Hamlet 4

Two overarching themes that are manifested throughout the first two acts of William Shakespeare's Hamlet are Hamlet's fear of confrontation, and the overall theme of uncertainty. Hamlet constantly expresses his feelings from afar with various asides and soliloquies rather than physically confronting the other characters. In the second scene of the second act, Hamlet asks the company of touring actors to perform The Murder of Gonzago, in hopes to "catch the conscience of the King" (II.ii.634). Hamlet is indirectly targeting Claudius instead of directly facing him. His lack of assertiveness and motivation accentuates the fact that he is a cowardly character. Hamlet's decision to observe the King's reaction from afar also contributes the theme of uncertainty in the play. Although he has seen the ghost and has been given clear instructions, it is still questionable as to whether Hamlet should trust what he has seen or not: "The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape [...] I'll have grounds More relative than this" (II.ii.627-633). Hamlet is in inner turmoil and is not sure about whether he should believe the little proof he has or not. He says that the spirit that he saw could be the devil trying to trick him. Therefore, he wants to obtain more proof before making a drastic decision. The key word in Hamlet's words is "may"; words expressing uncertainty show up various times throughout the play to exaggerate the doubtful mood.

Sound & Sense 5

In Langston Hughes' "Harlem", countless similes are utilized to describe a "dream deferred" (1). According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of the word deferred is "1:withheld for or until a stated time" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The main idea of the poem, therefore, is explaining what could possibly happen to a dream that is delayed or rejected. The structure and the positioning of the similes is what emphasizes the main idea of the poem. There are six images describing a dream deferred; five of these images are similes and one is a metaphor. The importance of the chain of similes one after the other is to develop the imagery in the poem. They are all used as questions to propose uncertainty about what could happen to a dream deferred. The shift in tone and in the use of literary devices occurs from line eight to line nine. Line eight ends with a question, whereas line nine is a statement. While the beginning of the poem which contains the similes has a descriptive and questionable tone, the last three lines have a foreboding tone. The metaphor is in the last line of the poem where the speaker says, "Or does it explode?" (11). This line stands out from the rest of the poem because it is not followed by a comparison. The fact that there is no explosion to compare to leaves the message to be interpreted in various ways.

Letter

Dear Mari,

Above all, we would like you to know that we are immensely proud of you. As your parents, it has been a privilege to watch you grow and mature into the person you are today. You have always been a helpful, friendly, lovable and committed girl. Now that you are taking your next step into adulthood (but don't be fooled- you're still a little girl in our eyes), all of your positive qualities will help you everywhere you go. Occasionally, you are very timid. That is something you can be working on because you will be needing to advocate for yourself constantly. Other than that, we believe you have all of the proper skills to be successful in college. Try your best not to slack off and fall behind. Always study your hardest and good rewards will come to you in honor of your hard work. You are going to be interacting with lots of new people at your school. The best advice we can give you is to pick your friends wisely. Regardless of who you meet, treat everyone with respect. Most importantly, do not forget your identity. It's easy to get sucked into the habits of others just because you want to fit in and make friends. Remember that God is always the most important of our lives. Use your faith to make a difference wherever you go; show everyone you meet that there is something special about your life and that special thing is God. As long as you trust in him, everything will fall into place. You are our precious daughter and our greatest wish is for you to be safe and successful wherever you may be. Be responsible for your own actions and be aware of those around you. If you get stressed and frustrated, know that we will always be willing to comfort you and help you to the best of our ability. It is bitter sweet to be saying these things because as your overprotective parents we want to have you with us all the time... But we know that it is not possible. We love you very much and we know that you will be very successful in college.
               
                                                             Love always,
                                                             Mom and Dad 

Hamlet 2

Character foils are created to connect certain characters for a particular reason. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia and Hamlet are set up as character foils. Although the audience has not yet seen an interaction between these two characters, it is revealed by Laertes and Polonius that Hamlet has been a potential love interest of Ophelia's. A common thread between Hamlet and Ophelia so far is that both are being forced into submission of a parent's wish. Hamlet's mother begs him to "go not to Wittenberg" (I.ii.123). Although it is Hamlet's wish to go back to his studies, he says, "I shall in all my best obey you, madam" (I.ii.124). Hamlet's intentions are not yet revealed, but it appears that he is being respectful of his mother's wish. Hamlet's first dialogue with his mother perfectly parallels Ophelia's dialogue with her father, Polonius. Polonius uses uncertainty to show Ophelia that Hamlet's vows cannot be trusted: "Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers" (I.iii.136). He commands his daughter to stay away from Hamlet and to not fall into any of his tricks. In response to her father's command, Ophelia says, "I shall obey, my lord" (I.iii.145). The idea of submission and obedience is relevant in both situations. The correlation between Hamlet and Ophelia's interactions with their parents foreshadows the future events that may take place. Their statements of obedience implies that there will be disobedience in the future.

Hamlet 1

A lot can be interpreted about a character based on their first lines and interactions with the surrounding characters. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the protagonist is not introduced until the second scene of the first act. There is significance in the delay of young Hamlet's arrival because it allows the setting and the possible conflict to be set up. Hamlet is known to be very knowledgeable and intelligent as he is studying at the university of Wittenberg, which is an unusual thing for a prince to do. Hamlet is first introduced when King Claudius is addressing the court. When the King addresses Hamlet as his kin and his son, Hamlet says, "A little more than kin and less than kind" (I.ii.67). Based on Hamlet's first line, it can be understood that there is contempt towards Claudius because of old Hamlet's death. Hamlet's response to Claudius' statement seems to be a mutter because the stage directions instruct it to be an aside, meaning no one hears it besides the speaker himself. There is significance in Hamlet's first line because it immediately shows that his interaction with Claudius may not be good. In Hamlet's first soliloquy, it is expressed that he is still mourning his father's death.  His disappointment towards him mother is shown as he compares her to "Niobe, all tears - why she, (even she) [...] Would have mourned longer!), married with [his] uncle" (I.ii.153-155). In Greek mythology, Niobe was a character who lost her children and cried for the rest of her life out of grief. Hamlet's use of this metaphor to describe his mother's grief shows that he thinks his mother did not care about his father's death at all. His explanation of his anger and disdain for the situation would make one think that he will do something to change it; however, Hamlet says, "for I must hold my tongue" (I.ii.164). Although he has many conflicted feelings, he cannot speak of them to anyone. Why?  

Othello: Outline

Mariana Goncalves

Mr. George

AP World Literature

4 December 2013

Othello Outline

Thesis: Othello's downfall is ultimately caused by his tragic flaw of being unable to control his loving and trusting nature; the constant battle between this flaw and his honorable title in Venice causes him to lose control which reflects poorly on him.

A. While reflecting on the events that take place, Othello describes himself and reaches catharsis.

1. “Then must you speak Of one that loved not wisely, but too well” (V.ii.403-404).
   a. Othello's most noted trait is his ability to be calm, collected and rational. He upholds this trait very well until his tragic flaw overpowers it.

B. Othello's propensity to trust and love undoubtedly gives Iago the power to manipulate him.

1. “Iago is most honest” (II.iii.7); “Now art thou my lieutenant” (III.iv.545).
   a. With his claim of loving not wisely but too well, Othello acknowledges his mistake in trusting Iago.

C. In order to maintain an honorable name, Othello attempts to carry out the justice of the state while in Cyprus.

1. “an honorable murderer” (V.ii.346)
   a. Although he is in Cyprus and has carried out a horrific deed, Othello wants to please the Venetians and add to his reputation. In doing so, he hopes to restore his nobility and honor in their eyes.
2. “For naught I did in hate, but all in honor” (V.ii.347).
   a. He is speaking to Lodovico and is trying to maintain his collected character; however, Othello is actually hiding the intense hatred he has built up inside him.
3. “All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven. 'Tis gone, Arise black vengeance, from the hollow hell! Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne To tyrannous hate!” (III.iii.505-509).
   a. Othello explicitly says that his actions are being driven by pure hatred and that his motive is vengeance.

D. Despite the fact that he has overcome the stereotypes of being a Moor, Othello seems to embrace them in order to justify his reactions.

1. “rash and most unfortunate man” (V.ii.333).
   a. His tragic downfall does not make him a rash and unfortunate man, it only proves that a tragic hero's weakness is used to destroy them.

E. Othello's audacious act of killing Desdemona without proper evidence not only portrays his lack of control, but can also be interpreted as ignorance; however, this ignorance derives from an outer force and is not a permanent attribute.

1. “dolt, As ignorant as dirt!” (V.ii.199-200).
   a. From Emilia's perspective, Othello was too stupid and ignorant to deserve Desdemona because she was too pure and innocent for him.
2. “Then must you speak […] Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought, Perplexed in the extreme” (V.ii.403-406).
   a. Othello's claim is that an outer force stirred him up into becoming ignorant and jealous, thus causing his to act irrationally.

F. The diversity of the descriptions of Othello throughout the play parallels the extreme diversity in the mood of the play as the tragedy unfolds.

Heart Of Darkness Essay: Outline

Mariana Goncalves

Mr. George

AP Literature

5 October 2013

Heart of Darkness: Outline (Prompt 2)

Thesis: There is a clear complex connection between Kurtz and Marlow as is represented by the details in the physical setting, the juxtaposition of light and dark throughout the novel and their similar backgrounds. All of these factors cause Marlow to become fixated on Kurtz.

A. An essential aspect of Kurtz and Marlow's connection is the idea of enlightenment, which is thoroughly portrayed in Myth of the Cave.

     I. “Picture men dwelling in a sort of subterranean cavern with a long entrance open to the light on its entire width. Conceive them as having their legs and necks fettered from childhood, so that they remain in               the same spot” (MYTH OF CAVE)

         a) The Europeans have their set morals and intentions, and they want to influence other civilizations   with their ideals. They are blinded by their own hubris and are unaware of the fact that they are in a             cave.

     II. “The point was in his being a gifted creature, and that of all his gifts the one that stood out                   preeminently, was his ability to talk […]  the gift of expression, the bewildering, the illuminating, the             most exalted...” (Conrad 124).
          a) The more he discovers, the more he wants to meet him and ultimately idealizes him. In juxtaposition to Myth of the Cave, Kurtz exemplifies the light outside of the cave.

 B. The setting is an important factor which correlates with the connection between Marlow and Kurtz          because the closer Marlow gets to the center of Africa, the closer he gets to Kurtz.

     I. The yarns of seamen have a direct simplicity, the whole meaning of which lies within the shell of a         cracked nut […] and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside”                   (Conrad 68)

         a) Kurtz is a representation of the kernel inside the shell of the nut. The Europeans symbolically signify   the outer shell, which disinterests Marlow and impels him to seek Kurtz.

C. Kurtz is the leading portrayal of what a lack of civilization can do to an individual; this intrigues Marlow     due to their similarities of origin and background.

     I.  “how can you imagine what particular region of the first ages a man's untrammelled feet may take him into by the way of solitude  utter solitude without a policeman  by the way of silence  utter silence,           where no warning voice of a kind neighbour can be heard whispering of public opinion? These little               things make all the great difference” (Conrad 126).

         a) The savage setting has afflicted Kurtz to such a degree, that he no longer has the precaution of       thinking before he acts. Without civilization, he can essentially set up his own rules and set his own                moral standards for himself because no one is around to judge or argue with his choices.

D. One's ability to speak persuasively can get them very far; Kurtz is known by all of his admirers for being an eloquent and effective speaker, which captures Marlow's attention.

     I.  “'There was a sense of extreme disappointment, as though I had found out I had been striving after something altogether without a substance'” (Conrad 123).

         a) Marlow's obsession with Kurtz's voice also derives from the fact that he has no interest in what the Company is doing. What the Company is there to do has no substance and no genuine motive; Marlow's only motive is Kurtz.