Something Rotten in Denmark

What is rotten in Denmark? This question was mentioned frequently, and the quote is well known, but rarely is the question answered. I would like to propose that death-- more specifically death out of its place-- provides the rotten stench. The scene with the gravedigger led me most directly to this conclusion. He discusses how bodies are often rotten before they arrive, and his job is to put death where it belongs (by burying it). The king, poisoned in his own garden, is the initial source of rot. This may explain why his ghost haunts rotten Denmark. Later, when Hamlet hides the dead body, he adds to the problem. This explanation makes sense to me especially in the presence of murder and the king's ghost. It also gives a reason for the inclusion of the gravedigger's scene.

Richard III

One of the most interesting things that it seems I, and others who have commented on this blog, have found about Richard III is that so many people believe everything he said, against all evidence to the contrary. In a play that is all about betrayal and killing, this seems to me to send a message contrary to what goes on in the play: that people, for better or worse, want to believe in the good inside a person. We see it first with Lady Anne, but afterwards with many characters, including Queen Elizabeth. It is very odd to me that he was always believed, and the only conclusion I can come to is that Shakespeare was trying to make a point on human nature. He wanted the audience to hope, along with the other characters, that smooth-tongued Richard was redeemable, making it a greater letdown when he betrayed them all again. Thoughts?

Richard III...

Since nobody has been posting lately, I decided to try and start something, at least, for Richard III.  I probably liked this play the least so far because it serves no purpose in my mind.  All it is, on the whole, is a play full of deceit and killing.  It is merely a story, and it doesn't even teach a direct lesson other than, don't be a deceitful serial killer.  It amazes me how Richard uses his voice and his words to deceive people and blame deaths on other people.  It seems to me that nobody should believe him, but some people do, even when it is obvious that he is killing everyone.  He also uses his words to get with Lady Anne, someone who practically hates him for the death of her late husband, Prince Edward.  All I know is that it seems a bit ridiculous that many people believe the words of Richard.  Could it be that they are scared of being killed themselves?  I don't know......

Hamlet and Ophelia

Before moving on to Richard III, I wanted to reflect on Hamlet a little bit. This play, like Romeo and Juliet, leaves me feeling frustrated for many reasons. The biggest problem I have with it, however, is the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia and how unresolved the whole thing is. Did Hamlet truly love Ophelia? This is the question I wonder about the most, and it is one that I can't come up with an answer to. In the scene where Hamlet rejects Ophelia, I almost felt that he was doing it to protect her from himself. Hamlet knew he was dealing with some serious issues, and it is possible that he just wanted to keep her out of it. If you were to take that view, then surely Hamlet does love her. Even so, the scene at Ophelia's funeral is an entirely different matter. Hamlet and Laertes end up looking like fools because they are competing over who is most impacted by Ophelia's death. To me, this contradicted Hamlet's earlier appearance. Basically, I'm confused. Any thoughts?

Age and Shakespeare

Isn't it weird how as we age we can develop different opinions of the same thing?  I agree with Jay's post very much.  Everything that happens seems a bit ridiculous to me as a man in college.  Back in high school, 9th grade for me as well, this play seemed so innocent and lovey-dovey.  I can attribute this change in opinion to a simple change in maturity level since 9th grade.  We are now finding out that love doesn't quite work like it does in Romeo and Juliet.  Back in 9th grade, all we really knew about dating was this: step one: notice a cute girl/guy, step two: talk to them, step three: hold their hand in the hallway.  In a sense this is what is happening in Romeo and Juliet, and it makes sense because they are only 14!!!  Even stil, Romeo and Juliet still serves a purpose to us older college students and adults.  I haven't quite figured out exactly what lesson Bill is trying to teach is, but I know there is one.  Perhaps this is why Shakespeare has stood the test of time...His plays can mean different things to different aged people.  Everyone of all ages can take something away from Bill's work, and that is a rare find in any kind of theatre or literature.  

ARGH

There's so many points in R and J where I just grunt to myself and say, "why the hell are they doing this. its so illogical." Why is mercutio out to get into a fight? so that he can die and curse romeo and juliet and make the play a tragedy. Its like deus ex machina. The friar isn't very logical either, and follows the foolish train of thoughts of fourteen year olds. Juliet is threatened to be cast on the streets if she doesn't marry paris, and so instead she choses to run away to mantua with romeo via the potion fake death. Both options leave her disenfranchised to her family fortune, so why not just tell her parent's shes married to romeo. Why does the friar run away when he finds romeo dead and the noises of the guards scare him. Only so juliet can conveniently stab herself alone. When I first read this in high school in ninth grade I thought, "how touching". Now I read it and think, this is dumb, no one has to die. The Zeppereli version was on tv today and I found juliet's gestures and facial expressions amusing. 

Slow Motion

I believe that the concept of time is an interesting one as well, and there is an interesting view of this in the film which was shown on Monday. The movie had a lot of information that had to be condensed into a film, however only spanning three day's of actual time?? The movie was a frantic, fast paced, free for all which was tearing the audience in every which way...except for the times when Romeo and/or Juliet were on the screen. They seemed to be the calming influences and slowed the pace of every scene in which they were apart of to me. With use of language and speeches I believe that Baz Luhrmann, through Shakespeare is implying to us that even in the young love these two characters are beyond their years and that they know or think they know what they are doing to themselves. Even though they were the characters that were supposedly young, inexperienced, and naive they exhibited a calming influence and even a mature sense of being while on camera. However, this is just one interpretation of the play and it could have been done in many other ways this was an interesting way to separate Romeo and Juliet away from all of the other character's by almost putting the scene's which they are in into slow motion compared to the rest of the film. Just wondering if anybody caught this or was it just a figment of my imagination?