Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Hamlet Act 1.3 assignment for 12.9.14

Hamlet Assignment 1.3 

Assignment is class.

1. Complete assignment from previous blog! We did all but the paraphrase in class. Complete your paraphrase. Form groups of 3 or four as we suggested.
2. Complete logs for 1.2 and 1.3
3. As you read 1.3 keep a written list of Polonius's axioms. What do they say about his character?
4. Read 1.3 It's important to pay attention to the advice Laertes gives Ophelia, the advice Polonius gives Laertes, and the advice Polonius gives Ophelia. How would you characterize their relationships? What is on each of their minds? What kind of a man, and what kind of a father does Polonius strike you as being? Finally, what do you make of Ophelia? Please post these observations in the comments section below. Yes, this is for your grade!

28 comments:

  1. Laertes advice to Ophelia is warning her that Hamlet has a responsibility to his kingdom and so whatever love he proffessed to her he will most likely not be able to act upon it. In other words, Hamlet's life is in the hands of the kingdom. On the other hand, Polonius's advice to Ophelia is that Hamlet is not being truthful about his love for her and is most likely just a fling so she shouldn't fall prey to his deceitful words.Therefore, both Laertes and Polonius are warning Ophelia about Hamlet and that because he is thr heir to the throne so she shuldnt fall for him. While Polonius advice to Laertes is sort of contracdictory : dont fight but if ypu have to go ahead and fight, listen but dont talk, be weary of new friends, etc. In my opinion I feel like Polonius is a strict father who wants his son to be wary of other which is interesting to me because he is probably a sneaky guy which is why he is telling his son to be careful (because he is one the evil people out there).
    I think Laertes is a good brother who likes his sister very much and Ophelia cares for her brother,too.
    Regarding Ophelia i feel that she is probably very gullible and thats why her brother and father are warning her against Hamlet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain advisor to Claudius, is a caring figure. He seems like he wants best for his family. Ophelia is occasionally meeting with Hamlet and is slowly catching feelings. I agree with Yajaira how both Laertes and Polonius are advising Ophelia about falling for a Prince. This will cause more problems in the throne line if Ophelia and Hamlet truly do get together. Does Ophelia really love Hamlet or is Hamlet really using this as a future tactic? I believe that Polonius, in fact does contradict himself when he gives advice to Laertes to the trip. Since he says that he shouldn't flaunt any riches but to show that you dress nicely because you represent your self.
    Both Polonius and Laertes are really protective with Ophelia because they do not know what Hamlet has under his sleeve. Polonius is highly critical and objective however Ophelia is a innocent character who hasn't lost her virginity or dignity but that can change if she does decide to take things seriously with Hamlet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Polonius seems to only care about what society thinks of him. He tells Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet because he will only play with her and stain the family’s name. He prevents his name from being gossip by calling Ophelia a “little foolish baby.” Then, Polonius tells Laertes ironic things such as: don’t show off your riches but dress nicely. Polonius seems to care more about what people say than his own kids. So far, I don’t think he is a good father. All three characters have different issues in their mind. Polonius is thinking about how Ophelia’s actions can hurt the family’s name. Laertes is thinking about his new journey and Ophelia being careful with Hamlet. Ophelia is thinking about and questioning Hamlets intentions. Ophelia is portrayed as an innocent girl who loves Hamlet. Even though she knows how she feels about Hamlet, she becomes confused because of what Laertes and Polonius told her. Consequently, her innocence is manipulated by her father and I think he will manipulate Ophelia to do something terrible to Hamlet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting that you noticed how all of Polonius' advice is meant to protect his name and position. How far might he go to protect himself?

      Delete
  4. Before Laertes gives his farewells, he speaks to his sister, Ophelia, about the love between Hamlet and her. He cares about her and cautions her about the type of love Hamlet is limited to offer her. As we assume Hamlet will not love her honorably. In addition, Polonius also shows concern and advices his daughter that even though Hamlet claims that he loves her, she must not associate with him any longer. For he will ruin her innocence, speaking from a man's perspective. We acknowledge the fact that Ophelia has protective men in her family that care for her happiness and advise her for her own good. Although Ophelia accepts to obey and not associate with Hamlet after what her family has told her, will she really let go of Hamlet that easily?

    ReplyDelete
  5. The relationship between Ophelia and Laertes as brother and sister seems to be very close that they can talk about Ophelia and her love life and even closer that Laertes gives advice to her about Hamlet. The relationship towards their father it seems to be very close too and Polonius gives advice to both Laertes and Ophelia. I think Polonius has a good heart and gives great advice to Laertes about being humble and a good person. I think he is just looking out for Ophelia but at the same time he might have seen so many bad things that is hard for him to trust other people, especially with his daughter. Laertes seems like a good guy at heart too and looking out for his sister as well, giving her an inside look into a man's mind. Ophelia is obviously infatuated with Hamlet and even though she agrees to stay away from him I think she is still going to put up a fight behind her father and brother's back to be with Hamlet. However she is going to be more guarded of her feelings towards Hamlet because the advice her brother and father gave her still sticks with her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laertes does seem rather honorable and decent hearted, doesn't he?

      Delete
  6. Ophelia and Laertes have a close knit relationship. They both seems to care for each other like brother and sister would. Laertes tells Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet as he brings no good to her. He knows he is older, and his position of state would make it  absurd to marry her. Ophelia does not argue back but simply listens and comments not to be given advice he doesn't follow himself. Her father Polonius agrees with his son and tells Ophelia to keep her distance from Hamlet. Ophelia seems to be falling for him and vise versa but respectfully accepts her father's and brothers advice. Both Laerter and Polonious seem to be a good influence to Ophelia because they watch out for her and only want the best for her. Although Polonious seems to be too caught up in what people say he will always put his kids first. As Laerter he is a very caring brother and Ophelia seems to be a bit gullible.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Laertes cares for his sister and has her best interest at heart. He warns Ophelia about falling in love Hamlet, because he is too much older than her to truly love her. He says this because Hamlet claims to be in love with Ophelia. I believe that polonaises is to in to everybody busy which will lead to trouble in everybody life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with Bron because it is likely that Ophelia could potentially get pulled into Hamlet's affairs, which do not pertain to her. By getting involved with Hamlet she could bring troubles and hardships into her and her family's lives.

      Delete
  9. Laertes and Ophelia are close, that's shown. He wants to protect his sister by warning her about hamlet. At first I thought he was just being unfair, but I see where he's coming from. But still, he shouldn't forbid her from anything. Ophelia loves her brother but still thinks he should stay out of it. Polonius wants his son to act accordingly. He tells him how to act and what to do and what not to do. I think he's a strict father but ultimately wants the best for his family. He shows this not only by his advice to Laertes, but also to Ophelia. He also warns her about hamlet. He's just being fatherly but still, he should stay out of it. Polonius is a man trying to do good both in his family and out of it. Ophelia seems like a good girl who loves her family but doesn't want them to control her.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Why shouldn't Ophelia continue to see Hamlet? It's not like he's a king or anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laertes and Polonius both give advice to Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet, but they have different intentions. Laertes, unlike his father, seems genuinely concerned about his sister, her feelings, and reputation. Polonius, uses his role as a father to forbid Ophelia from contacting Hamlet although it is only so that his reputation is not negatively affected. Furthermore, Laertes believes that Hamlet may not have good intentions since he is a young man, like he is which gives insight at the possible manner Laertes himself treats women. Even though Ophelia tells Laertes to not order her around with something he doesn't practice himself, his intentions are kinder since he is warning her about the possible struggles she may face if she gives in to her desire. Nevertheless, Laertes puts aside his doubt against Hamlet for a second and tries to explain to Ophelia that even if Hamlet did love her, she would never be his priority. Even though he is not king, he is still of high status, the legitimate heir to the throne of Denmark, and Laertes may know that Hamlet will one day have his title as king. Either way, Hamlet is "subject" to his kingdom, which will always place his people first, and Ophelia second.

      Delete
  11. Given that Ophelia is the only female in her household, and probably the youngest I find it kind of expected that Polonius and Laertes would treat her as ignorant. This household is obviously male dominated, and in being so Laertes and Polonius will do whatever it takes to protect her. But at what cost? It seems as if Ophelia has no voice and cannot act for her self(''Marry I'll teach you. Think yourself a baby''). As for Laertes and Polonius opinion on Hamlet, I feel their evidence is unwarranted. Since it is to early to tell whether or not Hamlet and Ophelia "truly love each other. Laertes and Polonius assume Hamlet is tyrannical and will only use Ophelia for his desires, which deeply contrasts the smart and witty Hamlet I saw earlier. I wonder if Laertes and Polonius actually know Hamlet or whether their just making these things up out of thin air. As for Polonius advice to Laertes I agree with Yajaira because he does contradict himself. Although Polonius and Laertes offer advice in good faith they view Hamlet as one dimensional instead of finding out all the details before acting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think Ophelia is not acting passively, rather she knows her father and brother are genuine and are only looking out for her. And Polonius and Laertes know of Hamlet's families affairs and not only want to protective themselves but their beloved daughter and sister from getting involved with the wrong people.

      Delete
  12. Ophelia shares close relationship with both her father and brother, because both of them are very protective of her and wish the best for her by providing her advice with how to deal with Hamlet, who claims to "love" her. Both Laertes and Polonius seem to share a similar dislike to Hamlet as they see him as being unfit for Ophelia because of his social status and that his true intentions are to sleep with Ophelia, since he's a man and that must be on his mind. Even though he is a strict parent, Polonius is a loving, protective father as he feels his daughter may not know what maybe best for her situation of dealing with hamlet as he believes she's gullible. I feel that despite warned by both her father and brother Ophelia is still going to see Hamlet, because she was told not making it sound more tempting for her.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Laertes, Polonius, and Ophelia are a close knit family it seems by the way they speak to each other. Laertes acts like, how any older brother would. He warns Ophelia about how Hamlet is only after one thing and that she must protect her women hood. He tells her this because they are only the king's advisor's children, They are not of status like Hamlet is. Laertes is looking after his baby sister because he is witnessing the trifling relationships that are occurring with Hamlet's immediate family. Polonius tells his daughter about the same things as his son has, but he ridicules the love that Ophelia claims to share with Hamlet. Being a female she is seen as childish and rather immature and claiming their in love only amplifies that image to her father. He also expresses concern with the image of their family,that Ophelia is creating by seeing Hamlet. Polonius and Laertes are genuinely concerned for the woman in their lives, and by witnessing whats going on with Gertrude and Claudius, they are increasingly worried with the dignity of Ophelia. Ophelia is a young women, who is in love with a prince who comes with a scandalous life. Considering the events that are going on in their kingdom's lives,she is not putting much thought into her actions because of love.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Act III conveyed how incredibly close Ophelia's family is. Her brother, Laertes and father, Polonius are very dominant and protective characters. They two order Ophelia not to see Hamlet. Polonius and his son are not doing so out of spite or anger, but simply out of their love for their daughter and sister. Ophelia is a young lady who lacks experience in comparison to Hamlet. Polonius goes to the extent to say that Hamlet may love her now, but he will not later. He has deceived her, and he too, is much to immature to understand love. I believe that Polonius and Laertes are justified and right in their orders because Hamlet is much erratic and unstable and the moment and absolutely in no place to engage in any means of relations with Ophelia. If ophelia gets involved with Hamlet, as his family is in a crisis, not only Ophelia's but her whole families dignity is on the line. Ophelia should not continue to see Hamlet, at the moment at least, because not only would she be disrespecting her father and brother but there is far too much going on in his life and it is very likely she could get pulled into affairs that do not pertain to her in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  15. It seems that they are a rather close-knit family. Polonius cares for his children and he gives them wise advise. Laertes deeply respects his father and it seems like he is also looking out for Ophelia's well-being. However, seeing as Ophelia is the only female, they treat her as though she's naive. From both of their advice it seems like they don't trust Ophelia's judgement of Hamlet. They believe she is gullible and Hamlet is only trying to sleep with her. Both Laertes and Polonius ae wary of Hamlet's "affections" toward Ophelia because of their completely different social statuses.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The families relationship can be characterized as tight and close. Laertes possibly cares about his sister, that is why he advices her about Hamlets "true" intentions, since Laertes is also a guy and he knows what guys want. But, in a way he sees her as naive because he tells her she must be stupid to believe Hamlet's professed love. Polonius seems like a protective and wise father. He was young once and he knows how crazy and essential youth can be. People say Hamlets and Ophelia's family are completely different, but they aren't that apart. In both situations Hamlet's, and Ophelia's feelings are not taken into consideration. Maybe that's why Hamlet and Ophelia love each other because they know what its like to be neglected by their family.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I believe that the family has a nice bonding relationship and that they protect each other, but I'm not sure if it's genuine protection or if there's a motive behind it. Laertes and Polonius both are protecting Ophelia but they do it in different ways. Laertes explains to her how the relationship she has or the one she is building with Hamlet is but only an 'in the moment" for Hamlet so she should forget about it becoming something serious. He is obligated with his royal duties and doesn't have a personal choice as to what he can or can't do. Everything is decided for him. On the other hand I got the idea that Polonius, even though he is protecting his daughter, he is also calling her stupid. He warns her that all Hamlet feels is lust for her and that it'll soon fade away so he tells her to Stop being blind and to realize how her illusions with him are nothing more than a fantasy. He even mentions how he would be made a laughing stock due to her fling with Hamlet. I perceive Polonius as a someone that cares a lot about what other have to say about himself so he must keep a good image without a stain. Ophelia seems to be caring because she defends Hamlet as Laertes and Polonius are telling her to stay away from him but she also seems very innocent.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Polonius and Laertes are overprotective for Ophelia. Ophelia has limited options as a woman in a patriarchal society and this is what separates her from Hamlet, who has the freedom to change his own fate. Ophelia is obedient and is not allowed to express herself and her true feelings. What happens in her life is determined by the whims of the men who control her.She is obedient to her father and brother and also to the king, and although she tries to do what is right, she is often pulled along by these men. Unlike Hamlet, who can act according to his own will and speak his mind as he wants, Ophelia must find an alternative to express herself.

    ReplyDelete