Mr. Sullivan, my 12th grade English teacher, made us dress up in Burger King crowns and sword fight with paper towel tubes to make sense of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Here at the American School in Guadalajara we are going to use the internet instead. In the posts below, follow us as we seek to understand why this really is the greatest play in the English language.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Act V, ii
The ending of Hamlet is very famous for it’s quantity of bloodshed.In all of this mess, is justice served?
I think that at the end of all justice was made because all of the characters had sins to pay. All of them had done something wrong. There were some characters that had greater sins and had more things in their conscience. But at the end all of them had something to pay. But as always there were some exceptions, things can never be completely fair. This happened with Ophelia, in my opinion she didn’t have many things to pay, and I think she died with no reason. She didn’t have any sins to pay, she was always a good person, but life is never completely fair.
In my opinion Hamlet, Gertrude and Claudius had to die to serve justice. Claudis had killed Hamlet, the King, so Hamlet Jr. had to kill Claudius. Gertrude had to die because she completely dishonored her husband by marryig her brother. Hamlet Jr. killed Polonius, therefore he had to be killed by Leartes. I think if justice is what all of these people wanted, they served justice between each other, since everyone was as guilty as any other. Carolina Esqueda
I think that in the Story of Hamlet the bloodsheding at the end was excessive. Not all the people who died diserved to but Claudius and Gertrude which were the main architects of all the problem that came up. From the beginning Claudius had been the one who killed his brother Hamlet. He was the one who planned all and took Gertrude a long with the Kingdom. Hamlet Claudius and Gertrude were the only ones who diserved to die no one else should have had to suffer because of there problems.
I think that things end up alright for some people and not alright for others. For example only the King should have died, then Laertes would have never been mad at Hamlet in the first place because he wouldn't have been brainwashed by him. The others though should have lived and if Gertrude had lived, I believe that she would have realized after the King had died that everything she did was horrible and she would have felt extremely guilty.
I think that at the end, justice was served only to some because not everyone deserved to die. Claudius was the one who really got what he deserved, since he was the one who began all the disaster, when he decided to kill his brother, become king and take Gertrude as his wife. Gertrude also deserved her punishment because she married her husband´s murderer. Hamlet didn´t deserved to die at first, but after killing Polonius and causing Ophelia´s suicide, he deserved to be slained by Laertes. Concerning Rosencrantz and Guildernstern, they got what they deserved for being hypocrates. The rest, were innocent victims involved in all the bloodshed. Laertes was killed because he was manipulated by Claudius, not knowing that he was a traitor to the nation and Osric was killed when the norwegians took over. On the big picture, Denmark deserved to be conquered by Fortinbras, since its rulers were more concerned with their hate and revenge rather than its political manners.
I think that in all of the mess of how this last scene works, justice is served, not only to Hamlet, but to other people too. Unfortunately, in order to get justice, other people had to go down with it too. Like Gertrude, for example, she got poisoned in the way when Claudius was about to poison Hamlet. She kind of deserved it, though, since she remarried so quickly. Nevertheless, there were many people that died along the way that shouldn't of died along the way, but life is not fair to everybody, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and that's that.
I think that in the end there was some kind of justice. The only person who I think didn't had to die was Ophelia. I'm not OK with everyone kills everyone for reveange but who ever commit a crime, killed, was unfaithful, conspired agianst someone else n the end paid the consequences. There was justice for the kings murderer, for Polonius death, for being unfaithful to the king and for playing dirty. In the end there was jusice but no one was able to enjoy that justice, except and in some way Horatio.
I think justice was served because all and everyone of the characters had sins to pay for. Shakespeare loves disaster and I sort of saw it comming, anyway everything was already somewhat of a mess. So to resume my opinion, I think it was fair enough that everyone died, except Ophelia she didnt really deserve to die. She was good and noble. alexia hdez =)
I think justice was served for everyone because everyone had done something that would harm another one. Everything started like a chain effect. Gertrude had to die for marrying his ex husban brother, Claudius for killing the king Hamlet, Hamlet for killing Polonious, Laertus for trying to kill in revenge Hamlet and Hamlet for killing Polonious and the responsible of Ophelias death. It was a good ending although I think Ophelia and Hamlet had to live to have a happy ending
Well Claudius obviously had to die because he was really cruel and he was a very evilm man. He didnt had the courage to tell what the drink of Gertrude had before she drink it, and supposedly he love her. Gertrude should also died because in a way I think he betrayed Hamlet and the old king. It was destiny Hamlet had all ready warned her but she didnt believe him. Leartes should also died because he wantes revenge and always revenge is bad. Hamlet well I think it was destiny maybe he should live but in a way he was going to be more happy in heaven, but he killed Polonius so everything in life returns.
Justice was served, it wasnt served nicely but it happened. Many people died, too many. A couple didint even deserve to die but everything began with Claudius, he deserved the maximum sentence. I think Ophelia wasnt supposed to die nor Osrich but he didint play a big role so it doesnt matter. Well at least every bad guy in the play got what he deserved. I think that even though Hamlet died, he was happy that finally Claudius lied dead.
Although it could be said that everyone got what they deserved after the outcome of the play, I believe Hamlet did not get a square deal. Laertes in a way deserves his death for cooperating in the killing of Hamlet; Claudius most certainly deserves death- he killed his own brother and then arranged the murder of his nephew (Hamlet); Gertrude's fault was letting Claudius get away with all the wrong things he does (such as having killed King Hamlet and taken over the throne), furthermore, she even supports him- she marries him and keeps him company in the "incestuous bed". Hamlet, however, is only guilty of trying to fulfill his father's wishes and save him from damnation. His wish for revenge and careful planning ended up in his own death. The outcome of this play explains why the audience generally sympathizes Hamlet- he is the only character in this scene who did nothing wrong and yet was still taken by the angel of death. Although he did kill Polonius, Polonius was not such a transcendent character anyways and, most importantly, Hamlet's intent was to kill Claudius. In the end, Claudius is killed, damnation is assured for him, yet there are many other casualties also.
At the end of this scene a lot of characters die. I think everyone, apart from Ophelia and Polonius had their own sins to pay. I cant quite be in favor of their deaths but nonetheless each one of them had made something that deserved being punished. Gertrude had married her death husbands bruther. Claudius, well is not even worth explaining why he should be punished. Leartes wanted to kill Hamlet, and Hamlet what wanted most was to kill Claudius in order to venge his fathers death.
I think that at the end of all justice was made because all of the characters had sins to pay. All of them had done something wrong. There were some characters that had greater sins and had more things in their conscience. But at the end all of them had something to pay. But as always there were some exceptions, things can never be completely fair. This happened with Ophelia, in my opinion she didn’t have many things to pay, and I think she died with no reason. She didn’t have any sins to pay, she was always a good person, but life is never completely fair.
ReplyDeleteMaria Jose Gomez
In my opinion Hamlet, Gertrude and Claudius had to die to serve justice. Claudis had killed Hamlet, the King, so Hamlet Jr. had to kill Claudius. Gertrude had to die because she completely dishonored her husband by marryig her brother. Hamlet Jr. killed Polonius, therefore he had to be killed by Leartes. I think if justice is what all of these people wanted, they served justice between each other, since everyone was as guilty as any other.
ReplyDeleteCarolina Esqueda
I think that in the Story of Hamlet the bloodsheding at the end was excessive. Not all the people who died diserved to but Claudius and Gertrude which were the main architects of all the problem that came up. From the beginning Claudius had been the one who killed his brother Hamlet. He was the one who planned all and took Gertrude a long with the Kingdom. Hamlet Claudius and Gertrude were the only ones who diserved to die no one else should have had to suffer because of there problems.
ReplyDeleteDANTE GARCIA
I think that things end up alright for some people and not alright for others. For example only the King should have died, then Laertes would have never been mad at Hamlet in the first place because he wouldn't have been brainwashed by him. The others though should have lived and if Gertrude had lived, I believe that she would have realized after the King had died that everything she did was horrible and she would have felt extremely guilty.
ReplyDeleteSavannah Onal :)
Javier Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteI think that at the end, justice was served only to some because not everyone deserved to die. Claudius was the one who really got what he deserved, since he was the one who began all the disaster, when he decided to kill his brother, become king and take Gertrude as his wife. Gertrude also deserved her punishment because she married her husband´s murderer. Hamlet didn´t deserved to die at first, but after killing Polonius and causing Ophelia´s suicide, he deserved to be slained by Laertes. Concerning Rosencrantz and Guildernstern, they got what they deserved for being hypocrates. The rest, were innocent victims involved in all the bloodshed. Laertes was killed because he was manipulated by Claudius, not knowing that he was a traitor to the nation and Osric was killed when the norwegians took over. On the big picture, Denmark deserved to be conquered by Fortinbras, since its rulers were more concerned with their hate and revenge rather than its political manners.
I think that in all of the mess of how this last scene works, justice is served, not only to Hamlet, but to other people too. Unfortunately, in order to get justice, other people had to go down with it too. Like Gertrude, for example, she got poisoned in the way when Claudius was about to poison Hamlet. She kind of deserved it, though, since she remarried so quickly. Nevertheless, there were many people that died along the way that shouldn't of died along the way, but life is not fair to everybody, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and that's that.
ReplyDeleteI think that in the end there was some kind of justice. The only person who I think didn't had to die was Ophelia. I'm not OK with everyone kills everyone for reveange but who ever commit a crime, killed, was unfaithful, conspired agianst someone else n the end paid the consequences. There was justice for the kings murderer, for Polonius death, for being unfaithful to the king and for playing dirty. In the end there was jusice but no one was able to enjoy that justice, except and in some way Horatio.
ReplyDeletelast comment is Ana Paula's Mr.
ReplyDeleteI think justice was served because all and everyone of the characters had sins to pay for. Shakespeare loves disaster and I sort of saw it comming, anyway everything was already somewhat of a mess. So to resume my opinion, I think it was fair enough that everyone died, except Ophelia she didnt really deserve to die. She was good and noble.
ReplyDeletealexia hdez =)
Miguel Marquez
ReplyDeleteI think justice was served for everyone because everyone had done something that would harm another one. Everything started like a chain effect. Gertrude had to die for marrying his ex husban brother, Claudius for killing the king Hamlet, Hamlet for killing Polonious, Laertus for trying to kill in revenge Hamlet and Hamlet for killing Polonious and the responsible of Ophelias death. It was a good ending although I think Ophelia and Hamlet had to live to have a happy ending
Well Claudius obviously had to die because he was really cruel and he was a very evilm man. He didnt had the courage to tell what the drink of Gertrude had before she drink it, and supposedly he love her. Gertrude should also died because in a way I think he betrayed Hamlet and the old king. It was destiny Hamlet had all ready warned her but she didnt believe him. Leartes should also died because he wantes revenge and always revenge is bad. Hamlet well I think it was destiny maybe he should live but in a way he was going to be more happy in heaven, but he killed Polonius so everything in life returns.
ReplyDeleteSabina ArAMBULA
Justice was served, it wasnt served nicely but it happened. Many people died, too many. A couple didint even deserve to die but everything began with Claudius, he deserved the maximum sentence. I think Ophelia wasnt supposed to die nor Osrich but he didint play a big role so it doesnt matter. Well at least every bad guy in the play got what he deserved. I think that even though Hamlet died, he was happy that finally Claudius lied dead.
ReplyDeleteJulio Riestra
Although it could be said that everyone got what they deserved after the outcome of the play, I believe Hamlet did not get a square deal. Laertes in a way deserves his death for cooperating in the killing of Hamlet; Claudius most certainly deserves death- he killed his own brother and then arranged the murder of his nephew (Hamlet); Gertrude's fault was letting Claudius get away with all the wrong things he does (such as having killed King Hamlet and taken over the throne), furthermore, she even supports him- she marries him and keeps him company in the "incestuous bed". Hamlet, however, is only guilty of trying to fulfill his father's wishes and save him from damnation. His wish for revenge and careful planning ended up in his own death. The outcome of this play explains why the audience generally sympathizes Hamlet- he is the only character in this scene who did nothing wrong and yet was still taken by the angel of death. Although he did kill Polonius, Polonius was not such a transcendent character anyways and, most importantly, Hamlet's intent was to kill Claudius. In the end, Claudius is killed, damnation is assured for him, yet there are many other casualties also.
ReplyDeleteIgnacio Aranguren
At the end of this scene a lot of characters die. I think everyone, apart from Ophelia and Polonius had their own sins to pay. I cant quite be in favor of their deaths but nonetheless each one of them had made something that deserved being punished. Gertrude had married her death husbands bruther. Claudius, well is not even worth explaining why he should be punished. Leartes wanted to kill Hamlet, and Hamlet what wanted most was to kill Claudius in order to venge his fathers death.
ReplyDeletethe top one is mine Mr. =)
ReplyDeleteLOREA DE LA PEÑA
Closed.
ReplyDelete-Mr. Paul