Well you made it to 11th grade, congratulations, I guess. If you’re reading this, then that means you have entered the class of the Dukester (p.s.- Don’t call her that; she doesn’t like it.). I’m sure you’ve heard all these stories about how crazy, scary, hard, and how much work there is in this class. Well, about 99% of the stories are true. To tell you the truth, the class is what you make it. Yes, she assigns a lot of work. If you do the work, then you have an A. The work is assigned to ACTUALLY help you. So do it, and you’ll be fine. It’s your decision to do your work or not, if you decide not to do it, then the class is HARD. So maybe you heard the class is crazy. This statement is true for my class. I am sure you all have heard this ridiculous stories about people getting kicked out, eating chicken, or talking about repulsive topics in our class. Here’s something you should know, Mrs. Duke gets off track easily, and our class only provokes that. FYI, the longer you stay off track, the more homework you get. So from personal experience, STAY ON TRACK. So ya think the class is scary? Yeah, it is. I’m petrified of Mrs. Duke and I’ve had her all year. Definitely want to stay on her good side, and NEVER act up… it will only help you in the long run. BLOGS: the most time consuming process ever. They help, but they are some tedious  little assignments. SUGGESTION: DO THEM! So you think 50 points mmmm thats not that much, I can miss a few. HAHAHAH (this is me laughing in the faces of those who think the prior statement is true) yeah rightttt. These things add up! Like I said before, she focuses a LOT on homework, thats were 95% of your grades will come from. So, yeah, you’re wrong. So as my guide comes to an end, all I really have to say; DO YOUR HOMEWORK and be a GOOD STUDENT.

The end

Good luck with the class… YOU’LL NEED IT.

Like any other audio book, the speaker really sets the idea of the characters. The way the speaker interprets the character, is normally the way the reader, or follower will interpret the character. As you played Hamlet, I couldn’t really grasp a rhythm on how you interpreted him. I wondered if you had an opinion, or if you were really just expressing ALL of the emotions that Hamlet goes through. Or maybe thats just what confused me. i think you did a great job when it came time for Hamlet to over react and go “beast mode” randomly. Like I said, however you interpret him, is how many people will interpret the character. Which, is not really a good habit to get into. So, I would try to listen to how you interpreted it, and completely go against it and try to see the opposite view. I’m not saying that how you interpreted it was bad or anything, because it wasn’t, it’s your opinion. But, I think that following how one person interprets one thing, and thinking that that’s right, isn’t really understanding the story/play. Sooooooooo…. yeah I just thought in different terms, to be difficult……………

WHICH, OF COURSE SCEWED ME OVER. HM… shocker there? 

But anyways, keep up the good work. I payed attention, so I knew what was going on! Like Mrs. Duke always says, “Have your own opinion, figure it out for yourself!”

So I did just what I was told, long story short, I got the same interpretation later on, just not in the beginning. 

Dear Kenneth Branagh,

In my opinion, I thought you were a bit old to be playing Hamlet. In the play, we know he is younger. Though you were a little old, I thought your acting was pretty good. YOur interpretation of Hamlet was different than how I interpreted him. I saw him to be kind of high-strung and over reacted a lot. When you took on the role, you toned it down a bit. We still saw how he was very emotional and very spastic when it came to opinions and actions taken. I thought that your best acting (well what we saw of your acting), was the scene where Hamlet finds out that the body being buried is Ophelia. I saw a new side to Hamlet, and at that, a passionate and caring one. I have always thought that Hamlet’s actions were passionate, or else he wouldn’t over-react like he always does, but I never think that it is “sincere”. I think that he just does it to get attention, showing the immaturity that over rides him. I think you over acted Hamlet’s death scene, it wasn’t really convincing. The directing of the film was a bit sporadic. I thought the transition from scene to scene was a little abrupt and could have been done a little more smoothly. I thought the scene when the Laertes and Hamlet were fighting was well directed. It passively showed their “love/hate” relationship. Or maybe I’m just over thinking things, but that’s how I saw it. BUT, I thought how the sword went through Claudius was kind of tacky and didn’t really seem like it could be taken seriously. I mean, I guess the directing could make it better. Also, his acting contributed to how cheesy it was. The emotion that you gave to the audience when Hamlet found out about Ophelia dying, was moving. I really felt that you (Hamlet) was sincere about Ophelia and never got your last good bye in, before she died. Hamlet in the play was very upset, anyone could tell. But, to see it, really demonstrates the effect that staging has on a story or speech. The staging was perfected in this scene. As we know, suicide is a sin, and that’s why her “funeral” had to be at night, because no one knew if her death was accidental or not. The fog and darkness at the scene set an eerie feeling and emotion. The costumes set emotion too. 

By my title, you could say that I’m getting pretty confident with my readings and understandings of the two books. If you thought that, well my friend, you are quite right. So let’s have a look…

In this portion of the reading, things start to tie together and have connection. Characters start to show up from both readings at the same place. Hamlet enters the scene with the body of Polonius dragging behind him. I see R & G as people who do anything to only benefit themselves and take sides of people who can assure them success. But, they went to school with Hamlet. I think they are sneaky and do things to create conflict…they like to “stir the pot”. By that, I mean they enjoy creating drama and watching it. i find it ironic though, because by the title of the book, you know they are going to be killed, so i think its a bit of foreshadowing. Hey, I might be over thinking it though. Hamlet is a man of secrecy, kind of. That creates suspense alone and keeps readers on the edge… even if you don’t quite understand it. I’m just confused about who R and G are rooting for … I DON’T LIKE THEM I THINK THEYRE UP TO NO GOOD!

I started to understand this reading a lot more after the second reading. Also, having Mrs. Duke’s brother come act out a scene helped me understand the comedy view of the play. I interpret this book in a different way now. We see R & G in act 4 of Hamlet, being the King’s little “spies”. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, the two seem to ramble on about the most random stuff. I finally understand that this book is just to show us what they are doing when they aren’t spying on Hamlet. We get to see the play through a different perspective. Rosencrantz is the one who is kind of oblivious to things, and believes anything. I think that he is the kind of person who will do anything. Guildenstern is the over thinker. He is smarter than Rosencrantz and thinks things through before he does anything. But, in “Hamlet”, Hamlet basically said that over thinking messes with reality and fate. So, maybe that could be some sort of foreshadowing that will lead to R &G’s death….

uh ohhh I just made a connection….

FIrst Reading…

SO I started reading the first reading and finished it, before it was assigned. I’m late blogging, and completely confused. I have no idea what happened. This book IS SO WEIRD!!!! 

Anyone interested in helping…PLEASEEEEEEE!

Hmm well I didn’t know much about in the first place, but I caught on fast. When we did that fun activity in class, acting at all the genres, I learned that it is more complex than what it seems. It is a genre of literature that is meant to be performed. There is no specific time period, but the most recent was Elizabethan. There are elements of drama, which differ from elements of any other genre and are more detailed. The elements consist of: characters, plot, dialogue, staging (costumes, props, blocking, etc.), and theme. Plot is most likely known as “The Form” and it is the backbone for the play’s action. Characters add to the plot and to the action. The characters give life it and make it realistic, obviously. Dialogue, this element makes the play. Without it, it wouldn’t be anything. It is probably one of the most important elements of the genre. Diaglogue intsenifies the plot and creates a setting, also traces the theme. Staging is the drama version of setting. It’s basically props, costumes, sounds, and anything like that. Theme is the overall meaning or emotion given from the play. Drama consists of characteristics that yet again, are different from other literature genres. These characteristics are known as: scene, irony, suspense, tragedy, comedy, subtext, soliliquy, and monoluge.

This is all I know hahahah

I really liked this tale. I thought it was interesting. Basically, the pardoner is a drunk who preeches to people about sins that he has done. Though, he doesn’t reveal to the people that he has done those sins, he keeps it a secret and makes himself seem to be holyer than thou. He uses bibilical refrences to make his teachings more effective and believable. He preeches that people who lobe money and base their life around money, are the root of all evil. Little do the people know, that he bases his life around money, liquor, and gambling. He contradicts himself multiple times through the tale. The tale is a moral story, but its hard for the reader to believe it. I think that we got a lot of information about the Chaucterian style and time period.