Body paragraph

Although he loves his mother dearly, with an almost obsessive nature, Hamlet shows his disapproval with his continual disrespect towards her. With his nonchalant attitude, he continually exhibits his obvious pretentiousness: 
"Heaven's face does glow 
O'er this solidity and compound mass
With heated visage, as against the doom 
Is thought-sick at the act." (3.4.57-60)
In confronting his mother with such force and indignation, he forces her to contemplate and realize her mistake. Though he may be jovial at the thought of her realization, he cannot fully enjoy it in his overwhelming anger. Having shown his mother her mistakes, she claims that his "daggers" (3.4.108) have punctured her ears and created a large wound in her heart. 

Working Intro

"Though this be madness, yet there is method in't" (Shakespeare 95). As we see spoken by Polonius in Act 2 if HAMLET, madness can be used to mislead from one's intentions. Shakespeare's HAMLET explores the idea of public speech versus private speech for each of the characters. Hamlet, like King Claudius, however, uses his public speech to deceive while others use theirs to promote both themselves and their actions. Although seems distraught by both his father's death and his mother's untimely and hasty marriage, his seemingly crazy behavior is a facade for the true mockery of his peers. In public, he ridicules both his mother and Polonius, while in private contemplation, he criticizes himself. 

Working Thesis

Although Hamlet seems distraught by both his father's death and his mother's untimely marriage, his seemingly crazy behavior is a facade for the true mockery of his peers. In public, he mocks both his mother and Polonius, while in private contemplation, he criticizes himself. 

Day 8 - October 22, 2013

Hamlet enters reading a book, seemingly distracted. Polonius begins to converse with him and ask him if he knows who he is. When Hamlet claims that Polonius is a "fishmonger" and an "honest man", he knows that he cannot recognize him in his madness, yet continually talks about his daughter. In trying to continue their conversation, Polonius asks about what Hamlet is reading:

POLONIUS: What do you read, my lord?
HAMLET: Words, words, words.
POLONIUS: What is the matter, my lord?
HAMLET: Between who?
POLONIUS: I mean the matter that you read, my lord.
HAMLET: Slanders, sir. (Shakespeare 95)

In being unable to understand what Hamlet is speaking about, he believes that "though this be madness, yet there is method in 't." (Shakespeare 95) Hamlet continues to talk to Polonius, acting as if he were crazy, yet he completely understands how Polonius influenced Ophelia's ignorance of Hamlet and his love. He seems to be completely aware and not crazy in the least bit. 

Day 7- October 21, 2013

As Polonius finishes telling Reynaldo how to spy on Laertes, Ophelia enters seemingly distraught. Fear creeps into her face as she begins to cry about her recent encounter with Hamlet. She claims he has gone mad. 

Though he says nothing, she interprets his movements as of one who has become crazed:
" He took me by the wrist and held me hard.
... Long stayed he so.
At last, a little shaking of mine arm,...
He raised a sigh so piteous and profound 
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk 
And end his being.
... He seemed to find his way without his eyes,
For out o'doors he went without their helps
And to the last bended their light on me." (Shakespeare 79)

Through this description of an interaction that we only know through the eyes and opinion of one person, Polonius believes he has made a mistake in prohibiting his daughter from seeing Hamlet. Because he does not have any outside sources to ask or depend upon in this situation, he assumes that Ophelia's account must be correct and therefore, tells the king of what he knows. In doing so, he also seeks a large reward. He seems to care less about the feelings and well-being of his daughter when giving the king the new found information, but rather personal satisfaction and personal gain. 

Day 6 - October 17, 2013

As we begin Act 2, we witness a conversation between Polonius and Reynaldo. Polonius is asking Reynaldo to spy on his son, Laertes. He wants to find out what people think of Laertes. He says:

" See you now 

Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth;

And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,

With windlasses and with assays of bias,

By indirections find directions out." 

Polonius wants to mislead and produce questions and opinions that can reveal information about Laertes whereabouts and what he does. It seems that Polonius doesn't trust Laertes to be responsible and trustworthy away from home. 

Day 5 - October 16, 2013

Hamlet is seeking more information about the ghost of his father and how he has come to be existing on Earth. He soon has the opportunity to see and talk to the ghost to find out more information about how he was killed. As seen in previous situations, Hamlet seems to be the most inquisitive character in the play. He asks many questions in order to obtain a lot of information about a subject he finds interesting and important to him. 

When Hamlet begins to talk to the ghost of his father, he discovers more than he planned for, the murderer: 
" But you know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father's life 
Now wears his crown." (Shakespeare 59)

After learning of this information, Hamlet no longer is focused on the ghost of his father, but is  bent on revenge and regaining his father's throne and wife that was unrightfully stolen from him. Although Hamlet seems unnaturally and overly concerned with his mother's marriage and "incestuous sheets", his father has the same concern. His biggest problem was not that fact that he was murdered, did not get to repent his sins and is condemned to a suffering time to roam on earth, or that his throne was stolen right from under him; He is more concerned with the fact that his wife remarried, and quite quickly. Although he seems angry and disturbed, he still considers his wife innocent, and believes she should only judged in the eyes of God. He seems to believe this because his wife was not involved nor responsible for his murder, and could have been tricked into marriage. Because he loves her, he gives her the benefit of the doubt. 

Day 4 - October 15, 2013

As Hamlet exits to find out more information about the ghost of his father, Laertes, Polonius, and Ophelia begin to talk. Laertes and Polonius are warning Ophelia about their concerns about Hamlet. They question and doubt his sincerity and love towards her. Laertes clearly explains this when he says:
 " Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute, 
No more." (Shakespeare 39)

In warning his sister of his wariness towards Hamlets intentions, Ophelia backlashes by calling Laertes a hypocrite. She seems to feel that although her father and brother are trying to give her advice, she understands the reality of her actions and her affection for Hamlet. Polonius says, " Neither a borrower nor a lender be." In this he is warning her to preserve herself and watch for Hamlet's true intentions as to not be confused or weakened by his kind and loving words. He doesn't want her to be used and then hung out to dry. 

Day 3 - October 14, 2013

Hamlet's relationship with King Claudius doesn't seem to be improving. However, he hears news of the ghost of his father, King Hamlet, being seen by the guards, Barnardo and Horatio. As he finds out more information about the ghost and it's coming and going, his outlook, as seen in the soliloquy, becomes more enthusiastic. He develops a sense of eagerness and excitement at the possibility of being able to see his father again, whether in ghost form or not.

Day 2- October 10, 2013

King Claudius seems to have a sarcastic attitude towards Hamlet. While Hamlet grieves about the death of his father and the all too soon marriage of his mother, Claudius tells him that he is displaying "unmanly grief". I think that all of these factors contributed to his negative outlook on life and his relationship with his uncle, turned father. Although Hamlet is concerned with his fathers untimely death, he seems more worried about his mother and her  new relationship with Claudius. Because he concerns himself more with his mother's well-bei than his lack of a father, he allows himself to become greatly a affected by her personal decisions.

Day 1- October 9, 2013

Shakespeare's Hamlet begins by introducing us to the guards and the ghost of King Hamlet. The ghost seems to bring about fear into the guards as Barnardo tells his story. I think that the ghost represents the past mistakes of the king and is warning Hamlet of what's to come. 

Day 4 - October 3, 2013

John Isidore thinks androids are strange, but still wants to protect them. They are the only friends he has.

Because John Isidore is a chicken head, he doesn't get any real interaction with other people. He lives in his apartment and even his building alone. His sense of solitude and loneliness makes him more susceptible to being taken advantage of by the androids, Roy Baty, Irmgard Baty, and Pris Stratton. He wants to protect them because they are the only people he has had contact with since he was regarded as a special. They treat him badly and take advantage of him, but he doesn't care. Although they make him mad and hurt is spider by cutting off its legs, he still feels a sense of obligation to the protect them in order for him to keep his friends. 

Day 3 - October 2, 2013

 Luba is touched by Rick’s gesture to buy her a gift

Rick's kind gesture affects Luba Luft in a way that seems slightly human. She understands that she has come to the end of her life as an android on Earth, and in this moment makes a request to Rick. When Rick buys her the book, she is taken aback because she did not expect that kind of generosity from a human, especially one that is a bounty hunter as an occupation. Therefore, when he acknowledged her request, she was able to understand that he wasn't a bad guy, he was just fulfilling his job. He wanted show that he does have empathy and realizes that he has an attraction to her, so he tries to please her one last time. 

Day 2- October 1, 2013

"Because," Luba Luft said, "They used to eat boiled dog stuffed with rice in the Philippines. I remember reading that." (Pg 103)

The newest Nexus-6 android model is made to be more human than any model before. Because of its human-like features, it is supposed to seen as a part of society. However, because eight of the robots became rogue and escaped from Mars, they seem to be designed with deceit. Although not all the androids are a pest to society, they still must be killed because they have challenged their human superiors. They may be robots, but they are made smarter, and are able to outwit their human creators, as seen with the interaction between Rick Deckard and Luba Luft. As he tries to administer the Voigt-Kampff test to Luba, she avoids having her senses tested by giving facts about a question, rather than directly answering. In doing so, she is able to pass by the test as well as manipulate Rick's emotions. Because the androids are made with a lack of empathy, they are able to better manipulate a human than another human can because they don't have their emotions to distract them from their end goal. 

Day 1 ~ September 30, 2013

 “Most androids I’ve known have more vitality and desire to live than my wife.”

When Rick Deckard makes this statement about his wife, he was frustrated. He feels that he works hard to make money for both of them to survive, but Iran, his wife, has no appreciation for what he is doing. He is distraught and angry, and therefore, considers what it would be like to have a more reactive and appreciative wife to come home to, as an android. After having spent a lot of time with the Nexus-6 androids, he feels he is able to better understand them and feels that they would be more obedient to what he wants and responsive to his emotional distresses. Although he still seems to care for his wife, considering an android such as Luba Luft or Rachel Rosen, seems to be a plausible alternative.