Hamlet Act 5 Scene 1 & 2

Act V, scene i begins with two gravediggers shoveling out a grave for Ophelia. However, the two contemplate Ophelia's death by saying that she simply does not deserve a Christian burial because of her apparent suicide. Horatio and Hamlet shortly appear in the graveyard and Hamlet curiously asks whose grave it is that is being dug. It is obvious that the gravedigger is unaware of who Hamlet is as he begins to gossip about Hamlet, while also saying that he has been a gravedigger since "the very day that young Hamlet was born" (V.i. 123-124).

Soon enough, Horatio and Hamlet witness the funeral procession for Ophelia, as Claudius, Gertrude, Laertes, and others enter the churchyard. It takes Hamlet some time to realize who it is who has died, but once he sees Laertes leaping into her grave to hold her in his arms one last time, he is assured that it is Ophelia's burial. This is when Hamlet declares his love for Ophelia as he says "I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum." (V. i. 235-236).

Conflict arises in the churchyard among Laertes and Hamlet, and the following day, Claudius sends Osric to tell Hamlet that he would like Laertes to fence with Hamlet. Hamlet agrees to fight and from here, all is doomed. Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup, Laertes is poisoned by his own sword, Claudius is forced to drink the remains left in the cup, while Hamlet also manages to die. Soon after, Fortinbras appears to tell Horatio that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been executed. Talk about a gruesome ending!

Hamlet- Act 4 Scene 5

The scene opens with Gertrude, Gentlemen, and Horatio discussing Ophelia's behavior. Gertrude wishes to not speak with Ophelia, but complies. The audience gets an insight into Ophelia's madness as she enters singing odd songs and acting rather strange. I can understand Ophelia's lack of sanity due to her father's death, the removal of Hamlet, and the rumors stirring about her father's death. She implies to Claudius that she hopes he gets what he deserves in lines 42-44, "They say the owl was a baker's daughter. Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be. God be at your table." So, I think Ophelia believes Claudius to be the reason for her father's death. Also, she is still very hurt from Hamlet's absence, that she sings songs that explain her innermost emotions. Most of the songs refer to sex and the uncertainty of true love.
Ophelia is not the only one deeply affected by her father's death, but also her brother, Laertes. He returns in secrecy from France with with a rebellious mindset to take control over the kingdom and avenge his father's death. This seemed all too familiar because now we not only have Hamlet and Fortinbras avenging deaths, but a third as well! The citizens are on board with Laertes becoming king. Claudius pleads his innocence, but then Ophelia reenters with a lack of sanity, and Laertes's rage comes back. Both Claudius and Laertes come to a conclusion to send Laertes's friends to hear out King Claudius and decide if he is guilty or not. If he is guilty, Claudius agreed to give up his crown to Laertes, but if decided he is innocent, the proper person who killed Polonius will be put to death. Since Claudius wants Hamlet dead, will he tell everyone that Hamlet is the murderer? Secondly, Ophelia has too much going on in her life and no one to turn to, I wonder how soon she will kill herself.

Act 3 Scene 2-3

        Act 3 Scene 2 begins with Hamlet instructing the actors in how he would like the play delivered. He asks that it reflect human nature to catch his guilty uncle. After this brief talk with the actors, Horatio soon enters and the audience watches as Hamlet is finally able to confide in a true friend. Horatio agrees to watch Claudius during the murder scene. Following this friendly conversation comes the play itself. As the play goes on Hamlet interjects pointed, snarky comments toward his mother and Uncle. As soon as the murder scene comes to a head Claudius abruptly leaves, obviously guilty of the heinous crime. As the scene comes to a close Hamlet is told that his mother wishes to speak to him and Hamlet begins to plead with himself to not harm his mother and instead vows to treat her cruelly but not unnaturally.
        This then brings us to Act 3 Scene 3 behind closed doors in the king's private chapel where Claudius confirms Guildenstern and Rosencrantz's loyalty to him and their participation in his efforts to send Hamlet to England. However, the most powerful part of this scene is Claudius' speech as he is praying. Claudius is seen pleading with God, wondering how he can relieve himself of his sin even though he is still reaping the rewards of his crime. During this speech, the audience is also watching Hamlet's internal conflict as he decides whether or not he should strike Claudius now. The scene ends with a cowardly Hamlet, unable to act yet again.
        These two scenes were packed with intensity. Themes of social class, religion, life vs, death, and morality are brought up through the players' scenes and even in the thoughts of Hamlet and Claudius. The most surprising part of this reading was Hamlet's shift in mood. Towards the beginning of the scenes, Hamlet seemed to be in a sarcastic mood with snarky retorts, seemingly refreshed and energized by the thought of finding truth in the ghost's words. Then as soon as Claudius proves himself guilty with his reaction to the play, Hamlet's mood shifts to a more conflicted state as he is forced to ponder his action. Will he kill Claudius? When is the "right" time? Hamlet is yet again finding himself to be a coward. I look forward to seeing Hamlet interact with his mother one on one, as well as, seeing how the King deals with Hamlet's knowledge of his crimes.

Act 3, Scene I

Act 3, scene i begins with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern saying that they did not discover the reason for Hamlet’s melancholy. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern explained Hamlet is only interested in the upcoming play. Claudius tells the spies to “drive his purpose on to these delights” (III.i.27). This serves as dramatic irony; the audience knows that Hamlet is only excited about the play because of his plot to expose Claudius of his father’s murder. 

Later in the scene, Hamlet delivers one of the most famous lines in English literature: “To be, or not to be, that is the question-” (III.i.56). In this famous speech, Hamlet ponders the question of suicide by enduring suffering or fighting against it. Also, he is troubled with thoughts of what happens after death. Hamlet decides that thinking stops humans from acting and says “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all” (III.i.83). Throughout his speech, Hamlet never mentions the reasons why he would commit suicide; he just ponders the action of it. This allows the audience to come up with their own reasons as to why Hamlet would take his own life. 

Hamlet’s speech is interrupted by Ophelia; she wants to return the tokens of love that Hamlet gave her. Hamlet denies having given Ophelia anything and compares dishonestly with beauty when he says, “That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty” (III.i.107-108). It is evident that Hamlet has lost his mind because he admits to both having loved Ophelia once to not loving her at all, demonstrating the theme of love vs. misogyny. He goes on a rant about how humankind is evil, demonstrating the theme of a fallen world. Hamlet denounces humankind by wanting to end all marriages and sending Ophelia to a nunnery. Polonius and Claudius still wonder whether or not Hamlet is mad with love and threaten to send him to England if his spirit doesn’t change.

Act 2, Scene 1 and 2

Scenes 1 and 2 of Act 2 begin to show the substantial deterioration of Hamlet’s wellbeing. As Polonius schemes to spy on his own son, Ophelia approaches her father and explains an encounter with Hamlet and his blatantly distressed disposition. Ophelia explains what she saw, “Lord Hamlet with his doublet all unbraced, / No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled, / Ungartered, and down-gyved to his ankle, / Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, / And with a look so piteous in purport / As if he had been loosed out of hell…” (2.1.76-81). Ophelia and Hamlet’s family members are more concerned with Hamlet’s outward appearance and presentation than the root of the issue. Instead of feeling they should address his apparent sorrow, they continue to consider it a fleeting emotion and dismiss it. Frankly, Gertrude and Claudius do not care enough about Hamlet to put aside their own selfish motives. If having a mother willing to take part in an “incestuous” marriage wasn’t enough, she is being influenced by the malicious Claudius and offering large sums of money to Hamlet’s old school friends to spy on him. She has a complete disrespect for Hamlet’s individuality and security. Hamlet’s own family, even when they are in the wrong, aim to control his life and thoughts. Thankfully, Hamlet has not lost his wit and devises a play where he will reenact the death of his own father, as described by the Ghost, in front of Claudius and Gertrude. The utter lack of trust throughout the entire play involving family members is anxiety-inducing. That build of anxiety is evident as the story itself builds too.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 9

       Last night we read the final chapter of The Great Gatsby. I found myself feeling sad to flip the next page as I knew this rollercoaster of a story was coming to an end.
     At the beginning of this chapter, we are invited to look into the aftermath of Gatsby's death, the funerary arrangements, the handlings of the press, etc. Soon Nick comes to the realization that these responsibilities are left solely to him. As he calls around inviting Gatsby'd "friends" to the funeral Nick comes to grips with the fact that Gatsby didn't have any good friends. Once again we see how lonely and isolated Gatsby truly was, in life and in death. As Nick is trying to handle his newfound responsibilities he is also burdened with the "grotesque, circumstantial, eager, and untrue" press that is swarming Gatsby's home (Fitzgerald 163). The press is soon to print Gatsby's death making Gatsby into some kind of intangible celebrity. Later in the chapter we find out about another one of Gatsby's lies as Mr. Gatz is introduced, Gatsby's not-so-dead father. Towards the end of the chapter, it is evident that the party is now over, Jay Gatsby is dead and reality has overcome the originally fantastical East and West Egg.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 8

Chapter 8 in The Great Gatsby was very somber, to say the least. The chapter opened with Nick "half-sick between grotesque reality and savage, frightening dreams" (Fitzgerald 147). Nick heard Gatsby's taxi and immediately got dressed to meet him for his arrival. Gatsby informs Nick that nothing happened at Daisy's house and that at "about four o'clock she came to the window and stood there for a minute and then turned out the light" (147). Nick tries to warn Gatsby that officials will trace his yellow car in correlation to Myrtle's death; however, Gatsby says he'll never consider leaving Daisy behind. Gatsby changes the conversation to reflect on his past with Daisy in Louisville in 1917. Gatsby had lied to Daisy about his past. Nick narrates, "However glorious might be his future as Jay Gatsby, he was at present a penniless young man without a past, and at any moment the invisible cloak of his uniform might slip from his shoulders" (149). It can be inferred that Daisy fell in love with Gatsby based on the lies he told; Gatsby wanted Daisy to think "that he was fully able to take care of her" (149). After he was sent off to war, it was inevitable that Daisy would marry a man other than Gatsby. Nick hurries off to work but complements Gatsby before he leaves by saying "You're worth the whole damn bunch put together" (154). This was the first, and last, compliment Nick would give him. At the end of the chapter, the point of view is shifted towards a focus on George Wilson. It is believed that Wilson spent "time going from garage to garage thereabout, inquiring for a yellow car" (160). Eventually, Wilson finds Gatsby in his pool and shoots him; Gatsby dies instantly. Perhaps Gatsby should have listened to Nick about taking his yellow car out of town.