Hamlet Soliloquy Reflection Essays

Hamlet Soliloquy Reflection Essays Hamlet Soliloquy Reflection Paper Hamlet Soliloquy Reflection Paper Hamlet, is a classic play still read throughout the world to this day. Starring the character Hamlet, and the royal family of Denmark, the play includes everything from murder, betrayal, Incest, love and turmoil. Shakespeare Is renowned for his writing, in Hamlet specifically the seven soliloquies. Soliloquies are monologue type speeches spoken by Hamlet generally and give the sense of the situation and feelings of Hamlet at the time. After carefully annotating the seven soliloquies, one can see the different states of mind, situations and characterizations of Hamlet. The deader can relate to the feelings Hamlet experiences regardless of the fact most readers have never been In situations as extreme as Hamlet. In the first soliloquy titled, O that this too too sullied flesh would . 2), Hamlet speaks about his fathers death and how he is feeling about his mothers new relationship with his Uncle. Like Im sure anyone in his situation would feel Hamlet seems to be unsure. He loves his mother dearly and only wishes her happiness, but the fact she married her dead husbands brother less then two months following his fathers death worries Hamlet. : For myself personally, I have never experienced meeting like my parents divorcing or dying. However, to an extent I can relate because I can see from his point of view how awkward the situation is. I can relate in the aspect however of grief. Less than two months after his fathers untimely death, Hamlet still mourns his loss. However, Hamlet is crudely advised by his mother to Just get over it. She hopes that he can move on and I can relate to that. It Is hard to relate to a parent dying to breaking up with someone, but on a much smaller scale It seems very similar. Last year after I had a year relationship end, I was heartbroken, however he situation only became worse when after a few weeks; I felt a lot of pressure from my friends to just get over the situation. To put it like Shakespeare I am not a beast and I need time to mourn situations like these, time heals all wounds. The second soliloquy Is In Act 1, Scene 5 and Is again a monologue by Hamlet. The section Immediately follows the return of the newly dead king In the form of a split or ghost. This particular passage demonstrated the several emotions Hamlet was experiencing in this state of turmoil. The situation surrounding his fathers death has omen to light and Hamlet is faced with a decision of believing the ghost and avenging his fathers murder or forgetting the ghost ever spoke to him at all and sparing his uncle his life. Although I have never had to (seriously) debate killing someone I can certainly relate to the distress of having no Idea what to do In certain situations and contemplating a decision for hours before making one. Life Is full of compromises and I dont believe there is anyone out there who cant relate to having trouble making an important decision at least once in their lifetime that will have enormous mummifications for everyone around them. Whether it be, should I avenge my fathers murder and kill my uncle or something like should I stop being friends with someone or try and forgive them. These decisions could prove to haunt you In your future or your family as well as prove to be Instrumental In deciding your future character and The third soliloquy happens in Act 2 Scene 2. Hamlet at this point has decided he wants to avenge his fathers death and kill Claudia, but is having trouble and is getting frustrated at the fact that he cant plan and execute the killing as decisively as is father would have wanted. Hamlet is an interesting character because in no way is he either a hero or a villain. He has only the best intentions but regardless he still becomes determined to kill other. Regardless of what he does to convince himself to kill his uncle he cant and deep down I believe that shows that Hamlet truly is a moral person. Both Hamlet and myself are not perfect people. Neither of us are horrible people either, we strive to be the best and most responsible person we can possibly be and I think that is what makes his character so historically and emotionally appealing. In most literature you can see your protagonist as a clean-cut good guy. The fact that Hamlet breaks that stereotype and makes some decisions that many would see as immoral, makes the book that much more interesting. The Fourth of Shakespeare soliloquies begins with To be, or no to be: that is the question. As probably one of the most famous lines of the play, it truly is a great philosophical question about the decisions we make everyday. The quote itself found in act 3 scene 1 accurately describes Hamlets state of mind throughout the scene. Hamlet strongly debates the meaning of his existence at this point in time and whether it would be easier if he Just didnt exist, or if he were to commit suicide if that would simplify everything. Torn between making a decision, he decides he is a coward and that is why he cant kill himself. This whole concept is fairly relatable to the reader because, of course, sometimes its easier to Just want to disappear or die rather then face with the worlds challenges. However, like Hamlet discovers he must keep living because there is a purpose to his life we each resolve to plod on each day attempting to resolve or conflicts and struggles. The following two soliloquies come from the same section(3. 3). In this scene Hamlet definitively decides how he will handle the situation. First by addressing his mother in a cruel, not unnatural way about the situation and second by plotting the murder of his uncle Claudia. In the pursuit of vengeance Hamlet, postpones his killing until after he is done praying, so that rather than go to heaven his uncle can suffer as much as possible for what he has done. Vengeance is a strong emotion and everyone fantasize what it would be like to even the score once in a while, but as Hamlet will later learn, what goes around comes around. The last Hamlet soliloquy is the final act of vengeance for Hamlet. In an epic dual with his uncle, not only does he fatally wound Claudia, but also tragically himself. In the process his mother, the queen also becomes poisoned and essentially the entire royal family dies. At this point Hamlet sees the cost of vengeance. It is a moral we can all relate. For as it seems attractive to aggressively pursue an emotionally satisfying path to rectify a wrong, however, those paths often lead to repercussions one couldnt possibly imagine.

All About the British Princess Who Defied Her Father

All About the British Princess Who Defied Her Father Known for: her second marriage in which Joan rebelled against protocol and expectations; supposed miracles at her grave Occupation: British princess; countess of Hertford and Gloucester Dates: April 1272 - April 23, 1307 Also known as: Joanna Background and Family Mother: Eleanor of Castile, Countess of Ponthieu in her own rightFather: Edward I of England (ruled 1272-1307)Siblings: sixteen full siblings (of whom five survived to adulthood), at least three half-siblingsJoan was descended on both sides from King John of England; on her mothers side, through Johns daughter Eleanor of England.Husband: Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, 5th Earl of Hertford (married April 30, 1290, died 1295)children: Gilbert de Clare, Eleanor de Clare, Margaret de Clare, Elizabeth de ClareHusband: Sir Ralph de Monthermer (married 1297)children: Mary de Monthermer, Joan de Monthermer, Thomas de Monthermer, Edward de Monthermer Birth and Early Life Joan was born the seventh of her parents fourteen children, but only one older sister (Eleanor) was still alive at the time of Joans birth. Four of her younger siblings and one younger half-sibling also died in infancy or childhood. Her younger brother, Edward, born 12 years after Joan, became king as Edward II. Joan of Acre was called by that name because she was born while her parents were in Acre at the end of the Ninth Crusade, during the year before Edward returned to England to be crowned as Edward I on his fathers death. A sister, Juliana, had been born and died the year before at Acre. After Joans birth, her parents left the child for a time in France with Eleanors mother, Joan of Dammartin, who was the Countess of Pointhieu and widow of Ferdinand III of Castile. The little girls grandmother and a local bishop were responsible during those four years for her upbringing. First Marriage Joans father Edward began to consider marriage possibilities for his daughter while she was still very young, as was common for royal families. He settled on the son of Germanys King Rudolph I, a boy named Hartman. Joan was five years old when her father called her home so that she could meet her future husband. But Hartman died before he could come to England or marry Joan. Conflicting reports at the time had him dying in a skating accident or drowning in a boat accident. Edward finally arranged for Joan to marry a British nobleman, Gilbert de Clare, who was the Earl of Gloucester. Joan was twelve and Edward in his early 40s when the arrangements were made. Gilberts previous marriage ended in 1285, and it took another four years to get dispensation from the Pope for Gilbert and Joan to marry. They were married in 1290. Edward struck a hard bargain and got de Clare to agree to a large dower for Joan, with his lands held jointly with Joan during their marriage. Joan gave birth to four children before Gilbert died in 1295. Second Marriage Still a young woman, and one controlling quite a lot of valuable property, Joans future was being planned by her father again, as he sought out a suitable husband. Edward decided on the Count of Savoy, Amadeus V. But Joan was already secretly married by then, and likely quite fearful of her fathers reaction. She had fallen in love with one of her first husbands squires, Ralph de Monthermer, and had urged her father to knight him. A member of the royal family marrying someone of such a level was simply unacceptable. First Edward found out about the relationship itself, not knowing it had already progressed to marriage. Edward took possession of Joans lands that she had as dower from her first marriage. Finally, Joan told her father that she was already married. His reaction: to imprison Sir Ralph. By this time, Joan was noticeably pregnant. She wrote her father a letter which contained words that have come down to us as an early statement protesting the double standard: It is not considered ignominious, nor disgraceful for a great earl to take a poor and mean woman to wife; neither, on the other hand, is it worthy of blame, or too difficult a thing for a countess to promote to honor a gallant youth. Edward gave in to his daughter, releasing her husband in August of 1297. He was given her first husbands titles though at his death they went to a son of her first husband, not one of Ralphs sons. And while Edward I accepted the marriage and Monthermer became part of the kings circle, Edwards relationship with Joan was cooler than it was towards her siblings. Joan was also close to her brother, Edward II, though she died earlier in the year he became king, and so was not around through his more scandalous escapades. She did support him through an earlier episode when Edward I took away his royal seal. Death History does not record Joans cause of death. It may have been related to childbirth. With Joan and then Edward I dead, Edward II took the title Earl of Gloucester from her second husband and gave it to her son by her first husband. While we dont know her cause of death, we do know that after her death, she was laid to rest at a priory in Clare, established by her first husbands ancestors and to which she had been a benefactor. In the 15th century, a writer reported that her daughter, Elizabeth de Burgh, had her mother disinterred and inspected the body, found to be intact, a condition connected with sainthood. Other writers reported miracles at her burial site. Â  She was never beatified or canonized.

The history and evolution of Chinese women' rights Research Paper

The history and evolution of Chinese women' rights - Research Paper Example This created way for the formation of the communist government in the country under the name of the People’s Republic of China (Johnson 121). The new government committed to implementing social changes with the aim of uplifting the status of women in the society. The evolution of women’s rights in China has been a slow, painful but steady process discussed in the essay below. The growth and radical changes leading to the modern liberal Chinese society that embraces the gender equality has been slow and with myriad sacrifices, between 1966 and 1976 for example, the country experienced a massive cultural revolution as feminist movements sought the inclusion of women in the governance of the country. At the time of the formation of the new people’s republic of china, the country’s workforce had only seven percent of the women. The new communist government formulated and implemented new radical changes that with the view of increasing the status of women in th e new society but the male dominated society resisted most of such changes. By 1992, the percentage of the women in the country’s workforce had risen to thirty eight percent. Marriage in the traditional Chinese society was an arrangement between families. Young girls would be married off to men of the family’s choosing thus nurturing the women in order to befit specific requirements of the spouse’s family. Such arrangement denied women the right and privilege to fall in love and determine their lives. They simply married the men their families thought right for them. The male dominated society thought such to be effective ways of developing strong social ties but at the expense of the girl children. The great Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976 sought to address the social vice that had threatened the development of effective cultures in the society. Prior to the revolution, the communist government had initiated policies that sought to address the vice. I n 1950, the government formulated the marriage law. The law provided for the revocation of all previous family arrangements thus setting women previously bound by their families free. The law was a result of effective government research on the effects of such marriages and family arrangement on the social development of the society. By revoking all such arrangements, the governments sought to formulate better and more ethical policies and systems of marriage in the country. The men in the Chinese society opposed the legislation but through concerted government efforts and the works of the numerous feminist movements in the country, the law successful laws. In 1980, the government formulated another family law that banned arranged and forced marriages in the country. By banning such marriages, the government set the children especially the female children free from the dominance of their parents who used benefited from such arrangements. The marriage law of 1950 further permitted wo men to instigate divorces in the society. This would provide disadvantaged women in the forced, arranged and even purchased marriages the freedom to break away and foster their own independent lifestyles. Prior to the legislation, the society only permitted a divorce if it befitted the man. Additionally, the society also permitted polygamy thus allowing men to marry as many women as they wanted. In fact, the number of women in a homestead symbolized wealth and influence in the society. While

Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome - Essay Example t the weather at that time in March was unusually cold followed by above normal temperatures in April, which stimulated rapid plant growth and concurrent increase in the number of eastern tent caterpillars. Wild Cherry trees were the principal source of food for these caterpillars. Lack of abortion in areas where these caterpillars did not exist and later experimental intragastric inoculation of pregnant mares with caterpillar extracts confirmed the reason for these abortions (merckvetmanual.com). The MRLS syndrome in addition to early/late fetal loss is characterized by uveitis, pericarditis and encephalitis and occurs due to tissue penetration by barbed setal fragments from Eastern tent caterpillars, Malacosoma americanum (Tobin et al, 2004). After ingestion the barbed setal fragments migrate through moving tissues followed by rapid spread of bacteria, bacterial emboli and septic fragments of setae, collectively known as septic materials (Tobin et al, 2004). A number of bacteria are carried by the setal fragments in moving tissues, blood, uterus and fetal membranes of pregnant mares. Pharmacokinetic studies and studies on the structure of the setae revealed barbs on them which facilitated the rapid spread of bacteria as hitchhikers. Clinically affected tissues show a poor antibacterial response as bacterial contamination of tissues and extracellular fluids is very rapid. It has been proposed that MRLS also includes an immunosuppressive mechanism which predisposes the affect ed horses to opportunistic bacterial infection (Flaminio et al, 2005). Pathological lesions when MRLS is suspected are consistent with bacterial infection as the cause. Streptococcus, Actinobacillus species and Serratia were some of the prominent bacterial species isolated from horses suffering from MRLS. Sebastian M.M. et al (2008) propose two hypotheses for MRLS. According to one, the syndrome is produced due to an Eastern tent caterpillar toxin complicated with secondary bacterial

Women In The Military Essay Example for Free

Women In The Military Essay Women in the military has been a controversial topic for many years now, and the roles they play in the armed services. In this paper I will discuss the roles women have occupied, and if they should be allowed to participate on the front lines in war. This has been a topic receiving more attention as the years progress. It used to be never customary for women to be involved in war in any way, but as civil rights has been more of an issue so has women going to war. The women want to be equal to men, but the question is can they handle doing what the men can do on the front lines. It is well known women provide good services and do a fine jobs working up the ranks in the military. They have grown in numbers and have gained more respect in recent years by using their knowledge and skills. However, they are still not prevalent in mass numbers during fighting in battles of war. I will try to balance out the positives and negatives of this topic then give my personal opinion on this widely discussed issue. It has been longed believed that men are suppose to be the warriors and the ones who fight to protect his family or country. That has been the basic theory for all the past years, so the women had no influence on war at all. Even back in the civil war days women had no part in the war in any way. They were expected to take care of the kids and the house hold has the men went off to fight. They did not even realize what was really going on, because they had knowledge how war was fought. This has been the way because of womens physical characteristics. In general women are not as big or strong as men, so they have been considered weak and not able to battle. For the maturity of women compared to men that is a true statement. They do not have the physical size, strength, or speed as men do for the most part. There are always exceptions, but for maturity that is a basic fact. The physical characteristic differences in women from men defiantly play a major part in them not fighting in the front the lines. When people go to war they carry extremely heavy backpacks on their backs all the time. Those backpacks are how they survive in the times they are not near their bases. Those packs are also very heavy along with all the clothes they have to wear as well. Most women could not travel with those packs on there backs for to long with out becoming fatigue then naturally slowing the group the down. The military eliminates men or women that would slow them down in battle, because time is of essence. The women would also have a hard time handling the guns the military uses. They use heavy machinery and powerful weapons that are difficult to handle. It is not an easy job to hold a gun in place when it kicks back every time the trigger is pulled. Most women would just become too fatigued, since there physical characteristics are not equal to men, so that therefore would be a negative affect with women on the front lines. The number of women in the armed forces has grown dramatically since World War II. During WWII women were mostly nurses so were suppose to take care of men. However, as America went deeper into the war, the women needed to play greater roles. They were called on to work in factories to build the weapons needed, and take more responsibilities in the medical teams. After WWII of course the civil rights movement started to grow stronger for more women rights. Women felt they could be more than just a housewife or a nurse. Some women went into the working field, while others wanted to be in the military. By the time the Gulf War started in the early 1990s there were numerous amounts of women in all areas of the armed forces. Women proved themselves to be disciplined and tough in the military, as well as sources of knowledge. Women think about things and see some situations differently than men. They can bring a new perspective to things, which helps develop better strategies in war. Women now have high ranks in all the armed forces and help protect America as well as any man. Women are also a lot more emotional than men are. This is another reason why women shouldnt be in the military, especially during times of war. They could not fight being all emotional. Once again for the maturity men can put on a tougher face and do the job without worrying what they are doing, while they are doing it. It is not an easy task for any sane person to kill someone or watch someone die without having some sort of emotion. However, they have to look past that for the time being or they could be in danger for letting there guard down. It is much more likely for women to care too much about the people dieing next to them when it happens. The group has to be willing to let that person go and continue at the task at hand. For the most part men can look past that persons death, without having to cry or worry about it while there still fighting. Most women could not handle what occurs in war. Womens numbers in the military has increased a lot because they have one many civil rights battles, and the fact there are a number of jobs available in the military other than actual combat. The military needs more to be successful than just good fighters. More jobs have opened up since the advancing technology and number of people in the military. The military offers excellent educational opportunities and other jobs such as engineers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, journalist, writers, accountants, and etcetera. With all those different jobs needed in the military in some way, there has been a lot of openings. Women can achieve just as good education or better than men, and have the opportunity to acquire those jobs. This benefits the military greatly because there is a variety, which can only help increase brain power. Traditionally through out time women are not supposed to fight in war. Women were thought of to never have what it takes to be a warrior in the eyes of men. They were not as big, strong, fast, or smart was the theory. Even Aristotle and Plato developed theories how women did not have enough courage or virtue to be able to fight. They felt they lacked that killer instinct. Basically, it has just been custom for men to battle and be the provider and for the women to take care of the home. Times are changing where women are equal to men, but it is hard to break something that has held true for so many years. Another positive to women fighting though is it increases the number of people. In theory if there are more people on one side chances are they are going to win the war. The army could just out number the opponent, so they could just dominate that way. It would be more intimating to fight with a lot more people than normal, and the enemy would be more likely to back down. Also something holds true about the saying safety in numbers. It is never good to have soldiers killed in battle, but the more people you have the more people you can afford to loose without being overrun by lack of numbers. Throughout this paper I have shown some of the positive and negative aspects of women in the military, especially women going into war. After researching this topic I have developed my own opinion on this issue. I now believe women are needed in the military to perform several jobs, but I do not feel they should be in battle. There are a number of opportunities to take advantage of in the military, where one will never have to go to war. People can work with intelligence agencies, on the medical staff, scientists, or professional jobs such as doctors, lawyers, or journalists. Women can filll the need for these jobs and others just as well as a man could. However, I believe in the traditional thinking that women should not be in battle. I also dont think they have the physical capabilities to handle war. There are some that could, but war is too physically and emotionally demanding for the maturity of women to handle.

Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken - Making Choices Along the Road of Life :: Road Not Taken essays

The Road Not Taken - Making Choices Along the Road of Life The Road Not Taken can be interpreted many different ways. Depending on the past, present and future attitude one has at the time he read it determines the way the poem may be interpreted. As the title indicates the central theme of this poem is choices. Most people agree that in the poem that Frost was expressing the belief that it is the road or path that one takes or chooses that makes him the man who he is today and will be tomorrow. Everyone is a traveler on lives roads. In the poem there is never just one road to take. Life is a struggle to make the decision of which road to take but a choice must be made. A traveler comes upon "two road deversised in a yellow wood" He is at a cross road point in his life. He is unable to take both paths at once and must make a decision which way he would like to go or how to live his life. He must decide but is remorseful as he states "And sorry I could not travel both". This decision is always difficult to make because it is impossible not to wonder at the cost of taking this path over that one. He can not help but wonder what he will miss if he chooses this road over that one .There is regret before the choice is ever made. He relaxes that in one lifetime it is impossible to travel down both roads and he has a difficult choice to make and is carefully considering his options as well as wondering were each could lead . In attempting to make this decision the traveler "looks down one as far as I could," trying to see the future and were this road might lead. Both roads lead to the unknown and although he tries to see as far as the road stretches he ca nnot see where it is going to lead. It is the way he chooses that sets him of on his journey of life and determines were he is going. He makes his decision and chooses "Then took the other just as far and having perhaps the better claim." This road has a better claim because it was the one that appealed more to him and "it was grassy and wanted wear.

How Post-World War Ii Technology Changed America

How Post-World War II Technology Changed America 5/3/2012 AMH 2020- Yellow Class Angelika Vasquez Professor Brian Milner During the post-World War II era everything in our nation seemed to change. The post-World War II era had significant technological advances that changed politics, the economy, and the way people interacted with one another. Three of the biggest technological advances during this era were the introduction of the atomic bomb, television, and space race technology. 945 to 1949, the Atomic bomb changed politics and introduced the military industrial complex. Television, in the 1950’s, changed the way people thought. During the 1960’s there were many new space race technologies introduced that changed the way Americans received information. The atomic bomb, television, and space race technology significantly changed America. Atomic Bomb Cold War- Julius and Ethel Rosenberg After Dwight D. Eisenhower left office, he warned about the growing influence of th e military-industrial complex, in American government and life.The military-industrial complex was first coined by Eisenhower, during his farewell address in 1961. This complex defines the combined effort of big business and the military to press for an ever-increasing share of national resources for the development of new weapons. Many politicians during this time believed that the military-industrial complex promoted policies that were not in the best interest for America, and that the growth of the military-industrial complex could perhaps undermine American democracy. The Cold War had created a warfare state.Because of the atomic bomb, civil defense drills required people to crawl under their desks at work or school; high schools named their football teams â€Å"The Atoms†; and songwriters wrote about the end of the world. Movies warned of the dangers of the bomb or made grim jokes about the fate of humanity. In the late 1940’s, faced with the possibility of a nucl ear war, Americans began building bomb shelters. Bomb shelters were built in either your backyard or your basement that were meant to offer substantial protection. TelevisionBy the late 1950’s, almost ninety percent of American homes had a television set. Television transformed the way Americans did politics. During the Kennedy versus Nixon election, television played a key role in their election campaigns. During the Kennedy-Nixon debates, Kennedy had more of an appeal than Nixon. Although campaigns were already relying less on political parties and more on money before the introduction of the television, television helped accelerate this idea. John F. Kennedy emerged with a disputable national vote plurality over Richard M. Nixon by a razor’s edge of . 7 percent in popular vote (49. 72% to 49. 55%) that converted into a 303 to 219 Electoral College victory. Some historians believe that without the television, Kennedy would not have won the 1960 election. In fact, Joh n F. Kennedy himself stated that, â€Å"we wouldn’t have had a prayer without that gadget. † Besides affecting politics, television also transformed American culture. The average American viewer spent a little over five hours a day in front of a television screen. American television was paid for by private enterprise, unlike Europe’s government financed television.During the mid 1950’s advertisers spent an estimate ten billion dollars to push their advertisements on the air. Television transformed American culture into a consumer culture. Television also changed the way Americans live, and the ideology which Americans lived by. Popular television series, such as Leave It To Beaver, portrayed the ideal family as a male breadwinner, a woman full-time homemaker, and three or four children. On television, married women did not have paying jobs and depended on their husbands. Americans began getting married at a younger age and the birthrate soared.Space Race Technology Microwaves Cell Phones Home Computer Bibliography â€Å"Atomic Culture. † Social Culture. (accessed May 3, 2012). Renka, Russell. â€Å"The 1960 Kennedy v. Nixon Election. † The Modern Presidency. cstl-cla. semo. edu/renka/ui320-75/presidents/kennedy/1960_election. asp (accessed May 3, 2012). Roark, James L.. Understanding the American promise: a brief history. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Roark, James L..Understanding the American promise: a brief history. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 717. [ 2 ]. â€Å"Atomic Culture. † Social Culture. http://www. centennialofflight. gov/essay/Social/atomic_culture/SH23. htm (accessed May 3, 2012). [ 3 ]. Renka, Russell. â€Å"The 1960 Kennedy v. Nixon Election. † The Modern Presidency. cstl-cla. semo. edu/renka/ui320-75/presidents/kennedy/1960_election. asp (acc essed May 3, 2012). [ 4 ]. Roark, James L.. Understanding the American promise: a brief history. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 765. [ 5 ]. IBID, 764.