Hamlet is quoted so often in our pop culture. Just today when I was watching Westworld there were two references: "What dreams may come" and "Brevity is the soul of wit." I have even written a poem where I merged one of the soliloquies and my own language to try and speak on many levels. Hamlet transcends time and that is the beauty of any work: the ability to speak for a moment and to speak beyond a single moment.
For this week's blog, I would like for you to pull one of the quotes from the play that resonates with you. Explain what it means in the context of the play, and then explain how it can transcend the play. Once you have done the other two, apply it to your musical.
The quote I have chosen to use is found in Act 2 Scene 2, and is said by Hamlet while he is talking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: “Why, then, ‘tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so” (Shakespeare, 99). Hamlet says this in the conversation involving prison, and that although Denmark is not a prison to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, it is to Hamlet. He is explaining that because of his views on life and his feelings concerning the universe, he feels this certain way versus others who may not have the same views and opinions. This quote really applies to my life, and the fact that I try to not stereotype things as either good or bad based on other’s opinions. Within this quote, Hamlet is transcending stereotypes made by others, but he is also speaking for the birth of new things; something new in one’s life has the ability to change that person in whichever light they may choose, good or bad. Readers of Hamlet have the option to see Hamlet in either a good, or bad light; whichever they choose, it should be their decision based off of their thoughts.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to the play Wicked, Elphaba is known by townspeople and most others besides Fiyero and Glinda as evil, while Glinda is seen as good. But learning the backstory of the characters, one may argue that the two roles should be switched. With Glinda as the popular and rude girl and Elphaba as the sweet and caring girl, it is obvious that most people may have the wrong idea about the “wicked witch of the west” and the “good witch of the north.” Hamlet’s quote greatly applies to these two characters because it is purely one’s thoughts and opinions on Elphaba and Glinda that could decide the difference between good and evil.
“Purpose is but the slave to memory, of violent birth, but poor validity…” (3.2.211). Here this quote is spoken by an actor during the play that exposed Claudius’ guilt. This line specifies the source of Hamlet’s revengeful actions and the reason for his hesitation. Hamlet was given a purpose by his dead father that was to avenge his death. The line states that a purpose only means something when it is truly acted upon and then put into memory. Hamlet is obsessed with fulfilling his purpose because it will be the only way that the memory of his father’s death will be told clearly. This quote directly describes Hamlet’s situation, as his revenge was caused after the violent death of his father and until proven, held poor validity. This description can also be related into real life and the search for meaningful purpose. Although many won’t find solace in murdering their uncle, there are many causes that people are passionate about. Whether it is political, scientific, or anything in between, many believe in working towards a goal that they believe in. However a goal is nothing without steps to reach it. Without action a purpose is hollow and worth nothing without change being seen or felt. Hamlet fears that he isn't acting upon the purpose given to him by his murdered father and is tormented by disappointing himself as well. As a person who believes strongly in certain things, I oftentimes feel helpless and upset with situations in which I cannot contribute or I missed an opportunity to act. Within the musical Next to Normal focuses largely on regret and the madness that pursues, with the main character, Diane, falling into manic depression due to the loss of a child. She, along with her entire family feel a great sense of purpose in trying to be a happy family, but constantly miss the mark do to inaction and misunderstanding. Her husband, Dan, has dealt with their son’s death by completely ignoring it and the denial constantly grew so large that is began to affect his wife as well as their remaining daughter. Throughout the entirety of the musical, Dan refuses to acknowledge his dead son, who Diane frequently hallucinates who he would be in the present day. At the very end of the show, as Diane comes to terms with her own problems, Dan realizes that to help his wife and himself, he must take steps in coping with his loss, which involve remembering his son. Dan spends the musical wanting to help his wife and daughter to be happy as well as creating a functional family, but he does not understand nor take action in doing so. Dan believed that if he continued to say that he was happy and his family was normal, then it might come true, but in the end, just like Hamlet, Dan is a slave to the memory of a past loved one.
ReplyDeleteA quote that resonated with me was one from Ophelia in her conversation with Polonius. She expresses: “Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be” (Shakespeare, Hamlet, 4.5.3). Ophelia explains that there is no way of knowing how the future will turn out, or what potential the characters hold, only the knowledge of who they are and what events are happening in that exact moment. This significantly applies to the end of the play, as it transcends throughout the text. The events that transpired, such as the deaths of Polonius, Ophelia, Claudius, and Hamlet, were unpredictable. As Ophelia expresses, the only thing the characters can control is the present and use what they have in the moment, instead of trying to look too far in the future to determine what is going to happen. In addition, Ophelia also implies the concept of change (“...but know not what we may be”), relating to the power the characters have to turn things around. This was foreshadowing to the plot twists at the end, enforcing the idea that the future is unpredictable.
ReplyDelete“Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be” also connects to the musical, Hairspray. The main theme throughout the musical is about integration. Tracy Turnblad believed in mixing the races in the Corny Collins Show, and won the battle at the end. While she did not know how her fight would turn out, she went in fearlessly, sticking true to her beliefs and values, and making monumental changes in Baltimore. Hairspray had a positive unpredictable ending, as opposed to Hamlet’s. However, it is amazing how the two can still connect. Intertextuality is the foundation of many works of art, and Hamlet is evident all around us.
In Act II, Scene II of Hamlet, Polonius says, “Though this be madness, yet there is method in it” (Shakespeare 95). In the play, Polonius is referring to Hamlet and his wild actions. He sees that Hamlet has gone mad from his actions and is not in a good mental state, but he also thinks he understands the reason, or method, behind it. He believes that the rejected love from Ophelia has caused Hamlet to have a mental break.
ReplyDeleteThis quote can be interpreted beyond the realm of the play and love. My mom often asks me, “Is there a method to your madness?” whenever I am doing something that doesn't necessarily make sense. It speaks to the wild and erratic actions that somehow still have purpose. The actions may not make any sense originally, but once you can understand them, it becomes clear.
This can apply to Hamilton because of the very determined behavior exhibited by Alexander Hamilton. He is determined to get the US Constitution passed and to form a national bank, and he continuously writes plans proposing it. Countlessly, like a mad man he writes ‘like he's running out of time’. But there is a method behind all of his writing. He was able to create the Federalist Papers to help pass the Constitution, and he proposed a plan to create a national bank. His writing, and madness, helped him achieve these great tasks, but they also tore him down. After learning that Aaron Burr knew about his affair, he decided to publish a confession about it on his own. This seems like a rash, terrible idea, but he had what he believed to be good intent behind it. He wanted to come clean on his own terms, and didnt want to lie to the people any more. The fact that Burr had something to blackmail him with was something he did not want. He openly confessed because he thought that it was the best thing for him to do in his situation. It exemplifies the saying “Though this be madness, yet there is method in it”
The quote I have chosen to use is spoken by Hamlet in Act 3 Scene 2. He is speaking to Guildenstern and says, “Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me… Do you think I am easier to be played upon than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you (can) fret me, you cannot play upon me (lines 393-402). At this point in the play, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are treating and speaking to Hamlet as if he were a child while trying to discover the source of his madness, and the quote I have chosen is showing Hamlet basically calling them out on their treatment and challenging them to find out what’s really going through his head. In real life, a lot of high school-aged people can relate to the way Hamlet is being treated. Often times, adults, even ones that were teenagers not long ago, tend to not take 16, 17, and 18 year olds seriously, even though they’re going to be going off to college shortly and then full-blown adults in a few short years. Hamlet’s words can be seen as something many teenagers would like to say to those adults who disrespect them without reason: They have made them feel unworthy and like they cannot be taken seriously. In my musical, Wicked, one of the lead characters Elphaba is in love with a boy, but tells herself he could never love her because she is unpopular, as well as having green skin, and she feels unworthy of his attention and affection.
ReplyDelete“The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty, these are the only men.” - Polonius
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because to me it is saying that there must be a balance between the serious and the light hearted wildness (Seneca vs. Plautus). Polonius is trying to say to Hamlet that he must find balance within himself and with his actions, that he is beginning to act too unbalanced and it is dangerous for the “play”. Hamlet wants to quickly disregard this wisdom, showing some of the instability and danger that Polonius just forewarned him about. This lesson transcends the play as it is important to be able to balance work and play and to know when each has been taken too far. Often conflicts arise when two parties forget the balance and are too comical or overly serious with one another. A simple example is two young siblings goofing around and rough housing and one accidentally gets hit too hard and begins to cry, the boundary has been crossed and consequences are to follow. This message can be applied to my musical as Green Day’s musical is all about problems with cultural missteps. They want to solve the problems associated with a consumer cultural increasingly compelled to an entitled attitude. By singing about these problems such as suicide, drug abuse, and government screw ups and dishonesty Green Day is acting as Polonius to a society living as Hamlet. It acts mad running around looking for solutions to problems and it is immature but there is a simple solution right in front of them and that is what Green Day is trying to show.
The quote I have chosen from Hamlet for this week’s blog is “Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be” (4,5,43-44). Though Ophelia utters this line in an apparent state of madness after her father’s murder, the intention of her words is profound.In the context of the play, Ophelia is most likely referring to her station as a woman on the royal court, the beloved of Hamlet, and cared for by her father and brother. Now that her father has been murdered by Hamlet, she is questioning everything as she realizes that she has no idea what is coming next in her life. Ophelia may also be referring to the change that has taken place in Hamlet. Previously the son of the king, and in line for the throne, Hamlet’s entire persona and future changes when he stabs Polonius to death; an event no one close to him could have anticipated. While this quote has much meaning within the play, it also has meaning in all of our lives, as none of us can anticipate what will happen in our own lives. We all have an idea of who we are today, but under different circumstances in different times, we really have no idea. Sure, we can choose our paths, we can make as many perfect plans as we want, without being able to foresee something that could undermine everything. This quote is a double edged sword. It could be taken to mean that we could become more than we ever dreamed of; that we know who we are today may not be the best, but could rise to greatness. On the other side, it could mean that we will never achieve what we thought we could today.
ReplyDeleteThis quote applies to Wicked on both sides of the same coin. For Elphaba, life promised to be horrible as she was outcasted by everyone and had no chance of success. From her point of view, the future was bleak, yet she accepted it because she knew she was different and that she could not change who she was. But after the encouragement of Madame Morrible, she finally allows herself to dream of a future where she could be happy, where someone could make her normal. However, after meeting the wizard, her coin flips to the other side. Full of hopes and dreams for the first time, they are all dashed after she walks into the trap of the wizard and is labeled a wicked witch. She could never have anticipated the future, the happiness or the sadness; especially not the way her life way sent from the extreme of one to the other.
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ReplyDeleteIn Act III, Scene IV of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet says, “I must be cruel only to be kind / Thus bad begins and worse remains behind” (Shakespeare 178-179). Preceding these lines, Hamlet mistakenly and impulsively killed Polonius as he was spying on Hamlet and his mother’s conversation. Prior to Hamlet speaking the aforementioned quote, he explains that he is the scourge for the Heavens, used to kill individuals. However, he rationalizes his actions by explaining that he is also the minister for the Heavens, implemented to seek justice for the injustice performed by individuals. However, in the aforementioned lines he shifts the attention from focusing on Polonius’s death to focusing back on his mother. He explains that in order to be kind to his mother by saving her from betraying her dead husband and prevent any further immoral behavior, he must first be cruel to her and others by performing rather evil acts, such as killing Polonius. Essentially, in order to elicit a positive ending, Hamlet must first perform “bad” acts to reach that goal. This same idea can be seen throughout the musical titled “The Civil War”. Throughout the time period of the Civil War, African Americans were still oppressed by the American society. African Americans have accepted their place in society for many years; however, the Civil War era was a turning point for this population. African Americans decided to contravene this societal norm by rebelling against the government. However, in order to elicit the type of positive ending that Hamlet describes, African Americans similarly had to complete bad actions. These “bad” roles played by African Americans include, but are not limited to, spy positions and army positions. The African Americans often acted as a spy for the Civil War movement to gain information to help improve their chances of finally being freed from the oppressive chains society has placed on African Americans. Additionally, African Americans were drawn to war and violence to kill the enemy in order to obtain their freedom.
ReplyDeleteIn the play of Hamlet, when Hamlet is speaking to Rosencrantz, he says, “for there is nothing good or bad but thinking makes so” (Shakespeare 2.2.267). Hamlet claims that Denmark is a prison, but Rosencrantz disagrees with him, saying that it is not so bad. Hamlet responds with the above quote, indicating that everything has something good or bad about it, but it depends on a particular person to determine what they lean towards. This quote reminds me of that saying where the wolf that will survive the longest is the one that is fed the most. The more you think of one side of the discussion, the more you will be attracted to that side. It relates to existentialism because it is up to every individual as to what they decide to do with their lives, to side with good or bad. However, people should be aware that everyone has different opinions and we should respect them. It goes beyond when there is more than just good and bad.
ReplyDeleteRelating to The Phantom of the Opera, Christine is the one that is torn between the darkness of the Phantom and the light of Raoul. She doesn’t know who to depend on, whether it is the bad part or the good part of her soul. When Raoul sings to her, he wants to remind her of the happy times in their childhood and how she could have all of that with him. On the other hand, Christine is attracted to the Phantom and especially in the song of the “Music of the Night”. She becomes almost consumed by the darkness and abides by the Phantom of the Opera’s orders to embrace that darkness. However, in the end she chose the light and that it what dictated her life.
In Hamlet, Polonius, Voltemand, and Cornelius tell Claudius and Gertrude that even though King Hamlet killed King Fortinbras, Fortinbras’ son doesn’t want attack Denmark, which relieves Claudius; Prince Fortinbras only wants to pass through Denmark so they can attack Poland. Polonius changes the subject, citing, “brevity is the soul of wit” (Shakespeare II.ii.97). He says this to be less rude, but contrary to what he says, the way he says it almost makes their previous discussion lose value by cutting it off prematurely. Keeping your discussions brief and getting to the point is important because people can understand your message and motive more clearly, and it cuts out a lot of “fluff.” For example, I tend to overexplain myself and it makes a lot of people either angry or confused because I don’t get to the point.
ReplyDeleteThis applies to The Last Five Years when Cathy is singing about missing Jamie while in Ohio. In “Summer in Ohio”, Cathy cites all the reasons, most of them bizarre, why being in Ohio is torture for her. She rambles instead of just stating her point, and this is one of the things that makes her husband Jamie more annoyed with her. He finds this to be more like complaining than anything, and if she had been brief, her message would have been more meaningful.
In Act II, Scene II, Hamlet confronts the idea of appearance not being an accurate representation of a person. Claudius, while acting and high and innocent, is no more than a common murdered in Hamlet’s eyes, yet he cloaks his true being to please the village. Hamlet speaks,
ReplyDelete“What piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how
infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express
and admirable, in action how like an angel, in
apprehension how like a god: the beauty of the
World, the paragon of animals-and yet, to me, what is this
quintessence of dust?” (Shakespeare 2.2.299).
Hamlet compares human beings’ physical attributes to that of an angel and a mind like a God, yet does not think that it is beautiful. Hamlet sees past this and looks at only the “dust” that is humanity’s true nature. This is ultimately a reflection on Claudius’ falseness that he projects onto the rest of the world. Manipulating an appearance to gain the trust of others can be seen today as well, as many politicians hide and bend the truth to progress their political agendas. Shakespeare’s words transcend in any day and age prominently because they speak a truth about humanity, and though we have progressed intellectually, humanity still has these tendency rooted in its nature.
Similarly, in Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s Book of Mormon, Elder Cunningham falsifies the Mormon teachings to maintain the Book’s uplifting lessons, thus placing a false appearance on something to advance an agenda. When a Ugandan native says that he was taught to have sex with a virgin to cure AIDS (sorry), Elder Cunningham makes up teachings by piecing the little things he knows about the Book of Mormon and pop culture. Cunningham says, “And the Lord said "If you lay with an infant, you shall.... / Burn in the fiery pits of Mordor!!!" as well as, “I shall give unto you... a FROG! And thus, Joseph laid with the frog, and his AIDS was no more!” (Stone and Parker). While the scriptures are false, Cunningham uses this false appearance of the book to help the people of the village. Cunningham justifies his actions when he says that “I'm making things up again...kind of. / But this time, it's helping / A dozen people! / It's nothing so bad, because this time, / I'm not / committing a sin, / Just by making things up again, right?!” (Parker and Stone). Though the event that brought on the need for a false appearance is different for each, Cunningham and Claudius both hide their truths behind false appearances in order to keep the peace.
The quote that I chose to use is from Act III Scene I, “Madness in great ones must not unwatched go” (Shakespeare 164). Claudius says this quote to Polonius when they are discussing the reason for Hamlet’s madness. At this point in the play Polonius believes that the source of Hamlet’s madness is Ophelia's rejection This quote shows that Claudius has a fear of what Hamlet might do in his state of madness and feels that Hamlet must be watched at all times. Due to Hamlet’s madness he is seen as a threat to the people of the country. This leads to Claudius and Polonius having a distrust of Hamlet. This distrust leads to Hamlet being sent away. When Hamlet returns he engages in a duel that results in the death of Claudius, Laertes, Gertrude and himself. This proves what Claudius meant when he said that people who are mad must not go unwatched. It shows that madness must be contained in order to prevent tragedies. Claudius’ quote transcends past the play and relates to modern politics. People who are seen as mad are often outcasted and treated as though they are inferior to those around them. This quote shows the stereotyping of people who are mad as people who should be feared in society. Similar to Hamlet, Elphaba from Wicked is seen as an outcast and deemed mad because of her fiery green skin and personality. She also faces a tragic fate when she becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. This leads to Elphaba faking her own death and fleeing Oz to start a new life. The stories of characters who are seen as mad and outcasted often end in tragedy.
ReplyDeleteOne quote from the Shakespeare’s play Hamlet that resonates with me is, “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all” (Shakespeare 129). This quote comes from Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy where he is doubting his suspicions towards his uncle and debating whether or not he should commit suicide. The quote I chose has Hamlet questioning his own actions and the things he has been thinking thus far in the play. He isn’t sure if he should believe the ghost of his father about his uncle or if should stay alive merely to suffer. This quote transcends the play in the sense that people allow their conscious to talk them out of things because they seem scary or inevitable. We have let our mind get the best of us, making us second guess every decision we make, which is why this quote resonated so much with me.
ReplyDeleteIn the musical Rent, this quote relates a lot to the character Roger. In the beginning of the musical Roger is hesitant to be in a relationship with Mimi because he is afraid of what she will think of him when she finds out that he has AIDs. No matter how much he wants to be with her, his overthinking gets the best of him and he refuses to even give it a try, until she tells him that she has AIDs, at which point the only obstacle his mind was using to prevent them being together was taken down.
¨I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. God hath given you one face, and you make yourself another. You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname God´s creatures and make your wantonness your ignorance¨ (Act 3. Scene 1, Shakespeare). This quote is spoken from Hamlet to Ophelia. This is the part of the text where Hamlet, in a fit of insanity, begins to insult his love interest Ophelia and accuse her of infidelity. Hamlet categorizes all women into one dreadful facade pointing out specifically the way women use makeup to create a new face for themselves. It is implied by the following statements that the purpose of this ritual is done so that the women may be dependent on men. I find it quite ironic that he would make such an accusation in this time period. Many, if not all of the things he finds corrupt in the opposite sex were imposed on women from birth. The main moods of the play are transcended through this quote. Hamlet is clearly angry, but should he really be mad at Ophelia? She did not fuel his anger, so she should not receive a scolding for what caused it. He is young and not sure how to feel about the situation with his uncle and mother wedding so soon after his father´s death. Ever since he found out about Claudius and Gertrude he´s been headed in a downward spiral mentally. This quote applies in a direct way to the Phantom of the Opera. The entire society that the plot revolves around it obsessed with vanity and image and so the Phantom has cast himself out where he would not be harassed for his hideousness and where he would not be embarrassed by his own appearance. He chooses to wear the mask. Obviously there were some environmental pressures that caused him to think of it as a necessity. It in fact was not because Christine could still see a good heart behind his bitterness and a once beautiful face behind his mask. If we were to look at both Hamlet and the Phantom of the Opera simultaneously then this particular quote draws attention to a double standard. Christine finds a way to love a man who wears a mask, but Hamley cannot bring himself to love a woman that alters her appearance. He would be all too aware of what lies beneath and it would distract him from her inner beauty.
ReplyDeleteThe quotes that resonated with me is from Act I Scene III, “This above all: to thine own self be true” (line 77). Polonis says this to his son Laertes who is about to board a ship back to France to continue his studies. This quotes comes from a large, father-like speech Polonis makes for his son, the contents basically tell Laertes to behave and stay out of trouble. This speech is very grounding and familiar piece in an old text such as this, and the quote that I have chosen feels the most applicable to my own life and time period. Polonis essentially states that Laertes must be true to himself or for him to be himself. This transcends time itself, as the language of this quote is the only barrier, the idea that as individuals we should be unapologetically ourselves has remained constant throughout time. I know personally I have written and read poems on this topic, it is the subject of many young adult films and books such as The Giver by Lois Lowry and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Shakespeare plays on a common ideal of humans, grounding his play and allowing it to be relevant hundreds of years later.
ReplyDeleteIn the musical Hamilton the main character, Hamilton, is an arrogant, loud mouth, opinionated immigrant, these are parts of himself that Alexander boasts and refuses to hide. He refuses to “wait for it” like Aaron Burr and loudly shouts his ideals in the face of his enemies, unwavering on his stances. This ideal can be seen in this modern Hip-hop influenced musical proving just how Hamlet may transcend time.
A very resonant quote for me in Shakespeare's Hamlet is when Hamlet says, "...and the devil hath power t'assume a pleasing shape," (Shakespear 119). In the context of the play, Hamlet is referring to the ghost that claimed to be his father as having potential to be the "devil." Since his father is a pleasing and trustworthy figure to Hamlet, it would be easy for someone to deceive him through disguising as his father. While the idea of a ghost, or trusting a ghost, may seem unreasonable, the idea of believing a ghost that is also his father makes Hamlet more likely to feed into the ghost's message.
ReplyDeleteThis line transcends the play in that this idea of masking bad things by portraying them in a positive light is a very common human thing. That is the underlying cause of why most bad decisions are made in the first place. For example, smoking a cigarette might seem cool because cool, edgy teens in movies do it, but the reality of smoking a cigarette is not actually all that glamorous.
I think this concept is also seen quite a bit in RENT, in that many of the characters are dealing with situations that they are in because of bad decisions they make or have made in the past. The most obvious example is the amount of individuals suffering from AIDS in the play. Unprotected sex may seem appealing, particularly in the gay community where pregnancy is not a concern, however the reality of unprotected sex may result in STDs/STIs. In this case, AIDS is the "devil" and it's "pleasing shape" is unprotected sex.
****Shakespeare :/
Delete“...to thine own self be true,
ReplyDeleteAnd it must follow, as the night the day
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
Within the confines of Shakespeare’s play, this quote is used by Polonius to advise his son before his journey to France. Polonius gives Laertes an extensive checklist before his departure, ending in the famous quote. While reading Hamlet, I interpreted this quote to mean ‘look out for yourself’. Polonius is telling Laertes that although he may be compassionate and helping of others, it would be wise to act only in ways that benefit himself. However, upon reflection, this quote has many meanings that transcend the play. The lines can be seen as a tribute to honesty and self-acceptance. Through Polonius, Shakespeare tells his audience to be who they truly are inside. This problem has faced everyone at some point. Everyone at least once in their lives has followed their peers because it was easier than being themselves. This problem plagues humanity even on a societal level. The Christian idea that homosexuality is a sin has stopped countless people from being who they are because society would have refused to accept them. The fear of being true to one’s self is also a catalyst for anxiety and depression. Both of these transcendental properties of the quote apply to the musical Fun Home.
The narrator of Fun Home looks back on her life as a tool for self exploration. By looking at her childhood through the eyes of an adult, she can see the inner struggle her father faces with his hidden homosexuality. In the end, the narrator’s father was not strong enough to accept who he truly was, and he took his own life. If he had accepted his sexuality sooner instead of following the lifestyle society asked of him, the narrator’s father would have spared his own life, and the woman that came to be his wife could have found a much happier marriage.
One quote that resonates with me most is possibly the most famous quote from Hamlet, “To be or not to be - that is the question...” (Shakespeare 127). After analyzing this quote, it has a lot of information about Hamlet and his own thought processes. In the soliloquy introduced by this quote Hamlet is questioning which is better, to suffer through life or to just end it all. Rather than suffering through the pain he feels of his father’s death, Hamlet could take his own life. Also, it could be interpreted to understand Hamlet’s thinking about killing Claudius: Would killing Claudius put Hamlet in bad faith while saving his uncle from sin? Hamlet is thinking as an existentialist by being overly conscious of the consequences he could face from either killing himself or Claudius. The importance of the soliloquy is extreme because it sets up the story of revenge Hamlet is trying to create.If his thinking were to lead to him killing himself instead of plotting his revenge over Claudius, the would have a completely different message and story line, straying away from Hamlet. The contemplation of suicide that Hamlet has relates to Moritz Stiefel from Spring awakening. Moritz is struggling through typical coming of age issues such as pleasing his parents and understanding his body. His permanent decision to end his life to stop the pain and suffering is a choice that Hamlet could have easily made. If Moritz somehow overcame the urge to end his life, the message of this individual plot would deteriorate. Moritz’s character was someone who is loved by everyone but he is unable to understand the support he has because of his low self - esteem. If Moritz did not die, the musical would lose a feel of reality it has currently. I believe his character relates to Hamlet because not only did Hamlet want to avenge his father’s death, but also he wanted to make his father proud beyond the grave. After the ghost of his father comes to him, Hamlet becomes suspicious of Claudius and is encouraged to make a plan to murder his uncle. Moritz felt as if he could not ever please his parents and had no hope for his future, encouraging him to make the decision to take his own life.
ReplyDelete"To be, or not to be: that is the question." (Act III, Scene I). As one of Shakespeare's all-time famous quotes, Hamlet's words have stood the test of time and are often quoted even today in both academia and pop culture. In the beginning of his fourth soliloquy Hamlet muses about considering suicide. He wonders if one route is "nobler" than the next. At this point in the play, Hamlet has been unable to act upon his motives for personal revenge, and this frustrates him. Which is better, suffering as he has been or ending it all? The tone of Hamlet's soliloquy is more meditative than angry, but he does seriously consider suicide. He relates his personal struggle to the struggles that all of mankind shares. Given that you don't know what happens after you die, Hamlet realizes that death wouldn't be the ideal escape he craves.
ReplyDeleteWicked tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (whose name later changes to Glinda the Good Witch), who struggle through opposing personalities and viewpoints, rivalry over the same love-interest, reactions to the Wizard's corrupt government and, ultimately, Elphaba's public fall from grace. Hamlet also struggles with opposing personalities. In his soliloquy he debates on committing suicide, both personalities persuading Hamlet to choose between one or the other. Hamlet also deals with rivalries in trying to avenge his fathers death. In the end of both plays the characters has a down fall. In Wicked the wicked witch of the west fall out of sight from the public eye and Hamlet ultimately dies.
My favorite part of the play is when Hamlet is examining the graves and notices that both lawyer and jester alike are buried the same way. Their bodies decay the same and they have left the same effect on the surrounding land (decaying and giving their nutrients to the soil). This really struck me, not as I was reading, but a few days after as I was on my way to school. I thought of how overlooked this fact tends to be. No matter what we make of our lives, we all end up in the same place. Hamlet later goes on to wonder whether “...may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander till he find it stopping a bunghole?” (Shakespeare 251). In the play, this action is used to speak to the futility of all the trouble Hamlet has made out of his father’s death. In the end does it really matter that Hamlet gets revenge if his uncle could end up the same way as him, in the dirt? This is not the main idea of the play, but a short little side thought that Shakespeare adds into it. I believe it transcends the play incredibly well. I’m sure everyone has met a person who boasts endlessly about their accomplishments/possessions and can sometimes make you feel down for not being as “good” as them. The idea that we all are buried and end up the same way can be a peace of mind to know that what you have in life isn’t everything. Even the best of us will be in the ground just like the lowliest criminal. As for the musical that I am looking at, Les Miséables, this idea could maybe help Fantine. It would not help her care for her daughter or save her from her death, but it could at least grant her a little happiness to know that the rich man that left her and her daughter will die just like she did.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite quotes from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” comes from Act II Scene II, when Polonius reads off one of Hamlet’s letters to Ophelia: “Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love”. In the context of the play, these are words from Hamlet to Ophelia, and they do a wonderful job of showing how much Hamlet cares for Ophelia. He tells her she can doubt things that she knows are true. She can question if the stars are really fire, she can question if the sun moves (or rather, as we know now, we move), but she cannot question that he loves her. This quote can transcend the play because if this were to continue to be true, the play would have turned out much differently in my opinion. Hamlet and Ophelia get into an argument where they both walk away unsure of their feelings and their relationship, and I believe this is part of the reason why he goes mad. In his madness, he kills many people, and maybe if Ophelia and him hadn’t argued less people would have died at the hands of Hamlet’s rage.
ReplyDeleteThis connects to the musical “Wicked” because the main protagonist of the play, Elphaba, finds a love interest but believes she cannot love him or be loved by him because of her appearance. Here, the audience sees the same kind of desire yet confusion between two young people that Hamlet and Ophelia go through.
"Ham. A dream itself is but a shadow.
ReplyDeleteRos. Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and light a quality that it is but a shadow's shadow.
Ham. Then are our beggars bodies, and our monarchs and outstretched heroes the beggars' shadows"(Scene II, Act II).
I found this line to be interesting for its inquiry into the anguish of man. Man suffers due to his imagination, and how it little corresponds to reality. Blaise Pascal, in his famous Thoughts, wrote of imagination as follows:"It is the dominant faculty in man, master of error and falsehood, all the more deceptive for not being invariably so" The imagination is vast, and the confines of reality and reason are compact and enclosed. The ambition, manifesting in reality, is too narrow to encompass a dream. The imagination tinges all that man encounters, and so Denmark's a prison in Hamlet’s mind. Pascal wrote that if a philosopher was on a plank “wider than need be” and a precipice were below, his imagination would prevail over reason and he would be frightened. Such is the way imagination distorts reality.
Why is Denmark a prison? For “there is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so”. Any sort of country, city, or land is inevitably a prison to a conscious creature such as man. Dreams are merely shadows, ambitions are the shadows of shadows. In this vein, the monarchs and heroes are not real, but the shadows of men much less. Monarchs and heroes are the direct consequences of the embellishments of the imagination. They appear in fanciful panoply, while being mere men. Hamlet’s pondering upon the shadows of beggars being kings relates to Hamlet’s envy of the actor’s ability to enact what he himself can only hide.“Good and bad” are the results of thought and imagination. Hamlet’s torture, while provoked by external events, is an internal struggle. His inability to act on his emotions as the actor can, his need for revenge, his distrust of his mother, etc. It is a torture of the imagination, and so it is fitting that a ghost would set the story into play. From the first act, the play is set on the threshold of dream and the mundane.
In the musical Hamilton, Aaron Burr tortured by his envy of Hamilton’s success. Hamilton, an immigrant, a bastard, yet one of the looming figures in the annals of American History. What is Hamilton, but the shadow under which Aaron Burr is doomed to remain. Aaron Burr, doomed to be known as Hamilton’s killer, standing for nothing. Aaron Burr, like Hamilton, is tormented by the contrast between his actions and his intent. Aaron Burr’s torment is innerly, like Hamlet’s. Aaron Burr, while of higher stature than Hamilton, is overshadowed for the entirety of his life. Burr, like Hamlet, must play a role to achieve his intent, and this role does not correspond well with reality. The roles played by each result in downfall. Burr, could indeed rule, like a “king of infinite space” in a nutshell, were he not haunted by the sincerity of Hamilton. Burr, like Hamlet , will forever remain haunted by a dead man. Forever will he remain in the shadow of a dead man.