cRaZY HamLeT - Zelda Peach
"I'll lug the guts into the neighbour room" said Hamlet in line 214, of scene 4, in act 3. He says this to his mother while telling her goodnight after he had killed Polonius directly before her eyes. I think that this one small line gives readers plenty of insight into how truly mad Hamlet may actually be. As discussed in class, Hamlet claims that he is "putting on an act" by pretending to be insane, but is he really pretending? the more that I read the harder it is for me to believe that he isn't really going crazy as everyone says that he is. In his mother's chamber, the ghost even only appears to Hamlet leading his mother to see him looking/talking to an empty space. Could the ghost even do that? Before when the ghost had been seen, he appeared to everyone, even the guards. However this time, the ghost only appeared to Hamlet, somehow blocking out the queen from viewing him. I am no ghost expert, but this does seem odd.
Here is my idea: Is it possible that the first time the ghost appears it is real and the second time that it isn't? Could it be possible that Hamlet has convinced himself so well to go mad that he slowly actually is? In this case, Hamlet could be imagining his ghost father that is in his mother's chamber because he feels subconsciously guilty for belittling her. I have never read Hamlet before and I don't know how it ends, everything I am saying could be entirely untrue, I just think that it is an interesting probability. I am fascinated to see where the story goes from here.
Another thing that threw me for a loop was the Queen's reaction to Polonius's death. She doesn't seem very upset or angry at Hamlet considering he just KILLED SOMEONE. Maybe she is in fact very angry and I just cannot tell because we are reading the play instead of watching it. I guess I will just have to watch the movie (and keep reading of course). ;)
I commented on AnnaKate and Will's posts.
Here is my idea: Is it possible that the first time the ghost appears it is real and the second time that it isn't? Could it be possible that Hamlet has convinced himself so well to go mad that he slowly actually is? In this case, Hamlet could be imagining his ghost father that is in his mother's chamber because he feels subconsciously guilty for belittling her. I have never read Hamlet before and I don't know how it ends, everything I am saying could be entirely untrue, I just think that it is an interesting probability. I am fascinated to see where the story goes from here.
Another thing that threw me for a loop was the Queen's reaction to Polonius's death. She doesn't seem very upset or angry at Hamlet considering he just KILLED SOMEONE. Maybe she is in fact very angry and I just cannot tell because we are reading the play instead of watching it. I guess I will just have to watch the movie (and keep reading of course). ;)
I commented on AnnaKate and Will's posts.
I wrote about this in my blog post but ill talk about it again. Hamlets sanity is not to be questioned. That is to say that its not the main question. While it is fine to ask this question, it should not be dwelt on. The real question Shakespeare asks is how do we know what sanity is. Who should be the one to determine the line between crazy and sane? Is there a line? We as people tend to get caught up in the unimportant questions and never take time to ask the big ones. However Shakespeare could have also made his fictional character insane just to give the whole story some comedy.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm with you in never reading Hamlet before now, but yes and amen to how bizarre the queen's reaction was to Polonius's murder! Is this just the new (or maybe old...medieval times were crazy) normal for them? Maybe she was maintaining composure to prevent Hamlet from rising to an outburst of madness. Whichever is the case, I think she will have some explaining to do...
ReplyDeleteI had not thought about how the second appearance of the ghost of King Hamlet might have been a figment of imagination. Now you have me questioning this, and I am already questioning a lot in this play, but it is a totally valid point... I am going to have to go back and reread that part
ReplyDeleteMadison Flowers
This honestly reminds me of when celebrities get into character for their roles. Take Heath Ledger for example. He got so into his character for The Joker that he literally went insane and died of a drug overdose. A lot of the time, the thing we are most afraid to become is exactly what we transition into. I also do find it strange that Gertrude is just kinda chillin about the whole "my son just murdered an official" thing, but who knows? maybe that wasn't the worst thing she'd ever witnessed?
ReplyDeleteThat Hamlet went to the trouble to do the play shows that he has a conscience, and what insane person has one of those?
ReplyDeleteGood point about the ghost.
Or maybe the queen wanted him to die! Maybe his wasn't the best husband and she was just lookin' for an out from that man. She had to put on a show to seem upset, but really she's super relieved about the events that have unfolded.
ReplyDelete