DRJ#4: Hamlet Act IV

Initial Reaction:  I feel pretty bad for Laertes.  First his dad killed then his sister.  I can see why some people think that Gertrude killed Ophelia though.  Still more build-up in this act, I’m ready for this thing to be done with.

Character Analysis:  Laertes is a nice parallel to Hamlet, but contrasts in his drive for revenge.  Laertes actually seems like he’s going to do something.  Plans have been made, it’s going to happen.  Hamlet is just now ready to maybe kill Claudius if the moment is right.  I see in Laertes what I want to see in Hamlet.

Theme Analysis:  I’m really having a tough time with the theme here.  I think that Shakespeare is showing us that revenge can be a bitch.  He is about to anyway.  With Claudius’ and Laertes’ double plan to kill Hamlet it seems like a sure thing.  Here is a quote, “Revenge should have no bounds.”  One thing we do know for sure is that this unit is soon to be over and I can come up for air again.

DRJ#3 Hamlet Act III

Initial Reaction:  It finally feels like something is happening.  Tension keeps building and building and soon it’s gonna get crazy.  I felt like a lot happened in this act.  Hamlet is a dick to Ophelia, the play happens, Hamlet kills Polonius and goes off on his mom.

Character Analysis:  Going with Hamlet on this one.  Hamlets fatal flaw is that he is a little bitch.  I’m sorry, but he is.  He doesn’t have the sac to kill the king yet, and when he gets his opportunity to do so he doesn’t because Claudius is praying (and will thus go to heaven upon death).  And to get himself “pumped up,” as I believe our teacher said, he verbally abuses Ophelia for the better part of a scene.  Nice move asshole.

Theme Analysis:  This play is driving me insane.  Shakespeare is using imagery to prove that anyone can go mad from reading one of his plays.  When Shakespeare has Claudius say, “Oh, my offence is rank. It smells to heaven. It hath the primal eldest curse upon ’t,” Shakespeare is really commenting on his act of writing this play.  Shakespeare is toying with us all.  He knew that people would be arguing over the meaning of his writings for centuries if not millennia. “Have you eyes?” He is insulting us now.  He thinks we are blind to his trickery.  “Sense sure you have, Else could you not have motion. But sure that sense, Is apoplexed, for madness would not err.”  So. Done. With. This.

As for the negative tone, I’m really not in the mood to do this right now I just need to get it done, so I’m sorry if you actually read this.