DRJ #: Hamlet Act IV

This act took a turn towards more drama and a series of events beginning to unfold. It was suspenseful and full of action, unlike the other acts where we are just seeing the interaction of the characters and their response to the setting. We are able to see into more of what is going on in the minds of the characters as well. It is at this point in the play that we can recognize that Shakespeare is beginning to clue the reader in on what is taking place. I personally found this act the most interesting and easiest to read as it holds your attention as it goes on. 

My attention was drawn to the character Ophelia as she is still grieving and paying respect to her deceased father. He is still so dear to her heart and she cannot help but continually focus on his passing. This process of grieving that she has chosen to take truly hinders her capability of being able to process all that is going on around her. The song that she makes up is peculiar, as the was just nonchalantly going around singing. While the act progresses the reader may lose thought of her as a character because of her constant singing but when she dies it bringing the attention back to her as a character as it is a shocking revelation.

As repetitive as this theme may be, I think that that of revenge is the most noticeable in this act. This takes part in the fact that Hamlet finally seeks and accomplishes the plan of his revenge and thus suffers the consequences. This story is truly summed up as Hamlet shows the readers how revenge takes place as a pattern and cycle that cannot be broken and thus will ultimately be executed. 

DRJ #3: Hamlet Act III

This particular act helped build the plot of the story. At this point of the story we notice that this play has reached the climax of the story. However it is made known to us that Claudius is actually guilty of the crime. This is found out from Hamlets crafty set up to reveal the truth. It isn't until this point in the play that the reader is able to distinguish the real truth from lie. We were persuaded to believe that Hamlets father was murdered by the ghost of his father. As this act closes we recognizes that Hamlet gains some stability to the situation and thus can proceed towards the true revenge of the wrong doer.


Since this act was hit by the highlight of Claudius and what was revealed, I will discuss him as a character. Surprisingly, this part of the play offers a witness of Claudius actually admitting to the wrong while praying. It is interesting the front that he puts up around other people as calm and collected. But much on the contrary we recognize that he is actually lacking confidence as the play continues. Not only does it seem as though he is losing confidence, but that he is somewhat depressed deep inside himself. The conflict in this scene occurs when Hamlet walks in on Claudius praying, but Hamlet turns down killing him then because he felt as though that would be "stabbing a man in the back" or killing a man unarmed. His morals and values weighed out his decisions once again. 

As this act developed it is evident that the theme of revenge formed a foundation as well. Even though Hamlet decided to withdraw at the perfect moment to seek revenge and kill Claudius, we recognize that he still does not let go of the ultimate revenge. 

DRJ #2: Hamlet Act II

As the story of Hamlet progresses to Act II it is evident that it seems to be a let down. The story that builds in Act I is way different that what unfolds in Act II. When reading this part of the story it is focused on the spying and deceit that must take place to proceed in the plans of the story. The spying leads to a lot of drama that seems so unnecessary at the time. 

The character that I chose to focus on was the antagonist, Polonius. He is the main source of all of the issues for all of the characters surrounding Act II. These actions become clear when he sends Reynaldo to keep a close watch on his son. Furthermore, informs the King and Queen that Hamlets madness is due to his lust for his daughter Ophelia. One may quickly conclude however, that his sneakiness and constant push for drama may be the cause ultimately of his death.

The underlying theme of deception is strong in this Act. The deception grows much stronger in this Act from the previous introduction of the story and the reader may then begin to associate and deal with the accusations charged upon his name. Although Hamlet thinks that most everyone has his best interest at heart, he soon learns that they are only trying to rob him of his freedom, name, and ultimately his life. 

DRJ #1: Hamlet, Act I

When I began reading the first act of Hamlet, I was concerned. This was due to the fact that the old english dialect seemed foreign but to much of my surprise it was actually the type of language that holds a deeper meaning. The symbolism and irony of each sentence holds the readers attention and is a style of literature that is more like an art.  So far this play has caught my attention and is very intriguing. To me, Hamlet is especially interesting to the story. The way that he addresses Claudius and his mother is loving and supportive. I would say that Hamlet has characteristics of being juvenile and young but he is probably a few years beyond how he acts sometimes.

From my point of view, I focused on Hamlet as a character. His values and upstanding morals are refreshing and difficult to match in another of the characters in the story. Although Hamlet is at odds with his mother and addresses her with disgust one can quickly recognize that he still embraces loyalty and follows love in his heart. Hamlet is in an uproar of emotions of the passing of his father. While everyone moves foreword with their lives, even Gertrude we recognize that he feels alone in being loyal to the old King because he is the only one still respecting him in his mourning. My opinion on labeling Hamlet as a character would be that of a "upstanding old-values gentlemen". Shakespeare chooses to utilize loyalty as a theme to represent Hamlets respect for people and thus molding him into the character that he is. Loyalty is portrayed nearing the end of the Act when we see Hamlet taking a vow upon his fathers spirit to take revenge on the old Kings death. Regardless of his passing away, we recognize that Hamlet exercises loyalty to maintain the name that his father carried. 

Chopin Support for Thesis

Thesis #1:

            Women’s struggle for equality during this era can be detected in many subtle references in the text. The fact that when Mrs. Mallard received the news of her husband, she isolated herself to her room to take in the view of the world outside her window as if she had never seen it like this before, was a very clear interpretation of the hold that her life had because of these strict gender roles. . Her gaze brought about the recognition of her freedom within she stated, “Free, free, free! (Chopin 15).” This idea of freedom is suggested from Chopin to imply that she feels freedom within herself now because her husbands’ death has broken their matrimony and all that that socially encompassed for her emotionally as well.

Thesis #2:

            With many references to life and death that Chopin highlights in this story it is evident that she is referring to a woman’s struggle in a modern day society in the 1099s. With Mrs. Mallards heart trouble we notice that it may be related to the anxiety and pressure that is placed upon her and the roles she must abide by. Mrs. Mallards struggle is captured in writing when we read, “She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was awaiting for it fearfully (Chopin 15).” Just as she felt freed from her burdens we see that she feels the overwhelming feeling of the bondage coming back into her life, although she has not discovered what that is yet. We later read of her husbands’ return and thus her death to maintain her longed freedom. 

Hemingway Extra-Credit

When leaving home for an extended period of time one may experience many changes and thus realize that the response of those around you upon the homecoming may be less than desirable. In my own experience, I have left home and not for the first time in a long while am back home. As i thought my experience may e somewhat seamless, I quickly realized that my homecoming was not full of joy. It took a lot of work and adjusting to settle in and transition into life with the people I care about again. The change was caused by time and people shifting and adjusting to the surroundings that had been disrupted. My experience helps me to quickly associate with Krebs because I see how one can take the conflict and turn it into a constructive situation or crumble under the disappointing response of family and friends and thus farther alienate oneself.

Walker Extra-Credit

  In interruption of thought directly after the phrase, "Let him speak...(Walker 268). The groom begins to gaze into his brides bright blue eyes disguised with confusion and deep thought which only he could recognize. "I love her. Can she see that I have so much to offer her with my heart? Does she know that the words that we repeat are not only vows of comfort to our commitment but an affirmation and completion of my undying love for her?" All eyes scaling the room for any one opposed to the marriage. "She is still here with me. Deep breath. Okay, almost there just say I do. I feel like I have anxiety, I wasn't before but maybe im sensing her possible regret? Is she going to stand by me and be faithful, are her words weighted?" "Too late, I DO."

SSRJ #3 Walker

• Throughout the plot of this story I could not help but be distracted by the vows and the thought process that the bride to be was discussing. The element of perspective captured through the use of symbolism is what caught my attention. Although she is going through with the marriage literally, I think that her thoughts captivate the marriage failing symbolically in her minds eye. We are able to recognize this as she rambles in depth in her thought processes while the vows are taking place. Nothing is comfortable to her about this marriage not even her husband to be. There is a distance that cannot be overcome even by agreeing and reciting vows.
• To further what I was saying above, I recognize that the element of irony is also present in this story. The author was trying to show the reader that even though on the outside this bride may have looked stunning and beaming with joy, the real issue lay deep within herself where no one could see the true colors of how she really felt about the wedding. This misunderstanding is unfortunate because we will never know if what she was going through was true to her-self or the man she was to be married to.
• This story caused me to have a lot of questions about the author’s intentions of the points that he was trying to get across. What is the reason for such turmoil and scattered thoughts and not once did she voice them or change her decision?

SSRJ #4 Carver

**oops I read week 4's SSRJ...I will post 3 shortly**

• My initial reaction to this story was somewhat of a shock. As I real this short story I could recognize the irony in what the two characters were portraying but it all came as a shock to me as he used a type of minimalist structure to his writing. This type of writing had me thinking about the deeper meanings and forming the setting and intentions in my mind. The element of emotion in irony stood out to me the most. This element of surprise caused me to be wondering what point was going to be formed in each character. When this was not revealed in either, the author forced me through his writing to look into the deeper meaning that he was trying to portray. Surprisingly, and thankfully this story was not at all relating to me in things that I have dealt with recently.
• Setting was the most important element to this story. Although the author chooses to give very little details about what is going on around them, it does build a stronger picture in the readers mind to use as a foundation to what results in the heated argument. The plot is quickly formed out of the argument. We recognize that the weather that day gives us a fore shadow of the situation in doors as well. With out the setting being clearly set out in the beginning the reader would have no means as to picturing what kind of a day it already was. The simple irony of a storm brewing outside was more than enough for the reader to see the correlation of the storm brewing inside. As every bad storm brews, there is always a result of disaster that follows.
• This story is really perplexing to me. As I mentioned above, I view the most importance in the setting that was built for the story in the beginning. But my real question comes out of the fact that I didn’t see the author coming to any kind of strong-formed ideas in the plot or in the conclusion. I wonder why he was so descriptive in the first two sentences about the weather, but when it came down to sharing what happened to the baby in the end he left it open to interpretation? 

SSRJ #2 Hemingway

• This piece entitled, "Soldiers Home" brought about some subtle nuances that when read caused the reader to follow the story and assume that it would result a certain way. But to much surprise the author Hemingway desired a much different result of complete depth and revelation to what the main character Krebs was experiencing, feeling, and remembering as he returned home from his duties as a soldier. This piece made me feel empathy for Krebs as he paints an emotional picture of struggle and change as he tries his best to adapt to the community and home in which he used to know so well growing up in. The element of the photograph that was introduced in the story was ultimately the one element that caught my attention early on.  This photo is introduced and explained in the beginning of this story. The emphasis of the beauty that one might make out for a returning soldier and the romances that ensues that position of a soldier coming home is exactly the opposite of what this picture depicts. This picture tells about the river in which the picture is taken and it is not even noticeable in the background, and it is said that there are two German women with him and then it is said that they are not beautiful, when at first introduced one may only expect to associate them to the beauty and romance. This particular instance of the photograph related to me personally in my life experiences due to the fact that a picture can say a thousand words without even being spoken. A picture can bring about many thoughts, assumptions, and judgements but unless one was there experiencing that moment, than the picture is only a type shadow of the experience that lived at that moment.

• I recognized a sense of irony in the portrayal of the struggles that Krebs had as a soldier returning home. One would associate and Krebs expected somewhat of a emotional and yet romantic return home. But as the story unfolds we recognize that his reactions to how he was accepted into the community after an extended period of receiving many soldiers is that of discontent and almost a sense of dishonor. We can even break down this stories title to believing that this story may lead us through the positive experiences that come with a soldier reuniting with his family and finally coming home. This stories title is extremely on track as we see that this soldier’s home is what he is familiar with, and welcomed to. But the real discrepancy of the title is held under Krebs constant search of his true home after being changed into a different man where even “home” seems like a foreign place to him, he is in constant search of that place and then begins to search within himself to find “home”. Krebs war experiences are present to him when we see him un able to do the tasks that were before him pre-war. We see that he has trouble engaging in the families regular schedule that was formed before he left and thus he is perplexed as to why after these experiences is he not able to engage as he used to. After being home for a while one may experience change to mannerisms, choices, or even character. It is believed that one is a product of ones environment, and in the case of this short story it is evident that Krebs is having trouble associating or even recognizing who he used to be thus leading the reader to an unusual and rarely sought after irony. 

• This story was well written in my opinion but many questions arose throughout this story in my mind. I wonder what Hemingway's true purpose was for the emphasis and almost let down of what the photograph's significance was, not only to the readers interpretation, but also to the significance of building Krebs as a character. I also wonder why there was so much description of the young women? Lastly, I am perplexed as to the disconnect to his mother. Is this portrayed as symbolism of not truly being able to connect to being home, and living that picture of home through the mothers image?