Let It Out

Reading Shakespeare is like a rite of passage for all of us. At some point in our lives we read Shakespeare for school and personally I don't mind Shakespeare. It is one thing to read Shakespeare and another to read it in jail. It kind of sounds weird right? Picturing a bunch of really tough men reading Shakespeare's carefully crafted words to spend the time. In the radio show my teacher made us listen to this is the case. Taking place in Missouri Eastern Correctional Center is a production of Hamlets Act 5, and a man called Jack Hitt was there during the whole process. Now there is something they don't show in FOXs show Correctional huh?

What grabbed my attention the most about the fact that there were all these men putting on a production of Hamlet in Jail, was that they could relate to the characters in such a deep level. Particularly Big Hutch, who plays the scholar Horatio. Just listening to Big Hutches voice, you would never really consider him a scholar and now he is taking center stage as one. Big Hutch really impressed me with his analysis of Hamlet himself. He put Hamlet on the spot about all his decision struggles saying how he, a prisoner, would never think things so much. He gives the example of his daughter getting raped and how he would have to DO and not just sit there and ponder every single outcome of what would happen. Its interesting seeing this point of view from a person that somehow gets Hamlet really well by actually feeling what Hamlet feels. Its not like I have ever killed anyone (or have I ?) or have wanted to kill someone really really bad.. All the men in this radio show put their experiences to the test when they interpret their character. Its not just about playing someone else, its making that character become the embodiment of the emotions these men had when they killed someone. Acting is not just acting; it is an outlet even for really tough prisoners.

Not That Bad

The essay by Algernon Charles Swinburne seems to praise Hamlets way of thinking. He describes events such as Hamlet being sent to England, the sea fight, the discovery of the plot against him, as proof of Hamlets cool head and courage. His "ready witted courage and resource" are praised over physical attack, since this would be impulsive and not well thought. In a sense the author has a point in Hamlet keeping a cool mind, but what he wrote was that to everyone else Hamlet would always embody irresolution and hesitation. I really can't say I disagree with the author. While Hamlet does come off as an over thinker and not taking action, he is a reasonable character that does not follow his impulse. Even from the beginning of the novel, he was about to commit suicide but he thought it through to overcome it. It does get kind of annoying that Hamlet takes no action towards what occurs, and the author acknowledges this, but rather than look at it as an obstacle Hamlets over thinking teaches us to think more before we act.

“The Twin Antitypes”

In Ivan Turgenev´s essay, I find myself being transported to my first semester of Ap Spanish Literature. We read Don Quixote and it almost took the whole semester to read Cervantes masterpiece but looking back now, and reading this essay, it was a good thing we took so long trying to understand it. This essay describes how opposite the characters of Hamlet and Don Quixote are, even if there were certain aspects their authors shared in common. Turgenev gives a perfect description of Don Quixote as a poor man who sets of on a journey to help the helpless and doing everything for love. He especially emphasizes Don Quixote's faith since it's something Hamlet lacks. Don Quixote is living a fantasy and instead of fully thinking his actions through like Hamlet, he just carries them out not thinking about the consequences. Hamlet on the other hand, can barely breathe without fully analyzing each of his breaths. Turgenev describes Hamlet as "analysis and egoism, skepticism personified." And Don Quixote as "an enthusiast, a fanatic, the servant of an idea and the light of this idea shines about him." Demonstrating how somehow by comparing these two characters you can understand them a little bit better. For example, in the essay Turgenev explains Hamlets self flagellation as something he enjoys doing because he thinks of self awareness as a force. On the other hand we have Don Quixote wondering through Spain making a fool of himself and who is the man one is most attracted to? Hamlet because he puts up a good front and it is Don Quixote who gets made fun of even if behind every one of his actions, he leaves the same amount of thoughtfulness as Hamlet.

Look Beyond the Actor

In the different interpretations of Hamlets "To Be" scene, the viewer gets a different sense of Hamlets character. In the Kenneth Brannagh clip he doesn't seem to be crazy but just a man pondering the world in a normal way. There are really no signs that say he is unstable in any sort of way while in the David Tenant clip, it is clear the person is unstable. It is not just the actor's performance that leads to this conclusion but also the diagonal lines around him that in video studies, actually means mental instability. The Ethan Hawke interpretation makes any smart person laughs seeing how as he is delivering his lines, he is walking through the action section of a movie rental place. This adds some dark humor to the scene since all Hamlet does is think and not take action at all. It is not only the actors performance that shows the characters mentality but also what surrounds them, so in any case the character of Hamlet can be shown having a sane mind or a crazy one depending on what is surrounding him on a visual basis.