Saturday, November 15, 2014

HAMLET ESSAY

     "Isn't that the crazy one?" Seems to be the most popular answer when you tell people that you're currently reading Hamlet for English class. I don't know about you but that question tends to irk me. Not because they're wrong but because I don't know how to explain it. The popular opinion is that yes, Hamlet is definitely insane. The unpopular opinion is that no, of course he's not insane! He's simply trained his perceptive powers to be able to decifer these type of situations in the most mature respects. So then how do you argue with someone who wasn't lucky enough to have an English teacher who loves Hamlet, that Hamlet could be insane but I don't really think that he is? 
     One aspect that really doesn't help that argument is that Hamlet can see his Fathers' ghost. Welp, he's either insane or just plain demonic. Although the Ghost is most likely not real. I mean there have been instances where someone looses someone they care about deeply and ends up hallucinating that they are still with them. "Temporary insanity" as they like to call it. So it is very possible that the Ghost is a figment of Hamlets imagination. He could have had a hunch that something was deeply wrong and needed some type of reassurance. All the Ghost did was tell Hamlet to do what he already felt compelled to do. He proved the King and Queen guilty and would avenge his Fathers death. 
     Had Hamlet been insane, I really do not believe he would have been as sneaky as he managed to be. He was extremely deceiving. He let others believe what they wanted to believe about him. He created a play just to see the King and Queens reactions to prove if they were guilty or not. If he was insane he wouldn't have had a plan. He planned his actions perfectly to each scenario. He knew what he wanted and what he needed to do. He simply needed to know that he was right. 
     Hamlet also had a conscience. He was a god-fearing young man. He was aware of his spirituality. He was scared of purgatory and of hell. He always questioned his motives before he did something. Hamlet just needed to decide if it was worth it. He was anxious to have to kill someone. He didn't know if he could do it. I'm not saying insane people are all so bloodthirsty but isn't it quite normal to feel sick about killing someone even if it is for the right reasons? 
     So all in all, it is quite possible that Hamlet could be crazy. He could be going through "temporary insanity" due to his Fathers' death. I just don't quite believe it. He's too smart and cunning to be crazy. He may be young and he may have a very disturbed family but I firmly believe he's not fully insane. He knew exactly what he wanted to do, what he had to do, and he's going to do. 
     

Friday, November 7, 2014

Act 3

Looking like doing the right thing we can convince people we aren't bad.
Ophelia set up to get info about hamlet; 
Rose and g also. 
Hamlet comes back to say to be or not to be.
Talking to Ophelia but commenting on how he doesn't trust her motives, and references his mother. 
Easier to be beautiful than honest. 
Tells her he doesn't love her anymore. 
Hamlet pissed at everybody.
Admits imperfect but everyone else worse
Straight tears into Ophelia
Women corrupt men.
Ophelia wonder if hamlet really crazy 
P and c listened in not actual madness 
P tells king to do what he wants but let g spend time with him and he'll listen in and if he is a threat send him wherever you want 
Hamlet tell players to act natural 
Don't underplay but let judgement be your guide don't go off the script