Hamlet: Response Journal

Response Journal for Act 1, scene 1 to Act 2, scene 2

1. How does the play make you feel at this point? Record your emotional response(s) in a few sentences and then explore them for a few minutes, trying to figure out why you feel as you do.

- After reading act II scene II, I felt rage, anxiety, and the disturbance that is building up inside Hamlet. Every word he says reflected his sarcasm and that sarcasm is the effect of his madness.(E.g. "Words Words Words") I also felt the stress, the sorrow, the grief, and the pain inside of Hamlet's heart. I do feel that way because when I try to put on Hamlet's shoe, I couldn't bear going through the things he go through. I shook it off of my body right then. It's extremely tragic and at the same time perfect for vengeance when someone had been stolen what was theirs ( the throne ) and lost their love by someone in their own family.

2. In what situations have you felt similar to the characters? What persons, places, or ideas from your own experiences came to your mind while you were reading this portion of the play? Try to list at least three associations, but don't worry about trying to figure out why they came to mind. Just accept that they occur.

- A. When my brother warned me to not have a girl friend way back in the years when I was starting to maintain those good grades in the middle school years. I felt like he's Laertes and I am technically a male version of Ophelia getting warned by the brother. The setting was typically at home while we were playing basketball much like how Laertes and Ophelia was strolling and spending time together.

B. There was this one time I got spied by my brother from the command of my parents. I was spied and being look after for my dubious behavior. I often burst in house due to stress and came home late from school because I had to work after school. Now parents doubt that I was being spoiled like going to pub or other places that came in their mind and didn't trust me. They just didn't understand I have that much work. So I was spied by my brother and he then tells them the truth. This is similar to how Polonious sends out Reynaldo to spy on Laertes of his doubtful behavior. 

 C. The only other scenario that came to my mind was of my father, the kinder and more understanding of the family, who blessed me each time I had a test. He will wake up and be with me until I finally left the door of my house to school. He'll watch me eat breakfast and even pack my bags in the morning which was around 4:30 am. He didn't have to, but he did. He would always bless me and wish me luck in the morning although sometimes I've heard the same thing 5 times a week. But yes, I felt like Laertes being blessed by Polonious when Laertes was about to leave for France for studies. I am thankful I didn't actually have to face anything like Hamlet's tragic or experience being rob the love ones in life.

3. What portions of Shakespeare's language attracts your attention? These might be individual words, phrases, lines, scenes, or images. Make note of whatever features draw your attention. Speculate for a few minutes about what you think they might mean.

- In act one scene 5 when the apparition reveals, " The serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown. " This really does enchanted me and reflected Shakespeare's brilliance of choice of words. I think it meant that the person, who is as deadly and detrimental and dangerous as a serpent who kills your father is now taking the thrown. Which can only meant Claudius. But in the phrase it had no necessities to even mention Claudius, this is what I like about the choice of words.

Another example "Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice. Neither a borrower or a lender be." Struck my heart of the advices Polonious gave Laertes. It seemed so different from today's morals but still is manly and moralistic. It said to listen to everyone but speak only when is needed. Do not lend others for it will lose your friends and your husbandry. The blessing is just very specific and aims more on standard of conduct on what you must do rather than the outcome of what you must be. 

There are many more but perhaps one I can not miss, " seems madam. " was when Hamlet is in grief of his father's death and innocent from Act I Scene 2. The word "seems" just give a foreshadow that it's not what it seems like. It's more than meets the eye. And the excitement that follows the word "seems" just makes me wanted to read more discovering what is really in Hamlet's mind.

Last but not least " The play's the thing, wherein I'll catch the conscious of the King." From Hamlet stratagem of trying to unveil Claudius's true identity and felonious crime he did to his father. Here he meant I'll use this play and exhibition or show to public relations the wrong doing and make Claudius aware of what he had done. It's very straight forward, yet with the highest level of distraught and irate.

4. Make note of any portion of the play, its language, or events that cause you problems. Note any questions that you might ask.

- Act 2 Scene 1 had caused me a lot of problems figuring out what are the inside stories that Polonious is talking to Reynaldo. I just know that he asked him to spy of Laertes. I couldn't make out the conversations and what exactly they were talking about. 

Another part, act 2 scene 2 when Polonious is informing Claudius about the report on Denmark and Norway. I don't really understand what happened between the 2 countries. A wild guess would be that peace has been established and Fortinbras' plan is not operational anymore. I really wanted to understand that portion before Polonious gets into the matter of "madness" about Hamlet's behavior to Ophelia. I would want to ask why Ophelia has to comply with everything her father says?