Blog Assignment #1: My Poor, Dear Hammie

       Before I speak of the woe of my poor Hammie, I have to get something off of my chest. Our dear dead King Hamlet... "I think I saw him yesternight"(1.2.189). I told Hamlet, and now I cannot be sure whether this choice was the best, or the worst. This ghost he spoke to, I also cannot be sure whether it is a "spirit of health or goblin damned"(1.3.40) that has beckoned to him. It worries me that this ghost will lead him even more astray than he already is. For weeks, nearly two months, Hamlet has been dead of eye and hard of heart, and it has pained me to see him in such a state. But, I admit, this state may be more painful to behold. He seemed extremely... Well, insane. Out of touch of reality for the moment being. His words were merely the "wild and whirling words"(1.5.33-34) of a madman. I can't help feeling maybe this spectre is not the essence of the good king, but the essence of some sort of foul, rotting emotion left behind in the wake of his death. Hamlet should not see this ghost as his father, the King.
      Now, of Hamlet's family situation, I have two words to say: Degrading and Gross. The Queen... To be honest, her actions are indeed shameful for a lady of her stature. Her husband, who had treated her so well and loved her for so long, had died not two months before, and her next wedding "followed hard upon"(1.2.179). As if that would not have been rough enough for poor Prince Hammie, the marriage is so scandalous. It is definitely "incestuous"(1.2.157) to marry your husband's brother, someone that you should have, for all intensive purposes, considered your own brother. If I were Hamlet, I would be just as distraught, and humiliated, and grief-stricken. My poor friend, as soon as I walked into the hall to say hello, I knew he was in a bad place. One can see it in his eyes, in the darkness of his face.

      Let's also think of the political decisions of Claudius that will probably make Hamlet's life ten times harder. Fortinbras is practically marching upon Denmark, and all Claudius can say is "So much for him"(1.2.25). How about 'So much for his army? So much for our kingdom? So much for the land we gained? So much for most things important?!' I see why the man upsets Hamlet so, he's as preoccupied with his marriage as the foolish Queen is. They're so entranced, they cannot rip their roving eyes from each other long enough to see the army upon their doorstep!
      My poor friend, my lord Hamlet. He has to deal with this every day. He must see the shame of his mother every day. He must see the poor decisions made by Claudius every day. He has to watch his kingdom rot from the inside out, that is until Fortinbras squishes our rotting bones like crunchy cockroaches under his boot!