What is the Question?

The question, according to Hamlet at least, is whether to be or not, but when I Googled "to be or not to be," this cartoon is exactly what I was looking for.

The phrase from Shakespeare's Hamlet is arguably one of the best known and most often quoted lines in literature, so I figured someone had to have created a comic based around a fictional Apartment 2B (or not 2B) at some point. And I wasn't wrong.

There were, in fact multiple renditions of this take on the Bard's existential question, but this version, from the  New Yorker, was the best.

We'll be discussing Hamlet's famous soliloquy when we gather this month, and we'll also be discussing your take on the potential assignments below.

As usual, please choose one to pursue in earnest and come ready to offer your thoughts, illustrations, PowerPoint presentations, sculptures, poetry, essays, or whatever else you create in order to share your views. Anything is fair game, really... except for presidential debate-style diatribes littered with lazy insults and factual errors. We've had enough of those in our lives at this point. :)

Potential Assignments

Option 1: Age-ism

Hamlet's age has been in debate for, well... ages. The gravedigger twice says the Dane is 30, which would seem to settle the matter, but other aspects of the play call these lines into question. So... what do you think? 

First, focus on how old Hamlet seems based on your reading of the play (and ignoring the gravedigger's lines). Pick an age that seems fitting and explain how you came to that conclusion. Then, see if you can come up with an explanation for the gravedigger's lines. Feel free to conduct some research on this one, and be ready to share your thoughts and anything else you find. (Though I'll tell you right now, I'm not going to buy the idea that Hamlet is actually a 40 year old Klingon, so save that theory for the next Trekkie convention, please.)

Option 2: The Heavy Stuff

Suicide is an important theme in Hamlet. Discuss how the play treats the idea of suicide morally, religiously, and aesthetically, with particular attention to Hamlet’s two important statements about suicide: the “O, that this too solid flesh would melt” soliloquy (I.ii.129–158) and the “To be, or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56–88). Why does Hamlet believe that, although capable of suicide, most human beings choose to live, despite the cruelty, pain, and injustice of the world?

Option 3: Crazy is as Crazy Does

Throughout the play, Hamlet claims to be feigning madness, but his portrayal of a madman is so intense and so convincing that many readers believe that Hamlet actually slips into insanity at certain moments in the play. Do you think this is true, or is Hamlet merely play-acting insanity? What evidence can you cite for either claim?

Option 4: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

There's actually a 1990 movie by this title that's worth a watch if you have an hour and fifty-seven minutes to spare, but for now... 

Consider Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s role in the play. Why might Shakespeare have created characters like this? Are they there for comic relief, or do they serve a more serious purpose? Why does the news of their deaths come only after the deaths of the royal family in Act V, as if this news were not anticlimactic? Is it acceptable for Hamlet to treat them as he does? Why or why not? 

That's a lot of questions, I know, but you don't need to answer them all—just use them to help you think about the characters and then let us know what you come up with.

Option 5: Laugh it Up

PART A: Analyze the use of comedy in Hamlet, paying particular attention to the gravediggers, Osric, and Polonius. Does comedy serve merely to relieve the tension of the tragedy, or do the comic scenes serve a more serious thematic purpose as well?

PART B: There are plenty of Hamlet inspired comics apart from the whole 2B or not 2B schtick. Find your favorite, bring it in to share with us (you can email me the URL before class if it's online and you want it on the big screen), and explain:

• what scene, theme, or line in the play it relates to; 
• what you like about it/why you chose it; and 
• what makes it funny or clever, or witty, or insightful, or... [insert adjective here].

CLARIFICATION: You can do A, B, or both for this one. Your call.

All right. That should give us more than enough to talk about when we get together. See you all soon, and until then, happy reading.

Dandelions are Bitter...

This is the cover (and back) from my book. What does
yours look like? Bring it with you and we'll compare. 

... so bitter, in fact, that I can't imagine drinking dandelion wine. I do, however, like the metaphor as it's expressed in Ray Bradbury's novel of the same name. We'll be talking about the title of Bradbury's novel and how it relates to the content when we meet on Wednesday, February 3rd.

Typical Bradbury?

Having read some Bradbury in the past, I must say I was surprised by this story. Unlike many of Bradbury's works, which (in my experience) tend to have a Dystopian sci-fi bent, this novel is a classic coming-of-age tale set in an idyllic small town in Illinois.

Of course, there are some trademark Bradbury bits: references to time travel and happiness machines, a feeling of isolation among various characters, and—at times—a sense of suspense and terror. I'm anxious to see what you all think of this title and whether or not it will receive a collective thumbs up, down, or sideways.

In preparation for our meeting, please take some time with one of the Potential Assignments below and come ready to share your thoughts.

Potential Assignments

Option #1: The Lonely One
First: Eeeeeeek! Second: What's up with this storyline? If you read the introduction (does anyone read introductions?) Bradbury claims that there was a Lonely One in his childhood in Waukegan. So... was there? Do a little research and see if you find any record of such a criminal in or around Bradbury's childhood town back in 1928. Beyond that, though, see if you can figure out what role this psychokiller plays in the narrative. Is there a reason for this character's inclusion? How does this storyline affect the others?

Option #2: The Ravine
One location that pops up repeatedly in the book is the ravine. How is the ravine described? Where is it located in town? What happens there? And the million dollar question: what does it represent?

Option #3: Old Age
For a book about a twelve-year-old boy's summer, there are sure a lot of old people in this novel. What purpose do these characters serve? Choose at least two of the older characters and explain how they help to illuminate Douglas's story.

Option #4: Pick a Theme, Any Theme
Death. Aging. Family. Friendship. Time. Happiness. Change. Choose one of these or one of your own and try to figure out what Bradbury's novel is saying about it. Be ready to support your assertion with a few examples from the book.

Option #5: Quote-o-Rama
Choose a favorite quote (or two), write it down (or mark it in your book so you can find it quickly), and give us your .25-cent analysis of it. Why did you choose it? What made it stand out? What do you think it means? Does it relate to a larger theme in the book? How so? (By the way, we're talking .25-cents in 1928, so that's a $3.50 analysis in today's terms.)