Blog #29: Final

I will be writing my research paper on the novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. A link to my project blog can be found here

Blog #28: Final Drama Project

Blog #26: Hamlet AP Test Prep Materials

Blog #24: Hamlet Act 4 Ophelia Literary Criticism

Dear blog followers,

I am in shock, in grief, and in madness according to Gertrude's diary (which I may or may not have read in its entirety), Well is it any wonder that I am descending into madness like my lover, Hamlet? According to Gertrude, "Laertes caution on the perils of such a relationship she had accepted with charming good humor, her father's strictures with loving and dutiful obedience." (Seng 2) Oh I hated to distrust Hamlet as my family members warned me to. Indeed, I can't help but still love him despite his brutal words of, "You should not have believed me...I loved you not" (3.1.119-121) I had been steadfast in my loyalty to Hamlet but "Nor [was] Laertes content with a mere generalized admonition in his efforts to school [me] in lack of trust" (Seng 4) I used to always believe the best in people but my father and brother were determined to pull me into their cynicism. Laertes said, "For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour, / Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood; / A violet in the youth of primy nature," (1.3.5-7) I understand that my brother was only trying to protect me, but I feel his predictions of Hamlet's love was a self-fulfilling prophecy. My father echoed these sentiments by saying, "Think yourself a baby / That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, / Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly" (1.3.105-107) My father advised me to not believe in Hamlet's love if only to protect my virtue, but it shocks me to find out from Gertrude's diary that he told Claudius that he would "loose" me on Hamlet to entrap him. No wonder Hamlet called me a whore and my father a fishmonger. No wonder he said, "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a / breeder of sinners?" (3.1.123-124). Gertrude believe this scheme among others is the cause of my father's death as she wrote, "Polonius is only too willing to sacrifice morals to political expediency; and it is his spying, sneaking, and eavesdropping that finally brings about his own death." (Seng 5)

At this point I cannot help my descent into madness. One tragic event after another seems to unfold. Hamlet has denied both our love and rejected any ideas of a union between the two of us. Not only this, but his hate has cost me my father as well. But what do I believe? Do I believe that my father's scheming caused his own death or do I believe that Hamlet's hate killed my father? I cannot choose because either option means smearing a man that I love. No wonder I said, "I would / give you some violets, but they withered all when / my father died." (4.5.154-156) With my father's death, mine and Hamlet's love died as well. I cannot help but think that what is there to live for now?

With love forever,
Ophelia

Blog #23: Hamlet Act 3 To Be Or Not To Be Mis En Scene

Mis En Scene Analysis:
         In its essence, this soliloquy is an argument by Hamlet addressed to Hamlet. He contemplates many things, among them: action vs. inaction, life vs. death, and endings vs. beginnings where his essential philosophical question is, "To be or not to be:" (3.1.55). However within his argument, there lies a paradox. Life is a lack of power where one is at the mercy of "outrageous fortune" (3.1.57) while death is empowering because killing oneself takes fate into their own hands, to reach death, one must take action in life. Thus his whole argument is hopeless, because one has no power in life. This hopeless argument results in Hamlet's inaction, an ironic fact that he realizes at the end of the soliloquy.
       I think Branagh recognizes this best through his portrayal of this famous soliloquy. The camera is not focused on Hamlet, but rather Hamlet's reflection, addressing himself in the mirror. This reflects Branagh's understanding that the audience of this speech is Hamlet. Furthermore, the delivery of this speech was the most accurate to what I thought the tone should be. I believe that Hamlet is very frustrated and depressed in this soliloquy. He is obviously depressed as he is contemplating suicide, but he is also very frustrated as he recognizes the oppositions in his argument and his resulting inaction and lack of power. This is emphasized by Hamlet drawing out a knife which reinforces his frustrated mindset. Furthermore I like how the camera zooms in on Hamlet as the soliloquy proceeds because just as more of Hamlet's thoughts are revealed as the speech proceeds, the camera simultaneously gives us a closer look into his mindset as time passes. In addition, I like the fact that there were no diagetic sounds and very few digressions from Hamlet's face in order to put the focus on Hamlet and Hamlet alone.

Other Rankings:
I would rank Ethan Hawke's as second best. While I didn't really understand his choice to set it in a Blockbuster store, I appreciate the irony that Hamlet is walking up and down the action aisle trying to pick an action [movie]. Furthermore I like the close up shots of Hamlets face, emphasizing the focus of this soliloquy, but I was not really a fan of the digressions to the video of the explosion. I also did not really like the delivery of the soliloquy because it was very melancholic while I imagined there to be some frustration and anger present as well. I liked Laurence Olivier's the least simply because I did not like the fact that Hamlet addressed the audience, because that is not his true audience. Furthermore, while he had a knife like in Branagh's version, I did not like how he drops it into the sea at the end since the ending of the soliloquy emphasizes action over self reflection. If Hamlet is calling himself to action, why would he drop his knife, an important tool, into the sea?

Blog #22: Act 2 Revenge & Espionage

https://youtu.be/Cn3MPTo4JKk (embedding disabled by request of production company)

"The politics of "Bethlehem" are complex, but the relationship at its heart is simple: a kid who needs some kind of stability in his life, even if it comes from a most unlikely, and dangerous, place." -Bill Goodykoontz (Rotten Tomatoes critic)

Synopsis: Tells the story of the complex relationship between an Israeli Secret Service officer and his teenage Palestinian informant. Shuttling back and forth between conflicting points of view, the film is a raw portrayal of characters torn apart by competing loyalties and impossible moral dilemmas, giving an unparalleled glimpse into the dark and fascinating world of human intelligence.

Quotes:

• "By indirections find directions out." (2.1.66)
• "@Laertes your old man still has some tricks up his sleeve #ooh #gottem"
• "Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth." (2.1.63)
• Fishing metaphors is a total dad move #bait #carp
• "But breathe his faults so quaintly / That they may seem the taints of liberty," (2.1.31-31)
• quaint insults are passive aggressive much?? #sneaky #thingsnotastheyappear
• "But as you did command / I did repel his letters and denied / His access to me." (2.1.108-110)
• Dang Dad back at it again with the love advice #whitevans
• "This must be known, which, being kept close, / might move / More grief to hide, than hate to utter love." (2.1.119-121)
• are we telling secrets now in Denmark?? #surprise

Dear loyal blog followers,

     It's Ophelia again. I swear, my father thinks he's in a spy movie or something. Just recently he ordered Ronaldo to spy on Laertes, instructing him to "breathe his faults so quaintly / That they may seem the taints of liberty," (2.1.31-31). This seems like an oxymoron to me, but dad seems full of them lately. He has also said, "By indirections find directions out." (2.1.66), as well as, "Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth." (2.1.63). Denmark is a confusing place nowadays where fathers spy on their sons and lovers spy on their lovers. There is something corrupt in Denmark indeed. 

     That's kind of what I'm doing to Hamlet isn't it? It almost feels like a betrayal to report on Hamlet's doings around me to my father, but what would I be without my father's misled advice? "But as [Polonius] did command / I did repel his letters and denied / His access to me." (2.1.108-110) If Denmark were a spy movie, I would be the confidential informant. 

      I have but one job, to obey my father in all thing, at least until marriage. My relationship with my father, if a little unhealthy, at least offers me stability and protection against the world's evils. My father says that what I have recently told him about Hamlet, "must be known, which, being kept close, / might move / More grief to hide, than hate to utter love." (2.1.119-121) Don't think I don't notice the irony that my father advises misdirection but then declares that it is more grief to hide information; however, whatever my father's faults, he is still my father. 

With love,

Ophelia

Blog #21: Act 1 Social Media Assignment

Quote: "Best safety lies in fear" (1.3.43)
Tweet: My brother is such a wimp #subtweet #thnx4theadvice #NOT

Quote: "His greatness weighed, his will is not his own, / For he himself is subject to his birth." (1.3.17-18)
Tweet: Hamlet may be heir to the throne, but my horoscope says I'll run into a huge fortune this week sooooo #awk #virgo #PrinceOfDenmark

Quote: "If with too credent ear you list his songs, / Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open / To his unmastered importunity." (1.3.30)
Tweet: No loss, no gain amiright? #ToLoveOrNotToLove #majorgainz

Quote: "Think yourself a baby / That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, / Which are not sterling." (1.3.105-107)
Tweet: I'm totally such a baby about making hard decisions #Daddy'sLittleGirl #TotalDadMove

Quote: "Believe so much in him that he is young, / And with a larger tether may he walk / Than may be given to you." (1.3.124-126)
Tweet: Sexism is still a thing? It's like the 17th century?? #breaktheglassceiling #menknowbest #hahajk

Ophelia's Blog
Dear loyal blog followers,

          Anyone care to give me love advice? My brother advises that "Best safety lies in fear" (1.3.43). He's scared that I will fall prey to Hamlet's loving advances. Laertes says "If with too credent ear you list his songs, / Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open / To his unmastered importunity." (1.3.30) My virtue is all that I have to give, but I wonder if there is some truth in my brother's fears. I fear falling in love with Hamlet as his life is not his own. He is a slave to fate and to his country. My brother agrees. In his opinion, "His greatness weighed, his will is not his own, / For he himself is subject to his birth." (1.3.17-18) My brother's advice left me so conflicted. Do I follow my head or my heart? Do I trust in Hamlet's love?
           My father says, "Believe so much in him that he is young, / And with a larger tether may he walk / Than may be given to you." (1.3.124-126) I have so much less room to err than Hamlet! My mistakes will not be forgiven as easily as his, but at the same time, I want to be young and foolish, to love unequivocally. Maybe this is why I need my father's guidance. He advised that, "Think yourself a baby / That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, / Which are not sterling." (1.3.105-107) I am wholly dependent on my family. If my wise father believes that Hamlet's intentions do not run true, then who am I to question him? After all, blood runs thicker than water. Hamlet may have a duty to Denmark, but I have a duty to my family. To each his own.

With love,
Ophelia