Blog #18 (Hamlet Final Essay)

Blog #17

"On the day I was born

The nurses all gathered 'round

And they gazed in wide wonder

At the joy they had found

The head nurse spoke up

Said "leave this one alone"

She could tell right away

That I was bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

B-B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-B-Bad

Bad to the bone

I broke a thousand hearts

Before I met you

I'll break a thousand more, baby

Before I am through

I wanna be yours pretty baby

Yours and yours alone

189) I'm here to tell ya honey

That I'm bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-Bad

Bad to the bone

SOLO

I make a rich woman beg

I'll make a good woman steal

I'll make an old woman blush

And make a young girl squeal

I wanna be yours pretty baby

Yours and yours alone

I'm here to tell ya honey

That I'm bad to the bone

B-B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-B-Bad

Bad to the bone

And when I walk the streets

Kings and Queens step aside

Every woman I meet

They all stay satisfied

I wanna tell ya pretty baby

Well Ya see I make my own

I'm here to tell ya honey

That I'm bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

B-B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-Bad

B-B-B-Bad

Bad to the bone"

I'm dead, but at least I can listen to some "words, words, words" (1.2.189). This rock song will show the world how bad I am. I am talking Michael Jackson Bad, the good bad if you know what I mean. "With mirth in funeral"(1.1.172) and music in the air I hope to see my fellow friends remember the good times they had with me. "Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t"(2.3.132), I want people remember me as a spontaneous and that is the reason for this uplifting music. "O heavenly powers"(3.1.134) I wish thee to play this song at my funeral. Hopefully I can go to heaven because I feel guilty of doing all these vengeful things.

I think tone of this song would be aggressive, motivational, and catchy just like my behavior. Always changing moods is my key characteristic that make people like me. "No medicine in the world can"(5.1.73) bring me back to life except for this song, it hits me in all the right spots. "Silence"(5.2.322) would be the worst form of torture I'll have to go through but this song keeps repeating this word "bad". "Swear by my sword," (1.5.159) is what I should have done with my two friends who betrayed me so that maybe I could have lived this crazy event. #B-B-B-BAD 

Blog #15

I think that Hamlet's soliloquy was mostly trying to convey two contrasting ideas. "To be, or not to be."(3.1.53) puts in two perspectives which are death and life. Is is better to live through this trouble or to just kill himself and end this pain?  "that is the question."(3.1.53) that goes through Hamlet's head. He is comparing both of these ideas through their pros and cons. There is a a paradox when Hamlet talks about the troubles in life or the troubles he might face when he dies. He also uses a metaphor when he compares death to sleep by saying "to die, to sleep."(3.1.61). These to ideas parallel with Hamlet's action vs. inaction.

"For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,..." (3.1.70-76)This part of the soliloquy focuses more on Pathos because it talks about abuse, mistreatment and relationship problems. All of these are emotional to the audience and it effectively conveys Hamlet's perspective of life.

In the Kenneth Branagh's Soliloquy, Hamlet is in the castle talking into a mirror. He has dark clothing to show his suffering and it contrasts with the well lit castle to show his inner conflict. In Laurence Oliver's Soliloquy, Hamlet is on a cliff next to a beach. He wears a black and whit outfit to emphasize the conflict of choosing death or life. In Mel Gibson's Soliloquy, Hamlet walks down a flight of stairs also wearing all black clothing. He talks into the tombs that have been set there a long time ago. This focuses on death because there are bones laying around which signifies decay. In Ethan Hawke's Soliloquy, Hamlet is walking through the action aisle in a blockbuster store. He paces back and forth through the store as this would be a modern interpretation. This focuses on the action vs. inaction because Hamlet is debating whether to do something or not.

I think that Kenneth Branagh's version was the best because he displays emotion in every sentence. Also he portrays Hamlet's current mental state perfectly because of his attitude towards Ophelia, stating "Get thee to a nunnery"(3.1.123) to show his hatred for women which was developed from his mother's unsympathetic behavior towards his father. I think that Laurence Oliver's version was the worst because there was lack of emotion which could confuse the audience. He is also giving a serious speech but it is not effective because of the location he is in which is a beach. A beach is usually a place of peace and calm, the total opposite of disorder which is the main theme in this play. The other two interpretations would be tied for second because they both have great mis en scenes but they could improve on the the actors' emotions to emphasize on Pathos and convince the audience.

Gladiator trailer

Blog #14

Having a player at my disposal is one of the things I like about being a prince. He is very loyal and is extremely talented in displaying emotions. "Prithee, say on." (2.2.435) I cheer for encores. However, I think it would be better if the player acted out the Gladiator movie. I don't think my uncle is smart enough to get the message I am trying to send through the Trojan war skit. In the Gladiator movie, a  general's family is slaughtered by the orders of his king. It's kinda like how my uncle betrayed my father and I. Also there is a "mobled queen." (2.2.439) who proves to be more useful than my mother. Ohh.. my mother, I will deal with her later. What I really enjoy in this movie is the way this general "Aroused vengeance sets him new a-work."(2.2.424). Just like me, he plays the kings game of being a pawn in the Colosseum, in my case I just act crazy all the time instead of fighting. The main idea behind this is that the general beats the king at his own game. Hopefully my dimwitted uncle will see through this play "Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." (2.2.535).

Everything is in chaos now. I don't know who to trust after I found out that I'm being watched. When Guildenstern and Rosencrantz said " My lord, we were sent for." (2.2.269) I knew something was wrong. I need to keep an eye on everyone, especially Polonius. I have been harassing him about Ophelia every time we talk. I will continue with this messed up behavior to keep anyone from realizing my true intentions towards the king.            

Blog # 13

Ewwww... what just happened? I don't know what to feel after the death of my father and the wedding of my mother and uncle. How could this be "O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets!" (1.2.156-157). I was happy to meet my old friend Horatio, the one good thing in this doomed country I was looking forward to. Unfortunately our greetings were cut short when Horatio said something crazy like "...the king, I saw him yesternight." (1.2.189). A ghost?? I asked Horatio -security question that you usually find when changing passwords- "His beard was grizzled, - no?(1.2.238) to make sure he wasn't just pulling my leg.

It's kind of weird if you think about it; seeing my dad's ghost and having a conversation going into detail of how he died. I didn't really pay attention until he told me that my uncle, MY OWN UNCLE was the murderer. Ohhh... he is going to pay, "I have sworn't." (1.5.112). Uncle Claudius won't get away with killing my dad and marrying my mom. Neither will my mother have peace as long as I am alive. I must make sure that Horatio and Marcellus "Swear by my sword," (1.5.159), because there is something stirring in the state of Denmark.    

Blog #12

For my blog, I will choose to follow Hamlet's perspective, the prince of Denmark. The reasoning for picking Hamlet is that he has many faces. Every time Hamlet is introduced in a scene, he has changed his personality. He can be dark and depressing in one scene and enthusiastic in the next. This opportunity widens the range of information that can be posted on my blogs. Also, I appreciate his personality changes because it keeps his character interesting to follow. Most of the time we are trying to figure out what to think of Hamlet because he induces so many mixed feelings. The theme I chose for Hamlet would be order vs. disorder, especially since Hamlet has many personalities that throw everything into chaos. This relates to social media because Hamlet's capricious behavior is similar to what exists on Vine. This enables me to prattle about random topics with mixed emotions and express who I really am. 

Blog #11

Blog #10

Blog #9

Blog #9

Blog #8

Blog #7

Blog # 7

Blog Post #6

Fairy Tale Presentation Blog #5

Blog #4: Summer Reading Prompted Writing

"This was a dirty job, as we had to dismantle the tin chimney to move the stove back and forth, and we were both rained down in black soot; but when we were finished I could not imagine a soul would ever find our treasure, for no one would think to look in so remote a spot.The rough estimate of these riches was set at fifteen thousand dollars; my take of this more than tripled my savings, and as we left the musty basement, heading up the stairs and into the light, I felt two things at once: A gladness at this turn of fortune, but also an emptiness that I did not feel more glad; or rather, a fear that my gladness was forced or false. I thought, Perhaps a man is never meant to be truly happy. Perhaps there is no such a thing in our world, after all. As we walked the halls of the hotel the whores were abuzz with the news of Mayfield's head-wounded departure, and the disappearance of the trappers. I spied Charlie's whore, looking only slightly less green than before, and took her to the side, asking where the bookkeeper was. "They ran her up to the doc's."  'Is she all right?'  'I imagine. They're always running her up there' I pressed a hundred dollars into her hand. 'I want you to give this to her when she comes back.' She stared at the money. 'Jesus Christ on a cloud.' 'I will return in two weeks' time. If I find she has not received it, there will be a price to pay, do you understand me?' 'Mister, I was just standing in the hall, here.' I held up a double eagle. 'This is for you.' She dropped the coin into her pocket. Peering down the hall in the direction Charlie had gone she asked, 'I don't suppose your brother'll be leaving me a hundred.' 'No I don't suppose he will.' 'You got all the romantic blood, is that it?' 'Our blood is the same, we just use it differently.' I turned and walked away. A half-dozen steps, and she asked. 'You want to tell me what she did for this?' I stopped and thought. I told her, 'She was pretty, and kind to me.' And the poor whore's face, she just did not know what to think about that. She went back into her room, slammed the door shut, and shrieked two times."  

             In the book The Sister’s Bothers by Patrick Dewitt, the passage that acts as a turning point in the midpoint of the book emphasizes the theme “Darkness vs. Light”. In the quote “Our blood is the same, we just use it differently.” sets an atmosphere of contrast between the two main characters, Eli and Charlie. The passage around the quote helps the reader understand Eli as a real person who sends a sense of intimidation while showing compassion towards people he cares for. This is however expected from Eli because throughout the book he is kind and caring by nature. On the other hand, Charlie acts in an opposite manner which supports the main theme and quote of how they are so close yet completely different. By reading this passage, the reader is sent a clear message that Eli has already chosen a different path than his older brother. This lets the reader comprehend that experience is a small catalyst that has led Eli and Charlie to have beliefs on opposite ends of the spectrum. However, through this difference they share a bond that is hidden in the diction the writer sets in their dialog.

In the book, Eli who plays as a protagonist shows care and kindness towards everyone. This is first shown when Eli talked about feeling bad when he had to use the whip on his horse when he was left no choice. When Eli and Charlie end up going to a clothing store in the middle of the night, Eli tells Charlie that he wants to settle down and have an honest living. This intrigues Charlie, but he dismisses it quickly. When Eli met the lady at the front desk – of the first hotel the brothers stayed at- Eli liked her for how she behaved and was very considerate when she was aggressive at the beginning. Feeling bad for her living environment Eli tips her generously; leaving the money under the bed, so his brother wouldn't see it. Having realized Eli is a big softy Charlie places an ultimatum on Eli to either leave or to finish the job and do whatever he wants to do after.

In addition, Charlie (Eli’s brother) is a protagonist as well however, he shows aggression, bad habits, and vulgarity throughout this book. When the brothers come across a boy surrounded by wagons who aimed a gun at them asking questions, Charlie doesn't hesitate when he grabs the rifle and thwarts the kid on the head. There was no remorse from Charlie when he knocked the kid out with one sweep. This showed the aggressive side of Charlie by letting the reader know that he is not patient. Charlie displays his vulgarity when he is laughing and dancing around (clearly enjoying himself) with the whores at Mayfield’s office while Eli goes out to talk to the lady who is the bookkeeper. Also, throughout the book Charlie get drunk frequently even though his body takes the toll the next day, yet he insists. This exhibits his bad habits reinforcing his character as an unlikable person.      

Blog #4: Extending Our Roots

"This was a dirty job, as we had to dismantle the tin chimney to move the stove back and forth, and we were both rained down in black soot; but when we were finished I could not imagine a soul would ever find our treasure, for no one would think to look in so remote a spot.The rough estimate of these riches was set at fifteen thousand dollars; my take of this more than tripled my savings, and as we left the musty basement, heading up the stairs and into the light, I felt two things at once: A gladness at this turn of fortune, but also an emptiness that I did not feel more glad; or rather, a fear that my gladness was forced or false. I thought, Perhaps a man is never meant to be truly happy. Perhaps there is no such a thing in our world, after all. As we walked the halls of the hotel the whores were abuzz with the news of Mayfield's head-wounded departure, and the disappearance of the trappers. I spied Charlie's whore, looking only slightly less green than before, and took her to the side, asking where the bookkeeper was. "They ran her up to the doc's."  'Is she all right?'  'I imagine. They're always running her up there' I pressed a hundred dollars into her hand. 'I want you to give this to her when she comes back.' She stared at the money. 'Jesus Christ on a cloud.' 'I will return in two weeks' time. If I find she has not received it, there will be a price to pay, do you understand me?' 'Mister, I was just standing in the hall, here.' I held up a double eagle. 'This is for you.' She dropped the coin into her pocket. Peering down the hall in the direction Charlie had gone she asked, 'I don't suppose your brother'll be leaving me a hundred.' 'No I don't suppose he will.' 'You got all the romantic blood, is that it?' 'Our blood is the same, we just use it differently.' I turned and walked away. A half-dozen steps, and she asked. 'You want to tell me what she did for this?' I stopped and thought. I told her, 'She was pretty, and kind to me.' And the poor whore's face, she just did not know what to think about that. She went back into her room, slammed the door shut, and shrieked two times."  

Blog #4: Pre - Black Walnut Tree

Black Walnut Reading (Sermon)

Determine the impression you'd like to convey, based on your interpretation of the poem itself.  For example, one year, students read a poem titled "Thou Blind Man's Mark," a sixteenth century sonnet in which the speaker was an angry, bitter man confronting "Desire" as an adversary or foe.  Someone he could not escape. So, one group decided a Country-Western theme would be appropriate, and instead of reciting the poem, sang it.

WHAT IMPRESSION WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONVEY? WHY? WRITE ONE CHUNKY PARAGRAPH JUSTIFYING THIS, USING LINES FROM THE TEXT.

During the reading, we are trying to produce a passionate version of the poem based on a church sermon. This will include many hallelujahs and a boisterous speaker. The tone of the poem is solemn and the main purpose of the of the sermon is to convince the readers that the content of the poem is worthwhile to listen to. We want to convey a sense of security when the speaker delivers the service yet urge them to feel some sort of remorse for the speaker as he tells this tragic story. When the speaker delivers the sermon, he will go from a near whisper to a powerful holler. Varying dynamics will keep the audience engaged and interested in the poem.

2.  Determine what props and costuming would be helpful in performing their poems and what kind of lighting you would like. Scenery must be minimal, but the use of the performance space will be discussed.

WHICH PROPS AND COSTUMING WILL BE USED? WHAT KIND OF LIGHTING WOULD YOU USE? WHY? WRITE ONE CHUNKY PARAGRAPH JUSTIFYING THIS, USING LINES FROM THE TEXT.

The preacher wears  a black and white suit to show the audience that he is an important figure in the play. The other character playing as local towns-people will wear casual clothing to represent audience of the sermon. The preacher will use a podium to make the scene easier to understand for the audience. The lighting will be atop of the preacher to signify his importance and let the audience pay attention to him. There will  be a dim light on the rest of the characters to give them some importance which occurs only when they have dialog. The preacher will face the other characters as he gives his sermon.

3. Decide how to order the poems. Are there any patterns or themes that you want to utilize in putting the material together? How do you want to arrange the actors? Will they all be on stage at the same time, or enter separately? In the example from #1, the group decided that, because country songs have refrains, they would need to repeat significant words and phrases to create a refrain.

WILL YOU DRAW ATTENTION TO CERTAIN PHRASES OR WORDS? WHY ARE THESE WORDS (OR WORD) IMPORTANT? WHY DOES THE REPETITION OF THIS WORD/THESE WORDS REINFORCE THE MEANING OF THE POEM AS A WHOLE. WRITE ONE CHUNKY PARAGRAPH JUSTIFYING THIS, USING LINES FROM THE

TEXT.

We are drawing attention to the phrases smashing down, brighter than money, crawl in shame, emptiness, whipcrack. These words are essential because they are able to be visualized and stressed with a sense of importance. Tommy (the preacher) will stand behind the symposium preaching to the audience creating an official/leader-like persona. The theme is freedom because the people in the story are trying to become free of their mortgage yet they won’t sacrifice the tree in order to attain it.   

Blog #3: Black Walnut Tree (Sermon) with video

During the reading, we are trying to produce a passionate version of the poem based on a church sermon. This will include many hallelujahs and a boisterous speaker. The tone of the poem is solemn and the main purpose of the of the sermon is to convince the readers that the content of the poem is worthwhile to listen to. We want to convey a sense of security when the speaker delivers the service yet urge them to feel some sort of remorse for the speaker as he tells this tragic story. When the speaker delivers the sermon, he will go from a near whisper to a powerful holler. Varying dynamics will keep the audience engaged and interested in the poem.

The preacher wears  a black and white suit to show the audience that he is an important figure in the play. The other character playing as local towns-people will wear casual clothing to represent audience of the sermon. The preacher will use a podium to make the scene easier to understand for the audience. The lighting will be atop of the preacher to signify his importance and let the audience pay attention to him. There will  be a dim light on the rest of the characters to give them some importance which occurs only when they have dialog. The preacher will face the other characters as he gives his sermon.

We are drawing attention to the phrases smashing down, brighter than money, crawl in shame, emptiness, whipcrack. These words are essential because they are able to be visualized and stressed with a sense of importance. Tommy (the preacher) will stand behind the symposium preaching to the audience creating an official/leader-like persona. The theme is freedom because the people in the story are trying to become free of their mortgage yet they won’t sacrifice the tree in order to attain it.   

Blog #2: Roots Summer Reading

Blog #1: Design Justification

I chose the simple but also an eye catcher to those who are new to the website theme. The light blue to the white fade calms the reader and helps them enjoy the experience. The rain droplets add purity which leaves an imprint in the reader's mind. The mountain in the background helps the reader think of nature which would be the color green. This stimulates the reader's senses leading to a faster reading and comprehension rate. To focus more on elegance for the webpage I have left the font in "Times New Roman". Some of the text is in the color orange which also create a happy and somewhat energetic setting. My goal was to make this webpage an easy browse which is now possible with the simplistic color combinations added.

Sources:  http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/color_green.htm
http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/color_blue.htm 
http://tympanus.net/codrops/2012/02/19/establish-a-mood-with-typography/