Please choose two questions from ACT III to respond to in at least a 150 word post. Please state the scene and the question. (ex. ACT III Scene 3 - What do you learn about the Queen in the course of this scene?) Be sure you provide textual evidence to support your claims. You must respond to two of your peers as well. DUE by midnight 12/22/15.
45 Comments
Sarah
12/19/2015 12:46:25 pm
Act III Scene I-There are two significant plot outcomes of this scene. Claudius makes an important decision regarding Hamlet, and Polonius has a plan for a meeting that involves Hamlet. What are these two plans?
Reply
Lauren Collins
12/22/2015 12:47:23 pm
I like how you added that curiosity kills the cat, as evident by Polonius' demise. As for your second response, I completely agree that the scene has helped Hamlet about his mother. Not only has he confronted his mother, but he also got everything he wanted to off his chest. His mother also seems to listen to him, which should help his anger against Claudius. However, she thinks he is crazy now, especially when the ghost appears. Now the new question is whether the ghost is truly there or part of his imagination since his mother could not see it?
Reply
Jenny Glidewell
12/22/2015 07:34:49 pm
I think it is good that Hamlet finally told his mother how he feels. However I'm not so sure it will help him. His mother says she will keep his secret but I wouldn't be surprised if she told the king of her encounter with Hamlet. It is bad that Hamlet killed Polonius. He does not seem to be affected by it though. I would think it would hurt his conscious but he believes Polonius deserved to die. I like that you pointed out that by killing Polonius he has confirmed his insanity to others. I agree! He has no reasoning for killing Polonius and if others find out of this they will lock him up before he can avenge his father.
Reply
Nora Skinner
12/22/2015 07:50:20 pm
Hamlet killing Polonius certainly will not help his reputation. This act probably will cause people to undoubtedly believe that he is insane. I agree that he and Ophelia might be able to talk to each other more, but will Ophelia even want to talk to Hamlet? I feel like she would believe Hamlet to be twisted enough to have killed Polonius on purpose. Whatever Hamlet tries to tell Ophelia she will not listen to, considering how sheltered her father made her and how much she depended on him and valued his opinion.
Reply
Alyssa Hagerman
12/23/2015 08:46:54 pm
I don't believe Gertrude will be so understanding about her son and his reasons for "madness." She is strung tight up to King Claudius and will not let the shocking affair go forgotten. Also, Polonius' killer would certainly not remain a secret, so I do not believe Ophelia would be thrilled for their extra time to talk together. If the truth comes out, she will probably do everything she can to stay away from Hamlet.
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 03:45:52 pm
Hopeless romantics - Hamlet and Ophelia able to talk...? Do recall she will learn of Hamlet killing her father and she already thinks him mad, and it is a tragedy. Did you believe Claudius simply desired Hamlet to find his happiness in England?
Reply
Lauren Collins
12/22/2015 12:33:23 pm
Act III, Scene 2 – Why is Hamlet presenting this particular play?
Reply
Jenny Glidewell
12/22/2015 07:28:13 pm
I like how you pointed out that the play is a parallel to King Hamlet's death. That is a good point! I also like how you said in your second response that the in the play it was the nephew who poisoned the King so that it would not too closely resemble King Hamlet's actual murder and be obvious to everyone. I think that is true but I wonder if there was another reason the nephew poisoned the King. Maybe it is meant to foreshadow that Hamlet, who is Claudius's nephew, will poison him.
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 03:50:59 pm
Foreshadowing is indeed a good observation.
Nora Skinner
12/22/2015 07:45:55 pm
The fact that Claudius ran away from the play does confirm that the ghost is correct! It is a shame that no one else can see the ghost...is it even there at all?? ooOoOo
Reply
Sarah
12/23/2015 01:33:01 pm
You're spot on!...and like Jenny pointed out, what if the nephew doing the poisoning is double-edged--because it tells what happened in the past and foreshadows the events that are yet to come! Such a tragedy!
Reply
Elizabeth
12/23/2015 06:47:05 pm
I agree that Hamlet gave the queen in the play such a long speech so that his mother would feel guilty about her hasty marriage to Claudius and betrayal of Hamlet's father. The king's response in the speech also tied into Hamlet's mother's actions. The king in the play did not believe his wife's promises to remain true, saying that promises made in the heat of passion soon faded with time, something that definitely rings true with Getrude grieving over King Hamlet's passing when it first occurred and moving on as time passed, however short that time was.
Reply
Kristen Denny
12/23/2015 07:04:10 pm
There is so much deceit and sly plotting against one another in this tragedy. It was smooth of Hamlet to have a nephew as the murderer to not directly show his uncle's guilt to the audience. However, this could turn terribly wrong for him if people begin to believe that Hamlet had murdered his father. As others have said, I see that this action also foreshadows that Hamlet will soon avenge his father in seeking out Claudius' death.
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 03:53:31 pm
Why would Denmark believe Hamlet to be the murderer of his father?
Jenny Glidewell
12/22/2015 07:20:56 pm
Act III Scene 2: Why is Hamlet presenting this particular play?
Reply
Elizabeth
12/23/2015 06:57:42 pm
I agree that Hamlet's dilemma is more difficult to face. Not only was he thrust into a situation that he by no means choose to be involved in, he has to follow the orders of a ghost that few others can see and avenge a crime no one other than Claudius knows was committed. Hamlet has to deal with others thinking him insane, including his own mother, and his friends and lover Ophelia are turned against him. Claudius's dilemma doesn't even compare as he does not have to endure the sort of emotional agony and betrayal that Hamlet has to go through.
Reply
Nicole Rogers
12/23/2015 08:41:09 pm
Claudius's internal conflict of wanting to be forgiven but not wanting to give up pleasures reminded me a lot of people today, myself included. We want to be good people, but at the same time, we want the pleasures that come from doing the wrong thing. It is really interesting how although we live in much different times and cultures, we are still the same at heart. We stay true to our single story.
Reply
Nicole Rogers
12/26/2015 08:49:36 am
Claudius's internal conflict reminds me of the conflicts many people of today, especially religious people face. We want to do the right thing for moral and religious reasons, but we also do not want to give up the pleasures of doing what is wrong. It is interesting to see how characters set in a different culture and completely different times face the same struggles as we do today. Although the world has changed a lot, it is still the same story of good verses evil. In this case, it is the evil within us.
Reply
Nicole Rogers
12/26/2015 08:50:10 am
Claudius's internal conflict reminds me of the conflicts many people of today, especially religious people face. We want to do the right thing for moral and religious reasons, but we also do not want to give up the pleasures of doing what is wrong. It is interesting to see how characters set in a different culture and completely different times face the same struggles as we do today. Although the world has changed a lot, it is still the same story of good verses evil. In this case, it is the evil within us.
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:00:41 pm
Nice response. What do you think Hamlet's inability to act says about him?
Reply
Nora Skinner
12/22/2015 07:40:09 pm
Act 3, Scene 1 - What is your attitude towards Ophelia? How does she impact the plot and characterization?
Reply
Lauren Collins
12/22/2015 09:02:50 pm
I did not think of the switch up as foreshadowing but more as a switch to make Claudius think the play was random and not based off of him. Now that I think about it, I do see it as foreshadowing. It makes sense to make it more true to the current situation about revenging King Hamlet's death. It covers two situations with one action of the play.
Reply
Sarah
12/23/2015 01:37:31 pm
Like you, I take pity on Ophelia because of how she is controlled by her circumstances. I've noticed that Ophelia and Hamlet both react similarly to the ones they love--even though Hamlet has more independence because he's male. Ophelia does what her father tells her because Hamlet attempts to do what the Ghost says because he loved his father dearly as well.
Reply
Kristen Denny
12/23/2015 06:48:59 pm
I took the nephew being used as the murderer to throw off Claudius. Obviously this revealed to Claudius that Hamlet knows his secret. I agree that this twist lets the reader know that Hamlet will be coming for Claudius. Claudius had already felt threatened by Hamlet's "insanity" and that was why he was eager to send him to England but now he will definitely want him gone before Hamlet can bring harm to himself.
Reply
Nicole Rogers
12/23/2015 08:35:55 pm
I agree that making the nephew kill the king is foreshadowing of Hamlet killing Claudius, but do you think this is meant to be foreshadowing for the reader or for Claudius? I see this almost as a warning to Claudius, but I can see how this would could simply be foreshadowing to the reader.
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:10:46 pm
I think it does both. By being the nephew, like Kristen pointed out, it lets Cladius know that Hamlet knows. It then also foreshadows further "poison" in the play.
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:07:35 pm
Nice work. I like your point about the audience perceiving the players acting out a version, but do you think Denmark would buy in to that? It is known that something is rotten in the state, but the state adores Prince Hamlet.
Reply
Kristen Denny
12/23/2015 06:42:31 pm
Act III Scene 1
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:13:07 pm
When you read of Polonius' plan to once again hide behind the arras, what came to your mind?
Reply
Nicole Rogers
12/23/2015 08:11:52 pm
Act III Scene I
Reply
Kaitlyn Denny
12/25/2015 07:08:43 pm
Good inference about the King's confusion. I did not consider this in my personal response to this question. I also agree with your second response. Claudius was clearly the rat. The name of the play was very clever. I am curious to see what is going to happen now that Polonius is now out of the picture. I wonder if Ophelia will find out and what will happen between her and Hamlet.
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:16:58 pm
Good to note Claudius' ulterior motives.
Reply
Elizabeth
12/23/2015 08:17:11 pm
Act III, Scene II
Reply
Alyssa Hagerman
12/23/2015 09:35:58 pm
I believe Gertrude probably hates being tethered to Claudius in the way that she now is. I learned more that Gertrude wasn't as loyal to her husband as she was to her son. Also, the line you referenced would fit more into what we learned about Gertrude in Scene IV as it came from there. However, it does show strength in her character to show any signs of guilt.
Reply
Hannah Ross
1/3/2016 07:48:26 am
I agree that all three are antagonists. Could Polonious be opposed because of his relationship with his father though? Also, is it Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's ignorance that makes them antagonists?
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:21:47 pm
Do R and G truly have concern for Hamlet, or are they sellouts, sycophants to whomever they feel will give them the best favor? Gertrude may see her shame and guilt, but is she strong enough to obey her son and keep away from Claudius?
Reply
Alyssa Hagerman
12/25/2015 01:37:19 pm
Act III, Scene 2: Why is Hamlet presenting this particular play?
Reply
Kaitlyn Denny
12/25/2015 07:13:30 pm
I could also see that Hamlet may be trying to prove himself to the others. It probably did take strength to resist killing Claudius while he prayed. He was smart to wait though. Hamlet's father's spirit wants Claudius to suffer, not go straight to heaven. Hamlet is clearly going through a very hard time and battling some with himself.
Reply
Hannah Ross
1/2/2016 10:23:48 am
I like how you pointed out that Hamlet uses the play as a sort of fact checker for the ghost's word. However, does Hamlet really even see his uncle's reaction for Claudius rushes out after the climax of the play.
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:30:21 pm
What do you then make of Horatio's confirmation of Claudius' reaction?
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:29:17 pm
Does Claudius truly feel guilt? Yes, he wants to be able to pray, but his thoughts are empty? What does this mean?
Reply
Kaitlyn Denny
12/25/2015 07:04:08 pm
Act III Scene 1 What information does the King seek as he questions Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? On page 110, the King is requesting that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern try and discover why Hamlet is behaving confused and mad. "And can you, by no drift of conference Get from him why he puts on this confusion, Grating so harshly all his days of quiet With turbulent and dangerous lunacy" (Shakespeare 1110). The King also asked if Rosencrantz and Guildenstern attempted to get Hamlet to do something and if Hamlet responded to them well. He is relieved to hear about the play that Hamlet was glad to watch.
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:33:28 pm
Review your comments and explain your first response.
Reply
Hannah Ross
1/2/2016 09:50:34 am
Act 3 Scene 1
Reply
Holmes
1/4/2016 04:35:13 pm
Why does the ghost not appear to Gertrude?
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMrs. Holmes - AP ENG IV Archives
March 2016
Categories |