act 2: journals

I had no idea what was going on. Unexpectedly Hamlet visited me today. I was just minding my own business, when Hamlet rushed into my room. He was acting crazy. He had his shirt undone and his stockings at his ankles. He looked like he had just come back from hell. All he did was stare at me, nodding, and sighing. Then as soon as he left I rushed down stairs to tell of it to my father.

Yours truly,

Ophelia

                                                                                

This has gotten way out of hand. Hamlets giving my daughter a scare like that. He must be crazy in love with her. I hate to say it but I could have been at fault for his madness. If only I hadn’t told her to ignore him and send back his love notes. Love is such a strong emotion, rejection can make you self-destruct, especially if you really care about someone. I thought he was just toying with her emotions, I should have seen the truth he really does love her. I guess us old people just think we know better.

Until next time,

Polonius

This picture is a good representation of Hamlet. The man in the photo is Hamlet and he is the main character of the play. There was a lot of death throughout the play and that is represented in this image with Hamlet holding a skull. Most of the characters either commit suicide or are murdered during the story. At the time Hamlet was depressed and mourning the death of his father and the photo shows those feelings.

Hamlet Characters

Hamlet – The prince of Denmark. In the beginning his father recently passed away and Hamlet was grieving over his death. His uncle took the new position as king and married Hamlet’s mother. After hearing that his uncle murdered his father, Hamlet started seeking revenge.

Claudius – Hamlet’s uncle and king of Denmark after Hamlet’s father died. He murdered Hamlet’s father and married his wife so that he could become king. He is the antagonist of the play.

Gertrude – The queen of Denmark and Hamlet’s mother who is now married to her deceased husband’s brother.

Polonius – The father of Laertes and Ophelia. He tries to keep Ophelia from Hamlet and doesn’t trust him.

Horatio – He is Hamlet’s close friend, who is very loyal to him. At the end of the play, after Hamlet’s death, he stays alive to tell people of Hamlet’s story.

Ophelia – The daughter of Polonius and sister of Laertes. She is beautiful and innocent and Hamlet claims to love her. She ends up losing her mind and committing suicide over what Hamlet told her.

Laertes – Ophelia’s brother and Polonius’ son. Like his father, he didn’t approve of Ophelia and Hamlet and before he left to go to France, he told Ophelia to not let Hamlet play her.

Fortinbras – At the end of the play, he becomes king of Denmark. His father was killed by Hamlet’s father and he wanted revenge.

The Ghost – Hamlet’s deceased father. He claims to have been murdered by Claudius and informs Hamlet of this and wants Hamlet to avenge him.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern – 2 servants that were ordered by Gertrude to spy on Hamlet to find out why he was so depressed.
 
Osric – A foolish messenger who relays to Hamlet that he will duel with Laertes. He is difficult to understand.

Voltimand and Cornelius – Courtiers who Claudius sends to Norway to prevent Fortinbras from attacking Denmark.

Marcellus and Bernardo – The guardsmen who first see the ghost and have Horatio come with them to witness it. They inform Hamlet of what they saw and Marcellus is with Hamlet when he sees his father’s ghost.

Francisco – A soldier and guardsman at Elsinore.

Reynaldo – Polonius’ servant, who he sent to France to spy on Laertes.

hamlet journal: act 1

I didn’t believe them. Barnardo and Marcellus came to me today talking crazy, saying they just saw the king. How could this be? The king is dead resting in his grave. They claimed it was his ghost that visited them last night while they were on watch. I highly doubted it until that night that I saw him with my own two eyes.

Sincerely,

Horatio

This pain is just too much to bear. I can’t stop thinking about it. My father is dead, gone, never coming back. I miss him so much; I just can’t bring myself to move on. I can’t tell you how much it angers me that my mother has married my father’s brother less than a month after my father’s passing. How could she do this? I feel like she has betrayed him.

Until next time,

Hamlet