Hamlet Act I

While reading this Shakespeare play “Hamlet”, I really wonder whether if Hamlet was a good boyfriend or was he really like the way that Polonious and Laertes has described? If he was a person who doesn’t flirt around with other girls, then they wouldn’t have warned Ophelia to keep a distance with Hamlet. I’m pretty sure that all fathers and brothers would love for their beloved daughters and sisters to get near and develop a relationship with a crowned prince. Who wouldn’t want their daughters and sisters to become the next queen? In Act I Scene 3, before Laertes leave to go back to France, he warns his sister not to fall for Hamlet sweet talk and the promise he made. Her father also said the same thing to her.
There’s also the ghost who Hamlet, Horatio, Bernardo, and Marcellus all believe that it is the ghost of the former King of Denmark, King Hamlet. Is it really the ghost of King Hamlet or is it the former king of Norway, King Fortinbras? If it was really King Hamlet, why didn’t he appear to his wife and the others to tell them how he was murdered? Why did he only appear to his son Hamlet? Going against the current king and seeking for revenge is a very dangerous action. Would the king really allow such an action to be done by his son and only his son?
In my point- of- view, I think that it is the ghost of King Fortinbras. If he could cause a corruption in the kingdom of Denmark, it would give his nephew, the current king of Norway, a higher chance in defeating and conquering Denmark. Imagining the current king of Denmark who is Hamlet’s uncle being attack by both his nephew Hamlet, and the country’s enemy young King Fortinbras, king of Denmark will not be able to defend his life nor his country. Once the king dies, Hamlet as an inexperience king will have to settle down right away and try to defend Denmark. This would give an advantage to King of Norway, King Fortinbras because he has more experience then Hamlet.
There must be a story as to why the former queen of Denmark Gertrude, would immediately make such a decision to marry her brother-in-law Cladius. Also, who came up with this idea? Was it Claudia or was it Gertrude? What persuade the other person to agree to such an idea. Gertrude
Here are some of the ideas that I came up with:
- Claudius might have liked Gertrude back when King Hamlet was still alive.
- He might have needed a woman who knows what she’s doing to help him look after the kingdom.
- Gertrude might have liked Claudius too.
- Gertrude might just want to protect her son and make sure that her son will become the next king.
Also, since Hamlet is the crowned princess, shouldn’t he become king when his father pass away? Why King Hamlet’s brother Claudius did became King? Then what’s the point of having a crowned prince?

Coleridge and Shelley - Imagination and Narrative Voice

In the first poem "Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, it celebrates the imagination against its indulgence. The imagery inside this poem was very descriptive. The "Sacred river" from line 3 and "And there were...sunny spots of greenery." helps describe that this place is a very peaceful, save, and heavenly place. Then it end up switching this same place in to an evil place. According to line 14 to line 16 and line 46 to line 50, the imagery that indicate the appearance of evil is a woman waiting for her demon lover, the sunny dome, and everyone should cry beware. Coleridge might have wrote this poem for the people who loves romantic poems and other romantic poets. His purpose is to help describe and draw the attention to the people to see how the nature around it really is. He wants to bring nature closer to the people and to help them understand how pretty and how dangerous the world can be.
The poem "Ozymandias" written by Percy Bysshe Shelley contains two speakers. The two speakers are the traveler and Ozymandias. The traveler seem to introduce the remainings of Ozymandias, a statue. The other speaker is Ozymandias through the words that appears on the pedestral. “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings, Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” This quote is to show that when Ozymandias was alive, he might be a very powerful king where other kings might even have to obey him.

"The Chimney Sweeper"

I definitely agree with the editor of this textbook.After reading the two version of "The Chimney Sweeper", I have come to believe that the Romantics poets such as William Blake, really does hope to bring up social and political change through their poems. The "Song of Innocence" for example doesn't try to state the reason for political but did through images. It shows that in our political lifestyle, a lot of people seem to believe that as long as they do what they have to do, then they won't have any trouble, nor could anything get in their way. "Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm; So if all do their duty they need not fear harm." Then in the "Songs of Experience", for example, “And because I am happy, and dance and sing, They think they have done me no injury". A lot of people only judge others by what they see through others surrounding and how they look and act, hardly nowadays does anyone try to judge a person after they have learn how others feel and what they are thinking. In the poem, the situation shows that no one even the parents ever tries spend some times to really find out how the others are feeling.
The editors have included the Parliament transcript as a primary source document. It didn't really effect the way how I read Blakes writing. It just help to support the way how Blakes write. At least there is some type of back up to his text.

Jonathan Swift Teacher Prep Work

a)
Questions:
1. Is he really a giant or is he the normal size one?
2. How did he end up in this village?
3. How does the rule of breaking the eggs relates to the story?
4. Is this store focusing on the two empire "Tramecksan" and "Slamecksan"?

"But his present Majesty’s grandfather, while he was a boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it according to the ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers. Whereupon the Emperor his father published an edict, commanding all his subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs. The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us there have been six rebellions raised on that account; wherein one Emperor lost his life, and another his crown." pg.658

I chose this excerpt to explain why the breaking of the eggs led to the rebel. This passage shows that the people can't stand the lame rules that was set up by the king. This lead to the downfall of the kings.

The prediction that I made was that the kings were being nice to him so that he would work for them. They find that the giant can protect them. In return, the giant decide to not interfere with the party. He only decide to protect the Emperor's people and states from all invaders with his life.

b)
Working in these small teachers group help me see the things that I miss when I was reading it. In the group, classmates point out some of the things that I didn't realize. There were also questions that never came to me until one of the classmates brought it up. What makes it hard was that each of us have our own perspective therefore it's difficult.

c)
Yes I would try to approach it differently. I want to gather everyone's thought and put it together to make up new questions that everyone agree on. Then hopefully we will be able to develop a good method in teaching the class.