Tell me a story!!!

Today we discussed what a short story is (and is not), what makes for an interesting story, and why short stories matter. Take some time now to tell me a story: it could be a joke, it could be true, fake, it could be sad, or funny... it doesn't matter. There are only two requirements: it has a beginning, middle, and end... and it has at least one character that has a problem that needs to be resolved. 

Go!!! Ps: it can be short:)

Jamie Murray's Final Blog on The Big Delay!!! (How Ironic, eh Jamie?)

The entire essence and plot of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet revolves around Hamlet’s irresolute behaviour regarding the approach he takes in killing his uncle Claudius; with the ultimate question being: Why the delay? This multifaceted question has haunted critics for centuries because Shakespeare directs so much attention to this puzzling aspect of the play without giving a definitive answer. Where exactly is this “delay” stemming from? Is this delay driven by mainly internal or external challenges? Some may even suggest that there was never a delay to begin with, considering the audience may never have noticed if Hamlet himself had not mentioned his indecisive attitude in one of his soliloquies. Regardless, I believe that there is evidently a delay present, with the correlating factors being the fact that his primary source was a ghost, his honor in searching for the appropriate time with the presumption that Claudius might repent, and finally his fear of death all contribute to extending his quest for revenge.

Reliability and trust are two themes in this play that are meticulously explored and expressed through various relationships. In Act I of the play, a ghost appears claiming that he is the spirit of Old King Hamlet, stating that Claudius is the murderer, and later instructs Hamlet to seek revenge in his honor. Pause for one second and view this from Hamlet’s perspective. You are mourning over your father’s death and consequently you are emotionally unstable. One month after your father’s death, your mother marries your uncle and now a ghost appears and suggests that you take action immediately. How impulsive do you think you would be? Over the course of the play, Shakespeare conveys to his audience that trust is a complex connection, stressing that trust is a bond which takes time to develop. Horatio and Marcellus recognize this, warning Hamlet by suggesting “What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff… And there assume some other horrible form, Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason” (I, iv, 69-73). Essentially, Horatio is expressing his concern for Hamlet, suggesting that if he follows the ghost it might tempt him into madness and potentially suicide. Hamlet realizes this when he admits that “The spirit that I have seen may be the devil” (II, ii, 596-597). This ultimately leads him to do more investigation on Claudius and implement the play “The Mousetrap”.

Hamlet does not usually base his decisions off of “An eye for an eye mentality” which is why he resorts to strategizing his plan, in search of the perfect duel. Unlike Claudius, Hamlet doesn’t intend to seek revenge by poisoning him while he is asleep. Hamlet considers himself an honorable avenger which is why he doesn’t hide his intentions, but rather gives Claudius a fair warning by staging a play that parallels their own scenario. After the play, Hamlet is presented with an opportunity to kill Claudius. Initially, Claudius runs to the chapel because he feels guilty for what he has done, however he later decides that asking for forgiveness is not worth it. Hamlet holds back on killing him because the chapel is a holy place, and he wants to allow for the potential possibility that Claudius might repent his deed.

On a global basis, this delay is relatable to that of the Cold War. The term “Cold War” was given to illustrate the relationship between the U.S.A and the U.S.S.R after World War II. The reality of the war being that neither side actually ever fought, but rather posed as threats with the ideology that either country could wipe out the other out entirely. This relationship can easily be associated with the relationship between Hamlet and Claudius. Hamlet eventually gathers enough evidence to conclude that Claudius is the murderer but he struggles to find the perfect time to announce it and take his revenge.

From a personal stand point, my hockey team serves as another parallel to this relationship. Our team is faced with the challenge every game to find a balance between offence and defence. Our team doesn’t want to sacrifice too much attention towards offence, because we are worried that we will leave our defence out to dry. Likewise, sometimes we find ourselves playing too conservatively in that we never give ourselves a chance to score. Hamlet is struggling with this same balance issue. He wants to take revenge on Claudius but at the same time he doesn’t want to put himself in a vulnerable position and get himself killed. 

Check out this site to see more info

To Kill, Or Not To Kill

The reluctance Hamlet feels towards killing his uncle is a result of his tendency to over analyze everything, a lack of evidence that proves Claudius is the murderer, the fact that murder is morally incorrect, the effect it will have on his beloved mother, and his inability to find an acceptable time to pursue the murderer. His reasoning for being so hesitant with committing the murder is most certainly valid; murder is not something that should be glossed over, especially when his father, the ghost, is the one who asks him to commit the murder on his behalf. Although Hamlet wants to please his father, if he chooses to proceed with the murder it will change his life indefinitely. He must ask himself, is it worth it for the vengeance of his father? Hamlet delays committing the murder as he wants to be absolutely sure of his decision, making it seem like he has a somewhat stable head on his shoulders. However, when Hamlet stops over thinking and suddenly kills Polonius, who he believes may or may not be Claudius, he seems to stray from everything he values. Hamlets hasty, spur of the moment decision brings everything we as readers previously thought about Hamlet into question. Because he briefly lost his logical reasoning, he has to live with the fact that he is responsible for the death of an innocent man. Because of this, Shakespeare teaches his readers that one must think before they act as actions have consequences.

At first, Hamlet is not even certain that his uncle is to blame for killing his father. His only source is the ghost of Old King Hamlet, which may not be reliable enough when it comes to a life or death scenario. Hamlet creates an ingenious plan to find the proof he needs; he produces a play that re-enacts the murder of Old King Hamlet, and Claudius’ guilty conscience shines through while he watches in awe. Doing so pushes Hamlet one step closer to murdering his uncle, yet there is still a delay. Hamlets knows that murder violates his moral code. Morals often are proven to overpower even the deepest raging emotions. Hamlet also considers that fact that killing Claudius would have irreparable effects on his mother, having lost two husbands in such a short period of time. Another reason Hamlet delays the murder of Claudius is because he wants to find the proper time to do so. He has the opportunity to commit the murder when he is in the church, however he delays yet again as he feels he should not kill Claudius unless he is doing something sinful; he wants to ensure that Claudius’s soul will not be sent to heaven.

“Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven;
And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd:
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.” (3.3.74-79)

Although Hamlet does plan on killing Claudius, there is always something holding him back from turning his talk into action. His indecisiveness portrayed consistently throughout the play results in his reluctance in pursuing the murder of his uncle. 

 

http://encourageyourspouse.com/be-aware-youre-on-the-scale/scale-balance/

The perils of a certain uncertainty

Hamlet exhibits behaviour ranging from calm and contemplative to his famed antic disposition. What in the end do we really know about Hamlet? Its plain that Hamlet is a self-deprecating, depressive character given therefor to indecision, but what is it really that compels Hamlet to delay?
The ghost of his father proclaims revenge his foul and most unnatural murder making it definite that he was murdered and Hamlet must avenge his death. That is all good and true but at the end of the day how sure can we be about the words from a ghost. That said while the play provides proof that Hamlet is a good judge of other characters he often struggles to be sure of himself.
That said, though we see Hamlets murder of Polonius as rash and impulsive, in my mind I found it premeditated. Hamlet knows himself well enough to see that he would have been unable to kill Claudius while looking at him because it is simply not in his nature. Given the chance to Hamlet took the opportunity to kill Claudius when the consequences were less damaging to his psyche. I think this was hamlets first moment of true clarity since his father had died.

Hamlets mood drastically flips from aggressive in the monologue oh this too sully flesh, to practically abysmal in To Be or Not to Be. Hamlet questions his purpose in life; whether to rather enter into the realm where no travellers return or to take arms against a sea a trouble. This inner turmoil just reinforces Hamlets character flaw of indecisiveness and justifies his mental state.
By portraying Hamlet as a tragic imperfect hero Shakespeare gives us a relatable character. Sometimes in our lives we are given tasks that are thrust upon us. Some may say it is how we deal with them was truly defines us. I think Shakespeare wishes for us to learn that not all heroes are brave or true. Not everyone is inherently good. At the end of the day sometimes when we look back on history it was the action we took rather than who we are that defines us.

Hamlet (delay)...

Hamlet’s uncertainty is presented on numerous occasions throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. Hamlet’s uncertainty creates a constant theme of antic disposition when it comes to his relationships with multiple characters throughout the play such as, Ophelia, and his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for example.  The insecurity that lies within Hamlet portrays the reasoning for his deceptive logic presented towards others. This deceptive logic however, allows Hamlet to mess with the minds of opposing characters in order to successfully achieve the death of Claudius without being viewed as a murderer. Hamlet would not be considered a murder because in his mind he has already intentionally established that he is mentally unstable, he did this by using antic disposition towards multiple characters; particularly throughout is “madness” when it comes to his “love” for Ophelia. Many times throughout the play, Hamlet is skeptical about making his own decisions; not being able to kill his Uncle Claudius is one of those superlative examples. This example demonstrates how Hamlet is unable to make up his own mind; he continues to come up with alleged reason to do nothing. Although killing Claudius seems like the honorable thing to do for his father, he also puts his mother in consideration by thinking about how she may be affected by Claudius’ death; how she would feel loosing yet another husband.

One individual’s choices and actions have the ability to affect those around them as well, whether those choices have either a positive or negative impact.  When it comes to our choices and actions, we must stop and think about our responsibilities on a social level, seeing as though we are responsible for how we treat others. I believe that part of the reasoning for Hamlet’s delay in killing Claudius is the anguish it would bring his mother, Gertrude. Although Hamlet is provoked by the idea that his mother had only mourned a month for his father, Old King Hamlet before engaging with his brother Claudius; does Hamlet still think of the wellbeing of his mother. Hamlet was given many chances to kill King Claudius, the most obvious being when both Hamlet and Claudius are alone in the church. Claudius did not know of Hamlet’s presence, he was alone, defenceless and kneeling at prayer… praying for forgiveness of his sins; yet Hamlet continued to hesitate. Hamlet’s hesitation throughout the entire play is due to his lack of certainty when making decisions, although he is capable to act boldly at times of demand when he doesn’t have time to think such as, when he kills Polonius, when he fights Laertes in Ophelia’s grave, or when he finally kills Claudius in the last act. It may seem as though Hamlet’s delay and hesitation in killing Claudius is a good thing due to the fact that he thinks before he acts however, I view this situation as being a negative concept. If Hamlet had killed Claudius when the chance first presented itself, I believe that there could have been far less casualties. Therefore, as the link clearly shares, there are multiple ways and steps that one may try in order to stop hesitation, also to make decision making easier. Yes, I believe the death of Claudius would have been devastating for Gertrude, but in the end taking the life of one, one who did not deserve to live; could have saved the lives of five others.

Hamlet’s madness and skepticism is what originally developed the reasoning behind his delay. He is constantly searching for his identity, along with the meaning of his own existence. William Shakespeare has produced a very powerful character of Hamlet. Hamlet’s strength, power, and heroic attributes come from within him; it is not until his first soliloquy that any of these special attributes are displayed. His first soliloquy genuinely displays his true feelings, feelings that he is unwilling as well as incapable of publicising. William Shakespeare has built Hamlet’s identity that demonstrates, that not everyone feels as though they can be out spoken, not everyone feels confident within themselves; he demonstrates that many of us live in fear, not necessarily by choice but because we happen to be victims of circumstance. William Shakespeare was also able to create a character that would keep the reader engaged, the unpredictable actions of Hamlet is what made the story line so captivating.

Lastly, Hamlet’s uncertainty throughout the play is brought to life thanks to his deceptive mind, all of which began after hearing of the series of unfortunate events that his Father, Old King Hamlet was forced to undergo. There are multiple reasons behind Hamlet’s delay generally speaking however; Hamlets inability to make up his mind is what keeps the audience captivated. Hesitation is something everyone unwillingly must undergo throughout their life time, and I feel as though the reasoning behind Hamlets delay is due to the fact that he is constantly hesitating; questioning himself; which is an extremely relatable circumstance to be in. Making difficult decisions is part of life; as long as you have faith within yourself there is no wrong that can be done.          

 

This picture represents Hamlet's process of thought. This picture displays the drastic uncertainty of his mind, his thoughts about life, as well as him thinking about the importance of his life. Hamlet is skeptical about making his own choices, so this picture represents him trying to make up his mind, it represents him thinking about making a drastic decision; suicide. This picture shows Hamlet's hesitation, which ties into the delay of the play.



Seamus Smith's Act III blog post

Hamlets behavior is crazy throughout the play because he is still getting over the death of a loved one. He goes through mixed emotions and obviously anger is a common one.  Hamlet feels he has to take vengeance over his father’s murder but does not have the rite mindset to kill somebody. He has been lied to and fooled over and over again in the play; there are a lot of characters that are up to no good and not honest.  In the play there is at most two characters who are good people and care about their own effect on other people, in general no one cares about each other and are only trying to trick each other. Hamlet knows that he has been deceived by people he once trusted and I think that he is confused about whom he can trust any more, his uncle killed his dad and he does not like his mother. The girl he thought he loved is dishonest to him and then kills herself. He cannot kill because he is confused about who is who and week with insecurity. Also, Hamlets personality is not of a killer. He gets pushed around and becomes angry but never fights back.

Act 3 Blog Final - Why the Delay

Hamlet is reluctant in killing his uncle for a magnitude of reasons including moral standards, lack of evidence, timing and indecision. It is said Hamlet is procrastinating in his work to kill; he is unsure whether or not the ghost’s accusations are true or not. To begin, the source that informed him of the murder is a ghost of his father, not the most reputable of sources (experts say). How can Hamlet trust such an odd source for such an important situation involving murder? How does he know it is even real? In Act 3 scene 5 Hamlet speaks to the ghost in the presence of Gertrude who can’t see it. Did Hamlet go mad due to his father’s death? Madness is a motif, correct? Assuming the ghost was real, Hamlet faces indecision to kill the King. He wants to avenge his father but he loves his mother and wouldn't want to see her hurt from another loss. We can relate to Hamlet because when making decisions he thinks of those affected around him. A good decision requires a strong opinion, drive and self reflection, the link above teaches us how to make good decisions.  Hamlet cannot take action right away, it is wise for him to delay and think. He must make the decision that he is guilty for himself, so he plans to watch Claudius’s reaction during the play he put on “The Mouse Trap” to prove that he is truly guilty through Hamlets ability to read people well. When Hamlet is convinced Claudius committed the murder he is ready to kill him during his prayer in church, as usual Hamlet delays. Hamlets delay is caused by the timing of murder so he says, “And am I then revenged to take him in the purging of his soul when he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.” (3.3. 86-89) Killing Claudius at this moment is doing him a favour; he is repenting his sins and is ready for passage. Hamlet wants his father’s revenge to be perfect, so he must delay and wait for a more opportune moment. Hamlet’s reluctance to murdering his uncle is quite justified. Unlike the soldiers in Fortinbras army, Hamlet’s actions have meaning. He must weigh the pros and cons; his mother’s sanity or revenge for his father. Delaying the murder is the right thing to do he is gathering evidence to prove that Claudius murdered his father, see if murder is just and making his own decision. When acting on impulse mistakes are made. Hamlet acts on impulse and kills Polonius behind a tapestry. If Hamlet had thought for a moment it would have stopped the bloodbath from occurring in Act 5. Shakespeare is teaching a valuable lesson that making decisions in life can take time to decide. Making the right choice is very important, whether it is murder or going home on the quiet weekend when it is a busy time of the year. It is easy to say Hamlet is procrastinating from his work but murder is not an easy crime to commit, especially when he himself did not come to the conclusion that he must murder Claudius but instructed to by his father ghost. 

 

This image portrays the decision people make every day that shape their future. These are hard decisions, like Hamlet they must think and not be impulsive.

Contract Burning. Digital image. Huffington Post Tech. 23 Oct. 2013. 27 Jan. 2014 <http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/23/ofcom-phone-contract-deci_n_4147294.html>. 

Noble is My Middle Name

Is there anyone in this play that deserves to be called noble?  In my opinion, there definitely is, and he is none other than Hamlet's best friend and right-hand man, Horatio.  Horatio puts his friend first, not fearing whomever it is he must confront, or whatever it is he must do, if it means he can help Hamlet; he is selfless.

Ears are a reoccurring motif in the play, and when put in prospective to Horatio, the image in my mind of words acting as poison to the ear (aka lies, and everyone being deceitful to Hamlet), a vulnerable ear, finds an earplug.  Horatio helps Hamlet find hidden truths and certainties, however impossible they seemed before. He does his best to not only protect Hamlet, such as when advising him to refuse the duel with Laertes ("You will lose this wager, my lord."(5.2.200)), but to aid him however he can. He was the one that let Hamlet know of the ghost of his father, helped read and interpret Claudius's reactions to The Mousetrap, and offered to die to follow his friend; "Here's yet some liquor left" (5.2.334), addressing the poisoned cup.  In that very moment, he didn't fear even death itself.

Horatio's nobility can be seen in little bits and snippets elsewhere as well.  When the Queen refuses to speak with Ophelia, Horatio advises her that "[Ophelia] is importunate, indeed distract: Her mood will needs be pitied." (4.5.2-3) He knows when to be lenient and empathetic.  I also think that sometimes, a person's true self is best described through someone else.  Forming a parallel with Hamlet's other 'friends' Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Horatio is an example of a true friend.  Hamlet says it himself, "Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice, And could of men distinguish, her election Hath seal'd thee for herself..." (3.2.62-64) These are the words of a man that sent his other two friends to their deaths.  

Clearly, Horatio is a person as well.  He had his life to live too; he was still in university. Nonetheless, noble Horatio had morals and values precious to him to keep, meaning he was loyal to Hamlet till the very end, acting as a beacon of strength, wisdom and hope.

Finally, in respects to the world today, I'd like to hope that noble people still exist.  This video is a very modern example of nobility at its finest.  There's no doubt that money might just be the most important thing in our society today, dictating our lives and how we'll live it.  The video shows us that in these times, people still hold high and proper values.   


http://www.santabanta.com/photos/friendship/9024103.htm

Hell Yes There's Nobility, dude!!!!!

I do think that there is someone noble in the play, and I believe that person is Horatio. Horatio demonstrates loyalty, trustworthiness and commitment to his friend’s well-being. Throughout the play Horatio is completely loyal to Hamlet. In Act 3 Scene 2, Hamlet is telling Horatio to spy on the King and get a sense of his reaction and "occulted guilt"(79). This shows how much trust Hamlet has in Horatio, and how much Horatio is loyal to Hamlet as he is spying on his own king . This website shows how Horatio would have been punished for his crimes of treason at the time the play is based upon. It clearly portrays Horatio's bond with Hamlet is very strong that he would be willing to risk his life for him. Horatio also displays commitment to Hamlet in Act 5 Scene 1, when Hamlet was poisoned by the exposed blade of Laertes; as Hamlet dies Horatio says, "Now cracks a noble heart. good night, sweet Prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!" (5.2. 351-353). The despair is clearly shown here as Horatio loses someone he looked up to and, debatable was attached to on a deeper level. This is also seen in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, where Antonio falls in love with Sebastian and begs the question to whether Shakespeare was of that preference as this theme is seen in many of his sonnets as well. 

In the modern world, nobility is "the perfect person", loyal, trustworthy, clean of a criminal past, and honorable. Unlike in the time the play takes place, to be noble, doesn't mean to be wealthy and of the qualities previously stated.  In modern society, you can be noble, yet have an income that is less than the standard person. 

Deutschland Medieval Coin Money

This is Medieval Money. The reason I put this picture is because it represents how something valuable can withstand the test of time and become even more valuable as time goes on. Finding such money nowadays is very rare, just as finding someone noble is very hard to do in medieval and modern times.

Hamlets Delay.

Why Hamlet Delays is a huge Question throughout the play. When Hamlet is visited by the ghost of his late father King Hamlet at the beginning of the play, Hamlet is informed that the death of his father was no accident and that he was in fact murdered by his uncle, Claudius. Hearing this news, Hamlet is left to ponder the decision on whether or not to seek revenge on his uncle for his father’s death. "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge." (1.5.7) However, Hamlet is yet to decide whether the ghost he saw that night was real and whether this information of his father’s death was true. Hamlet is left with a struggle against himself and personal values on whether it is justifiable to kill a man that may well be innocent.  This is where Hamlets reluctance stems from.  Whether or not to believe in a ghost is by no means an unreasonable struggle. Even in this day and age the debate on whether the super natural exist is very existent and often explored by many. It is estimated that 37 percent of Americans believe in haunted housesand one third of that number believe in ghosts. This brings verification to the idea that the reason for Hamlet to question his beliefs was rational.  In order to bring clarity upon his situation, Hamlet decided to put on a play about his father’s death to see his Uncles reaction. In doing so, Hamlet comes to the conclusion that his uncle Claudius is in fact guilty.

Later in scene 3, Hamlet comes across his uncle praying in the church. This would prove as an ample time for Hamlet to seek revenge on Claudius. However, Hamlet delays further in thinking Claudius's soul will go straight to heaven if he was to kill him whilst he was praying. "Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; and now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven; and so am I revenged. That would be scann'd: a villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven.(3.3.1)" This is a prime example of Hamlets self-reflection on his views and beliefs. Hamlet is trying to depict the right actions to take regarding his views that have stemmed from his education, his beliefs and how he feels toward his Uncle. This struggle inside Hamlets head is a prime example of the lessons to always follow your instincts and what you believe in. Shakespeare’s depiction of Hamlets struggles and delays allows us to learn the importance of thinking about our actions before acting upon something that questions our morals. This tale of Hamlets struggle is very relatable to our lives today. In every persons lives they will face decisions and challenges that will cause them to question their own personal values and morals. These decisions come with consequences that can lead to huge learning curves in ones life. The picture that I attached below is a depiction of the thoughts and emotions that come along with the big decisions we face in life.

http://my-milieu.blogspot.ca/

Why the Delay?

Why does Hamlet delay the act of killing Claudius? This is such a great question asked by many. When Hamlet is visited by the apparent ghost of his late father (King Hamlet), he is informed that his father's death was in fact a murder. Hamlet's uncle Claudius and recently new step dad murdered his father by pouring poison in his ear. Hamlet is left with the decision to believe the ghost and seek revenge on Claudius and avenge his father or not believe it and carry on believing that his father's death was no murder.  Hamlet shows that he is not the type of person who will just go out and kill an innocent man and that he needs proof that what the ghost says is true. Hamlet wants a way that he can prove Claudius is guilty of his father's murder, "The spirit that I have seen may be the devil: and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape... I’ll have grounds More relative than this. The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king."(II.ii.597-604). Hamlet plans to put on a play that will confirm that if his uncle is innocent or guilty. This results in Hamlets being proven that his uncle is in fact guilty. So one reason he delays the act of killing Claudius is so he can prove that Claudius murdered his father so he had a valid reason to kill him.

Hamlet wants to kill Claudius when he is sinning. This is the reason Hamlet does not kill his uncle when he is in the church because he believes that his uncle is repenting his sins, so this would mean Claudius's soul would go to heaven and if Claudius went to heaven this would not avenge Hamlet's father's death because it would just be rewarding Claudius by sending him to heaven instead of hell. Not to Hamlet's knowledge, he could of actually killed Claudius then as he wasn't repenting his sin. He was just on his knees saying how he knows he cannot be forgive, "Oh, my offence is rank. It smells to heaven. It hath the primal eldest curse upon ’t, A brother’s murder. Pray can I not...That cannot be, since I am still possessed Of those effects for which I did the murder: My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. May one be pardoned and retain th' offense?...".(III.iii.37-73)

Throughout the play, Hamlet thinks a lot about the decisions he makes, which is weird when he doesn't think twice when he accidentally kills Polonius thinking its his uncle. Near the beginning of the play Hamlet did not want to kill Claudius until he was one hundred percent sure that he actually did murder his father.It doesn't make sense that he was so quick to kill the person listening in on the conversation between him and his mother, even if he did think it was his uncle. He couldn't of been sure it was him. At this point in the play i think the delay of killing Claudius is becoming pointless. Even though Hamlet has all this anger towards his uncle (which was maybe the reasoning behind killing Polonius), i feel that Hamlet doesn't actually want to do the action of killing Claudius and he is trying to coward away from the idea by procrastinating and making excuses of why he can't kill him. Procrastinating relates to everyone in the world. We all do it, when we know we need to do something but don't really want to do it. Quite like what i did with this assignment. oops. I think Hamlet is trying to teach readers that it is better to think before you act.

I think that Hamlets reluctance come from really knowing whether the ghost is telling the truth and if he really has the courage to kill his uncle.The reluctance that Hamlet has for killing Claudius tells the readers a lot about his personality. Hamlet is very indecisive. Hamlet also shows indecisiveness in act 3 scene 1 in his 'To be or not too be' speech. This speech is when Hamlet debating if he should commit suicide or not.I find that this shows he is very indecisive when trying to make decisions. Making rash decisions can end up badly, just like Hamlet's rash decision of killing Polonius. When Hamlet actually takes time to think about his choices that he makes, things don't end badly and no one accidentally dies. I think this is good advice to think before you act, but it comes to a point where you can think too much and I think this is what Hamlet is starting to do.

This is just a silly little video about procrastination which i think relates to hamlet when he is procrastinating about killing Claudius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P785j15Tzk

Final Blog

Hamlet’s indecisive behaviour has been constantly portrayed throughout the play. From his antic disposition involving Ophelia, Polonius, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, and etc., his actions have not always been truthful to himself. His mind clearly operates in a unique way, allowing him to act differently in order to trick people. I believe the reluctance Hamlet demonstrates in not being able to kill his Uncle generates from the thoughts in his jumbled mind. For example, he may think killing is the right thing to do at one point, but then he may remember his mother, and how she would feel losing another husband. The loss of a loved one heavily impacts people, and as the link provided demonstrates, there are multiple steps to take shortly after the result of losing a loved one. It is a long process that brings nothing but pain to the effected, and I believe Gertrude would have a tough time handling this pain if it was to happen to her again.  I think his unique mind is reasonable for his actions, and why he delays. Shakespeare has created Hamlet’s identity demonstrating that everyone handles situations in different ways. It is very relatable to the current world, in the sense that everyone is different and thinks differently, such as Hamlet.  I also think Shakespeare created Hamlet’s character in this way because it creates a more intensifying plot, always keeping readers wondering what Hamlet may do next. Motifs are constantly demonstrated in Shakespeare’s literature, and madness is a motif that Hamlet proves throughout the play. In conclusion, Hamlet’s strange behaviour throughout the play is, I believe, triggered by his indecisive mind, a reasonable excuse. The delay has reason behind it, and Hamlets actions allow the reader to remain engaged in the play, and interested in what Hamlet may do next. Decision making is something that occurs every day in normal society, and the main issue in this play of Hamlet’s delay can relate to the current world. People always have choices they need to make, sometimes harder than others, and as long as it may take them, they always need to find an ultimate answer.

 

 

Delay- Maggie

There are many reasons behind the delay of Hamlet killing his uncle. To start off, Hamlet is approached by a ghost, who is his father The ghost tells him that his uncle Claudius has murdered him by pouring poison in his ear. Hamlet is left wondering whether or not this is true or fake. A ghost might not be a very reliable source, especially when it comes to a life or death situation. He does not want to act on something that may not even be the real deal. Hamlet decides he must discover the truth, which involves him putting on a play to watch his uncle’s reaction. When he realizes that the ghost, in fact, was telling the truth, he wants not only to get revenge on his uncle but to avenge his father's death, bringing justice upon Claudius. Hamlet is torn between what his farther wants him to do and what is the right thing to do. He does not want to be a sinner and go to hell. This causes further delay in his vengeance on his farther death. Hamlet gets the perfect opportunity to kill his uncle that he has been waiting for but it happens in a church.

“ Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven;
And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd:
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.” (3.3.74-79)

Hamlet does not want to kill him because it was believed that if you kill someone in a church they will go to heaven, and he did not want his uncle going to heaven. I believe that Hamlet’s delay is a reasonable thing. Killing someone is a pretty big deal, even if it is to get revenge on someone who killed your farther and then married your mother at the same time as your father’s funeral. Shakespeare is relaying the message that it’s very important to think before you act, especially with something that is a life changing decision. The delay is not him being a chicken but him weighing the pros and cons of the situation and making sure it’s the right thing to do. It shows that we must think before we act or we may regret our decision. Regret is something that Hamlet obviously does not want to face and this is why he puts so much thoughts into his actions. This shows us that we should do the same. If we think before we act we will have less regret in life. Shakespeare relates something that everyone has to face in life to a very dramatic play.

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Act III Blog: "To Kill or Not To Kill??"

During the play we get to know Hamlet as a person who thinks a lot about his actions and his surroundings. He could try reading the article called “9 Ways to Stop Overthinking Everything” which gives indecisive people practical tips like talking to yourself or avoiding situations that lead to overthinking. Hamlet’s reason to overthink everything is probably that he feels alone and betrayed, by both his mother and his uncle, and doesn’t know whom to trust, “there`s a divinity that shapes our ends”.(5,2,10) . Hamlet’s reluctance shows his values. He isn’t a mindless murderer, because the act to kill someone is a big step and changes your complete life. To live with the thought, that you have ended somebody’s life is not easy. So Hamlet’s reluctance makes sense and is reasonable.  However, the question arises: when Hamlet is that mindful about killing is uncle in revenge for his father’s death, why does he kill Polonius without thinking? “How now? A rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!”(Act 3, Scene 4)  Killing Polonius because he is listening and apparently “a rat”? For me, this action doesn’t make sense. It is completely contrary to everything we see about Hamlet’s values in the beginning of the play.

I can understand that Hamlet feels a lot of anger against his uncle, because Claudius killed his father and so Hamlet wants this revenge.  I would feel the same; and Hamlet probably wants more. He wants Claudius to suffer in hell rather than going to heaven if Hamlet were to kill him in the Chapel. Hamlet; “Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; and now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd: A villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. (3.3.1) The irony is that the audience know that Claudius would go either way to hell because he isn’t really praying; his, “words fly up, [his] thoughts remain below.  Words without thoughts never to heaven go. (3.3.97-98).

 

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Because we have continued the play and we know that Hamlet kills Polonius without thinking, the delay in Hamlet becoming a murderer is senseless. He should have killed Claudius earlier because this was the person Hamlet wanted to kill and had a reason for killing, not Polonius.

Towards the end of the play, the question remains whether Hamlet is actually a sane person who thinks about his actions or if he is going crazy. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern betrayed Hamlet and that is a good reason that he is mad at them. I would want revenge if I found out that my friends betrayed me like that. So I like that Hamlet talks to them what he thinks and about the problem. Forthrightness is important in a friendship even when Hamlet calls them a sponge and that the king is just using them. "...But such officers do the king best service in the end: he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed: when he needs what you have gleaned it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again." (Act 4 Scene 2, line 17). However, that Hamlet plots the execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern through a letter is a little bit too extreme. There are many ways to punish a person that don’t include death. This plot against R&G support the idea that Hamlet is crazy, same with fighting Laertis- now Hamlet is actually crazy.

The question remains what Shakespeare wants us to learn about delaying revenge? Many philosophers have written many books about this question but I guess nobody will ever find out what Shakespeare actual reason was and what he was thinking about this. However we have to keep in mind that Hamlet was thinking about the delay the whole time. He was thinking and overthinking. Maybe Shakespeare wanted to start a new time period where everybody should think about their actions, but then the killing without a reason wouldn’t make sense. Another reason could be that Hamlets state of mind. I mean he went through a lot; juts lost his father and his mother married his father’s killer. So maybe he is confused and doesn’t know what to do. Freud argued that “Hamlet is rendered incapable of acting against Claudius because of a repressed Oedipus complex; he restrains his actions because he has a subconscious desire to replace his father and lie with his mother.”

After much thought, I think Shakespeare wants to tell us to forget about revenge and think about forgiveness.  At the end of the play Hamlet asks Laertes to "give me your pardon" (5.2.227) because Hamlet sees that he has done him wrong for killing Polonius.  When Hamlet gets poisoned and Laertes knows he is partly responsible, he asks Hamlet "exchange forgiveness with me" (5.2.330).  The whole play would have been a lot different if Claudius had asked for pardon or Hamlet had forgiven him instead of seeking revenge.