Mythology- F Bell

Edith Hamilton's Mythology, is basically a huge guide of myths, offering a detailed overview of the myths of ancient Greece and Rome and a brief overview of Norse mythology. For this blog, have some fun and briefly summarize a myth that you have created on your own that involves any Greek/Roman character from Hamilton's Mythology and/or relates to any of the myths that are included in the book.

This blog is moderated my Channing, Alice, and Alyssa

B Bell Mythology Blog: Due April 23rd

Just like Hamlet, the Greek gods had relationships that were full of tension, deceit, and strife. There was revenge, lust, and humor in both worlds. Find one relationship between a Greek god/ess that you find fascinating, and compare it to another in Hamlet. Due April 23rd.

Blog moderated by Yousra, Diana, and Grace.

Hamlet Act IV & Act V - B Bell

Hamlet is rich in irony of all types. We see various examples of irony interspersed throughout each act of the play. For example, we see dramatic irony in the third act in the scene where Hamlet confronts Queen Gertrude. When Hamlet notices someone listening in on his conversation behind the curtains, the audience is aware that it is not King Claudius hiding, but rather Polonius. Hamlet impulsively murders Polonius, simply creating more conflict for himself.

Acts IV and V contain especially ironic twists of fate as the story closes in on its conclusion. Find at least one example of irony in these final two acts, identify the type of irony, and explain the ironic device's function in the plot.

F Bell Hamlet ACT IV

All of what happens in Act IV is a direct consequence of Polonius's murder by Hamlet and his subsequent outrage with his mother, which further solidified her theory that her son was mad. At the end of Act III, Hamlet confesses to Gertrude, after he sees his father's ghost during a rampage with her for her marrying Claudius after he stabbed Polonius, that he has been feigning madness the whole time. He also tells her not to give this news to Claudius. Not easily convinced after hearing her son hold a conversation with an apparition that she cannot see, the first scene in Act IV involves Gertrude running back to her husband to relay the news that Hamlet is completely insane, more so than to begin with. While it is agreeable to see how she would be led to believe this, this action can be seen as strike number two perhaps against her son, number one being her marrying Claudius. While she does not tell Claudius that Hamlet is pretending to be mad, she does slyly hand his throat over to the King, and thus begins the chain of betrayal that unfolds in Act IV. But thats not all that keeps us entertaiined in Act IV. If any of our suspicions about Hamlet actually being insane were raised n Act III, they reach a peak in Act IV. However, everything is falling apart. He is being exiled to Englad(only to return at the end of Act IV), Laertes will kill him, Ophelia drowns herself, Gertrude has sided with her new spouse, and the state of Denmark is beginning to mirror the health of its King.

Is Hamlet actually crazy, or is he the product of this destructive enviroment? How does he respond to this betrayal? Pick a quote an examine it in context that you will use to defend your statements.