Sonnet

You’re an actress, who fooled us for so long.

Acting differently wherever you go

We thought of you one way, but we were wrong,

For the way you acted was all for show.

The lights go on, your true colors revealed

Never have I seen a more shocking truth

For all of the lies and pain you concealed

Came as a result of your troubled youth.

We thought you were back, and feeling alive.

At least that’s what you made it out to be.

But it seems you only barely survive

Each time you hide from the pain we can’t see.

Please stop acting, for the show has ended.

Show yourself, we’re here until you’re mended.

Barnyard Hamlet

Act I Scene I

Enter Barnardo and Francisco

Barnardo: Who's there?
Francisco: Barnardo?
Barnardo: He.
Francisco: Stand, ho! Who's there?

Enter Horatio and Marcellus

Horatio: Friends to this ground.
Marcellus: Has this thing appeared again tonight?
Horatio: Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.

Enter Ghost

Marcellus: Look where it comes again!
Barnardo: Look it not like the king? Mark it, Horatio.
Horatio: Stay! I charge thee, speak!

Exit Ghost

Marcellus: Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour.
Horatio: This bodes some strange eruption to our state.

Enter Ghost

Horatio: Lo, it comes again!

Ghost spreads his arms

If thou hast any sound or use of voice, speak to me.

The cock crows

Exit Ghost

Barnardo: It was about to speak when the cock crew.
Horatio: Let us impart what we have seen tonight unto young Hamlet.

Exuent

Act I Scene II

Enter Claudius, Gertrude, Hamlet, Polonius, and Laertes

Claudius: With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole, Young Fortinbras thinks our state to be disjoint and out of frame. He hath not failed to pester us with message importing the surrender of those lands lost by his father to our most valiant brother.

Enter Voltemand and Cornelius

Thus much the business is: we have writ to Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras, who scarcely hears of his nephew's purpose. We here dispatch you, for bearers of this greeting to old Norway.
Cornelius, Voltemand: In that and all things will we show our duty.

Exit Voltemand and Cornelius

Claudius: And now, Laertes, what's the news with you? What wouldst thou have?
Laertes: Your leave and favor to return to France.
Polonius: I do beseech you, give him leave to go.
Claudius: Take thy fair hour, Laertes. But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son-
Hamlet (aside): A little more than kin and less than kind.
Gertrude: Cast thy nighted color off. 'Tis common. All that lives must die.
Claudius: 'Tis unmanly grief.
Gertrude: I pray thee, stay with us. Go not to Wittenberg.

Flourish. Exuent all but Hamlet

Hamlet: Two months dead- nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king. So loving to my mother. Frailty, thy name is woman! A little month with which she followed my poor father's body, like Niobe, all tears. O most wicked speed to post to incestuous sheets! But break, heart, for I must hold my tongue.

Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Barnardo

Horatio: Hail to your lordship.
Hamlet: Methinks I see my father in my mind's eye.
Horatio: I think I saw him yesternight.
Marcellus: Upon the platform where we watch.
Hamlet: I will watch tonight. Perchance 'twill walk again.

Exit

Hamlet- Deer- Throughout these scenes, Hamlet is sad and lost. Like a deer, who just wanders around, Hamlet, through his grief over his father's death kind of just wanders around in sorrow.

Claudius- Snake- Like a snake that archetypically represents evil, Claudius is an evil man who is always conspiring for his benefit.

Marcellus, Francisco, and Barnardo- Dogs- Like watch dogs on a barn, these three men kept guard over the castle and watched out for Fortinbras' army.

Voltemand and Cornelius- Sheep- Like the sheep who follow their herder, Voltemand and Cornelius loyally follow Claudius' orders.

Gertrude- Pig- Pigs can be associated with being carefree, for all they do is roll aorund in mud and not worry about anything. Their free and careless nature flows parallel with Gertrude's careless and inconsiderate attitude toward Hamlet's grief and King Hamlet's death.

Laertes- Bird- Laertes can be seen as a bird because he doesnt stay in one place thorughout these scenes. He was in Denmark, finished his business there, but as soon as that was done, he wished to go back to France. Therefore, like a bird, he travels to different places without staying to long in one after his job is done.

Horatio- Horse- Horatio can be represented by a horse because of loyalty and friendship he has with Hamlet. Horses can symbolize leadership, support, friendship, and the ability to handle a lot of thing. Horatio is leader, in that he is looked up to because he is a scholar. His ability to handle the overwhelming reality of the situation with the Ghost and with Hamlet struggling, makes him a great supporter and friend. Therefore, a horse can be used to symbolize him.

Polonius- Polonius' loyalty to Claudius, in his respectful request to allow Laertes to go back to France can be symbolically represented by a sheep. The sheep, who loyally obeys its shepherd's commands, is respectful. Like the sheep, Polonius is loyal to Claudius and values his wishes and commands.

The American Dream

I believe this picture represents the American dream very well. The man in this picture is extremely happy, like all Americans strive to be. The American dream is to be completely happy and content with the life one lives. Often times, people try to attain this dream by linking it directly to the accumulation of money and possessions. They attribute happiness to success and wealth, and as a result, their actions work toward those things rather than what they are really after. However, it doesn't matter how one tries to become happy. Everyone is doing the best they can to attain the American dream: happiness.

Costume Design - Oedipus

Jocasta's Diary

Dear Diary,
       These past few days have been quite troubling. I walked in on Oedipus and Creon fighting, so I got in the middle of this public outburst by saying, "Aren't you ashamed, with the land so sick, to stir up private quarrels?" (711-712). Thebes is in such a disordered and chaotic state that I felt it necessary to remind those men, both my husband and brother, of their duty to remain composed for the public, for the people were worried enough and needed to see unwavering composure from their respected leaders. I truly did not want to see the fight between Oedipus and Creon continue, so I pleaded with my husband, "Oh god, believe it, Oedipus, honor the solemn oath he swears to heaven. Do it for me, for the sake of all your people," (722-724). I could not bare to see the growing tension between two men whom I love dearly.
        I am afraid that my faith in prophecy is surely subsiding. My deceased husband, Laius, was supposed to be killed by my son, but he was killed by others before my son could even try. I even said to Oedipus, to convince him that prophecy is not always relevant or true, "So much for prophecy. It's neither here nor there. From this day on, I wouldn't look right or left," (948-949). Hopefully my husband won't dwell too much on the "accurate" prophecy that Tiresias told him, for these "prophecies" don't always come true.
        I guess it all comes down to this: I am worried. I am worried that Thebes will not return to a prosperous state. I am worried that Oedipus and Creon will not reconcile and move on from this, in the interest of Thebes. But most of all, I am worried for Oedipus. He is taking all of this chaos to heart and blaming so much on himself. I worry he will drive himself crazy with guilt until he finds out who killed Laius. My husband, Oedipus, the love of my life, is my biggest concern.

Thank you for listening Diary. I will check in again very soon.

Those Afraid Of Being Themselves

Level 8: Fraud

Leaving the dwelling of those who were violent,      a
I was worried to see what was next,                          b

More people whose lives came to an end.                 c

Down another level, Virgil and I descend,                c       

What was next, I didn't have a clue.                          d
Now we’re at the home of those who pretend.          c

Never speaking up, never being true,                        d
These people have died,                                             e
And their minds, no one really knew.                        d

Virgil said they could have been great, if they only tried,       e
Instead of giving up so easily,                                                  f
Now along with them their thoughts have died.                      e

They never let people in, to see who they were.

They conformed to society,

All of which was a blur.

Of clones and copies no one standing out,
They could have been unique,
There was no doubt.

The fear kept them hidden and confined,
To the likes and ideas of others,
Afraid to take a stand and show their own mind.

Now their minds are blank with a recurring thought,
That of guilt and regret,

For the lives they should have fought.

Fought for preserving and embracing,
Their individuality was so precious,
But they spent their lives basing,

Basing their opinions and what they say,
On how others would think,
And if it would be okay,

To let people see what they really felt,
But it is too late for that,
The cards have been dealt.

Eternally they will sit in an empty space,
Filled with regret
For their lives were a waste.

     The sin described in the canto above discusses those who pretend to be someone they are not, just to fit in with the expectations of society. These people were put in level 8 of Hell because like the others in that level, they were frauds and pretenders. They were not true to themselves, and for that they are punished. Taking their individual thoughts and opinions for granted, the people in this level were not honest to themselves. Too often in society, people are afraid to speak up, stand out, or disagree with others' opinions; that is one of the worst things one can do, for everyone is unique and has something to offer this world. Wasting that gift and that opportunity is a sin that those who committed it needed to be punished for. Their punishment was that all their gifts, talents, and opinions were erased from their minds and all that was left was a feeling of regret and guilt, regret for not taking the opportunity to show the world who they were and guilt for wasting their lives. Their punishment shows that they were no longer worthy of those individual thoughts and for that their minds are emptied.

Interview with Aeneas

Time Magazine had the pleasure to sit down with Aeneas and conduct an interview discussing everything from the gods to the role of fate in his life:

Q: Aeneas, how would you describe the influence the gods have in your life?
A: Although the gods do not control fate, they still play a major role in my life. For example, it was fate for me to go off and establish Rome. When I ignored Hector's warning about the Greek invasion and decided to fight them, my life was spared while most of my men died. This was a result of the gods protecting me so that my fate could be carried out and I could establish Rome. If it weren't for the gods, I would be dead right now.

Q: Did any of the gods play a role in the downfall of Troy?
A: Yes, throughout many events in this war, Minerva seemed to play an important role in the downfall of Troy. Minerva was the goddess that encouraged us to bring the horse into the gates of Troy. This was a trick, for there were Greek men hidden in this horse ready to attack and invade us.

Q: I understand your mother, Venus, is a god. Has she ever intervened in your life and encouraged you to do something that you wouldn't have done if it wasn't for her?
A: Yes, my mother actually intervened at the perfect time in my life, for she discouraged me from doing something dishonorable that I would later regret. After Priam's death, I was furious. I took out my anger on Helen, whom I felt was the cause of all this death. I was so close to killing her when my mother came down and talked me out of it.

Q: Did any of the gods maliciously contribute to the death of any Trojans you know of?
A: Sadly, yes. Minerva, once again making it clear she was against the Trojans, sent snakes to kill Lacoon and his sons.

Q: How do you know Minerva sent the snakes and they weren't just normal snakes?
A: The way in which the snakes went directly for Lacoon and his sons shows they had a mission and a certain victim to kill. The snakes had burning, red eyes and they coiled their bodies around the men, strangling them and filled them with venom.

Q: Overall, how did you feel about the Minerva's intervention in your life? Venus'?
A: Minerva's intervention in my life was not appreciated at all. She caused more hurt and pain in my life than needed. She tricked my men and I into allowing the horse to come into our city and viciously went out of her way to send supernatural snakes to kill Lacoon and his sons. There was no reason for her intervention, for if it was Troy's fate to fall, it would have happened, with or without her interventions. On the other hand, gods who were on the Trojans side, like my mother, Venus, truly intervened for the best in my life. I am grateful for my mother's intervention and all the other gods that tried to make sure Troy truly fell honorably.

Q: Well that concludes our interview. Is there anything else you'd like to say?
A: I'd like to take this time to honor all those who died throughout this war. Priam, Lacoon and his sons, Hector, and many other brave men all lost their lives trying to defend Troy and change its fate. Fate is inevitable, and it is imperative that everyone remembers that and honors its influence in our lives.

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