Junior Varsity English (Prep for AP, Humanities, and Big Time University): appearance and truth

Friday, April 13, 2007

appearance and truth

appearance and truth: 1.2.79, 1.2.87-89, 1.5.114, 2.2.627-632, 1.3.84-86

6 comments:

Meagan said...: "Seems," madam? Nay, it is. i know not "seems," 1.2.79

This quote was said by hamlet. He is talking to his mother and does not like her choice of the word seems. She had said to him "If it be, Why seems it so particular with thee?” Hamlet goes on to tell the queen that she will never know the pain and grief that he feels inside. This quotation goes along with the motif of appearances and truth because he says that his down cast eyes, black clothes and heavy sighs could be used to fool people. But for Hamlet they are more real than she will ever know.

"My tables- meet it is I set it down" 1.5.114

This was also a quote by Hamlet. He said this to himself because no one else was present. Hamlet says this after the ghost leaves. He wanted to write down his new knowledge- that you can be a villain and still smile. This quotation has to do with the motif of appearances and truth because the truth that someone is really a villain can be disguised in a smile.

Does Hamlet really want to kill Claudius or is he delaying?When Hamlet decided to do the play it made me wonder.; April 24, 2007 at 6:37 PM
Anonymous said...: Act 1 scene 3 line 84 " This above all: to thine own self be true,"
Act 2 scene 2 line 627-632 "I know my course. The spirit that I have seen/ May be a (devil) and the (devil) hath powet/ T' assume a pleasing shape; yea and perhaps,/ Out of my weakness and my meloncholy,/ As he is very potent with such spirits,/ Abuses me to damn me."

This first quote is from the advice given to Laertis from Polonius. Laertis has asked permission from his father to return to France. His father, Polonius, grants him the permission he askes for. Polonius tells Laertis to be "true" to himself above all else. "True" is related to appearance because Polonius is essentially telling Laertis to have no false appearance, and to use only his true one. This is important because it shows us that Polonius asks his son to remain true, but often times tells Ophelia to act a certain way in order to obtain information from Hamlet.

The second quote comes from Hamlet's second soliloquy. This part of the soliloquy is refering to the ghost of King Hamket that Hamlet has seen. It seems that he is doubting the "appearance" of the ghost, whether he is what he says he is. Is he a demon, only wnating Hamlet to be damned? that is what Hamlet is asking himself in this quote. The motif is very important here, it is essentially all this is about. Hamlet cannot tell if the ghost is being true to him, appearing to be his father, or a demon, only lieing to him. This is very significant because it sets the stage for Hamlet's thoughts throughout the rest of the play.
Question: Does Hamlet truly believe that Ghost is what he says he is?; April 24, 2007 at 6:45 PM
erinv said...: “Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.” 1.2.79

This quote was spoken by Hamlet in response to a question asked by his mother. In the few lines before this quote, Hamlet’s mother tells Hamlet to remove the black clothing he is wearing, lift his “vailed” eyes, and not to let the mourning of his father’s death last forever. The Queen goes on to ask Hamlet why he “seems” to be making a particular ordeal about the death of his father when they both know that “all that lives must die.” The response given by Hamlet informs his mother that is not about seeming, it is about being. His black clothes, his sighs and tears, his downcast face, and other outward signs of grief are the truth; Hamlet is indeed depressed about his father’s death. To his mother, he appears to be in mourning, but she doesn’t believe, nor does she know, that it is the truth. Hamlet believes in truth and honesty, unlike Claudius who lets his appearance do most of the talking.

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” 1.3.84-86

This quote was spoken by Polonius when he enters into the conversation between Laertes and Ophelia. This quotation is part of a speech Polonius delivers to his son before he departs to France. Polonius, similar to Claudius and a few other characters, is concerned with appearance. In this quote, Polonius advises his son Laertes to be honest and to be true to himself, while he himself (Polonius) is contradicting his words with his actions. Polonius is not honest and truthful, especially when he sends his servant to spy on his own son. He embellishes his words with flattery and compassion so he will appear to be a caring and kind hearted man. This quote may sound sincere, but in fact, it is empty. Polonius only says those words to make himself look like a good father to his son.

True or False: It is hard to distinguish between what is true and what appears to be true.; April 24, 2007 at 8:43 PM
erinv said...: a.
“The harlot’s cheek beautified with plast’ring art
Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it
Than is my deed to my most painted word.
O heavy burden!” (3.1.59-61)

This quotation, which in the play was an aside spoken by King Claudius, compares the real ugliness and the fake beauty of a harlot to his ugly actions covered by the beauty of his words. Before this quotation, King Claudius was speaking with Polonius who was also speaking to Ophelia. Polonius was devising a plan so he and Claudius could observe a meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet. King Claudius’s quotation follows the words Polonius says to Ophelia; “Read on this book that show of such an exercise may color your loneliness. – We are oft to blame in this, ’tis too much proved, that with devotion’s visage and pious action we do sugar o’er the devil himself.” Here, Polonius instructs Ophelia to pick up a Bible and pretend to read it so it looks like she is alone. Polonius goes on to say that people actually do what he advised her to do. People pretend to be religious and faithful to God, when in fact they only want to disguise the awful actions they are committing. These words made King Claudius feel guilty about his actions. In his quotation, he says that the make-up that covers the harlot’s ugly face is like his “painted” words that cover his ugly actions. The harlot’s face may appear to be beautiful but the truth is that is really the opposite. As for Claudius, his words made him appear to be innocent, but the truth is that he is the murderer of King Hamlet.

“It is as easy as lying. Govern these ventages
with your finger and thumb, give it breath with
your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent
music.” (3.2. 387-390)

This quotation was directed to Guildenstern by Hamlet. Seven lines before the start of this quotation, Hamlet asks Guildenstern to play a pipe. Guildenstern insists that he does not know how to play the instrument. So Hamlet assures him that “it is as easy as lying” meaning that he knew that Claudius had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on him. In the lines that follow this quotation, Hamlet tells Guildenstern that he should know how to play a pipe because he knew exactly how to play a fool of Hamlet. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been long time friends of Hamlet, but they obeyed Claudius when he ordered them to uncover the mystery of Hamlet’s madness. Nothing can get past Hamlet, meaning that he knew exactly why Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were in the same place at the same time as him. They both assured Hamlet that there they were there for no other reason than to visit him, but the truth was that Gertrude and Claudius had sent them for a specific reason; to spy on Hamlet.

“How all occasions do inform against me…
…My thought be bloody or be nothing worth!”
(4.4. 34-69)

These 35 lines, that would have taken me a significant amount of time to type out, are Hamlet’s third and final soliloquy in Shakespeare’s play. Throughout his soliloquy, Hamlet realizes how own appearance and how it is anything but the truth. He sees Fortinbras fighting for “a little patch of land”, when he can’t even go through with his revenge for his father’s death. Hamlet knows what he has to do, but somehow he just can’t do it. Hamlet is the only character whose appearance actually matches the truth. On the outside, Hamlet is a softy. He wants to kill Claudius in return for what he had done to his father, but he can not force himself to go through with such actions. Hamlet’s outside appearance matches the truth inside. Hamlet knows, and he expresses to the audience, that he is a coward. His conscience makes him delay his revenge. By the end of this quotation, Hamlet becomes aware of his situation, and decides that it is time to do what he set out to do a long time ago.

b.
Question:
Does Hamlet really want to kill Claudius or is he delaying?

Answer:
This question is actually quite hard to answer because there are so many parts in the play where readers, such as Meagan and I, can not decipher what Hamlet wants to do. In the very beginning of the play, we all know that Hamlet certainly does want to get revenge. But, when the ghost returns to remind Hamlet of his purpose, made me stop and think. After all the thinking, I do believe that Hamlet wants to kill Claudius and I also believe that he is delaying. But the only reason why Hamlet is delaying is because of his conscience and how it makes him a coward. After reading the entire play, Hamlet finally kills Claudius, where his conscience didn’t get the best of him. But was this only because Laertes blamed everything on Claudius? I wonder.

c.
(3.1.59-61)
(3.1.117-125)
(3.2.387-390)
(3.3.165-167)
(4.1.42-46)
(4.4.34-69)
(5.2.86-88); May 11, 2007 at 4:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Assignment #2
a. 3.4.Queen : Thou turn'st my eyes into my very (soul),/ And there I see such black and (grained) spots/ As will (not) leave their tinct.

In this quote, the queen is commenting on the appearance of her own soul. She describes her soul as full of black, permanent spots that can never be removed. This tells us that the queen is aware of her own part in Hamlet's misery and madness. She is aware of her wrong doings and seems to be repentant of them at this point. This quote takes place during Hamlet's discussion with his mother over Claudius.

3.1.59-62
King: The harlot's cheek beautied with plast'ring art/ Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it/ Than is my deed to my most painted word./ O heavy burden!
In this quote, Claudius is confessing his guilt to himself over King Hamlet's death. He compares his "ugliness" to that of a harlot under the makeup she wears. Even his word is described as "painted", not in reality to what he is feeling. This scene takes place when Claudius and Polonius are spying on Hamlet and Ophelia talking.
4.3.30-35
Hamlet: A man may fish with the worm that hath eat/ of a king and eat of the fish that hath fed of that/ worm.
King: What dost thou mean by this?
Hamlet: Nothing but to show you how a king may go a/ progress through the guts of a beggar.

This quote is basicly Hamlet mocking Claudius. Hamlet describes how that a dead king can become nothing more than food for worms. From then, a beggar can use that worm to fish, then the beggar east the fish. Therefore, Claudius can become nothing more than food for beggar even though he appears to be mighty and powerful. This quote is said during the conversation between Claudius and Hamlet over Polonius' body's whereabouts.

b. Question: Does Hmalet really want to kill Claudius or is he just delaying?

Well, essentially both. Deep down, Hamlet really does want to kill Claudius and get revenge for his father's death, but he cannot bring himself to do it. Why he does not do it is puzzling. It is quite obviously want to rid Denmark of him, he does not do it for several reasons. One, he doies not want to hurt his mother. If he kills the King, his mother may be driven to madness. Second, he wants to kill Claudius while he commits a crime so Claudius can get the worst possible afterlife. Third, he for some reason cannot take action unless he is really pushed to do so.

c. 3.1.10
3.1.59-61
3.1.117-125
3.2.85-88
3.3.30
3.3.77-83
3.4.24-25
3.4.39
3.4.63-69
3.4.73-75
3.4.101-102
3.4.150-151
4.1 11-12
4.1.29
4.2.27-28
4.3.30-35
4.7.14
4.7.33-34
4.7.123-124
4.7.160-185
5.1.9-14
5.1.16-21
5.2.337
5.2.360-364
5.2.366; May 14, 2007 at 4:01 PM
Meagan said...: A.
“That to Laertes I forgot myself,
For by the image of my cause I see
The portraiture of his. I’ll court his favors.
But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a tow’ring passion” (5.2.86-90)

This was said by Hamlet who was talking to Horatio. Hamlet was basically saying that he was sorry for being so mean to Laertes and loosing control of his emotions. He was coming to the realization that Laertes situation was much like his own. He only got so mad because Laertes was showing off his grief. This quotation shows appearance and truth because it has to do with how Hamlet viewed Laertes and how he was handling his grief. He may have come off showy but the truth could have been that he could not hide his misery.

Hamlet: “That if you be honest and fair, (your honesty)
should admit no discourse to your beauty.”
Ophelia: “Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with honesty?
Hamlet: “Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner
transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than
the force of honesty can translate beauty into his
likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but now
the time gives it proof. I did love you once.”(3.1.117-125)

In these lines Hamlet is obviously talking to Ophelia. They are discussing beauty. Hamlet believes that if your good and beautiful your goodness should have nothing to do with being beautiful. Ophelia asks if being beautiful could relate to anything more than beauty and hamlet says yes because beauty has a greater power than goodness does. These lines have to do with both appearance and truth because as Hamlet says above beauty has more power to turn a girl into a whore than honesty has to change a girl into a virgin.

“Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter,
As level as the cannon to his blank,
Transports the poisoned shot—may miss our name
And hit the woundless air. Oh, come away!
My soul is full of discord and dismay.” (4.2. 387-390)

This quote came from King Claudius who was speaking to Gertrude. He was basically telling her that he hopes a bullet with extreme precision misses them and that they have to go because he is confused and filled with dismay. This quotation has to do with appearance and truth because Claudius is trying to appear like he is doing the right thing by Hamlet when really he just wants to get rid of him.

B.
Question: Does Hamlet truly believe that Ghost is what he says he is?

In my opinion even though Hamlet does question the Ghost at first because he believes it could be the devil trying to tempt him into murder, I think he does truly start to believe it is the spirit of his recently deceased father. The ghost says he has been murdered by Claudius and asks Hamlet to avenge him. But throughout the book the question of what the ghost is or where it comes from is never definitively resolved.

C.
(3.1.117-125)
(3.3.165-167)
(4.1.42-46)
(5.2.86-88); May 14, 2007 at 5:08 PM