I've changed things around a bit. Here is today's (5/1) task:
- Answer the following question and label it A: IV.i functions primarily to develop Gertrude's character. Look at what she says to Claudius specifically. If you're stuck coming to a conclusion, consider these two questions--What is she feeling?Whose side is she really on?
- Read IV.ii. Use this website for assistance: http://nfs.sparknotes.com/hamlet/page_216.html Be sure to take notes!!
- Watch this clip:
4. Then, answer the following question and label it B: Scholars debate about the purpose of this
scene and its overall importance to the play. What is your perspective at this point? Is it
significant? If so, why? If not, why?
HW for 5/1: Read Act IV, scene iii. Here is the link for assistance: http://nfs.sparknotes.com/hamlet/page_220.html Again, be sure to take notes.
B: When I first read this I felt it was Hamlet expressing his distrust for his former friends, saying the were fools and greedy to help the king, who is in fact greedy himself. However I found this clip to display Hamlet spiraling down the road of madness, and making fun of the entire situation. In my understanding of the text I feel this scene is important, because it shows Hamlet all on his own, no friends with him, his mother sides with Claudius, and his father is only a ghost. However I feel the movie version was used as comedic relief instead of having a deeper meaning
ReplyDeleteB: When reading this scene I had a different picture of how this scene was acted out then when I watched it. I pictured a more serious Hamlet then the crazy talking one displayed in the clip. However i do thing it is necessary because this clip does explain alot about the situation that Hamlet is in. Unfortunatley everyone around him is not as witty and clever so they don't see why he acts the way he does. I think the clip is a great way of showing what Hamlet has to deal with and why he feels acting crazy is going to work. Even though in some parts of the play it does seem to backfire I think moments like this are significant to keep an audience wondering what hamlets true intentions are.
ReplyDeleteB: In my opinion, this scene is essential because it develops Hamlet's "friends." We now truly see them as the traitors they are. They will do anything for King Claudius, even if it means screwing over their best friend. It also shows, like Christian previously stated, how alone Hamlet truly is. His mother has ignored him, his uncle/father has killed his true father, and his true father is dead. His madness and insanity now have free reign--Hamlet starts to unravel faster.
ReplyDeleteThe movie doesn't make the scene seem as serious as it should be. It is a turning point in the play and I feel that it is too "comic." Hamlet is completely destroyed here. The tone should be quite solemn, not funny.
B. What makes this scene so important to the play is that it reveals Hamlet confronting Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for working for his step father, Claudius, the same man who murdered his father. and allowing the audience to see that Hamlet no longer trusts them. Furthermore, this confrontation has aided, as Sarah previously stated, in allowing Hamlets mind to unravel even further.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the clip shows as if Hamlet has already lost his mind completely and adds a humorous touch to the scene which I find to be unnecessary, because in my mind, and much like everyone else's, the scene seemed a little more serious and even slightly dramatic.
Also as a side note "Guild" in old english means payment/money in Old English, so I have a feeling the name "Guild"-enstern wasn't unconsciously done because of the fact that he and Rosencrantz are being paid by the king to keep an eye on Hamlet.
B: While reading this scene, my mood towards the whole situation was leaning more towards Hamlet's madness instead of conveying his inner feelings. I believe that he was just making fun of how Rosencrantz is so foolish and disloyal to him by calling him a "sponge". Hamlet seemed in more of playful mood instead of a serious mood when I read it; However, this scene should be more of an important scene , like Sarah said, it is a turning point and should be played out more serious then comic.
ReplyDeleteB: I also thought that the scene would be different because in the movie it was more humorous and I looked at it as a serious scene between Hamlet and his friends. It seemed like it was almost his falling out with his friends because what he said to them was cruel and they turned their backs on him as well. This director chose to see this scene as Hamlet becoming crazy and being overwhelmed with everything that has been going on which is what I was thinking when I read it. The only thing I would have changed is that Hamlet should speak in a more evil and dark tone to really show that he is going mad instead of making a fool out of himself which he has done in the past. After killing Polonius and not really caring about it, I think he should have crossed over and became more evil than funny.
ReplyDeleteB: I agree with Sarah; certain aspects of the scene are definitely essential to character development. Hamlet finally tells off his friends for fawning over the king, and now that he told Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he can’t trust them, the king will have no use for them. Another thing Hamlet openly says is that he thinks Claudius is as invaluable as a “thing of nothing.” Because he openly expresses his loyalty to his father (over Claudius) here and even his lack of trust in his friends, this scene is important in that this is one of the first times Hamlet is expressing his genuine feelings in public. He no longer feels like he has to put on an act because he knows that he’s going to be punished now that he has killed Polonius. However, I disagree with most people’s thoughts about the film version. I think the director wanted Hamlet to be comical because this scene could show his final submission to insanity. He’s allowing his emotions to take control; perhaps he is too numb to act solemn any longer. He doesn't care if his friends are mad at him for telling them off, and he clearly doesn't care if people know his feelings about Claudius. To be honest, though, with all the deception in this play, I am not entirely sure whether or not Hamlet is throwing in the towel and actually going crazy or still putting on an antic disposition to pursue a greater plan - it could go either way.
ReplyDeleteB. I believe that this scene is very important to the play. It shows the true colors of Hamlets childhood friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. It shows that they are also, like everyone else in the play, not true to Hamlet. Just like Hamlets own mother who would rat out her son, his two best friends would go against him in order to gain some sort of reward. I think Lauren is right about the Old English word, "Guild" and that it is not a coincidence but rather a symbol. I believe this scene is important to the play because it shows that Hamlet does not truly have any real friends who would stand behind him. When reading this scene in the play it seemed to be a lot more serious and held a deeper meaning while in the movie this scene is used more as comic relief after a murder. At this point, I think Hamlet has gone crazy and his two best friends going against him has finally pushed him to his breaking point.
ReplyDeleteB. I agree with Jen because while reading this scene I thought that his friends may have been more concerned and I also thought that Hamlet was more serious, but watching this play Hamlet seemed like he was loosing it. At this point in the play, Im unsure if Hamlet is trying to seem crazy to throw everyone off with his plan, or if he actually just became crazy after seeing his fathers ghost and hearing what he has to say. I do think this scene is important though because it helps develop Hamlets character. It also is important because it shows to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern what Hamlet really thinks about the King.
ReplyDeleteB. I think this scene just helps build up on Hamlets played insanity. As I read the play I thought that Hamlet was still acting insane and the way he treated Rosencrantz was the same. He still showed Rosencrantz disrespect and gave him a cold shoulder. This scene was used, I think to just enhance the other character's perspectives of Hamlet being insane. I still think He is acting when around certain people.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Angie and Sarah when they say that the scene was definitely essential to Hamlet's character development. This scene showed that Hamlet was not afraid to speak his mind to his friends, and truly tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern what he thought of them. He believes that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are just the kings puppets, and they will eventually be thrown away when they become of no use. I also feel that this was a turning point for Hamlet's character because it shows that Hamlet has given up on appearances. He no longer cares what he says about his friends of the king, he does not care if his friends become estranged or if the king knows Hamlets true feelings.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Lang
B: This scene isn't all that essential to plot development but it's important for developing character. Hamlet's insanity really comes out here and the concern of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is obvious. It is becomes difficult for the audience to tell whether Hamlet is faking lunacy or whether he has actually been driven mad. This scene allows the characters and audience to question Hamlet and provides some comic relief after Polonious' murder.
ReplyDeleteThrough out the play we have seen Hamlet as "crazy". I don't think we will ever know if it was an act or if he actually is going crazy, but in my opinion, he actually is crazy.
ReplyDeleteAs far as this scene goes, I think it shows a lot about how Hamlet doesnt really take anything seriously. To him, everything is a joke kind of. He is hiding a dead body and won't tell anyone where it is and is just making jokes about it. Like Angie said, Hamlet has only shown his feelings in his silioquys, which even then he was not always "alone", and now he is saying them out in public. I think he has a grand scheme in his head to hurt or get back at all the people who have hurt him-Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Claudius, and Gertrude. I think even though his fathers ghost told him not to hurt his mother I think in the end she will end up being the one dead. She has hurt Hamlet the most by getting over his father so fast for his brother, forcing him on Claudius, and by going back to Claudius with everything Hamlet has told her in the last act. Internally I think that is what hurt him the most and that is what set him over the edge. I don't think he truely cares about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
B: I think that this scene is important to the play because it proves that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are not good and trustworthy friends of Hamlet. They would throw Hamlet under the bus if they thought they could gain from it. I think that Hamlet knows that he has no one that is there for him and no one truly has his back which is another factor that is causing him to go crazy. Both his best friends and his mother have no problem going against him. I also agree that while reading the scene, everything seems more serious and distraught however, in the movie they do make it seem as if the scene should be looked at as more of comic relief.
ReplyDeleteB: I believe that scene is important to the play. It makes the audience wonder if Hamlet really IS crazy. Although Hamlet said that he will act in an antic disposition, it is hard to tell if he truly has lost his mind. One most consider that Hamlet did just kill someone in the previous scene and showed almost no signs of remorse or regret. This scene also address the type of people Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are. Both of them are so eager to have Hamlet tell them where the body is so that they can run back and serve the king even further. They do no really care for Hamlet as a true friend would because they do not even talk to him other than for their need to find out information. I think that this scene addresses these two points strongly and is important to the play.
ReplyDeleteI think that this scene is very important to the play but this video clip does not do it enough justice. I believe that it should be more serious than it was. It didn't really show how destroyed and alone Hamlet has become. His friends completely are turning on him. They follow Claudius's orders without question any more. They do what they are told and report right back to the King. Hamlet is losing friends along with his mother. She now seems to officially be on King Claudius's "side." It's another moment in the play where I begin to think that Hamlet is going crazy because of how shitty his family and friends are. I don't blame him at this point.
ReplyDeletei think it is important for more of hamlets character development. It shows that he doesn't take the seriousness is killing someone and shows no remorse. It kind of makes it like he has the characteristics of a crazy person this part of the clip makes it seem funny then what it really is. In the play it was a much more serious scene but in the movie Hamlet somehow made it seem funnier that he killed someone by accident.
ReplyDeleteI believe this scene develops a lot of characterization for many of the characters. In the previous scene we see Quenn Gertrude run to King Claudius after she has talked to Hamlet. She bertayed her own son. Now we see the real side of Hamlets friends. We see that most, if not all of the characters are loyal to the king. They all betray Hamlets in someway to please the king. It shows how these characters dont really care about Hamlets madness but are more worried about King Clauduis and pleasing the king. This scene is also essential to show the antic desposition by Hamlet. We see more than ever how Hamlet is going completly mad at the fact that all of his close friends and family has chosen his fathers murder over him. We really see Hamlet come out as mad and it adds to the question, is it a show, or has Hamlet really gone mad?
ReplyDeleteI think that this scene is important to the play. Although we already know that Hamlet is loosing his mind, I think that Hamlet brings up an interesting point. When he says, “Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain convocation of politic worms are e’em at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table: that’s the end. Hamlet is basically saying that people are just food for worms and really don’t have any importance. From Hamlet’s experience the people in his life have either been disloyal and untrustworthy or both. He has no one to truly confine in and I think that hamlet uses the words as a metaphor to show how he feels. Although we already know Hamlet’s troubles I think that this scene is significant because it further highlights what he is going through.
ReplyDeleteB: I believe that this scene is important to the play, but is not crucial. I don't believe that there's much that is actually revealed in the scene. Hamlet has already confronted Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in previous scenes so it's not like this is the first time that Hamlet is telling them that he knows of their schemes. He is basically just continuing tell them that they're bad friends and that Claudius is just using them. Although it may some somewhat important, I don't believe that there's anything in this scene that proves to be vital to the play.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this scene I found the tone to be very serious and sad in contrast to the movie's interpretation. Hamlet's lunacy becomes much more apparent in this scene as he further realizes that he is completely on his own and has no trustworthy companions left. His friends and even his own mother have all seemed to turn against him and he has become truly isolated. If he was not mad before this and his actions were indeed all part of his antic disposition, I feel that he certainly will have been driven to some degree of madness after these recent events in act IV
ReplyDeleteB. In my opinion, Hamlet's antic disposition has gone too far and it seems like he really became an insane person. He drifted away from all the people he love like Ophelia and his friends. In that case, he feels all alone and that everyone are just against him so it resulted to this. The ghost caused all this and he isn't in his right mentality anymore. He also kills Polonius and seems to feel indifferent. When Claudius asks where Polonius' body was, he says, "Not where he’s eating, but where he’s being eaten. A certain conference of worms is chowing down on him." He shows lack of sympathy for what he did to him.
ReplyDeleteErik Helmle
ReplyDeleteA: I believe that Queen Gertrude may have an ulterior motive that may be completely aside from the rivalry between Hamlet and King Claudius. She told Claudius exactly what happened in her room, but told him that Hamlet slayed Polonius "in his madness". This either implies that she believes Hamlet to actually be mad or that she sees through his deception and wants to play the King and Hamlet against each other. Regardless, she knows that Hamlet aims to take revenge for his father's death but does not tell Claudius about it.
B: Act 4 scene 2 is an interesting section of the play that I believe is not vital to the overall plot, and holds very little significance to the story. The only two points that could be interpreted as mildly significant are when Hamlet berates Guildenstern and Rosencrantz and calls them fools and relates them to sponges;the second point its where Hamlet sees the king as a position that Claudius clearly does not truly hold ("The body’s with the king, but the king’s not with the body. The king’s a thing …).
B: This scene is important to the play because it is where Hamlet finally tells of his "friends" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. It is also the scene in which he realizes that his own mother has betrayed him. He has nobody on his side anymore. This scene demonstrates why it would be understandable for Hamlet to slip into a state of utter madness. I believe that in this scene Hamlet goes from feigning insanity to actually going insane. Also, it becomes apparent in this scene that the king no longer has a use from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern because it is now clear that Hamlet doesn't see them as his friends.
ReplyDeleteA: In Act IV scene i, I think that Gertrude is very conflicted. As shown from the previous act, Gertrude has found out that Claudius was the killer of her husband, and it's possible that she is realizing the reason behind his loss of sanity. She doesn't want Claudius to know that she knows that he killed her husband, so as a result, is trying to make it seem like Hamlet has gone even more mad by killing Polonius. However, she does hint that she is noticing glimmers of sanity from Hamlet- when he accidentally killed Polonius, he did weep. However, it doesn't seem like Gertrude cares enough about Hamlet to try and protect him and comfort him.
ReplyDeleteB: I don't think that this scene is necessary per say, but I do think it's important when viewing the characterization of Hamlet,. It shows that Hamlet is now not afraid to speak his mind about the king, even to the king's men, and he does warn them about Claudius' manipulative ways. Hamlet knows what is going on, and this might just be another part of his plan--to try to confuse Claudius' main henchmen as well as trying confuse people by doing things like refusing to show the location of the dead body.
B. I think that even though this scene is short, it’s crucial to the play. Shakespeare was such an incredible writer because nothing went without purpose. When we think that we’ve seen all there is to Hamlet, his character is further developed in this scene. Through his craziness, I think we see some honestly. He tells off Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for their wrongdoings, and doesn’t care what they may think because he knows they aren’t true friends. I think that Hamlet has actually started to become crazy, and we see it here. He is even more over-the-top than usual, and that’s the effect that murder can have. It also shows us how smart Hamlet is. Nobody understands his metaphors, and his ability to use and understand language directly relates to his intelligence. I agree with Angie that the film version was portrayed well. Hamlet is no longer putting on an act, and his craziness has taken over him. What comes out of his mouth are his true feelings, and they’re just so abstract that they’re funny. It may have also been used for comic relief because Polonius has just died, and the mood must change for maximum effect on the audience.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Act four, scene two is not that important because it only emphasizes information that the audience already knows. The scene shows that Hamlet is still acting crazy, that Hamlet doesn’t trust his friends and Hamlets friends are only loyal to the king. Every single one of these has been hinted on in previous scenes. For instance, the audience knows that Hamlet doesn’t trust Rosencrantz and Guildenstern because he point blank asks them if they were sent by the king, “I know the good king and queen have sent for you.” Act 2, scene 2. The opening of Act Three also exposes that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are reporting back to Claudius. Act Four, scene two provides a recap of previous events for the audience and is not significant.
ReplyDeleteI really was not surprised at all that they were always on King Claudius' side. I feel like through out the entire play there were subtle hints towards whose side they were truely on. Its just another blow to Hamlet since his mother has also just chosen the kings side. I feel like the play could do with out and its not essential but it does help to understand what Hamlet is truely going through and that he is really losing everyone around him due to his "madness." This scene makes me truely feel sorry for Hamlet.
ReplyDeleteB: In my opinion, I think this scene is important becaus it really emphasizes how crazy Hamlet has become. He let his antic didposition take over him. Also, he isn't even panicking about the fact that he killed Polonius. To a "normal" person, that would have been a pretty big deal. This also shows Hamlet's lack of remorse. I also thought that Hamlet explaining to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about how they were just sponges to King Claudius was significant because this shows Hamlet's clever/smart side.
ReplyDeleteI believe this scene has a strong meaning and is essential to the play. It shows that once again Hamlet doesn't not have anyone around him to support him and help him deal with his pain. His own friends turn on him and get sucked into Claudius' manipulative manner. Hamlet is going through more than any of us could imagine. With no one to turn to he might become even more crazy. At this point I think Hamlet feels helpless. Considering his own mother chose her new husband, Hamlets uncle, over him he shouldn't be surprised about what his friends would do.
ReplyDeleteI do believe this scene is important to the overall play. We begin to realize and understand a lot in this scene. For example, Hamlet tells off Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and openly admits he can't trust them anymore, since they have been working with his uncle, King Claudius the whole time. He does one more, though, as calls them sponges to King Claudius which is both witty and perceptive. I agree with Lisa in that Shakespeare was a magnificent writer and everything he writes goes with purpose, so although it may not be 100% clear where he's "going" we will soon learn as we continue to read and put everything into place. Besides that, Hamlet's persona develops immensely as we see that there is clearly no acting as of now.It seems as if he doesn't care at this point and will just do whatever he wants (his mother betrayed him, his uncle killed his father and his childhood friends proved to be phony). So this scene is definitely important to the play.
ReplyDeleteThis scene has great importance to the play because it makes you question if Hamlet is really mad or not. He had just killed someone, so it makes me wonder if he’s really putting on his antic disposition. The way he is acting makes it seem like he isn’t at all. Also during this scene he insults his “friends” and tells them that the king is just using him, and it shows how Hamlet really feels about his “friends”.
ReplyDeleteAct 4 scene 2 is a quick scene to keep the audience guessing about Hamlets state of mind. Has he cracked? Is he working on a new plan? Shakespeare puts the audience in the same position as the other characters in the play, confused about what is wrong with hamlet. His banter adds a bit of comic relief after his sudden murder of Polonius, which is needed because a crucial scene is coming up.
ReplyDelete