Minutes- 1/23/09

In the beginning of the period we received out Canterbury Tales test back so that we would now have the materials from all 5 of the subject matters that will be on the midterm (Toulmin Model of Arguement, Beowulf, Canterbury Tales, Sonnets & part of Hamlet.) Mr. Laz then told us we have 4 more grades remaining for this marking period, including our particpation grade both in class and on the blog.

We continued on the rest of the class period going over Hamlet.

Act 1, Scene 2
-Hamlet & Horation are friends even though their social classes are different. The fact that they are both scholars breaks down the class barriers that would prevent them from usually being friends.
-Everyone felt happiness at the funeral because they knew that a good thing would follow it (the wedding).
- They also felt sad at the wedding because the King's death is what caused the wedding to take place in the first place.
- Cornelius & Voltemond are ambassadors of the Court to Norway who are sent to try and stop the war that is brewing.
- Claudius is a more diplomatic king than Old Hamlet had been. Claudius believes that he should try and negiotiate and then go to war when it is absolutely necessary.
- Claudius sends Cornelius & Voltemond to Norway with letters because he believes the King does not know about the Mercenary army that Young Fortinbras is creating.

Act 1, Scene 3
-Laertes' warning to Ophelia has to do with the fact that although Hamlet may love Ophelia, she will not be the person that Hamlet will marry because she does not have what Denmark needs, which is an alliance with another country.
-During this time women were looked at as the property of their fathers
-Naiobi- a mythological character of mourning.
-Laertes is going to France to go to school, however, it isn't to become a philosopher like Hamlet. Laertes isn't really a scholarly type (Mr. Laz compared UPenn to UMiami)

-Celia Coltre