Friday, March 28, 2014

Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford and Sons

This song is directly related to the first act of the play and the relationship between Hamlet and the Ghost. This song narrates the how a man knows ghost and the ghost even if he know that he is suffering from a frozen heart and a life full of pain preaches that he will see light and see a long life. The ghost tells  the character about all of the difficulties that he went through and how they should not pose a problem to someone like him. 
 The character just as Hamlet is shown deeply in love and victim of a recent betrayal. The ghost is also similar to King Hamlet because they both express themselves in a few words and try to leave a deep philosophical message that justifies their actions. Both ghosts are also similar because they are reminiscent of the character's past and how in many ways it has shaped the future of a whole community. The song reflects how our past torments us,  when Hamlet finds out his uncle killed his father, he goes mad,  something that happened in the past,  it's going  to affect everyone in that family.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Act 2 Question Responses

Act 2 Scene 1
1.How does Polonius react to the news of Hamlet’s strange behavior?
Polonius thinks that Hamlet is acting weird because he is in love with Ophelia and commands her to stop seeing him.
2. What evidence of Hamlet’s affections for Ophelia exists?
The evidence that Hamlet sees Ophelia is the confession that she does about their relationship to her father
3. What trait of Polonius is revealed by his plans to spy on his son? What does it reveal about Laertes?
Polonius plans to spy on his son because he doesn't trust anyone and he also shows how Laertes has made lots of mistakes before with regards to Hamlet
Act 2 Scene 2
1.How is the problem of young Fortinbras solved? What concession has Norway made to quiet young Fortinbras?
Young Fortinbras's problem has been solved by sending him far away,  and preventing him from any type of political and social relationship.
2. What explanation does Polonius give for Hamlet’s apparent insanity? Why would the King prefer this explanation to be true?
Polonius justifies Hamlet's insanity by saying that he has not yet gone over his father's death.
3. Why has the King summoned Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
The King summons R and G to spy on Hamlet so that they can find the reason behind his insanity or a way to protect him
4. What plan does Polonius concoct to prove that Hamlet is mad for love of Ophelia?
Polonius plans to use all of his recent acquisitions as resources to catch Hamlet as soon as he tries to confess any love towards Ophelia
5. In Act I, Scene 5, Hamlet said, “It is an honest ghost.” Yet in this scene he says, “The spirit that I have seen may be the devil.” What has evidently happened as Hamlet has thought about the strange events?
Hamlet thinks about the bizarre characteristics of his experiences but is also conscious of the fact that the ghost does really impersonate his father.
6. Why does Hamlet want to hear the passage about Hecuba?
Hamlet wants to her the passage about Hecuba because thinks that it will bring valuable information about his mother's recent actions.

Hamlet Line Analysis

"Frailty thy name is woman," is a phrase used by Hamlet towards his mother, Queen Gertrude. Hamlet dissents his mother for marrying his uncle only one month after King Hamlet, his father, had died. This quote is allusion of how his mother's weakness represents the weakness of women in general. Hamlet states through this phrase that womankind has an inherent weakness in their character, and therefore they should be conscious of their shortcomings when interacting with men to avoid being exploited. Through this line, Hamlet also wishes to criticize the lack of manliness shown in his uncle's actions.

Procrastination Sonnet

Truth be told, I love to procrastinate
My life is spent, searching distraction
Due dates, my enemy, lazy's my faith.
It's always late when I start my actions.

Never on time, it's always due after,
'Cause tomorrow is the magical day
where I'm productive but there's no laughter
so lets seize the day while there's time to play.

I shall never put off till tomorrow
what I can do today is a big lie.
It's more like a joke told full of sorrow
'Cause time goes-by in a blink of an eye.

This sonnet is late, thus proving my point.
In me, indolence and languor have joint.