Friday, March 27, 2009
NRJ #1:Death
After I finished the story I wasn't quite sure what to think. This was a depressing story. Throughout the whole story death is the main theme. From the beginning Marlow is sent on a mission to find a man that is missing. His name is Mr. Kurtz. They are not sure if he is alive or dead. They start there mission and find themselves in the middle of a combat. When the battle is over Marlow has this to say "...my shoes were full; a pool of blood lay very still, gleaming dark-red under the wheel;his eyes shone with an amazing luster." (Conrad 42) This is Marlows first real experience with death. As the journey progresses and they reach Kurtz's camp they are confronted with a group of natives that are ready to attack because they don't want Kurtz to leave with the expedition. When they finally convince Kurtz to go with them he ironically dies on the voyage home. Marlow says "and they very nearly buried me." (Conrad 64) Marlow had to take the blame for Kurtz's death which eternally haunted him. When it came time to talk to Kurtz's wife he told her what she needed to her to put her at so she didn't have to suffer like Marlow. I think that the author is showing us how death effects peoples lives and it never goes away. I think he is also showing us when that chance comes to eaise someones grief you should sieze it.
Friday, March 20, 2009
DRJ #4 Act IV-V
My first impression of these acts was that Claudius is a coward. He does whatever he can to find someone else to kill Hamlet. This makes me think that he is suffering a great amount of quilt from killing the king that he can not kill again. During these acts Hamlet fights till the very end to make sure that Claudius is killed while committing a sin. Hamlet ultimately succeeds in his plan but ends up dieing from the poisonous sword he was hit with.
The character that stood out to me the most during these acts was Claudius. I believe that he was very conniving. First of all he had Gertrude convinced that he was a good person even though he killed her husband. Second of all he had everyone convinced that it was Hamlet that needed to die even though he was the villain. Everyone thought that Hamlet was mad but really he was the only one that believed in the truth. Claudius was also very fast to pass of the task of killing Hamlet to anyone who would take it. He can not carry out the task on his own maybe because of the quilt he still has after killing the king.
The literary element that stood out to me the most was the climax. These acts were definitely the climax where Hamlet and Claudius’s finally settle there debt. Throughout these acts we finally see how Hamlet and Claudius are going to deal with each other. Claudius is trying to get everyone to kill Hamlet. He then comes up with the plan to have a duel. He is sure Hamlet will die then because he has the poisonous sword that will kill him if he is hit by it and he has the cup full of poison for him to drink if he wins. Claudius does not intend that Gertrude will drink the poison and die. Hamlet sees this and kills Claudius. He dies shortly after from a cut he received from the poisonous sword.
My only question is why can’t Claudius kill Hamlet his self? Is it because of guilt he has from killing the King or can he not do it because it is his step son or any other reason?
The character that stood out to me the most during these acts was Claudius. I believe that he was very conniving. First of all he had Gertrude convinced that he was a good person even though he killed her husband. Second of all he had everyone convinced that it was Hamlet that needed to die even though he was the villain. Everyone thought that Hamlet was mad but really he was the only one that believed in the truth. Claudius was also very fast to pass of the task of killing Hamlet to anyone who would take it. He can not carry out the task on his own maybe because of the quilt he still has after killing the king.
The literary element that stood out to me the most was the climax. These acts were definitely the climax where Hamlet and Claudius’s finally settle there debt. Throughout these acts we finally see how Hamlet and Claudius are going to deal with each other. Claudius is trying to get everyone to kill Hamlet. He then comes up with the plan to have a duel. He is sure Hamlet will die then because he has the poisonous sword that will kill him if he is hit by it and he has the cup full of poison for him to drink if he wins. Claudius does not intend that Gertrude will drink the poison and die. Hamlet sees this and kills Claudius. He dies shortly after from a cut he received from the poisonous sword.
My only question is why can’t Claudius kill Hamlet his self? Is it because of guilt he has from killing the King or can he not do it because it is his step son or any other reason?
Friday, March 13, 2009
DRJ #3
Act III
My initial reaction to this act was that Hamlet has true feelings for Ophelia and he is covering them up. I think that Hamlet is hiding his true feeling for Ophelia because he doesn’t want her to get sucked into his plot of revenge and get hurt. I was also taken back by the way Gertrude treated her son. She takes the side of her new husband over her own son. I thought that a mother was suppose to love and care for her child, but Gertrude just pushes Hamlet away.
The character that stood out to me the most in act 3 was Ophelia. She stood out to me because first of all Hamlet is playing games with her because she thinks that he has given her the gift of love but he tells her otherwise. I think that Ophelia is also playing a game with Hamlet because she is returning his gift of love even though she does love him. Ophelia returns Hamlets love because Polonius her father asks her to do it to get a rise out of Hamlet. This shows me that Ophelia is easily persuaded even if it’s not what she wanted.
The literary element that stood out to me the most during this act was the tone portrayed. When Hamlet visits Ophelia and she tries to return his love, the tone that is portrayed is of anger. It is almost a fed up anger. That he is just tired of dealing with the consequences of his father’s death. It gives you the feeling that Hamlet is facing a lot of different emotions at one time and the only way he knows how to express them is in anger. Ophelia’s tone gives us the idea that she does have felling for Hamlet even though she is trying to tell him she doesn’t. The tone that is portrayed gives a good idea of the emotions the characters are felling.
The question that comes to mind after reading this act is, does Ophelia tell Hamlet that she is returning his love because Polonius asks her to or does she have other motives?
My initial reaction to this act was that Hamlet has true feelings for Ophelia and he is covering them up. I think that Hamlet is hiding his true feeling for Ophelia because he doesn’t want her to get sucked into his plot of revenge and get hurt. I was also taken back by the way Gertrude treated her son. She takes the side of her new husband over her own son. I thought that a mother was suppose to love and care for her child, but Gertrude just pushes Hamlet away.
The character that stood out to me the most in act 3 was Ophelia. She stood out to me because first of all Hamlet is playing games with her because she thinks that he has given her the gift of love but he tells her otherwise. I think that Ophelia is also playing a game with Hamlet because she is returning his gift of love even though she does love him. Ophelia returns Hamlets love because Polonius her father asks her to do it to get a rise out of Hamlet. This shows me that Ophelia is easily persuaded even if it’s not what she wanted.
The literary element that stood out to me the most during this act was the tone portrayed. When Hamlet visits Ophelia and she tries to return his love, the tone that is portrayed is of anger. It is almost a fed up anger. That he is just tired of dealing with the consequences of his father’s death. It gives you the feeling that Hamlet is facing a lot of different emotions at one time and the only way he knows how to express them is in anger. Ophelia’s tone gives us the idea that she does have felling for Hamlet even though she is trying to tell him she doesn’t. The tone that is portrayed gives a good idea of the emotions the characters are felling.
The question that comes to mind after reading this act is, does Ophelia tell Hamlet that she is returning his love because Polonius asks her to or does she have other motives?
Friday, March 6, 2009
DRJ #2 Act II
My first reaction to this act was that no one trusts each other. It seems that throughout the two scenes that people are either spying on someone or running off to tell everyone what other people are doing. Throughout this act it also seems like there are a lot of emotions. Hamlet is clearly distrait at the beginning. Ophelia is also worried about Hamlet. Throughout this act there appears to be a lot of emotions and trust issues.
The character that stood out to me the most during this act was Hamlet. Throughout the story Hamlet is the main character with the spot light focused on him. Hamlet is a genuine person trying to get revenge for his father’s death. When the troop of traveling players arrives at the castle Hamlet gets them to help him mirror his father’s death in the performance to see Claudius’s reaction. Hamlets plain works and he knows that Claudius’s has killed his father. Hamlet does what ever he can to seek revenge. I think that Hamlet fits Aristotle’s concept of a classical tragic hero because in seeking revenge against his father’s death he looses the love of his life and ultimately looses his life.
The element that stood out to me the most was that Polonius was a foil to Hamlet. A foil is a minor character whose role sharpens our understanding of the major character by providing contrast. I think that Polonius does this by trying to counter act all of Hamlets actions. Polonius does this by telling the king everything that Hamlet is doing. This is done in line 100 when Polonius says “Come, go with me: I will go seek the king. With all of this going on it makes me wonder why is Polonius trying to work so hard against Hamlets efforts?
The character that stood out to me the most during this act was Hamlet. Throughout the story Hamlet is the main character with the spot light focused on him. Hamlet is a genuine person trying to get revenge for his father’s death. When the troop of traveling players arrives at the castle Hamlet gets them to help him mirror his father’s death in the performance to see Claudius’s reaction. Hamlets plain works and he knows that Claudius’s has killed his father. Hamlet does what ever he can to seek revenge. I think that Hamlet fits Aristotle’s concept of a classical tragic hero because in seeking revenge against his father’s death he looses the love of his life and ultimately looses his life.
The element that stood out to me the most was that Polonius was a foil to Hamlet. A foil is a minor character whose role sharpens our understanding of the major character by providing contrast. I think that Polonius does this by trying to counter act all of Hamlets actions. Polonius does this by telling the king everything that Hamlet is doing. This is done in line 100 when Polonius says “Come, go with me: I will go seek the king. With all of this going on it makes me wonder why is Polonius trying to work so hard against Hamlets efforts?
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