Blog Assignment #5

When I first saw what Peter J. Seng wrote in his literary criticism, I was indifferent, and I thought nothing of it. It is a very straightforward thinking that contains all factual information; it also put some things into light for me. For one, while talking about Ophelia’s deeper meaning, he brought up the idea, “No one is to be trusted at face value.” (Seng p.220) This was completely true throughout all of the royalty of Denmark, such as when Polonius told me to “Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with,” (3.4.2) right before Hamlet lunged to him and killed him. But really, it shows how very often we are influencing each other for different purposes. I thought about this further, and it really made me think. Are our own interests separating us? Is that why Hamlet is separating from me and Claudius? It might just be the small things, when Claudius Asked of Guildenstern and Rosencrantz “To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather / So much as from occasion you may glean,” (2.2.15-16).

But on the other hand I think he was very flagrant, and went a little too far with some of his accusations. He said that “The lives of all of the characters have been infected by Claudius’ original crime.” (Seng p.227) That is a heinous accusation! I should have him sentenced to death. I fell in love with Claudius and was able to be with him, as he said, “Therefore our sometimes sister, now our queen, / th’ imperial jointress to this warlike state,” (1.2.8-9). It obviously benefited the both of us to join together as one.

I also must disagree with Seng for saying, “The distraught girl could hardly turn to King Claudius, and the ‘beauteous Majesty of Denmark,’ Gertrude, has apparently been avoiding her.” (Seng p. 218). This is completely false, we have always been there for Ophelia, she has been too estranged from sanity to come seek the help from us, and it is her fault that she met her demise.