Jesse - HAMLET Act 3 Scenes 1-2

   ... what is this play. I am getting sick of reading about these freaks (literally) spying on each other, being creepy and moody, and talking about the impending doom of humanity and the world. First off, I would like to bring notice to the fact that, unlike the other works we have focused on this year, this play is so anti-feminist. Hamlet makes weird sexual remarks to Ophelia in two notable dialogues during the first two scenes of Act 3, and she makes no effort to tell him off. Gross. Then, we've got Gertrude saying "The lady doth protest too much methinks" as her only remark on Hamlet's play. Finally, we see Ophelia LAMENTING about HAMLET THE FREAK not being interested anymore after he orders her to go to a nunnery 5 times and slanders women?? Although some of us have enjoyed the toxic we-shouldn't-be-together trope (talking to you, Evie and Lillian) that was in Scarlet Letter and Jane Eyre, we need to move on. Hamlet is misogynistic, creepy, and overall a total weirdo. She can do better, methinks. 

    Speaking of Hamlet being a weirdo, let's look at one of his many "speeches" he likes to give throughout the reading. The first is his iconic  "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION" reflection starting at Act 3, Scene 1, Line 56. This man is really going through it - he, again, ponders his own death, death in general, and then what comes after death: "To die, to sleep -- / To sleep, perchance to dream." Although this sounds like a hopeful outlook on death, he then goes on a rant about the fear he and others share about an afterlife, or lack thereof: "To grunt and sweat under a weary life, / But that the dread of something after death, / The undiscovered country of whose bourn / No traveler returns". Yikes. Hamlet has a lot on his mind, and I am getting a little worried about him. If only there was something he could do to get some answers…

Ah, yes! What I’m sure we all thought of to be the best option of getting some answers from his uncle- create a play about the situation and stalk his reaction! A play within a play, classic! Genuinely though, why was this his first thought? He sure got lucky that this plan just so happened to work… seems a little TOO convenient. Also, Ophelia is definitely on to him. What was he thinking?? She asks, “Will a tell us what this show meant?”, to Hamlet, obviously prodding him for answers… I can’t wait to see how it pans out!