Monday, November 12, 2012

Hamlet: Response Journal 1


Hamlet is a play that needs a lot of analyzing and understanding. Shakespeare has very cleverly written the whole play, with meaningful symbolisms.

1.     1.  Until this point, the play has me very interested and curious. Before reading the play, I always assumed that it was just some random cliché story, but my ideas have totally changed. The play has made me very much skeptical about Hamlet’s behaviors and story. I feel like I will get emotionally attached to the play, if not yet. Shakespeare captures the mood of the whole story perfectly so far. At one point I’m feeling Hamlet’s anger, and at another, I’m feeling Hamlet’s apparent insanity. I can easily switch my emotions from one to another as I read the play.

2.      2. A.)  Firstly, I feel like I can somewhat connect to Ophelia. When Laertes gives her brotherly advice about her relationship with Hamlet, I can feel myself in her shoes, receiving advice from one of my own brothers. Also, when Polonius tells Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet, I can imagine my own father telling me to be careful of guys out there and to stay away as much as possible. Ophelia is probably the character I connect to the most so far.

B.) Another thing I feel like I can connect to is everyone thinking Hamlet is insane. Without exactly knowing the whole story, they make assumptions and stories. Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, you name it, all don’t even try to talk to Hamlet about it before they assume the fact that he is mentally unstable, and that too because of his love life. In my life, I've been through a similar experience where people just assume something is wrong with me without actually trying to know the whole truth behind my behaviors.

3.       3. Honestly, I sometimes find Shakespeare’s language partially frustrating when I have absolutely no idea one he I trying to say. However, when I do figure out what he’s portraying, it feels strangely satisfying. There is no certain part of his language that attracts, but the whole thing does. It really intrigues me how he is able to so brilliantly word his dialogues and ideas. There is a certain part that causes me to question things however. I've always wondered how Gertrude’s reaction to her husband’ death can be so calm and cold, and how she can expect her son to just get over his father’s death ad accept Claudius that easily. Gertrude is one of the many characters that make me think deep into the plot.

4.       4. I find Gertrude and Claudius’ relationship extremely disturbing in the story. It’s kind of disgusting how one can get together with one’s brother-in-law when one just went through a husband’s death. It’s extremely weird how natural Gertrude and Claudius’ relationship is, as if they’ve been together for years. Also, Gertrude’s motherhood towards Hamlet is completely unexpected off a mother. If I was Hamlet, I don’t know what I would have done. Another thing that causes me problems is Polonius’ judgments towards Hamlet. Why is he so anti-Hamlet and why does he want Ophelia to stay away from him exactly? Is he intentionally trying to make Hamlet look like a lunatic in front of others for very selfish reasons?

- Saranya xoxo

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