HamLog+Brian

=Summary= 1.1 Three guards: Bernando, Francisco, and Merceullus, and Horatio, prince Hamlet’s friend are in front of the castle. The guards want Hamlet to see the ghost that looks like king Hamlet, which has been witnessed for the past 2 days. Horatio sees it and is shocked, he decides to tell prince Hamlet because It seems like a bad sign.

1.2 Hamlet can’t get over his father’s death. Claudius, the new king, tells him to get over his dad, and his mother Gertrude asks him not to visit his father’s grave. Horatio and Mercullus come to inform him about the ghost, thus he decides to go meet it.

Questions 1. Comment in one sentence on what you think is the significance of this scene. Then what would the play be like without the scene? The scene where Horatio and Mercellus come to tell Hamlet about the ghost is the most important scene in my personal opinion. 1.2 was all about the depression and sadness Hamlet and his family was going through due to his father’s death. It would’ve been such a boring part without the transition in the end. 2. Ask questions about the scene. Has anything in the scene caused you confusion? OR Ask one of the characters in the scene a question -- or ask ME a question. Horatio: Why would you think that the ghost was a sign of something bad that will happen in the country, specifically, an army attacking it? Hamlet: Why do you want to go back to school when you already have the title of a prince? 3. Describe your reactions to a character, action, or idea you confronted in the scene. Hamlet doesn’t seem to be happy with the new king and his country. He looks like he wants get away from them. This might be a hint of a tragic or cruel event coming up. = Summary = = = 1.3 Laertes is about to leave to France. He tells his sister Ophelia that Hamlet doesn't love her as much as she thinks because he's a man with a lot of responsibilities. However, she urges not to give her such advice. Polonius comes in to say farewell to his son and gives advice for his trip to France. After Laertes leaves, Polonius talks to Ophelia about Hamlet and her relationship with him.

1.4 Hamlet waits for the ghost with Horatio and Marcellus. The king is having a party and Hamlet is disgusted. The ghost appears and asks Hamlet to follow him. Horatio and Marcellus first try to stop him, but as Hamlet follows the ghost they enter with him.

1.5 The ghost claims that he's Hamlets father and that he wants to ask Hamlet to revenge for his death. The ghost says that Claudius poured poison into his ears while he was sleeping. Hamlet is furious about the fact that Claudius ruined his mother and country. Hamlet thinks of acting like a mad man. He doesn't tell Horatio and Marcellus what happened, but asks them not to talk about what they saw.

2.1 Reynoldo is ordered to check Laertes by spreading gossip and checking people's reactions. Suddenly, Ophelia jumps into the scene and talks to Polonius about how Hamlet visited her. They all think that Hamlet is crazy now.

2.2 The king and queen think Hamlet is crazy now, so they ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for help. The ambassador of Norway, Voltemand, tells the king that his country won't invade Denmark anymore. Polonius tries to talk to Hamlet but he makes nonsense. His friends visit Hamlet. Players visit Hamlet to entertain him, but Hamlet orders them to change things in their play.

Questions 1. Describe your reactions to a character, action, or idea you confronted in the scene. Why does Hamlet have to act like he's a mad man? He's the one who's fighting for justice and Claudius deserves punishment. Why doesn't Hamlet want Horatio and Marcellus to know what happened? Aren't they trustable?

2. Talk about the relationships characters have to one another, quoting specific words or phrases to give evidence for your opinion. Hamlet is pretty sure that the ghost is his dead father. He trusts every word of the ghost and decides to do what the ghost asks for. He is fully devoted to the words of the ghost.

3. Write a diary entry from the perspective of one of the characters. Get inside that character’s mind. Tell how the character feels about herself, about other characters, about the situation of the scene. I finally met the ghost, which I am sure that it's that of my dead fathers. I am outraged about the fact that Claudius has murdered my father and ruined my country and life. I am fully committed to destroy him and prove justice. But I am worried about how I'm going to do it... He is now a king of a country, which makes him powerful. Should I act like I'm crazy? Would that be the only way I will get access to him? I HAVE TO KILL HIM

=Summary= 3.1 Claudius and Gertrude decide to watch the play. Hamlet has a soliloquy about his life and anger. Then Ophelia enters and Hamlet expresses his anger towards her and says he doesn't love her anymore. Polonius thinks Hamlet's madness is caused by love issues due to Ophelia. Claudius wants to send Hamlet to England.

3.2 The preparation for the play is done, and the players start performing in front of everyone, including Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia. Hamlet asks Horatio to see how Claudius reacts to the scene where Hamlet directs the players to act out his father's death. Hamlet teases Ophelia with sexual jokes. Claudius seems very offended as we watches the scene, and Hamlet decides to gain his revenge.

1. Describe your reactions to a character, action, or idea you confronted in the scene. Hamlet's soliloquy surely made him look mad. But the thing is I wasn't sure if he did it on purpose because he knew he was being watched, or the stress and pressure actually drove him crazy.

2. Ask questions about the scene. Has anything in the scene caused you confusion? OR Ask one of the characters in the scene a question Ophelia - I thought she loved Hamlet because her brother and father were warning her about having a relationship with him. Does she?

3. At least twicek, do an entry that is not writing. Draw a picture. Create a collage of characters. Draw what you think the stage should look like in a modern day production. Film yourself performing part of the scene. Create a soundtrack to the scene. Other?

Soliloquy Questions
It is obvious to the audience that Hamlet is alone onstage. What else, then, does he mean when he begins, “Now I am alone”? I think he means that he's alone not only physically, but in terms of relationships. Now he's fighting a war alone against Claudius, the king of his country. From this point, Hamlet stands alone to gain his revenge.

Why is the Prince calling himself a “rogue” and “peasant slave”? He is committing something cruel and wrong against Claudius just because a ghost, who Hamlet's not even sure if it's his father, is telling him to do so. This makes him feel like a slave and rogue.

He feels like he's just playing a role given by Claudius and the ghost of his father. He thinks he's being used to finish off the grief between Claudius and the ghost, and to gain justice, which Hamlet doesn't really have much to do with.
 * Hamlet compares himself to the player. What does this comparison reveal about Hamlet’s self-perception?

Throughout the play, much violence is done to ears. How does Hamlet’s “cleave the general ear” relate to other “ear” references? Shakespeare uses the word ear twenty-seven times in this play. Do any of these resonate with you? When the ears are mentioned, it is always something negative or painful. However, I didn't really find this significant or special because I only read it. It would be really weird and memorable though, to actually see all the violence and pain focused on the ear in a play or movie... I guess ears represent something.

Hamlet uses a lot of theatrical terminology in his speech. Find some examples (“cue,” “satage,” “play”). Why might Hamlet be thinking in theatrical terms? Hamlet uses such terms to express his emotions and situation in a dramatic way. I think it's just a way to make Hamlet single out and appeal to the audience stronger.

Find lines or phrases that explain why Hamlet thinks himself a coward. Do you think he is a coward, or is he acting cautiously by looking for external evidence to prove Claudius’s guilt? I always thought Hamlet is doing this on purpose just to gain his revenge. Thus, Hamlet is doing this to find evidence to prove Claudius's guilt. "Am I a coward? Who calls me villain, breaks my pate across, plucks off my beard and blows it in my face, tweaks me by th' nose, gives me the lie i'th' throat as deep as to the lungs?" (2.2 559~562)

Act 3.1 Questions
1. What advice does Hamlet have for the actors? Why? He wants the actors to make the scene look as realistic as possible so that it appeals to Claudius and make him react to it. He doesn't want them to make it look too dramatic or exaggerated.

2. Why does Hamlet say he especially likes Horatio (Does Hamlet see Horatio as similar to him or different from him? Horatio is loyal to Hamlet comparing to others who are more loyal to Claudius. Hamlet knows that people are treating him nice because Claudius told them to do so, which would definitely make him feel angry since Claudius is the reason he's mad and depressed.

4. Based on 3.2.119, how much time elapsed between Act 1 and Act 2 (since the action has been continuous since the beginning of Act 2)? Ophelia: "Nay, 'tis twice two months, my lord." means that it has been four months since Hamlet's father's death. The play starts from 2 months after his death, so that means Act 1 and Act 2 has a 2 month difference.

6. What is Claudius' mood as he stops the play at 3.2.247? How does Hamlet respond? If Hamlet has learned that Claudius is indeed guilty (if that's why he stopped the play and not for some other reason), Claudius has also learned something from the presentation of the play. What has Claudius learned? This part is critical for Hamlet to gain his revenge. Claudius seems like he is very offended and Hamlet is satisfied with the reaction. Claudius must have found out that Hamlet is aware of what happened with his father. This means that if Hamlet tells the whole world about it, Claudius's life is over. Claudius will either have to get rid of Hamlet by killing him or make people believe that he is truly insane so that no one would listen to him.

7. What message do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have for Hamlet? Despite the chaos at the end of the play, is this message unexpected after hearing Polonius' suggestion at the end of the Nunnery scene (3.1)? What lesson does Hamlet teach with a recorder? Rosencrantz and Guildenstern informs Hamlet that his mother wants to talk with him, and also mentions that everyone is very disappointed with his acts regarding the play. Hamlet gets angry after hearing what they say, and says that they can't play him or trick him.

3.3 Questions
2. Where is Polonius going? Polonius is going to hide inside Gertrude's room and secretly listen to Hamlet and Gerturde's conversation. He wants to find out what Hamlet is up to.

3. What does Claudius admit in his attempt to pray? Has the play actually had an effect on him? Why can't he ask for forgiveness? He admits his murder and feels extremely guilty. He tries to pray for forgiveness. However, since he's still in the spot of the king, which was gained through murder, he can't ask for forgiveness

4. What happens when Hamlet enters? Why doesn't Hamlet kill Claudius then? What is ironic about Hamlet's decision? He kills Polonius, but not Claudius. He just warns Claudius about his future. I think this is ironic because Claudius is the one who killed his father, and as a king he can do anything to get rid of Hamlet at this point. Hamlet took a huge risk.

=Character Questions:= 1. What new information did you learn about your character in Act 4 that would help an actor or actress understand him or her better? The confrontation with Hamlet made her thoughts sure that he's mad. This would be a big factor because Hamlet's her son, and now she seems to treat him as a stranger, someone different.

2. In each scene where your character appears, what is his or her motivation and objective? In other words, what does this person really want? She's scared of Hamlet and asks for help. She doesn't want Hamlet threatening her and being dangerous.

3. How does your character feel about the events in Act 4? about Hamlet? As said, she thinks he's gone mad and is panicked about that. She's very shocked and depressed about what's going on.

4. What do other characters say about your character and how do they react to him? How does your character feel about other characters? I don't think that comes out that much. Things are focused on other characters in this scene. She seems to just be a victim of Hamlet.

5. How does your character affect the events of each scene in which she appears? How is she affected by the events? She was the one who Hamlet expressed his anger to, and the one who saw Polonius dying. Hamlet told her not to tell anyone, but she does. She basically threw Hamlet into huge trouble. Her status as a queen isn't affected so far, but I'm sure it will be.

6. How is your character important to this act? In other words, do you learn something new about the plot through him? Do you gain any insights about Hamlet by comparing/contrasting him to your character? Even though Hamlet has gone mad, or is trying to look mad, Gertrude is the only one who he wants to be honest with. As the ghost told him, Hamlet wants her to be lead to heaven. He is devoted to the ghost's words.

7. What questions are raised by your character's words and/or behavior in this act? Is she being selfish? or does she still care about Hamlet?

8. What was unexpected? What questions that you've previously had are answered by your character's words and /or behavior in this act? I don't have any.