:Peter, Ted, and Billiam Shakespeare 4ever

All in all, I was pretty impressed with Hamlet the play. It thought it was well constructed and the characters were some of Shakespeare’s most relatable. But the last Act was what really did it for me. Way to pull through, Act V. And like Will Ferrell said unto his aged disciple, Blue; Act V, I say this unto you: “you’re my boy.” And I mean it in the same way the great Ferrell meant it, not as in a literal sense. You really are not my son. I, uhhh, don’t have any kids…

I thought Act V had some of the most memorable scenes of the book. I really enjoyed the morbid humor of the gravediggers in scene one and this, accompanied by Hamlet’s pensive look to death, created a large emotional spectrum within the first pages of the Act. The diggers were happy and witty, Hamlet however, seemed very depressed and thoughtful. Horatio must have been Hamlet’s friend for a very long time, because I don’t think I could have stood by Hamlet during this quote-unquote “emo” phase. He’d be a big downer, man. 

What I really liked though was the parallel between scene one and two. In scene one Hamlet, while pondering death, notes that Julius Caesar must be dust somewhere. His previous accomplishments meant nothing. Again, I thought, this related to the Ozymandias poem (by Percy Bysshe Shelley) because apparently success in life means nothing after death. Very pessimistic, but the idea is intriguing. But back to the parallel- so Hamlet mentions Caesar in scene one, and later in scene two, before he goes to the palace to fence with Laertes, he feels as though something will go wrong. Something is “ill” inside of him. This seems to be a subtle allusion to the story of Caesar’s death. On the “Ides of March” when he is killed, he feels uneasy about a meeting he must attend- the very same meeting where his friends betray him. Is Hamlet comparing his plight to that of Caesar? In his mind, is he savior of the country yet inevitably to be betrayed by his close friends and family? I think this is a very good possibility. 

Either that, or Shakespeare has a liking for Caesar and his story. Another tragedy he wrote was, in fact, entitled Julius Caesar. It would be interesting, and I would like to know, the order in which Hamlet wrote his plays. If Hamlet was written before Julius Caesar, could these multiple allusions to Caesar in Hamlet be an attempt to whet the audience’s appetite for his soon-to-follow tragedy? Did Shakespeare do this sort of thing in other plays? If these assumptions are true, Shakespeare, you are one crafty fellow. You have officially gained my respect, sir. 

1 Comment

Act Four really reminded me of a movie. The quick scenes that rapidly progressed the plot forward, all intermingled and succinct….I thought it seemed like very contemporary story telling. Well, at least that seems to be how many movie directors are shooting their montages and intense action scenes these days (which this is exactly how this part of Hamlet should be filmed). In the following Casino Royale clip, the quick, intense shots are what I was reminded of when reading this Act.

Casino Royale

The other thing I related to this Act was the poem of Ozymandias, which I had heard a while ago, and recently found it online:

OZYMANDIAS

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter’d visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp’d on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock’d them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

This image came to my mind when Hamlet said to Polonius, a line I liked a lot;

A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm. (IV, ii, 27-9).

It wasn’t the overly dramatic idea of the inescapable mortality of man that caught my attention. I just liked how the pun was used to insult Claudius….and yet, Claudius could not understand the insult. 

A question that arose:

1.) Why are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s intentions with Hamlet? They know he realizes what they are doing and that he has begun to despise them, so why still bother with him; either they are vying for a reward from the king and queen, or they are truly Hamlet’s friends. I’d like to know.

And you know, up to this point, I had felt slightly sorry for Claudius. He’s got a lot on his plate and I thought his mistakes could be forgiven. But after he revealed what he intended to happen to Hamlet in England, I lost all my sympathy for him. He’s going to have the King of England kill his nephew. You’re a jerk, Claudius. 

1 Comment

Let me just get this off of my chest. Polonius? Seriously? Hiding behind a tapestry? C’mon man. You know Hamlet’s going crazy- don’t you think he’d be a little paranoid and suspect that human-figure behind the curtain? I’m sorry, Polonius, but after a move like that…..i mean, is this amateur hour?

So, that brings me to my first question: what were you doing in there, Polonius? I know you wanted to monitor the situation, but there was no need to hide in the room of the conversation. Personally, I think Polonius is just a little too nosy. It wasn’t necessary for him to listen to the dialogue between Hamlet and his mother.

I also considered how this part of the play would be acted out, especially the famous soliloquy. Rather than the pensive Kenneth Branagh from the movie we watched in class, I think Hamlet would be much more distraught. He seems to be so embarrassed and disappointed in himself because he cannot bring himself to live. He knows he must avenge his father, but he also finds it difficult to continue his life. As he says, which succinctly summarizes the entire murder ordeal so far,

“…Thus conscience does make cowards of us all…(III,i,83)”

This quote also directly applies to the reaction of Claudius during the play Hamlet arranges. Hamlet’s plan works perfectly: Claudius’ regret and morals force him to leave the play in frustration. He cannot bear to see himself, he leaves the theater a coward.

I also thought it was interesting that Gertrude could not see the ghost when it began speaking to Hamlet in the very same room. Bringing up my other question: why can Horatio, Hamlet, and the other guards see it then? Hamlet may be crazy and all the others certainly do not seem to be, yet they can see the ghost as well as Hamlet.

1 Comment

Alright, so I was way off on my Act 2 predictions: Hamlet didn’t kill his dad and nothing happened to Laertes. My bad. It turns out Polonius begins to feel sorry for Hamlet, Hamlet gets/acts even crazier, and Ophelia begins to fear Hamlet. Hmmm. Shakespeare, you tricky fellow. 

But like Act I, I still had trouble understanding the entirety of this Act, so I decided to change it to common speech to help me and anyone else with comprehension. I picked the two parts that confused me the most.

So Polonius and Reynaldo enter Scene i, talking (Polonius, Reynaldo)

Hey Reynaldo, it’d probably be a good idea to find out what Laertes has been up to in France before you go find him. 

I was planning on it, sir.

Great. Well, when you get there, find out if any Danes live in France- who they are, what they do, who they’re friends with. Then use questions to find out what my son’s been doing. Like, “Well, I sort of know the guy through his dad.” Does that make sense?

Absolutely.

Or you could be like, “I think I know that Laertes. If it’s him I’m talking about, he’s pretty crazy.” Whatever you want. But don’t ruin his image; make sure not to do that. Just stories that would apply to any young adult. 

Like gambling?

Yeah, or drinking, swearing, fighting…you could say that kind of stuff.

Here, Polonius tries to talk to Hamlet- (Polonius, Hamlet).

How’ve you been, Hamlet?

Okay.

Do you remember me?

Yes, you sell fish (or a pimp).

No I don’t.

Well I wish you were as honest as a fish-seller.

Honest?

Yes, there are very few men in the world who are honest.

Very true, sir.

Because if the sun helps maggots grow in a dead dog, like a vulture- do you have a daughter?

Yes, sir. 

Don’t let her go out into public. To have a baby is great, but if your daughter becomes pregnant…be careful.

(To himself) What does he mean? He must still be thinking about Ophelia. But, he didn’t know me at first. He thought I sold fish. He’s really gone crazy. Still, I was like this when I was madly in love as a boy. I’ll try to talk to him again. (To Hamlet) What are you reading, sir?

And that’s about it. I’m going to skip the long-term forecast and try to focus on solely the next act. Maybe my predictions will fare better.

Hamlet continues to worry everyone. Polonius is caught spying on Ophelia and Hamlet. Ophelia is freaked out by Hamlet, but wants to still love him. Hamlet is discouraged after catching Polonius and pays no attention to Ophelia for the rest of the play. Claudius hears of Laertes doing something bad.

1 Comment

Like many of you, I struggle with Shakespeare to say the least. He’s wordy, verbose, garrulous, loquacious, and many critics say he wasn’t really even a person. And probably like many of you, I can’t understand why we are required to read Bill’s plays. But, Hamlet has caught my attention. 

The story of the Prince of Denmark is not like any other Shakespeare I’ve read. It’s not absurdly unfunny, like A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Oh geez, Puck! You’ve given everyone magical love potion!? No! That’ll just confuse them into loving the wrong person! Puck, you conniving rapscallion! Hilarious!!

No. That’s not funny.

And it’s not like the absurdly implausible Merchant of Venice. Really, Shylock? You’re going to cut off a pound of Antionio’s flesh? Yeah, I bet! 

No. That’s just weird.

I assume some of you are calling me a hypocrite because Hamlet is just as unrealistic as other plays. Yes, the ghost of Hamlet’s father is a stretch. But let’s just say we’ll agree to disagree. 

I liked Act One so far. Barnardo, Horatio, and Marcellus meet the ghost and run to tell Hamlet the news. Meanwhile Hamlet is publicly embarrassed by his uncle, now the king and his stepfather, and his push-over mother in front of most of the castle. Laertes leaves to go back to France which, by the way, brings me to my first question. What has Laertes been doing in France? He says:

My lord, I want your permission to go back to France, which I left to come to Denmark for your coronation. I confess, my thoughts are on France, now that my duty is done.

I’m betting that there’s some funny business going on in France. Either Laertes, his family, or Hamlet is going to get involved in the problem. So, as Laertes is leaving Denmark he gives his sister, Ophelia, advice concerning Hamlet: he’s garbage. Another question- is Laertes really trying to help his sister or does he just really dislike Hamlet? Hmmmm. 

Later, Hamlet talks to his dead father’s ghost and it explains to him that Claudius was actually the killer. Bummer, Hamlet. Looks like your uncle’s the killer. That sucks….and according to your dad’s phantom image you’re going to have to kill your uncle now, avenging your father’s death. Go get ‘em tiger.

And now for my forecast of the 4 Acts to come:

Act 2: Hamlet seriously begins to hate his uncle. He keeps getting closer and closer to killing him and people start to avoid Hamlet, who appears strange. For some reason, Ophelia is drawn to his moodiness.

Act 3: Hamlet kills his uncle. Nobody knows it was Hamlet. Polonius finds out Ophelia is still seeing Hamlet and tries to harm Hamlet. In essence, it all hits the fan.

Act 4: Hamlet, seeking security from Polonius and since this is a Shakespearean tragedy, kills Polonius. Ophelia is shocked, but surprisingly at ease. Laertes comes back from France to avenge his father. 

Act 5: Forecast hazy. Try again later.

1 Comment

Overall I really enjoyed this project. It offered a new medium on which to create, rather than the dull essay papers and hours of revising on Microsoft Word, and this allowed a new sense of creativity. I thought it was cool to be able to view blogs of other students, allowing glimpses of the project in progress. And further, we were able to actually see and admire the work of others- I never saw the research papers of  any of my friends first semester. Blogging allowed the project to develop with the intent for others to read and notice it, and not solely the teacher.

I can see where some would not fully appreciate blogs. With a research paper, everything is organized and stapled together: the work cited, the multiple drafts, notes, and the lengthy analysis. Blogging however, although providing a way to organize information, is not as clean and credible in appearance as a crisp, black-and-white paper is. Comments, videos, pictures, and hyperlinks are spread all throughout the blogosphere and the worldwide web. Compared to our fall project, blogging is frustratingly chaotic. I for one, am not biased towards either, but I can see where blogging would be a nuisance. 

As I bid farewell to Peter and Ted 4ever, I cannot help but feel obligated to thank those who have made this journey possible. 

Thanks to everyone at edublogs, especially that crazy developing team! We had some good times….you guys know who I’m talking about!

A big thanks to Mrs. Hazle and Mr. Hendershot. You guys were my inspiration for my two-month long career. 

And thank you Mr. Kooser. You were, and always will be, my pal. I know you’re out in the audience realizing that you don’t even know me, but believe me when I say we are meant to be friends. I feel like I’ve known you for at least a year or two. So Ted, you stay strong. You stay poetic. And don’t you go a-changin’.

Thank you and good night.

1 Comment

This is my ode to Kooser through my own poem, Charterboat. I tried to create the poem using Kooser’s signature style: use of common speech and the simplicity of his subject.

Charterboat

He steers the boat to the channel,

the horizon painted with the 5 o’clock sunrise 

as cigar smoke and gasoline fumes swirl,

twirling wisps of haze.

The radio is calm static, 

he is smiling, drifting toward the ocean.

His stiff cap sits high upon his head like a crown-

King of Fish, God of Sea.

The water is still and the noisy tourists have yet to wake,

he usually is scheduled to take them out,

today he is free.

1 Comment

Much like the SuperSoaker commercials of the 90′s had water water everywhere, I gave 110% to disperse my comments everywhere around the blogosphere. For the blogs outside of our class, I wasn’t sure when the blog owners would approve of my comments, so I included my comment with the blog URL. 

Harlan’s Blog

Katie’s Blog

http://mleddy.blogspot.com/2009/03/after-william-carlos-williams.html

Hi, I’m researching Ted Kooser for a poetry project in school and I’ve grown to like his poetry. This comment is also part of the project, in case you were wondering.  But that is irrelevant.

Through everything I’ve read, Kooser seems quite similar to William Carlos Williams. I have enjoyed Williams’ poetry since reading “The Red Wheelbarrow” my freshman year, and so I was happy to discover how much Kooser and he had in common. For instance, they both discuss the simplicity of life (either it be a neck-tie or a note left to a friend). In addition, the way they comment on these subjects is similar. Their similar use of common diction and subtle humor all contribute to the overall image. If you like Williams, consider giving Kooser a try. Just thought you’d like to know these interesting facts.

http://www.lorenwebster.net/In_a_Dark_Time/2006/01/04/braided-creek-a-conversation-in-poetry/comment-page-1/#comment-13483

I’m doing a school project on Ted Kooser, and the research I’ve been doing online led me to “Braided Creek”. I had no idea who Jim Harrison was before, I actually didn’t know anything about Kooser before this project either. But, through this project I’ve grown to really enjoy the poetry of both men. Their simple style,  accompanied by such vivid images create the type of poetry that would read without being required to by the English Department. They seem like people who I would like to talk to, rather than the verbose, profound poets of the 19th century and today.

1 Comment

Although it seems improbable that someone as brilliant as Ted Kooser would lower himself to such a mortal level in order to find  companionship, it happened. The poet laureate graced humankind with his presence when he befriended Jim Harrison. 

Harrison, a Michigan native, is an accomplished man. He writes both poems and novels, his books Revenge and Legends of the Fall were both turned into films. He has won multiple awards for his literature including several Guggenheim Fellowships (American money grants) and an election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also an avid outdoorsman, hunting and fishing in the woods of northern Michigan. I guess I’ll allow Jim to continue his friendship with the venerable Ted. But I’m watching you Jim. One slip-up and you’re gone!

While these two pals hung out and shared some laughs, their own writing styles were apparently shared as well. And this interchange of technique was definitely a two-way street. Both focus their poems on ordinary subjects like humans and animals. The description is told with a straightforward style: no sophisticated or complicated word choice, the message is relatively clear, and the varied sentence structure in free verse. In addition, they both surround their poems with images and ideas of the Midwest. Here’s one of Harrison’s most anthologized poems “Barking”:

The moon comes up.

The moon goes down.

This is to inform you

that I didn’t die young.

Age swept past me

but I caught up.

Spring has begun here and each day

brings new birds up from Mexico.

Yesterday I got a call from the outside

world but I said no in thunder.

I was a dog on a short chain

and now there’s no chain.

I do feel as though Harrison’s image is slightly foggier and more unclear than Kooser would have made it. But, it is easy to see the same underlying style. The simple words-I think the toughest vocab word of the bunch is “inform”. Publisher’s Weekly agrees, commenting upon Harrison’s

…terse descriptions [and] his unpretentious free-verse line…

Yet, even with this plain manner of speech, Harrison, although not truly in “Barker”, is able to describe graphic images, as Garret Epps of The Washington Post Book World writes,

“Few writers can surpass Harrison at rendering vividly the sights, smells, and sounds of this world-the pleasures of dancing and hunting, the angular beauty of the American Midwest.”

If you’ll recall my previous posts describing, in detail, Ted’s poems and style, these quotes could essentially be used to describe Kooser as well. The two really only differ in lifestyle; both reside in rural areas, Kooser in Nebraska and Harrison in Montana, but Harrison also takes the occasional trip down to Arizona to his other home. Other than that though, they seem to be Best Friends Forvever. They even wrote a book together entitled Braided Creek. It’s a collection of over 300 poems the two wrote back and forth to each other. If that’s not intermingling among poets, I don’t know what is. 

But seriously, Ted? You wrote poems to this Harrison character and just forgot about me? I’ve tried to give you poetry before, and you know what happened? After I had clawed my way to the front of the estatic crowd in front of your book signing at Schuler’s, some sweet security guard told me to “back off” and “relax” because we’d all get a chance to see you but I told him I needed to see you to discuss important Poet Laureate matters and he said I was lying so I called him a liar and spat on his shoe so he picked me up and tossed me on the sidewalk outside of the store! I pounded on the glass window as I strained to peer to the back corner of the store and see you, but they pulled the curtains out in front of me.

1 Comment

When I read Ted Kooser’s poems, the aspects I remember the most are the images and the simple structure of the text. There are no complex allusions or vocabulary; generally he provides the overall idea of the poem in subtle, single phrase. So reading Kooser’s poetry is hardly challenging which allows the reader to focus more on the image Ted is presenting. This style seems to reflect both that of Frost and Williams. In fact, Kooser chooses to describe the same subjects as Williams and Frost. Yep, Ted had at least two major influences- and you know what that means: double the trouble! And by trouble, I mean awesomeness. 

I’ll start this party off with Robert Frost, to whom many people have compared Ted.

Whether this is fortunate or not, Frost seemed to have imprinted his message of depression and death (“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”) into the poetry of Ted. About Kooser’s death-centered “The Old People”, Eileen Helgesen comments,

…elderly people gracefully adjust to the nearness of death, and we are warmed at the thought that they are traveling together and not alone. 

I guess that’s sort of happy…but still. Despite what happy-go-lucky Eileen thinks, Kooser focuses this poem, along with “Mourners”, around death. Stop being such a downer, man. On a more positive note, both Kooser and Frost also often write about subjects in nature. But in the end, Kooser has more relativity to Williams.

I’m not one to beat around the bush so I’ll just give it to you straight. William Carlos Williams and Ted Kooser are similar in three ways: their style, their word choice, and their subject matter. Williams’ poems are, as we know, short and sweet. He cuts poetry down to a bare minimum; superfluous details are thrown out leaving only the essential image. Remember “The Red Wheelbarrow”. Although Ted writes relatively longer pieces, the underlying succint style is the same. Take the following poem:

Great Plains in Winter

Blue snow in the moonlight,

Set back from the road, a house

with a single lamplit window.

The whole world holds its breath.

Williams believed the United States was a poem waiting to be written.

[Kooser] is fully in the tradition of American plainspeak poetry begun by Whitman and Thoreau and…William Carlos Williams.

1 Comment