basically asking why he isn't doing anything about his father (King Hamlet)'s death except moping around. He blames himself that nothing is being done about his fathers death by putting himself down saying he is as good as a murderer if he does not give justice to King Hamlet. He calls himself a coward and a villan for not doing anything.
He realizes that just the words of a ghost are not enough to kill a man over, but he had heard that when someone guity watched a play in relation to their crime, that they would come out and confess. So Hamlet decides he will make a play and have Claudius watch it. If he is to turn pale or give any hint that he is guily, Hamlet will right away know that he was in fact the one who murdered his father.
In response to Salma's post
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny, that while Hamlet decides against killing Claudius while he is praying because he believed that Caludius would go to heaven, he isn't at all worried or concerned about the fact that he is KILLING someone. And to top it off, Claudius wasn't even praying because he was too ashamed to after he killed his own brother. It's hypicritical of Hamlet, and i wonder if he felt that if he avenged his father, he wouldn't suffer any consequences.
In response to Madeline, I agree that Hamlet never really did mean to hurt her; he just wanted her to think that he had gone mad in order to accomplish his goal. I also don’t think he ever lost his sanity. When he recites the “to be or not to be” line he is thinking about life and death, should he commit suicide or just keep living? I also find it kind of funny how right after he recites these lines he meets Ophelia and starts acting completely mad, because in the end it is Ophelia who commits suicide. So maybe that speech was tied into her because it could have been interpreted as a prediction of what her future might be in the play.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the subject of Hamlet's second soliloquy, the famous "To be or not to be" speech?
ReplyDeleteWhy is he so cruel to Ophelia immediately thereafter?
Hamlet talks about death (again) and suicide in his "To be or not to be" speech. He says that dying could be a solution to ending all problems instead of "suffer[ing] the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".(LoL what an emo ^w^) Hamlet mentions that life has so many negative things like "despis’d love" or "the proud man’s contumely" using these as reasons to not deal with life. However, he also talks about how death comes with the risk of not knowing what (if anything) happens after death.
Now as to why I think Hamlet is so mean to Ophelia after he soliloqy has been biased thanks to the film adaptations I have seen (thanks Mr. Owens TwT). From the Mel Gibson version of the play, we can see how the King, Queen, and Polonius plot to see why Hamlet is crazy. After wards, Hamlet shows up just in time to see Ophelia talking to the King,Queen, and Polonius. To me, it seems Hamlet acted mad because he saw the group of others talking to Ophelia and therefore knew that at least one of them was withing hearing range. So to make more confusion with the other characters and distract everybody from his secret revenge agenda, Hamlet tells Ophelia that he doesn't love her to make his craziness more real. It's a way to create more credibility that Hamlet is truly crazy is by not letting go off-guard. I think Hamlet still has feelings for Ophelia, but doesn't want anyone else to see that he is not crazy.
Plus, Pretending's Fun! (^w^)v
6. Based on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to tell really but I would definitely like to think so since she seemed all too happy to be remarried after only a month or so. Look at it this way; Who else would know the kings daily routine? She simply could have let that out on purpose to have him killed since she was having an affair after all.
In response to Salma Hayek's response
ReplyDeleteWow! That's a great connection you made! =3 I didn't even think about how Shakespeare made it so that Hamlet had a speech about life and death, right before talking to Ophelia, who then later proceeds to kill herself. I have been noticing that the men in Ophelia's life mistreat her while she doesn't say much to stand up to herself. She's really and old school girl, only speaking when needed be. I don't know what other girls in Shakespeare's other works are like, but maybe Shakespeare was trying to give his audience some kind of message, like how women in his time should speak their thoughts and opinions, or else may end up like Ophelia (to an extremety). Awwwwww.. I feel sorry for poor Ophelia. ='(