Notes on Hamlet

Before we even began reading the play Hamlet, I had my mind set that I was going to dread it. The long soliloquies and outrageous diction was all I could think of. However, that idea has evolved. Hamlet is just like Lion King, or Lion King is just like Hamlet. It is full of comedy, suspense, and tragedy. I guess one can argue that it is just like one big novela. At first I left as if Gertrude didn't care much for Hamlet but after she sent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern over to spy on him I realized she was just like any other concerned mother. Although Hamlet is only acting crazy, I feel as if he may be becoming crazed with the idea of revenge and exposing his uncle Claudius. Because Hamlet was sent to England and Claudius is no longer at ease I can see things only getting worse and possibly more deaths soon to come.

Who Was Shakespeare?

I used the website Shmoop to learn more about the infamous Shakespeare. He wrote 36 plays and 154 sonnets not to mention invented dozens of new words(kudos to him). Shakespeare died on his 52nd birthday in 1616. It turns out that he didn't leave to much of his personal life behind, he was a somewhat secluded man. When students hear the word "Shakespeare" we automatically want to just run away. Its intimidating not because it is hard to understand but because we were told it was hard to understand and that lasting impression stuck with us. However, from experience, once you began to read it it is hard to put down. His writing is complex and needs a lot of analyzing but its not as drastic as we were lead to believe He was an extremely talented writer and in the play Hamlet very comical.

To Facebook or Not to Facebook?

#Facebook... Even my grandma has one-_- Facebook was initially meant to be a way to communicate with one another, however; now its a way of sharing your problems with the world and expressing your emotions( those types of statuses are drags right?!). The benefits of Facebook today are, of course, the AP lit page where we all communicate faster and the Righetti high school page to keep me informed on events and deadlines. For others it may be keeping in touch with loved ones from a  distance. The risks of Facebook are bullying, creepy old guys, and wasting time.
Reading yesterdays article made me realize that your literally never safe. Its obvious that even with the "privacy' on Facebook, there is no privacy! We are the product of Facebook.

Hamlet Act III REMIX

The breakdown of "TO BE OR NOT TO BE"

Midterm Review

I didn't do as well on my midterm as I had hoped. In the beginning I started off doing pretty well I knew majority of the words but by the 3rd list all of the words began to look and mean the same thing in my head. Next midterm I am going to take studying more serious and pay attention to what I am learning the first time around.

Vocabulary #8

abeyance (noun) A state of temporary disuse or suspension

ambivalent (adjective) Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

beleaguer (verb) Beset with difficulties

carte blanche (noun) Complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best

cataclysm (noun) A large-scale and violent event in the natural world

debauch (verb) Destroy or debase the moral purity of; corrupt.

eclat (noun) An enthusiastic approval

fastidious (adjective) Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail

gambol (verb) Run or jump about playfully

imbue (verb) Inspire or permeate with a feeling or quality

inchoate (adjective) Just begun and so not fully formed or developed

lampoon (verb) Publicly criticize (someone or something) by using ridicule or sarcasm

malleable (adjective) Easily influenced; pliable

nemesis (noun) The inescapable or implacable agent of someone's or something's downfall

opt (verb) Make a choice from a range of possibilities

philistine (noun) A person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them

picaresque (adjective) Of or relating to an episodic style of fiction dealing with the 

adventures of a rough and dishonest but appealing hero

queasy (adjective) Nauseated; feeling sick

refractory (adjective) Stubborn or unmanageable

savoir-faire (noun) The ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations

Story coming soon...

Midterm Reflection

What went well?

Well going into the midterm I was freaking out to the point were I had to use Michelle's rosary... but turns out it wasn't that bad. As I looked at the words I was able to pair many together and just  use process of elimination for the others

What didn't go well?

Just like every other test, I let my nerves get the best of me. I had studied all week but when it came time to match the words my mind went blank. Once we hit the final list it felt as if all the words meant the same thing.

What can you learn from the experience to improve for next time?

For next midterm I am going to get more creative with my study strategies and prepare myself for the test so that I won't freak out the day of (that can help for other classes test as well)