Tuesday, September 2, 2014
The Many Faces of Hamlet
As we read Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, we discover that Hamlet has many faces to his personality. He seems to be very passionate about his goals. It is obvious that the deep love he had for his father is what motivates him to seek the truth about the Ghost's revelation that Claudius had killed his father. Hamlet's disgust at his mother's eagerness to marry his uncle Cluudius so soon after his father's death is an area of contention with him. Besides, Claudius was now King of Denmark, his father's role! Hamlet was also indecisive. He took a lengthy time in taking revenge against Claudius. Hamlet was also ruthless by taking the lives of a number of characters before the end of the play. So, who is the real Hamlet? Your task is to compare this character to anyone you know in the sports world, in film or TV, or in politics. It must be a famous person. Write a blog explaining how Hamlet's characteristics resemble the person you have chosen. Be sure you given examples to help support your choice. Good Luck.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Who is Hamlet? There is a playful side of him exposed around his beloved classmates, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, as well as the pensive, somber side that wanders hallways in solitude pondering the revenge he must seek on his uncle. He exhibits both great love for his dead father and a deep dislike for his uncle and, more importantly, his uncle's relationship with his mother. It's hard to determine whether Hamlet would be a frivolous but studious school boy if he was untroubled by the murder of his father or if he would find something else to brood on in the confines of his own mind. But the character of Hamlet is not one that we cannot recognize in this day and age, especially with the amount of publicity that is generated from movie and rock stars. We don't like to acknowledge it but some of our idols are not always as sickly sweet in person as they are on screen. Fame can turn people into a terrible version of themselves and exposer of that can lead to some serious disillusionment among fans. One celebrity stands out in my mind when it comes to two sided personalities; Taylor Swift.
ReplyDeleteFor starters, it is important to reflect on her music. Even I, who would take Chopin or Beethoven any day, can admit that she has produced a few very catchy and good songs. But they are only a few of many that speak about her own relationships and the hardships they faced. If you ask me, she's a little rough on her ex's. But besides my personal opinion, it's obvious that there is more to Swift than red lipstick and teardrops on guitar. In February 2013, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who were hosting the Golden Globes at the time, made a comment about Swift that basically meant they thought she would be better off staying single for a while. With her dating history, this joke came as no surprise, but Swift took it seriously and lashed out at them saying that they should be standing up for other women instead of pushing them down. While this is just minor gossip and Swift did have the right to be offended, Fey and Poehler are both comedians and it can be argued that the usually sugary Swift overreacted. Either way, after the incident Swift's popularity began to drop considerably. On another note, it was reported that hundreds of fan letters addressed to Swift were found in a dumpster in Nashville, where she currently resides. Again, it's all just gossip, but her popularity has been on a slow but steady decline for a while now.
But how is mediocre gossip about a young country star relatable to the many layered character of Hamlet? That is the question that made this all so hard. So many things around us seem fake these days. Actors are different people in films, in interviews, and in person. Images in magazines are photoshopped to create impossible standards for younger generations. People become so famous that their morals are endangered. What does this have to do with Hamlet? Everything. When our class had a seminar on Tuesday, we discussed how everyone was being deceived and new it so they, in turn were deceiving others. The characters in Hamlet are just as flawed as the living characters we idolize. Shakespeare created a cast of characters so realistic that they mimic the manipulative actions that we see around us. If a character is not being used, they most likely have an ulterior motive. Ophelia was being used by Polonius to uncover Hamlet's "love" for her. As mentioned in the introduction, Laertes is used by Claudius who pretends that he wants Polonius' death avenged but actually wants Hamlet dead. But if such twisted situations existed in Elizabethan times doesn't it make sense that we can identify them in politics and publicity?
Chang, Bee-shyuan. "Taylor Swift Gets Some Mud on Her Boots." The New York Times. The New York Times, 16 Mar. 2013. Web. 3 Sept. 2014. .
DeleteAnn, this was an excellent blog, I found your connections between Taylor Swift and Hamlet to be completely understandable. For someone who tries so hard to portray a sugary country-turned-pop singer, Taylor Swift seems to be lacking some of the certain personality traits this would require. She gets upset over simple things that shouldn't matter, as does Hamlet at certain times in the play. It's true that fame changes people, how could it not? And your blog showed that despite Hamlet not achieving fame, his reaction to the situation is much the same as so,e other individuals with different circumstances. Excellent work!
DeleteAnn,
DeleteI absolutely love the fact that you chose Taylor Swift. I agree with you on all the points. She is a fake person who seems to only care about what her next song is going to be, rather than the people who are hurt. I would think she would be damaged in some way after all these break ups! Apparently, the money coming in is greater than her own well being.
I am not a huge fan of country, and Swift's version of country leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I will admit that I love her newest song and her oldest album, but the rest are all about relationships and sound similar. I appreciated the connection you made with Hamlet and Ophelia. Taylor Swift is Hamlet using all the boys for songs and money, who happen to parallel Ophelia. Awesome job! I was so excited to see this post.
Ann,
DeleteI would like to start off by saying that Taylor a Swift was the perfect celebrity to chose. The similarities between the two are unbelievable. She tends to act all innocent, yet when something as small as a joke made about her from two of the best comedians in Hollywood she takes it way too seriously. Another thing I found interesting is that she acts like she is wonderful girl and that all of the guys she has dated have broken her heart. I'm sure somewhere along the line she has done things that made those guys want out of the relationship. To make matters worse, she writes a song about every single break-up. This reminds me of when Hamlet was insulting Ophelia. Her songs reflect the way Hamlet destroyed Ophelia's self-esteem with her experiences with boys. Overall, you made some wonderful connections between Taylor and Hamlet that I thoroughly enjoyed reading!
Ann, I don’t even know where to begin. I loved everything about your blog! While talking with Natalie earlier today, AP Literature found it’s way into our conversation and we both agreed that you picked the perfect match. I was a Taylor Swift song in her earlier days, but she lost me when she wrote a song basing Joe Jonas. I will admit I do love the song, but I also love Joe Jonas and was offended by the words she used to describe him, calling him a “scared little boy.” From then on, my opinion on her only got worse and worse as it seemed each week began with a new boyfriend, and ended with a new song. I agree with your post, there are absolutely two sides to Taylor Swift, just as there are two sides to Hamlet as you explained in amazing detail. Great job!
DeleteAnn, you did an excellent job with the comparison to Taylor Swift. You even inspired me to choose a famous famous singer as well. Not being a huge Taylor Swift fan, I very much enjoyed your paragraph about her ex's. I also very much enjoyed how you talked about how she was more than just red lipstick and and her music, just like Hamlet is more than just a young boy that has to get revenge for the mistake of his uncle. You paragraph about gossip was also very interesting interesting. Also, the fact that you mentioned how we talked about deceiving others during seminar. I know my reply isn't very long, but I didn't really have any thing you needed to improve on. Good work!
DeleteWanna be on top? Whether it is judging a model or seeking revenge on an uncle one can easily morph into a cruel person. Hamlet becomes this evil being who does not want to kill, but kills innocent people trying to murder a murderer. He harms these innocent lives not on purpose. It is an accident. As the reader, it is known that it is not intentional. His reaction to these deaths is what is not expected. Usually a person would question what they would have done, whereas Hamlet insults or is numb to the fact of what he has done. Kelly Cutrone does just this in the fashion/modeling industry.
ReplyDeleteKelly Cutrone, seen on America's Next Top Model, is strong minded. She does not take excuses for anything. If a model messes up that is their fault. She does not have the time to sit around listening to someone whine about their terrible life. She can feel pitty on a person. It has been seen on the show, but rarely does she show her affections. She has a stone face. That is unless she is making a mockery of a model. The viewer is able to see her Cheshire Cat grin. Cutrone believes that fashion is not just clothing; it is the way a person acts as well. She stated that on the current season of America's Next Top Model there is a male named Romeo who is into witchcraft. The people who are aware of the fashion world want to know what the latest subject is. If witchcraft is the latest trend, due to an attractive individual making it known, the masses are going to want to throw theirselves into it.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are two of the most iconic fashion celebrities. West once stated that "he's as important to fashion as Apple founder Steve Jobs was to technology." Cutrone feels otherwise. She has said that there is most likely next to no one in the world of fashion that cares about what Kanye West is wearing. She has the same perspective towards Kim Kardashian, too. Cutrone is not concerned with her clothing. The clothes Kardashian wears is by the same designer who Audrey Hepburn wore. There is nothing new and exciting about Kim Kardashian's wardrobe. This leaves Kelly Cutrone wondering why people look to these two famous individuals.
There are reasons why people put up a front towards other people. Hamlet did it to protect himself from backing out of his plot to kill Claudius. Kelly Cutrone does it to show people who is in control. Neither wants to become soft. This makes them vulnerable, and gives the opportunity for people, that they believe are "lower" than them, to take control of a situation that they can not handle. It is clear as to why they behave in this way. As mentioned before, the reaction that Hamlet and Cutrone have to their wrongdoing is what shocks people the most. In their minds, that is the easiest way to handle situations.
Hamlet and Kelly Cutrone are have their own way of killing a person. One is physical and the other is emotional. They have their reasons for being this way, but it makes one wonder if they are happy with their life. Hamlet does have a miserable life. The reader puts that together throughout the play. Kelly Cutrone's view on her life is unknown because she is living in the present times. Hopefully she is happy and only treats people harshly for show. That is what people want to believe. But without being a part of her world it remains a mystery.
"Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Fashion Icons? Hardly Says Kelly Cutrone." Daily News. Daily News, 11 Aug. Web. 6 Sept. 2014.
DeleteKaitlin,
DeleteThis was an excellent and thought provoking blog! I've never heard of Kelly Cutrone until just now, but she doesn't seem like a person I want to know. Sadly, I don't want to know Hamlet either. Like you said, their true character is hidden because we do not know them personally. However, it seems to me that despite many people being able to hide their truly nasty personalities, most people who are truly nice at heart can't put on a facade of cruelty and indignity. Hamlet and this woman do both seem to have similar characteristics, in that they both seem to not understand or are not willing to acknowledge what their actions are causing. Hamlet has become desensitized to murder and this Cutrone woman has lost her ability to curb her tongue. Yet, no one can truly know another' stature without careful scrutinization. Great job Kaitlin!
Hamlet has always been a mystery. Scholars even now question his true personality. No one knows if he is truly a procrastinator or if he is so intent on finding the truth about the ghost that he is willing to wait until he is completely sure. He also is disgusted by his mother and her incestuous relationship with his uncle, yet he hides how he feels because he believes that it will be better for his mother and the plans that he has in place. He also is scholarly and extremely inventive which we see from his ability to avoid the invasive questions of Polonius, Claudius, Guildenstern, and Rosencratz. We also see his deep loyalty to family as he is determined to get revenge for his father who was murdered by his own brother. Yet, throughout this, we never see the Hamlet that he was before it. As an audience we only see Hamlet's character after his father's death and his mother's hasty marriage. So, how can we know what he truly was like before his get involved in all of these character affecting scenarios? People's character is shaped by the circumstances around them, and in some people' scale, it can have a negative effect, just as it did on Charlie Sheen.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Sheen was born into an acting family, with both parents and all of his siblings becoming actors. He grew up in New York City and was quite the star baseball player during high school. However, he lacked drive in school and decided to pursue a career in acting. Sadly, the many opportunities that a career in acting can offer to a young man can sometimes be damaging. Sheen was drawn into the drug scene and established the damaging habit of using recreational drugs. Despite the requests of his family and friends, Sheen let this situation damage his reputation and his character. And, despite knowing that he should stop this damaging behavior, he allowed it to change him into a very outspoken and unrespected individual. He has allowed himself to be drug deeper and deeper into a spiral of thoughtlessly spoken insults and bad choices. However, following three stints in rehab and a few failed marriages, Sheen has slowly started to turn his life around.
Now, you might be wondering how Charlie Sheen in any way relates to Hamlet. Hamlet begins as a young individual, unhindered by any truly poor decisions, just like Sheen. Both encounter hard decisions, Sheen with drug abuse and Hamlet with the call for vengeance. Both choose to give in to these damaging actions and their lives change. Hamlet becomes obsessed with vengeance and begins to experience paranoia, attacking without due cause and insulting his mother, Ophelia, and all women. He begins to lose his interest in scholarly pursuits and finds himself driven by the need to avenge his father's "murder most foul". Despite his family and friends attempt at helpful interference, Hamlet is unable to draw himself back from the place in which he has landed. Ultimately, it will cause his demise, and we can only hope that the choices that Charlie Sheen has acted upon won't lead to his final downfall.
"Charlie Sheen." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 2014. Web. 06 Sept. 2014. .
DeleteHannah,
DeleteGreat connection between Charlie Sheen and Hamlet. I would have never thought of that. When you mentioned how Hamlet had fallen into a place of no return I felt that at one point in Sheen's life he must have felt that way, also. Only Sheen was able to realize that what was happening to him and Hamlet will never be able to recognize his fault.
When you brought Hamlet's disrespect towards women to our attention it reminded me of Charlie Sheen's character in "Two and a Half Men." His character treated women as sex objects. Although it is not said in Hamlet that Hamlet treats women in the same way, but like Sheen's character they do not treat them kindly. Great job! You had some excellent points.
Hannah,
DeleteThis is definitely something I'd never think of Charlie Sheen, being able to be related to Hamlet in. Hamlets obsession with revenge has definitely caused him to make some major mistakes, and disrespectful decisions. Some people do still argue whether or not Hamlets friends and family fueled his desire for revenge or if they actually got through to him. I do hope that Charlie Sheens earlier decision don't come back to drag him down. All in all Hannah this is definetly a unique way of taking this blog.
Sincerely yours
Devyn Condon.
Hannah, I was really interested in how you compared the lashing out of Hamlet and Charlie Sheen. I don't think I ever thought of it before, but it was bad situations that led them both to becoming more irratble and offensive. At the end of your second paragraph, you said that Sheen is slowly turning his life around. It made me wonder whether Hamlet will be able to reconcile himself with the other characters such as Ophelia. I think that the biggest problem for Hamlet is that he is so overwhelmed by the idea of seeking revenge that he is just taking his emotions out on everyone. That is why he accidentally killed Polonius, he thought he was Claudius and struck to kill.
DeleteI do have to disagree with your description of Hamlet's character in the beginning, though. You did a good job of showing how all of the influences in his life have led to his conflicting emotions, but I believe that he does not attempt to hide his disgust from his mother. He makes it obvious in the play and even more so when he visits her chambers and basically calls her out for marrying a lesser man than his father and for doing it so quickly. Another thing is when you describe some of the other characters actions as "helpful interference." Many of the characters, especially Claudius and Polonius, aren't really aiming to help Hamlet but rather themselves. Even Rosencrantz and Guildensten end up being dragged into the whole plot of keeping Hamlet from the truth. There is very little help for Hamlet because, as you said, he's paranoid and several people are trying to deceive him.
I thought you did a really nice job with this altogether. You developed a comparison on a more emotional level than some of the other blogs and it was interesting to see Hamlet from your perspective. Mostly all of what is going on around him is not initially his fault but he was pulled into it anyway because it had to do with his father's death. This goes hand-and-hand with Sheen because drugs seem to be a side effect of fame and, once he became famous, he was immediately thrust into a crowd of users. Both men were negatively effected by the bad choices around them and it's sad that it turned them both into similarly rash characters.
Who is Hamlet truly? Is he a madman seeking justice for his fathers murder, or a genius who has calculated every possible consequence as it appears? So far we have seen many faces of Hamlet's personality. Also he changes his personality in a snap he can go from anger to inner peace in 2 lines, just for example. The one person that comes to mind is Robin Williams, when he did his stand up routines. Many people would've argued whether or not he was a comic genius or a complete crazy man. These points often are also argued for both Hamlet and Robin Williams, genius or crazy.
ReplyDeleteSome critiques have been arguing since the creation of Hamlet whether or not he is truly mad, or if he's a genius using madness as a cover. Hamlet is portrayed as a young misunderstood prince in Act 1. Who is still grieving of his fathers sudden death, and his mothers marriage to his uncle. On top of all this he is told by a ghost of his father to seek vengeance for his fathers murder. This is either the moment he truly becomes mad, or the moment he truly starts to make himself seem mad. As the plot begins to thicken we find moments when he is talking to another character in one tone, then in two to three lines we find him ready to tear a heart out. Other times he, especially in the scene before the play, when he starts flirting with Ophelia he suddenly shifts his mood, and tells her to enter a Convent. For he accuses her of thinking of cheating for her beauty, when she's not even married yet. Then when she tells her father about what happened today, he instantly jumps to the conclusion that Hamlet is truly mad. But when not in public he opens up to show him true self or what is on his mind. Which leads me to believe that he's not mad just using it as a veil to mask his true genius. Much of this I feel can be related back to Robin Williams, and his various stand up acts.
Robin Williams was well known for his talent of manipulating his voice for several monologues in one show. As well as his ability to relate to the audience in his acting career which got him nominated, and won several awards in the film community. In the case of relating to Hamlet, his ability of voice changing and seeming mad on stage is what allows me to make this connection. According to Robin "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." To him madness was just a veil to preform in his own way and fashion. In some ways I feel relates back to Hamlet, simply acting like he's mad to mask a true genius. But back to Robin Williams in my opinion he was truly a comedic genius. Stand-up comics are often known for re-using the same material in their acts night after night, but with Williams, you never really knew what you were going to get. He combined his "madness" with his ability of improvisation to produce shows of random outcomes.
Both Hamlet and Robin I feel use the concept of madness to mask their true genius. In the case of Hamlet, he uses madness to mask his ability to predict the actions of the other characters. Much like a chess game in his mind, he predicts the moves and counters them accordingly by acting mad. But in the case of Robin he uses madness to preform on a stage. His seems to act mad to keep people's attention, and to fuel his comedic performance. So I end this by saying is Hamlet truly mad or is he using it as a mask to hide his genius?
"How Robin Williams Forever Changed the World of Stand-up Comedy." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, Web. 07 Sept. 2014.
Delete"Robin Williams Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, Web. 07 Sept. 2014.
Devyn,
DeleteI thought your approach to the blog was great. Robin Williams was a good celebrity to relate to Hamlet. You made many good points, but the one that stuck out to me the most was when you said that Robin and Hamlet were alike because you couldn't tell if they were crazy or absolute geniuses. The matter could be argued either way, but I think that they were both so smart that they were crazy. This is sometimes a good thing, but it can also lead to problems, such as depression, anxiety, and just trying too hard to be someone you are not. Using madness as a coverup to their true identities could allow them to lose their minds or it could lead them to success. Either way, it is a chance they have to be willing to take, and I believe that Hamlet and Williams would be the only two mad enough to take it. Overall, your blog was very thought provoking and it provided me with a perspective to Hamlet.
To rap or not to rap, that is the question. Hamlet is a man of many faces; he can be seen as an innocent teen who has just lost his father or as a teenager with a lot of attitude to remind his friends, family, and workers that he is better than them. Hamlet also deceives many other characters in the play by acting innocent because he knows that they, in turn, are deceiving him. In the midst of all this, Hamlet is left with many questions that he has to answer. His soliloquies tell us much about Hamlet and who he really wants to be. These several personalities that Hamlet demonstrates remind me of a lot of celebrities, Kanye West being one of them.
ReplyDeleteWest, unlike Hamlet, grew up in the middle-class. West exposes this by dressing much nicer than most rappers, wanting to make a good impression on his fans, as well as keeping out any thoughts of him being a thug. In his debut album, College Dropout, Kanye was either beating himself up or over-displaying his success and excellence in each and every song. His next album featured questions about the "around-the-world consequences of his own taste for diamonds." Each song can be considered a soliloquy as he becomes confused with his own deeds, that is until he can answer the questions provoked. To follow in Hamlet's footsteps of being rude with an attitude, in 2009 at the VMA's Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift on stage as she was accepting an award that he thought someone else should have won. He later apologized, but in an interview following that statement, he took it back, saying that he was under a lot of peer pressure. He coincidentally lost a lot of fans due to his disrespect to the rising star. Since that incident, West has compared himself to people like as Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, and even Jesus. This high self-esteem could very well be the fall of such an iconic person.
Today, Kanye is married, has a daughter, and he seems to have become a better person. I wonder, though, is all of this a deception, similar to how Hamlet wanted people to think he was okay? Will West break out of this nice guy act, or is the new Kanye here to stay? If he's going to follow Hamlet farther, he will most likely lash out at something small, sending him back into the exile he experienced from the VMA situation.
The question of day seems to be how can a rapper be related in any way to Hamlet? Well, for starters, their lives are good and prospering, until something terrible happens. For Hamlet, it was the death of his father. For Kanye, it was his irresponsible behavior toward Swift that left his social status in poor condition. Hamlet then proceeded to deceive everyone by acting like he knew nothing about the true way his father died. Kanye is still in this step, as he appears to be doing well with his wife and daughter, but has yet to crack under pressure the way Hamlet did. Only time will tell if Kanye is meant to continue in Hamlet's steps, or to drop the tittle of the hip-hop Hamlet.
Hsu, Hua. "Hip-Hop Hamlet." Slate Magazine. The Slate Group, 8 Sept 2005. Web. 7 Sept 2014
DeleteSavage, Lesley. "Kanye West Compares Himself to Michael Jordan, Steve Jobs." CBS News. CBS Interactive Inc., 12 June 2013. Web. 7 Sept 2014.
Natalie, I really enjoyed your blog! I especially liked the pun you opened up with. Very clever! It was also successful in grabbing my attention. I almost wrote my post relating Hamlet to Eminem, so it was nice to see where you went with Kanye West, as Kanye and Eminem are somewhat similar. I liked what you said about Kanye being a thug while at the same time dressing classier than most other rappers out there. I agree! I have always thought that it seemed like Kanye was more conscious of his appearance, as he always looks nice and clean. His style definitely differs from other rap stars such as Eminem, Lil’ Wayne, and Lil’ John. All in all, I think this blog was another one well done!
DeleteNatalie, hip hop Hamlet? This whole blog was so witty! You really focused on the sassy side of Hamlet that we all tend to eventually gravitate towards in our conversations. I believe it is Felicia who frequently says that he needs an attitude adjustment. But to compare Hamlet to Kanye West was so crafty; it made Hamlet feel more modern to me. You gave me a firmer grasp on his fall from excellence by comparing it to West's faux pas with Taylor Swift. However, one of my favorite things about your comparison was actually the social class aspect of it. You said that West had focused a lot of his music on the fact that he came from middle class unlike several other rappers. This interested me because someone else mentioned in their blog that Hamlet is constantly reminding people of his social status. I wonder why they both do that? Do you think it makes them feel insecure or high and mighty?
DeleteDoes Hamlet have a chance of turning around? Eventually we all know that he is going to get revenge on Claudius and, in a way, I think that will be the lowest point for Hamlet. Maybe, like West, he will be able to pull himself together after that and make amends. On the other hand, you said that there is always the possibility that West could revert back to his old self and I think the same goes for Hamlet. The difference here is that Hamlet was altered by his father's death and that's something that can never leave him, especially since he has and will continue to commit murder as a result of it. West obviously had his bad-boy moment in the spot light, but Hamlet is so much bigger than that. I think that's the only problem with all of our blogs. We can compare modern day celebrities to Hamlet, but none of them have gone through the same things as him. That's what makes it so hard to judge where he will go next. But, job well done! I loved how you highlighted the bad habits that Hamlet as acquired as a result of his father's death as well as the parallel you drew between West's raps and Hamlet's soliloquies. Maybe that's all rap is modern day soliloquies!
Before reading Hamlet, I had absolutely no idea that someone back then could be so double sided. In today's society, many famous people have what seems like multiple personalities. Sometimes they are sweet and in the prime eye of the public and others times they are setting a horrible example for all the people they gained as followers. When I think about a famous person in today's world that matches the character traits of Hamlet one specific person comes to mind; Miley Cyrus.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is person who doesn't want any bad to happen. He was fine and living his life until Claudius killed his father. Then, he had to seek revenge for the evil that was done to his father. Hamlet knows he has to do whatever it takes to avenge his father. Because of this, he starts to plot murder, and is considered "mad" which makes more people notice him and attacks more attention to everything he does. Miley Cyrus was a very popular icon for teenagers and tweens when she was in the beginning of her career, when she was more commonly known as Hannah Montana. But now, however, she has gone, for better lack of words, off the deep end. She isn't the sweet innocent girl that she started off as, she now has attracted a new audience because of the crazy things she has recently been doing i. e. her Wrecking Ball music video.
Besides just having an evil side that is willing to commit murder, Hamlet has an innocent side that he shows off and on. Miley Cyrus isn't always acting bizarre and crazy, she knows how to act like she did years ago. She isn't stupid. She knows that in order to get a big fan base, she needs to attract all kinds of people like those from her Hannah Montana days and how she acts in today's times. Hamlet, even if he doesn't try, draws more people to his life and makes them watch him, observing him and following his every move just like a fan base. Miley Cyrus knows she's changed from her earlier days because she even quoted "I'm the bad girl for growing up, I'm the bad girl for living my dreams. No matter what I'm the bad girls". Hamlet could be considered the bad guy just like Miley was because he had to grow up and become "bad".
It's weird to think that someone back like Hamlet could be compared to someone in today's world like Miley Cyrus. However, taking a step back and looking at the two's character traits, they are very similar. It's amazing how two different people in two completely different worlds can be so alike. It just goes to show, no one is ever as different and out of place as they think they are.
Miley Cyrus Quote 005. Digital image. Quotefrenzy.com. Quote Frenzy, n.d. Web.
DeleteJessica
DeleteNot being a Miley Cyrus fan at all, I feel that this is truly something to consider. Some of the people I know, including myself, would say she is a completely different person than her alter ego of Hannah Montana. Yet your point on her adapting to the current times in order to attract more fans is not uncommon. Also when you tell of Hamlet attracting more attention when he acts unstable, is very true. Also her being compared to Hamlet shows that they are very similar but, very different at the same time. Some days I wonder if Miley is still true to herself or is she putting her fans before herself. Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed you blog Jessica, great work.
I will be honest, this blog has been giving me a hard time! I could think of a few stars who had some similar qualities, but I would not exactly call them Hamlet material. Last weeks blog of themes helped me. The theme “loss of innocence”, in my opinion, was a good way to describe Hamlet. When I think of a celebrity who also lost their innocence, I think of Lindsey Lohan.
ReplyDeleteLindsay Lohan started out as an actress at a very young age, staring in the parent trap. As Lohan grew, so did her career, she has stared in numerous popular movies. Not only was she an actress, but she also did some singing and modeling. However, Lohan did not have the perfect life that most of America envied. Lohan is now known for her multiple trips to rehab and prison, her life has fallen apart. Although no one is positive of what triggered this, it is believed that her young celebrity start had a negative effect on her transition from childhood to adulthood, resulting in her acting out in this unfortunate way. Now, you might be wondering what on earth any of this has to do with Hamlet, but just as Hamlet lost his innocence, so did Lindsay.
Some believe that Lindsay Lohans fame is to blame for her downfall. Hamlet was not a celebrity, but he was royalty and I personally believe this had a lot to do with his downfall. If Hamlet and his family had been regular people without the titles “King,” “Queen,” and “Prince,” there would have been no reason for Claudius to kill Hamlets father. It is also possible that if Lindsay Lohan hadn’t been famous and lived the life of a typically child, transitioning into adulthood could have been a smoother process for her, and would not have had encountered some of the problems she has gone through.
I also believe that their families played a big part in who they became. When Hamlet was grieving for his father, everyone else had already move on. As an understandable result of this, Hamlet felt alone. Hamlet did not have the support from his family that he desperately craved. Linsday Lohan also had a hard family life. Her dad was also absent for parts of her life, but for different reasons. Lindsay’s father was abusive. As a result of this, for a period of time Lindays mother was left alone to watch after her and her two sisters, Ali and Dina.
I believe that a persons family has a huge effect on how they grow, unfortunately Hamlet and Lindsay didn't have the positive influence that a lot of children have today. Also, I personally believe that their social status of power and expectations had a big effect also. The stress can fills up faster than you think, and before you know it you're drowning.
Under different circumstances, both Hamlet and Lindsay could have led successful lives. Hamlet could have followed in his fathers footsteps and become the next great King of Denmark. Lindsay could have become a great role model for young girls. It is a shame the way things happened, but it is just another lesson to be learned.
"Lindsay Lohan: Early Fame during Childhood Might Lead to a Complicated Adulthood." Blogsindependentcouk. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.
DeleteRothman, Michael. "Inside the Lohan Family Struggles." ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.
Felicia I have to agree with you, I had a hard time with this blog too. I'm very glad you also choose someone who started their career at a very young age. I absolutely love how you mentioned how Lindsey lost her innocence just like Hamlet loses his. The fact that you talked about Hamlet not being famous but still having a big basis of people watching him, just kind of like Lindsey gained more of her fan base by her downfall. When you talked about how neither of the two had a positive influence growing up I can't help but agree with you. You did a great job with your blog!
DeleteIt's been a pleasure to read your blogs this week and to witness the creativity you have given to the blog prompt. There surely has been a variety of comparisons to Hamlet. In the comparison of Hamlet to Miley Cyrus, there are some similarities - one being that each has originated from a "successful" generation. Hamlet was the son of a king. Miley was the daughter of a successful singer. So perhaps each were somewhat in a position where they garnered a certain respect from their followers. However, when we consider the cultural and time differences, we understand that Hamlet is expected to seek revenge for his father's death when he gets the message from the Ghost that his father was murdered. Now, if this had happened to Miley's father, no way could she consider in our culture in the 21st century, to go out and kill her father's murderer. We like to believe we live in a civilized society (that is debatable sometimes). In each of the blogs, I have witnessed your ability to make connections. Also, I applaud many of the responses that have actually stepped over the threshold and have gone beyond the typical "I agree with you" responses. Bravo, everyone!
ReplyDelete