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If you are reading this, it most likely means you have received Mrs. Duke as your junior year English teacher. This will most likely be your hardest class, even if you are some English whiz kid. The amount of effort you put into this class is proportional to your grade. English has never been my strong suit, but I knew this year would be difficult so I gave it all I had, and I think I was quite successful.  Don’t write yourself off if you don’t think you are good at English, or you think it has no place in school, these thoughts will guarantee your failure. I’m not going to sugar-coat what you need to do and tell you that everything will be okay, because that’s not true. You decide how difficult this class is going to be, and you decide if you are going to get anything out of it.

1) Read. It’s that simple. Don’t think you can skim by without reading. You will hurt yourself and your classmates for weighing down the discussion with your bogus questions. Just sit down and read the assignment. Make notes while you read too, because they will help when you need support for something you say in class, and maybe will help you find where you got confused. Treat reading the assignment as a discussion with yourself and ask yourself why and write these ideas in the margin. The more effort you put into understanding the reading, and bring ideas to class, the better you will understand the material.

2) Talk in class. Be a part of the discussion. Discussing will help you understand the material better, learn from other people perspectives, and keep your participation grades up. If you are a quite student, then intently listen to what everyone is saying and try to say one or two important things that add to the discussion. Mrs. Duke will learn your personality and if you push yourself and make an effort to learn then she will make sure your grade reflects this in a positive way.

3) Do your blogs. You usually have  a couple blogs a week. Don’t wait until Sunday only hurting yourself and your classmates. You know you have a ton of other stuff to do on a Sunday evening, don’t push your blogs to this time. Make some time during the week to do one. Write about things you are passionate about as well on your free posts, this will make them easier, and you will probably say something that is interesting to others.

If you tell yourself that you won’t do well, then you won’t. Tell yourself, that despite all the rumors and people saying it’s impossible that you will make a good grade. I dare you.

So this blog starts off talking about the information on page 73. Rosencrantz makes an attempt to go talk to Hamlet, but doesn’t have the courage and fails. Guildenstern, and Rosencrantz for the most part, get caught up in the mute rehearsal of the play. I found the player’s quote about how language has no connection to the communication of a play. This may sound silly, but I think it makes a great deal of sense. If you are able to have a mute play, and the audience can understand what is happening, then think about how successful your play will be if you can use words. This aspect shows how important the “acting” concept of this play is, and not the lines. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern realize they have awkwardly placed themselves in a rehearsal they begin to question why those spies must die. I was confused because I felt like this part was jumping back and forth between “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead”, and “Hamlet”. Either way Stoppard makes it known that certain characters die because it is written that way.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wake up after being in the exact same position as the dead spies, coincidence? Claudius enters and tells them that they must find Hamlet, because Hamlet has killed Polonius. It’s kind of odd that neither of them ask any questions to why Hamlet would do this, but take it for what it is. I guess this is one more aspect of how what happens in a play happens, and there is no reason other than that is how the writer plans the plot. To me the way Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are looking at this situation seems totally logical, this happened that is all there is, rather than questioning the situation. Hamlet easily tricks them so he can escape, and they run into the same possibility of trickery later, and completely underestimate Hamlet’s wit once again.

So this section of the reading maybe doesn’t escalate in craziness as the past readings have. I sense some animosity between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Rosencrantz believes he is being friendly, whereas Guildenstern is taking his friendliness as annoying. I don’t know what is up with Rosencrantz and the whole toe licking thing, that just freaks me out.  Rosencrantz seems to go back to contemplating life, and existence and all of those things, like back in the beginning of the play.

Hamlet said very few things, but we still get some insight into his current woes, due to the way Rosencrantz and Guildenstern analyze him. I believe they have given up hope on Hamlet, and though he says he is not crazy, they believe he is. I think it’s well established that Guildenstern has the brains, whereas Rosencrantz kind of just follows along.  Therefore I am starting to differentiate the two, and allowing them to be their own characters.

1. 1. Exigence — What needs doing at this point? In other words, what is compelling Hamlet to speak at this moment in the play?

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell the King they do not know what causes his madness. The reader’s ability to see Hamlet’s suicidal thoughts allows them to see he is not pretending to be crazy anymore. Along with his lashing out at Ophelia the reader can see Hamlet has truly gone mad.

2. Audience –Hamlet’s main audience is Ophelia is this case, after his soliloquy, and he takes out his emotions on her. His secondary audience could be the King and Polonius hiding, or possibly everyone else. Hamlet is taking out his feelings on Ophelia, when he should be confronting his mother.

3. purpose The purpose of Hamlet’s speech is to show the reader how he truly fears, and though he would like to end the troubles of his current life, he is to scared at what will follow. The reader can see that the events surrounding his father’s death are truly taking a toll on him, and causing him mental unrest.

4. Appeals: Which appeal(s) does Hamlet use to convince and/or motivate his audience? Reference specific lines.

I believe Hamlet is using all of these appeals in his attempts to convince his audience.

Ethos: Appeal to the character of the speaker “the pangs of despised love” (80) Hamlet is conflicted with his love for Ophelia and hate for his mother, this concept appeals to the ethos category.

Pathos: Appeal to the emotions or interest of the audience “To be or not to be” (64) The audience questions his madness, and speaking of suicide shows he has lost his mind.

Logos: Appeal to logic “The undiscovered country from whose bourn/ No traveler returns, puzzles the will” (87-88) People do not know what is to come after life, and this concept appeals to the Logos category.

5. Figures of speech, imagery, diction, syntax:  Hamlet uses figures of speech a great deal in his soliloquy. The repition of the word sleep, shows he thinks of death only like an eternal sleep, but he grows wearisome to what follows death. Hamlet gives imagery of a harsh life, and a look upon death as a journey. His mention of no travelers return show he views death as just another area that people cannot come back from. His feelings of anger and an overall feeling of “giving up” are noticeable in this passage.

6. How do you respond to Hamlet’s soliloquy? In other words, what do you think of him right now?

I think Hamlet is deeply disturbed and is not sure how to handle this situation. Everyone is plotting behind his back and even his two best friends are sent as spies against him. With no one to turn to he feels suicide is his only escape from the woes of this life. I think suicide is a bit radical in this case, his father’s intentions of sending him to England is not terrible, and I think could do him some good.

To be living or dead- that’s the 64 dollar question:

is it more noble to suffer in your mind

the hurtful things of a bad situation,

or get weapons and try to fight them

and by fighting them, you kill them. To be dead, like you are sleeping–

there is nothing- an everlasting sleep

the pain you feel in your heart like one thousand painful feelings

body is related to- this becoming a relationship

religiously to be wanted. To be dead, like you are sleeping—

sleeping, perhaps to dream. Yes, there’s the answer,

For while you in that sleep, which is death, what dreams come,

After we have left our bodies

We must stop, There is a respect

That makes sick of such a long life.

Who will take the whips and evil words of this time,

The wrong belongs to the person who puts people down, the foul language of the proud man

(Line 80) The sharp pains of despised love, the delay of the law,

the insolence(?) of those in office, and the rejection

that the patient of unworthiness takes,

When his death might

With something as simple as a dagger?

To give barbaric yaups  and sweat under a brutal life,

But scared of what follows death,

A land which is undiscovered from

Where no travelers return from, paralyzes the will to commit suicide

This lack of knowing makes us bear the labors of life we carry

Than to leave to places we do not know of?

Therefore our conscience does not make all of us cowards,

And therefore the natural color of this

Is overcome with the thought of all of this

And undertaking as big as this one

My attitude changes thinking about them

And I begin to second guess this- wait a moment,

Ophelia—you look like a nymph, in my prayers

Remember all my sins.

This second reading was still a bit confusing, but only because it was meant to be. I liked the odd games aspect of it, and I kind of went along with the oddity and confusing theme. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are told to spy on Hamlet, who is apparently a good friend of theirs. I sense that this could be bad, because Hamlet has their trust, and they are risking this friendship by spying on him. They play a game of questions but scoring it like tennis and its quite confusing, but then again Rosencrantz and Guildenstern don’t understand it either hahhaha. I guess with that last statement I’ve noticed that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern seem to confuse themselves quite a lot, I’m not sure if its because they are mentally not there, or if Stoppard wants to give the reader a laugh, and makes them like this. Personally, I think all the encounters they have with each other are pretty funny, though they seem outrageously stupid.

Then Guildenstern pretends to be Hamlet while Rosencrantz asks questions, playing the charade of a normal conversation. Believe it or not, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern manage to confuse themselves and quite the games. While Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are talking, they come to the conclusion that Hamlet has a great deal to be upset about. Hamlet has lost his father, lost the throne, and his mother and remarried quicker than he would have liked, but none other than to his uncle. I think her marriage to his uncle really sent him over the edge, and I completely agree with Hamlet’s stand on the current subject.

So I this play was extremely confusing, but I looked past all the babble and tried to make sense of it. I felt like in the beginning when R and G were flipping coins and talking there was a lot of opposition. When one does one motion the other does the opposite, and along with repetition of flipping the coin and asking fragmented questions, I feel that this play is heavily post-modern. The play just picks up in a non-descript area with the talk of coins and alternate dimensions, that’s where I picked up on the post-modern aspect. The one obvious issues R and G are facing is where they are, and how did they get there. They remember the a foreign man waking them, but they begin to question reality, since one has a bag full of coins.

When the group of actors arrive displaying there services, many social issues arise. R and G refer to these people as perverts, which shows how “theatrical” people of this time were looked upon. I got the feeling that this group of actors was somewhat of a gang in the sense that Alfred was forced to be the performer, even though he hated being in the group. There is some obvious pressure and money issues present in this acting group, and they plan to finance themselves but performing sexual services. R and G’s refusal of these services show they have some class, and truly want to see a real theatrical performance by these posers. At the end of the reading the reader sees a sudden glimpse into the play of Hamlet, but not enough to really know what is happening. The abrupt and odd nature of the first part of the reading lends the reader to know this is a post-modern play.

So I know Garrett blogged on paintball this week and I thought I would do the same thing, since we share this interest. Garrett and I usually play paintball together, and plan on playing next weekend at this course in Hammond. I understand most people don’t have an interest in this sport, or don’t understand what I’m saying, but I’m still going to talk about it anyway. Last Friday I ordered a new paintball marker called the Etek 3 LT made by the company Planet Eclipse. This will be my third marker I’ve ever had, but I’m trying to sell my other ones in order to pay for this one.

Last March, Garrett, Lane, Ian, and I all registered for a paintball tournament in Baton Rouge. We got owned.  LSU apparently has a team, and they were in the tournament and destroyed us.  We played well when we played teams that were near our skill level, but we couldn’t compete with teams that actually hold practices and take the sport super serious. I’m pretty excited to try out my new marker this weekend when we play in Hammond.

Alright so when I think of drama I think of the contemporary term which refers to: gossip, tv, girls, and all that jazz. I know the type of drama we’re talking about now is a different type. Drama contains dialogue, plot, characters, and many other characteristics. I think of drama as overacting and superimposing the attitude. During Trent and Eleanor’s skit they showed drama off really well by making movements and having a syntax that evokes a radical emotion.

We read “Macbeth” freshman year and I honestly remember almost nothing. I just remember a fortune saying something would happen when the forest moved and the enemy was carrying trees to conceal themselves.  The only thing I know about  “Hamlet” is his father dies, and his mother remarries his uncle. Hamlet is not happy with this arrangement and believes it falls under incest. I know that Shakespeare is from Statford Upon Avon. In the summer reading book we read, “The Eyre Affair” the reader learns that to some people there is controversy over some of the works of this time and whether their true author was Shakespeare.  I have  a great deal of trouble understanding the syntax of this time, but hopefully the way we approach Hamlet will make this easier.

So my paper is going to be spiced up a little. I think I have a voice, but always play it safe when it comes to using it in papers. Maybe I’m scared I’ll misuse it and offend someone, but with this paper I’m going all out with my topic. I might come off wrong and offend someone but I feel that would better than having someone read a lame paper and regret the use  of the last 15 minutes of their life. My topic is psychoanalyzing the Wife of Bath so I’ll be dealing with female equality and power struggles. I think this will defiantly pose some controversy in my essay, but this will make my writing more opinionated and passionate.

Sarcasm in a key note in my voice. I usually don’t use this quality in most of my essays for reasons listed above. I’m still working on finding that personality that I feel comfortably writing with, and I think this is that personality. I also think this is the personality where I can come off as a complete idiot to some people, but then I guess that would mean I come off as a genius to others.

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So I don’t really have anything specific to talk about so I will talk about the random things going on in my life. Today I spent half the day at my grandma’s house helping her out because she broke her arm. She was at a carwash and got out to hit the start button and tripped on the metal railing and broke her arm, so I’ve been the grandson to the rescue helping her out today. It was actually pretty fun though because we just chilled and watched movies and ate cookies. The only labor intensive job was watering her tomato plants.

My older cousin, who is pretty much the sister I never had, and I have decided to schedule our wisdom teeth removal for the same week in the summer. She’s in college so we rarely get to hang out, except for family functions, but when we were younger we would hang out all the time. So I think we’re going to compile a list of movies and just chill while we’re all crazy from the pain medication. This way we can take care of each other and we don’t have to have one of our mothers hovering of us spoon-feeding lava hot chicken noodle soup. Hopefully my grandmother’s arm heals and this out recovery buddy plan goes accordingly.