Hamlet Reimagined in a Modern War

The setting of a fictional modern war can conform to many of the plot points in Hamlet. The state of war provides the tension that they are receiving from Norway, and the hierarchy in Hamlet can easily be replicated in a military rank style. I envision Claudius as a general in the Denmark Military. He killed another General, Hamlet's father, in order to replace him and marry his wife. Although the country he serves is behind him, his nephew knows...

Who Said it Better? That is The Question...

"To be, or not to be" performed by Ethan Hawke (2000) "To be, or not to be" performed by Sir Laurence Olivier (1948) Although these clips say the exact same words, they are very different. Because this soliloquy is so famous around the world, each actor tries to put their own spin on it to captivate the viewer. I picked these two movies because I wanted to observe the change in the way that the actors played the parts over time. The biggest and most obvious difference between these movies is the time, from 1948 to 2000. In the modernized...

Tip #1: Edit, edit, edit, and edit again!

In "Digging", Seamus Heaney creates a speaker through characterization who first thinks he doesn't measure up, but then realizes his potential. At first, Heaney shows that the speaker, a writer, values the hard work ethic and skill that his father and grandfather have. The speaker then becomes unsure that his abilities as a writer will measure up to the legacy his father and grandfather have left behind. Ultimately Heaney empowers the speaker...

Ophelia in two lights

In the modernized portrayal of Act 1 Scene 3, Ophelia acts and speaks much differently than I imagined in the book. Ophelia acted much more sarcastic and rebellious in this scene than the book made her seem. When she was speaking to Laertes, she spoke more sharply and used the words of the poem much more forcefully. She defended Hamlet strictly when she spoke to her brother. Shakespeare tends to leave the exact interpretation of how to say these words up to the actor, so any one line can have many meanings and interpretations. For example, after...

My First Look at King Claudius

King Claudius is a man of ambition and personal power, but only in the presence of open opportunity. The king has swooped into Hamlet’s life and replaced his father in almost every way. He managed to take advantage of his own brother’s death, and use it to improve his own life. Frankly, it is sick how quickly King Claudius, along with Hamlet’s mother, moved on from the death of the king.            ...

"Digging" Characterization Analysis Essay

Heaney’s Characterization of the Speaker in “Digging”             In "Digging", Seamus Heaney creates a speaker through characterization who first thinks he doesn't measure up, but then realizes his potential. Immediately, Heaney shows that the speaker, a writer, values the hard work ethic and skill that his father and grandfather have. The speaker becomes unsure that his abilities as a writer will measure up to the legacy his father and grandfather have left behind. Ultimately Heaney empowers the...

New and Improved Short Story Intro with Outline

Seamus Heaney uses characterization in "Digging" to create a speaker who first thinks he doesn't measure up, but then realizes he has a valuable skill. Immediately, Heaney shows that the speaker, a writer, values the hard work ethic and skill that his father and grandfather have. The speaker becomes unsure that his abilities as a writer will measure up to the legacy his father and grandfather have left behind. Heaney ultimately empowers the speaker...

Post 4: DRAFT Introduction Paragraph for Process Essay

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Blog Post 3: Miniver Cheevy (Wishes and Dreams)

In the poem "Miniver Cheevy", Miniver is not living in the past, but wishes he was born in that time. Many people often wish that they had been born in a different era, but Miniver takes this dream to a whole new level. Miniver destroys the life that he has for something that he really cannot control. He wishes that he could live in a time, "When swords were bright and steeds were prancing" (Robinson Line 6). Obviously this dream that he has is...

Post 2: Isn't it Ironic?

Sometimes funny, sad, or mostly misinterpreted, irony is around us every day. In the poem "Barbie Doll", the irony is heavy and laid on thick by Marge Piercy. She conveys an often portrayed message of being who you are, but in a very different way. Piercy uses irony throughout the poem to make her point. An example of this Irony when Piercy says in lines 5 and 6, "Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:/You have a great big nose and...

Post 1: Which Text Spoke to Me The Most?

"The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas" by Ursula Le guin, was my favorite text from the summer reading. The text got my attention right away and it still holds my attention long after reading it. The book captured my attention by confusing me, rather than the excitement of the plot that usually gets me. I was struck by the decision that the citizens of Omelas needed to face, or decide not to face. It was horrifying to me to realize that if a utopian city has to sacrifice the happiness of one child, what we must sacrifice to simply function...