Hamlet: First Impressions

As Mrs. Dunlop said in her e-mail, "Students should BRIEFLY BLOG FIRST IMPRESSIONs!"

 So here goes nothing.

 

 

 

My first impressions of Hamlet ? I like it! Many people regard it as the perfect tragedy, and I can see why! It's filled with mystery, intrigue, and a wondrous amount depth. It keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, always wondering what's going to happen next. Plus, the play ends with a massive heap of corpses. If that's not a tragedy, I don't know what is.

 

 

P.S. Sorry it's a bit short, but I was running low on time.

 

 

 -McKinley :D

One down, two to go.

It seems like only yesterday we started this Shakespeare class, and we've already covered the first of three genres: History. Even now, we're beginning Tragedy, then we'll move on to Comedy. I just can't believe we're a third of the way through this class! Well, just thought I'd share an observation.

 -McKinley :D

Politics: Some Things Never Change

Brutus ----- Mitt Romney

 

Like many others in this class, I am comparing Brutus to modern Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Like Brutus, he has his nation's best interests at heart, but doesn't always go about it the best way. Also like Brutus, he sticks to his beliefs very firmly.

 

Cassius ----- Ron Paul

 

I'm comparing the wily Cassius with former Presidential candidate Ron Paul. Why? One reason is that he mirrors one of the most famous passages about Cassius in the entire play:

"Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look about him..." His methods are also very different from his competition. On the other hand, I'm not trying to say that he is evil or self-centered like Cassius, but he does bear other similarities.

 

Caesar ----- Barack Obama

 

As for the current president of the United States, I'm likening him to Julius Caesar. For one thing, he's being viciously attacked (figuratively, of course) by Romney and Paul, who I have chosen to represent Brutus and Cassius. For another, he is of course, the President of the United States of America! That's right, the highest ranking person in the entire country. Is he as arrogant as Caesar? No, I don't think anyone in the world today honestly thinks that they are a god, but Obama has a few arrogant traits.

 

Antony ----- John F. Kennedy

 

Mark Antony- one of the most charismatic characters in the play. So who better to be chosen for him then John F. Kennedy. To put it simply, America loved him! He was a fairly young, happy, ideal American. Adding to this effect, is the fact he had a wife, kids and a dog. Go ahead, try to think of a more charismatic person. Mark Antony? Ah, yes. As touched on in previous posts, Mark Antony could turn a mob against a man they had been cheering for a mere moment ago. He was a great speechmaker, another trait shared with J.F.K.

 

 

As I have shown you, the political world is a dangerous one, full of all types of people. While it looks as if this is a landscape that is constantly changing, certain ancient Roman politicians bear remarkable similarities to a few modern American ones. It guess even after thousands of years,

 

Some Things Never Change

 

 -McKinley :D

Julius Caesar: Lesson 4: Review Questions: Question 3 (Week 8)

Brutus and Cassius: Each interesting characters on their own, but their relationship with one another is purely fascinating. In the beginning of the play Brutus seems to be wary of Cassius, then the two appear as close as two men can be, but here in Act IV, Scene II, they are torn violently apart. They begin yelling at each other, and accusing the other man of wrong. But, seeing how such talk tore they, themselves apart, they wish to continue in private, to prevent the same thing from happening to their army. Brutus accuses Cassius of  accepting bribes, saying that he has an "itching palm". However, Cassius is taken aback by such a remark, thinking that is is hardly the time or place to point out every little mistake of an ally, especially a dear friend. After all, to a man like Cassius, that's what friends are for. For Brutus, a true friend is honest with his companion, a philosophy that fits within Brutus' strict sense of honor. Quite a contrast, isn't it? Have you ever heard the phrase "Opposites attract"? Despite what you may guess from Scene II and the first part of Scene III, it turns out to be true. By the end of Act IV, Brutus and Cassius seem to be better freinds then ever, with the final farewell in Act V feeling more heartfelt than any other conversations between the two.

 

 -McKinley :D

ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOLERS: More Missing Comments

This one goes out to the High Schoolers. I've been commenting on your blogs, but they haven't showed up either! Are they arriving in your spam boxes? Please, let me know as soon as you can. Thanks,

 -McKinley :D

Julius Caesar: Lesson 3: Thought Questions: Question 6 (Week 7)

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." Thus begins one of the most famous speeches in the history of literature. Mark Antony begins his tactical and well-oriented manipulation of the crowd with the first of many sarcastic remarks: "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.". He's only started speaking, and he's already saying the exact opposite of what he means! Then, he moves on to the topic of Caesar's ambition. He seems to start or end every point with "But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man." This is the equivalent of saying "Well, what actually happened is one thing, but Brutus' word is far more important. What you see with your own eyes, counts for something, but if Brutus says the opposite, that makes it so, for Brutus is an honorable man." Antony points out how Caesar brought so many captives back to Rome, how he wept along with the poverty stricken, and how he turned down the crown not once, not twice, but three times. After pointing out Caesar's positive traits and dispelling the negative ones, he plants the seeds of doubt by saying "You all loved him once, and not without reason. Then what reason holds you back from mourning him now?", then excuses himself for a moment, possibly to regain his composure, but more likely to give the crowd time to think about what he has said, turning it over in their minds, and discussing it between themselves. Then he continues his speech, stirring up rage against the the conspirators. But let's go back a moment, back to the first part of the speech, the part inspiring love for Caesar, and to an extent, himself. Speaking the exact opposite of what one means seems to be a rather roundabout way to get one's point across. It appears that it would only confuse, but by the speech's end his meaning becomes crystal clear. Was it convincing? Take a look at the play: before Antony spoke, the crowd was shouting "Live, Brutus! Live, live!" and "Give him a statue with his ancestors!", while after Antony spoke, every last plebeian cried "Revenge! Let’s go after them! Seek! Burn! Set fire! Kill! Slay! Leave no traitors alive!" I think that the play speaks for itself.

 

 -McKinley :D

Julius Caesar: Lesson 2: Reiview Questions: Question 5 (Week 6)

Brutus decides to join the conspiracy, easily swayed by Cassius' forged letters. Brutus justifies his action on a "better safe than sorry!" policy, comparing Caesar to a poisonous adder, thinking it better to destroy the egg on the mere possibility that the fully grown serpent could come return one day to harm him. Soon, his fellow conspirators arrive. As they discuss whether or not to assassinate Mark Antony along with Caesar, "Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius, To cut the head off and then hack the limbs, Like wrath in death and envy afterwards, For Antony is but a limb of Caesar. Let us be sacrificers but not butchers, Caius." Brutus seems to contradict what brought him here in the first place! He overlooks the potential threat of Mark Antony, neglecting to crush the egg of what is perhaps an even more deadly beast. Cunning Cassius sees the truth, but agrees with Brutus to stay in his favor. This brings up some shocking similarities with Caesar. He too, was duped, flattered, and manipulated by the conspirators. He too, ignored the potential threat of  Calpurnia's dream, and the Oracle's warnings. And like Brutus', these mistakes would come back to bite him.

 

 -McKinley :D