Hamlet Response Journal

Response Journal for Act 1, Scene 1 to Act 1, Scene 5

1. How does the play make you feel at this point? Record your emotional response(s) in a few sentences and then explore them for a few minutes, trying to figure out why you feel as you do.

I feel that Hamlet is the most unique medieval story I've read. The story line, the characters, emotions are really complicated. The characters are mysterious and unpredictable. I feel that this story won't bore me as I read. However, the words in the story are quite hard for me to understand because I'm not used to the old English. I need to make extra effort trying to understand this story. Not only I'm not used to the old English but Shakespeare's style of writing is even more confusing. The words he used can have multiple meanings and sometimes he even invent his own words. This gave me some trouble understanding.

2. In what situations have you felt similar to the characters? What persons, places, or ideas, from your own experiences came to your mind while you were reading this portion of the play? Try to list at least three associations, but don't worry about trying to figure out why they came to mind. Just accept that they occur.

a) I felt similar to Hamlet at Act 1 Scene 2 when Claudius and Gertrude marry right after the death of King Hamlet. The marriage of Claudius and Gertrude reminds me of how I feel toward couples in my grade. I see many couples breaking up in my grade. Some of them get together with a new person after just in 1 week or 1 month. It's just weird, they say that they love a person then soon after they say the same thing to another person. Just like the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude. Gertrude used to love King Hamlet, then after his death she married Claudius. I just don't understand some couples these days.

b) I felt similar to Leartes when he warned Ophelia about Hamlet. Last year, a friend of mine got a crush on a girl that I didn't like at all. Most people around me disliked that girl too because of her personality and attitude. I went to warn and talk to my friend several times about this girl. Just like Leartes, I disliked Hamlet and get worried about my friend. However, my friend didn't listen to me and got together with that girl. Then he regretted afterward.

c) I feel similar to Hamlet in Act 1 Scene 5 when he told his friends not to tell anybody about what they witnessed today. I have experienced something like this many times. Where I came to know a secret and I wanted to share with someone so badly. So I always end up telling secrets to my close friend and tell them not to tell anyone.

3. What portions of Shakespeare's language attracts your attention? These might be individual words, phrases, lines, scenes, or images. Make note of whatever features draw your attention. Speculate for a few minutes about what you think they might mean.

A phrase from what the ghost told Hamlet in Scene 1 Act 5 caught my attention:

"The serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown"

I love how the ghost told Hamlet that it was Claudius who killed him. Instead of telling straightforwardly, Shakespeare used an interesting way to tell it. 

4. Make note of any portion of the play, its language, or events that cause you problems. Note any questions that you might ask.

I had a hard time understanding most parts of the play because of its language. My knowledge of the Old English is very low. I can't open the dictionary and browse one by one either because there are just too many words I don't understand. The language was the biggest problem for me.