Month: November 2015

In the famous soliloquy ‘To be or not to be’ Hamlet uses metaphors to negatively perceive time and life itself. Using the word ‘whip’ gives off a negative connotation along with linking to torture of ‘dispriz’d love’ and a great pain that Hamlet believes his fate is bringing him. That and the belief that there is a higher being controlling us, are questions which bring Hamlet to his knees in the Monologue. It is effective in the phrase ‘whips and scorns of time’ (another metaphor) to present the humiliations that life brings upon us all with ease. The sentence as a whole roughly translates to the the question “Who would want to hold the problems and burdens, face the humiliation of the world we live in?” This reflects the monologue because as a whole, rhetorical questions and doubts from Hamlet are what creates most of the dialogue and substance, he effectively repeats the same point over and over again. This is that there is so much wrong caused by life it would be easier to ‘take arms against his troubles and by opposing end them’.

This presents Hamlet throughout the play as well as just this scene. Being a contemplative fellow his role is continuously asking questions about everything. In Act 3 Scene 2 Hamlet similarly makes a metaphor while speaking to Guildenstern: “You would play upon me”. Referring to himself as an instrument- a pipe or recorder, Hamlet confronts Guildenstern who has been speaking in favour of the King. This phrase presents himself as being under control and being toyed with. ” with your finger and thumb” is also a similar phrase to having someone ‘under your thumb’ meaning again that Guildenstern thinks that he can control Hamlet. This could possibly also be relating to the fact that Claudius is using Rozencranz and Guildenstern. He continues along this metaphor further by using musical terms over course of the next few lines e.g. pluck, lowest note, organ. At the end he even makes the pun of “though you FRET me” making Hamlet more than a simple hero character- he has an interesting use of language and hilarity, created by Shakespeare. Hamlet turns into a complicated character that the reader or watcher can empathise with.

Comparison with poem:

The chosen comparison is with ‘Come on come back’ a poem about the reluctance of somebody- an acceptance of death. Vaudevue has Escaped from a concentration camp ‘M.L.5…of all human exterminators’ which has brought her great harm and torture, just like the ‘misfortunes’ of Hamlet’s life. There is however an obvious difference in Hamlet is merely debating taking his own life in comparison to Vaudevue having already accepted her fate and walks ‘into the icy waters’.

To stay in this world or not, that is the question

Whether it is rightful to live by the unfortunate luck and circumstances which have taken place or to fight against them

And by doing so finish them once and for all. To die and sleep

is all that death brings, a sleep to end all consciousness and to end

The heart breaks and thousands of coincidental problems

That I have been born into through my own blood and family.

To die, or sleep

by some luck or chance will let me dream. And that’s the catch,

in death the dreams I may have could be dreams or nightmares

after we have been set free from this human life.

This must make us stop for a second and think that there’s a reason

That the bad luck and misfortune lasts so long.

And who would want to hold the problems and burdens of the world we live in?

The man who caused this is wrong, the proud and superior man victimising others.

The pains of one-sided love, and inefficiency of life

Should not be deserved by a patient man. Would it not be easier

To make the final decision to end it all

with his own dagger? Who would bear the burdens

of stress and struggle under troubled life,

but fear of the unknown life after death.

After life is a place where no man has explored and who’s land

no man has returned from. This is a complex question

And makes us face our misfortunes that we know

rather than taking a trip into the unknown.

This thought scares us all and shows that the presence of courage

is cast over with our thoughts and doubts.

It shows us we are all cowards and with these thoughts

decide against ending life and to stay in this world.

Hush now here comes my dear Ophelia! The one keeping my alive

Please remember me.

The movie fight club is very interesting for the studying of anti heroes, due to the use of a multi persona main character. Although his schizophrenia is only revealed at the end, his character is technically represented by both himself and Tyler Durden. This makes two characters to compare and gives a simplified ‘good and evil’ to the narrator’s actions.

As talked about with previous books a well used technique for anti hero is the use of first person narrative which is also used in this film, it was based on a book in which is was used in as well. Through meeting Tyler Durden and gradually becoming him more the main character is involved in heavier crimes, setting up a revolutionary group that would bring everybody back to zero debt wise. This attempt to improve people’s lives and give them all an equal playing field is shown as a brilliant act if heroism, reminded often by members he does not realise are part of the organisation and love and congratulate him on his risk work. Fighting for the people never becomes clean or straightforward as the method is vandalism and destruction, this is similar to what V is doing in V for Vendetta. ‘Project mayhem’ can be compared to V’s blowing up of the houses of parliament, both use the destruction of an establishment to gain a social equilibrium for the public. So his methods in achieving what is deemed heroic are ‘evil’ and this makes him a strong anti hero.

Along with this reasoning is the simple way he treats friends. This changes considerably from persona to persona. An example of this is talking to Raymond Hessel outside his shop-brandishing a gun (empty) and asks what he always wanted to be. By forcing him to do that Tyler says that ‘Tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of Raymond K. Hessel’s life. His breakfast will taste better than any meal you and I have ever tasted.’ His way of treating him is brutal although he does is for the man’s benefit to force him to chase his dreams.