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

This a blog for Mr. James Cook's eleventh grade honors English class at Gloucester (MA) High School. Remember what Northrup Frye writes in _Fearful Symmetry_, "No one can begin to think straight unless [she or] he has a passionate desire to think and an intense joy in thinking."

Friday, April 13, 2007

men and manliness

men and manliness--fathers, uncles, friends, rivals: 1.2.67, 1.2.98, 1.2.105-11116, 1.2.143-144, 1.2.156-157, 1.2.191, 1.2.265, 1.3.50-55, 1.3.64+, 1.3.132, 1.5.46-47, 2.1.19-26
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3 comments:

Unknown said...
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April 25, 2007 at 7:00 AM
Unknown said...
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April 25, 2007 at 7:07 AM
Unknown said...

1.2.98
"'Tis unmanly grief."

This quote is said by king Claudius to Hamlet because he is acting so sad and gloomy. Hamlet is still wearing black clothes in mourning of his fathers death even after the new marriage of Gertrude to Claudius. Claudius pokes fun at Hamlet and says that he all fathers die at some point and that Hamlet should get over it and stop acting like a woman with his sorrow. Shakespeare is saying that women cry and that a man should be strong. By saying this, Claudius is able to take control of the situation and express himself as the "top dog."

1.5.46-47
"The serpent that did sting thy father's life/ Now wears his crown."

The Ghost is talking to Hamlet here, telling Hamlet how the Ghost was murdered and Claudius usurped the throne. Claudius is being compared to a serpent. This could be compared to the snake from Adam and Eve where the snake tells Eve to eat the apple. The snake represents evil and it is wearing the crown. Snakes also attack very suddenly and stealthily. The way in which the ghost describes his death shows that Claudius was cowardly in his approach to killing King Hamlet by pouring poison in his ear.

Why does Claudius think that attacking Hamlets manhood will make Hamlet accept him as a father?

April 25, 2007 at 9:02 AM

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