The Analysis of Hamlet (1996)

Hamlet (1996) is a film adapted from William Shakespeare’s play with the same title. Hamlet is produced by David Barron, a British film producer who also produced Harry Potter, and directed by Kenneth Branagh, an actor and film director from Northern Ireland.

The story is about Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, who comes home for his father’s death and his mother’s wedding. He commits revenge to his uncle, the new king, whom he believes as the murderer of his father after meeting the ghost of his dead father. He acts like a madman and pretends (or might not pretend) crazy to cover his hatred to the new king. He manages his madness and waits patiently for the best moment to take revenge in a genius way, which is by revealing the murder in a play.

This paper analyzes the film version of Hamlet using several elements of drama.

 

Characters

Character is a representation of a person, place, or thing performing traditionally human activities or functions in literary works. In the film of Hamlet, there are several important characters which can be distinguished as follows:

1. Main characters:

     a. Protagonist is a character that revolves around the story. The protagonist in Hamlet is Hamlet, starred by Kenneth Branagh.

     b. Antagonist is a character that opposes the protagonist. In Hamlet, the antagonist is Claudius, starred by Derek Jacobi.

2. Minor character is a character that often provides support and illuminates the protagonist. The minor character in Hamlet is Horatio, starred by Nicholas Farrell.

3. Round character is a character that has many aspects to his or her personality. The character may have a good side and a bad side; he or she may be unpredictable. There are several round characters in Hamlet:

     a. Gertrude, starred by Julie Christie.

     b. Polonius, starred by Richard Briers.

     c. Ophelia, starred by Kate Winslet.

     d. Laertes, starred by Michael Maloney.

     e. Rosencrantz, starred by Timothy Spall.

     f. Guildenstren, starred by Reece Dinsdale.

     g. Fortinbras, starred by Rufus Sewell.

4. Static character is a character that remains the same, does not change his or her outlook in response to events taking place. The static characters in Hamlet are:

     a. The Ghost, starred by Brian Blessed.

     b. Osric, starred by Robin Williams.

     c. The guards.

     d. The officers.

 

Characterization of the Characters

1. Hamlet

Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. He is the son of King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude, and the nephew of the new king, Claudius. He is melancholy, cynical, and full of hatred. He has obsession to take revenge to Claudius. He also disgusts Gertrude sexual life by marrying Claudius not long after King Hamlet’s death. Hamlet has very deep sorrow, reflected by the black clothes he always wears before going to England. Hamlet’s madness might be a mask to hide his plan for taking revenge, but he might also really mad of his father’s murder. However, he is also romantic. He has deep feeling to Ophelia and loves her very much.

2. Claudius

Claudius is the brother of King Hamlet, uncle of Prince Hamlet. He becomes king after killing King Hamlet and marrying Queen Gertrude. Claudius is ambitious for power. He poisons to death his own brother and marries his sister in law to be a king. He is genius as he can act that there is nothing wrong happens, but actually he is scared of Hamlet’s crazy acts and madness. Claudius seems to love Gertrude sincerely, but in the end of the film he does not prevent Gertrude from drinking the poison that supposed to be drunk by Hamlet. It shows that he just loves Gertrude for lust.

3. Gertrude

Gertrude is the Queen of Denmark, mother of Hamlet. Hamlet says that she has problem with her sexual life as she gets married with Claudius soon after his husband’s death. She is a beautiful woman, but always hungry for affection. She cares and loves Hamlet very much. In the other hand, she also respects Claudius. It is impossible that she does not know about King Hamlet’s murder and Hamlet’s plan of taking revenge. This situation puts her in the dilemma. Gertrude is a picture of a shield. She defends her son and protects her husband in same time.

4. Horatio

Horatio is Hamlet’s closest and best friend. He is loyal, trustworthy, and reliable. His loyalty to Hamlet is shown in the end of the film when he commits to drink the poison after knowing that Hamlet is dying of poison. Hamlet convinces him to stay alive to tell the story to Fortinbras, and he does what Hamlet asks in name of loyalty.

5. Polonius

Polonius is the father of Ophelia and Laertes. He is the right hand of King Hamlet and the new king, Claudius. Polonius is a hypocrite. He says that he is loyal to King Hamlet, Queen Gertrude, and Hamlet, but in fact he is loyal to Claudius. He is mean and slithery. He breaks off the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia. He also convinces everyone that Hamlet is mad. However, as a father, he is admired and loved so much by his children. After he is killed by Hamlet, Ophelia becomes crazy and Laertes plans for revenge.

6. Ophelia

Ophelia is Polonius’s daughter and Laertes’s sister. She is a beautiful noble woman. She is innocent and naïve. Although she loves Hamlet, she still obeys her father and brother. She is also romantic. Even she gets mad because Hamlet kills her father, she can still make poems and sing a song about flowers. She finally drowns in the river near a garden full of beautiful flowers.

7. Laertes

Laertes is Polonius’s son, and Ophelia’s brother. He is an educated young noble man. He spends his life studying in France. He is obsessive of killing Hamlet after the death of his father and sister. He is slithery like his father. When he has fencing duel with Hamlet, he puts poison in the point of the sword.

8. The Ghost

The Ghost claims as the spirit of Hamlet’s father who has been killed by Claudius. The Ghost is evil as he asks Hamlet to kill Claudius. It is unclear whether the Ghost is really the spirit of King Hamlet or he is only Hamlet’s imagination. Although several character see the Ghost, only Hamlet has a dialogue with him.

9. Fortinbras

Fortinbras is the Prince of Norway who seeks for his father’s death. He also wants to claim the land of Denmark under his power. He is greedy. He attacks Denmark with his army and takes the Danish throne. However, in the end of the film he realizes that Hamlet has nothing to do with his father’s death. After listening Horatio’s story, he treats the dead body of Hamlet with respect.

10. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the former friends of Hamlet. They are summoned by Claudius and Gertrude to discover what makes Hamlet acts strangely. They are like twins and always together. They are dishonest and incompetent as they only want to be paid for the information given to Claudius.

11. Osric

Osric is an officer in Elsinore Castle. He is foolish and hilarious. He is the one who has idea that Hamlet should have fencing duel with Laertes.

 

Plot

Plot is the events that unfold in a story; the action and direction of a story; the story line; the arrangement of ideas and/or incidents that make up a story.

Exposition

Exposition is the part of the plot that introduces the setting and characters and presents the events and situations that the story will focus on. The story of Hamlet begins with the view of Elsinore Castle. Outside the castle, a guard sees the statue of King Hamlet moves its hand. The scene introduces the character of the Ghost.

This part of story also introduces all of the important characters of Hamlet, which are Prince Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, and Laertes. All of them are introduced on the event of the wedding of Claudius and Gertrude. Hamlet feels sick of his mother’s wedding while he is still mourning of his father’s death.

In this part of story, Fortinbras is also introduced as the enemy who wants to invade the land and take the throne of Denmark kingdom.

Rising Action

Rising action of a plot is the series of events that build up and create tension and suspense. This tension is a result of the basic conflict that exists and makes the story interesting. The rising action can be identified as the ingredients that complicate matters in a plot.

The complication comes after Hamlet meets the Ghost and finds out that his uncle, Claudius, is the murderer of his father. He starts to act mad and strange that complicates all of the people in the castle. The coming of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern complicates even more as they are paid as the spies to find out what is happening with Hamlet and his madness.

The relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia also becomes complicated because Polonius does not give his approval to their love.

Conflicts

Conflict is the struggle in a work of literature. This struggle may be between one person and another person or between a person and an animal, an idea or a thing (external conflict). It may also be between a person and himself or herself (internal conflict).

The internal conflict happens as Hamlet tries to manage his sorrow and act mad. He struggles with himself by faking crazy after his father’s death.

There are several external conflicts happen in Hamlet. The conflict between Hamlet and Claudius happens along the story. Hamlet shows the conflict with Claudius open to public through the play.

The conflict between Hamlet and Polonius happens because Polonius does not agree with their relationship. When Hamlet shows that he really cares of Ophelia, Polonius calls him mad. His conflict with Ophelia’s father drives new conflict with Ophelia because she obeys her father more than to love Hamlet. The peak of the conflict with Polonius is when Hamlet and Gertrude are having quarrel. Hamlet finds out that Polonius is hiding over the curtain, and stabs him.

Ophelia becomes crazy and drowns in the river. That situation drives the conflict between Hamlet and Laertes. Laertes frustrated of planning revenge for the death of his father and sister.

Climax

Climax is the highest point in a story. In Hamlet, this point occurs when Hamlet and Laertes finally gets their revenges. They have fencing duel and wound each other. They fights violently. Laertes cheats by using poisoned sword. Hamlet grabs Laertes’s sword and wound him with his poisoned sword.

Falling Action

Falling action is the sequence of events that follow the climax and end in the resolution. This is in contrast to the rising action which leads up to the plot's climax.

Falling action of the story is when Gertrude dies after drinking poisoned water that supposed to be drunk by Hamlet. She finds out that the poison is prepared by Claudius, his husband she loves so much.

Denouement

Denouement is the point close to the resolution. The denouement of this story is when Fortinbras comes, and everybody lying on the floor, dies, except Horatio. Horation tells the story to Fortinbras.

Resolution

Resolution is the part of the story's plot line in which the problem of the story is resolved or worked out. This occurs after the falling action and is typically where the story ends.

The resolution of the story is when Fortinbras takes the throne and becomes the king of Denmark. After the funeral of Prince Hamlet, the statue of King Hamlet is torn down.

 

Setting

Setting is the environment in which a story unfolds. It includes:

     (1) the time and period of history,

     (2) the place,

     (3) the atmosphere,

     (4) the clothing,

     (5) the living conditions, and

     (6) the social climate.

Sometimes the setting is extremely important. For example, the atmosphere can influence characters in a ghost story; the living conditions can influence characters in a story about class conflicts or life in prison.

Setting of Time

The film does not tell the setting of time. To discover the setting of time, it refers to the original play. The story of Hamlet is set in the late middle ages (14^th and 15^th centuries or in 1300 to 1499).

What can be seen obviously from the film is the atmosphere. The story happens in the cold winter. Most of the scenes are in the night time. The indoor scenes cannot be identified whether they happen in the day time or night time.

Setting of Place

Generally, the story takes place in Denmark. Most of the scenes take place in the Elsinore Castle.

The hall is used for the scenes of the wedding of Claudius and Gertrude, the meeting of Hamlet and Horatio, the arranged meeting of Hamlet and Ophelia, and the fighting scenes. When Hamlet has quarrel with Gertrude and stabs Polonius, it takes place in Gertrude’s bedroom. There is a love scene might happens in Ophelia’s bedroom. Few scenes show the office inside the castle. There is a room used to keep Ophelia with her madness. Also, there is a huge room used for performing the play.

The outdoor scenes set in several places. The scenes with the guards take place in front of the Elsinore Castle. Hamlet meets the Ghost in the wood. The scene when Claudius poisons King Hamlet is in the back yard of the castle. The scene when Hamlet meets Rosencrantz and Guildenstern takes place somewhere outside the castle. The funeral of Ophelia takes place in the grave yard. Also, the army of Fortinbras stands by on the war field away from the castle.

 

Theme

Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. There are three important themes of Hamlet, which are madness, revenge, and the mystery of death.

All of the madness of the characters begins with Hamlet’s madness of his father’s death. Either he is really mad or only acts mad, his madness drives his strange behaviors and leads to bigger problems among people in Elsinore Castle. Polonius gets mad because he does not want his daughter have love affair with a madman. Claudius becomes mad after being accused by Hamlet as the murderer of his father. Gertrude is mad of Hamlet’s madness. Ophelia becomes mad after his father killed by Hamlet. Laertes is mad that Hamlet is the cause of Ophelia’s drowning.

The madness keeps the hatred alive. It drives to revenge. Blood for blood, life for life, and it is all paid. Hamlet takes revenge for his father’s death by killing Claudius, Laertes challenges Hamlet in fencing duel with poisoned sword for his father and sister, and Fortinbras gets the throne as the compensation of his father’s death. Hamlet points out that taking revenge does a matter.

The appearance of the Ghost indicates the values believed as the mystery of death and the life after death. The linger spirit of King Hamlet brings to Hamlet question of the way of his father dies. Taking revenge to the murderer is believed as the only way to end of the quest.

 

Genre

Genre is type or kind, as applied to literature and film. Examples of genres are romance, horror, tragedy, adventure, suspense, science fiction, epic poem, elegy, novel, historical novel, short story, and detective story.

Hamlet fits into the generic category of "Tragedy." More specifically, Hamlet is a classic "Revenge Tragedy," a popular genre in England during the late 16^th and early 17^th century that includes plays like Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy (c. 1587) and John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi (c. 1623). This genre is influenced by plays written by Seneca (c. 4 BC - 65 AD), who adapted Greek tragedies for the Roman theatre.

 

Dialogue

Dialogue is conversation in a play, short story, or novel. The dialogue in the film of Hamlet is unchanged from the original play. Hamlet, like Shakespeare's other plays, is written in a combination of verse (poetry) and prose (how we talk every day).

Here is the example of the dialogue in Hamlet:

OPHELIA

What means your lordship?

HAMLET

That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should
admit no discourse to your beauty.

OPHELIA

Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than
with honesty?

HAMLET

Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner
transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the
force of honesty can translate beauty into his
likeness: this was sometime a paradox, but now the
time gives it proof. I did love you once.

OPHELIA

Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.

HAMLET

You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot
so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of
it: I loved you not.

OPHELIA

I was the more deceived.

 

Audience

Audience is the act or chance of hearing; a reception by a great person; the person to hear. Audience is a group of individual who appreciate drama. Audience gives judgment about the genre, set the rules, determine the stages, and interpret the characters of the story. The contribution of the audience is giving the standard measurement. By the judgment of the audience, the drama will be either famous or drowning.

Hamlet got positive judgments from the audience. Hamlet was screened out of competition at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. Hamlet received largely positive reviews. Some critics, notably Stanley Kauffmann, declared the film to be the finest motion picture version of Hamlet ever made, and online film critic James Berardinelli has gone so far as to declare the Branagh’s Hamlet the finest Shakespeare adaptation ever, rating it as the fourth best film of the 90s and one of his top 101 favourite films of all time.

The film also was nominated for four Academy Awards; Tim Harvey for Best Art Direction, Alex Byrne for Best Costume Design, Patrick Doyle for Best Original Score, and Kenneth Branagh for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).

 

Personal Comments

Shakespeare has successfully brought the deepest feeling of sorrow through Hamlet. It is ironic that a young prince lives unhappy life and dies tragically. Shakespeare’s intelligent in building the madness and hatred is the interest of the story. It is reflected from the character of Hamlet who is also genius in faking insane. That is why the characterization of Hamlet becomes my point of attraction.

Although Hamlet is a man full of hatred, he is also smart. He can manage all of his fear, sorrow, grudge, love, and passion to be a power in seeking revenge for his father’s unjust death. He is patient enough to calculate the best time to take revenge. He executes the action in an elegant way by performing a play satirizing Claudius and Gertrude.

I like the way Hamlet loves Ophelia. His love to Ophelia shows the sanity of the madman. Although his love to Ophelia is not blessed by Polonius, he keeps the feeling for Ophelia. He always loves her. He screams “I loved Ophelia! Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum” in the grave yard before she is buried.

Hamlet is also a brave man. He accepts the challenge of Laertes to have a fencing duel. On the day of the duel, he shows his good manner as the first person who apologizes. He is such a gentleman by saying “I have done you wrong” to Laertes. Whether I do not know he is sincere or faking it, what he does shows the intelligence of someone considered insane. Hamlet is the best description of lunatic genius.

 

References

http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/literaryterms/g/fallingAction.htm

http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/literaryterms/g/resolution.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_%281996_film%29

http://homeworktips.about.com/od/writingabookreport/a/risingaction.htm

http://litera1no4.tripod.com/elements.html

http://schoolworkhelper.net/2010/08/queen-gertrude-character-analysis-hamlet/

http://shakespeare.mit.edu/hamlet/full.html

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xLitTerms.html#Literary%20Terms

http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/ElementsLit.html

http://www.shmoop.com/hamlet/genre.html

http://www.shmoop.com/hamlet/setting.html

http://www.shmoop.com/hamlet/writing-style.html

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/themes.html

Continue reading...

Raymond Cook's Why Have You Stayed Behind: Analysis of Plot

WHY HAVE YOU STAYED BEHIND?
Raymond Cook


Every Sunday morning just past 9am, I'd arrive at the Longbranch Cemetery to mow the grounds. This morning though I would discover would be very different. For near a headstone which showed a child's face, I stopped to take a break. After a few moments, I crawled over to the headstone to rub off some of the moss and mold, to read the words. Her name was Martha, and she died on May 17, 1900 of small pox, a deadly disease back then. I didn't stay there much longer beyond saying softly, "I'm sure your mommy and daddy love and miss you very much!"

I went about my job, and by afternoon the grounds looked good as new! It was then that for no particular reason, I looked up towards Martha's grave near a tall oak tree. I was startled, as I saw a small child standing next to the headstone. She had beautiful long wavy blonde hair, and looked about seven years old. She wore a dress like the ones I saw on Little House On The Prairie TV series. She was looking down at the words I had read, then she turned and looked directly into my eyes. Her eyes looked so sad, that I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. I was over come with a feeling of helplessness for her.

As she watched me walk slowly toward the wrought iron gate of the cemetery, she raised her tiny hand and shook her head no! In the time it took to blink tears away, she touched her headstone and vanished. I opened one side of the gate, and made my way back up the hill to her grave. When I reached her resting place...I kneeled down and whispered; "Why have you stayed behind, my little one?" I sat there on the cool green grass, as the wind blew fall leaves to the ground. Each leaf glistened as it was caught in the sun light, resembling angel's descending from heaven. My heart was heavy, realizing such a small child had passed away! She must be lost! She doesn't know what to do or where to go since she died.

I wish, I wish, I wish, I cried, I wish I could have held her, and tried to comfort her. I wanted to show her she wasn't alone. She lingers in this cemetery, a place that doesn't offer her peace or comfort. Maybe she is waiting for her parents to come and take her home with them? I felt as helpless as she felt, but what could I do? As I began to stand, I touched her headstone softly and whispered, "I'll come back tomorrow Martha, with a surprise for you."

When I returned the next day, I wasn't alone. I had searched that afternoon from one second hand store, to another until I found what I had been looking for. I found a Raggedy Ann doll. It had been well cared for, probably kept in someone's hope chest. It was my hope that Martha had such a doll as this one. I had seen alot of western movies where a small child had a Raggedy Ann doll, just like this one! I couldn't think of any other gift that might bring some comfort to her. When I parked my truck in front of the cemetery the next day, I smiled. But by the time I had sat down next to Martha's headstone there were tears once more in my eyes. But they were good tears.

Often times when a child has been hurt or is frightened, a stuffed animal is just what they need to hold! I propped up the doll against her headstone as I felt a smile come across my face. I spoke to Martha, as if she were there beside me. I talked about some of my childhood memories, times when I felt alone. Times when I cried. I told her that I had brought a friend. A friend who would love her and never leave her.

Someone she could talk to and play with, and that it was a gift from me. I stood up and leaned down and kissed her headstone softly, wiped my eyes and whispered, "Good-bye Martha!" I had almost reached my truck, when suddenly, I heard the sound of a child giggling. I turned quickly around and watched as Martha hugged her doll! I could have sworn there were tears in her eyes, as she smiled down at me and waved at me before she disappeared.

Several days later, I stopped at the small white country church, with a pastor’s house attached to the back side. I had never attended Pastor John's services because I lived in a near-by town. I felt very nervous about trying to find a way to explain to the Pastor what I had seen in his cemetery. But I was equally nervous about what his response would be! Would he even believe me? I stepped out of my truck and hesitated. I was about to get back into my truck and leave, when the front door of the church opened. He wasn't quite the Pastor I expected to see, dressed in bib overalls, with a paint can and brush in his hand. He sat them both down, smiled, and made his way down the church steps to greet me.

"My name is Pastor John my friend, welcome," and he shook my hand firmly. I could tell by his hand shake that he was no stranger to hard work. I told him my name was Raymond, and that his wife had hired me to mow the cemetery once a week. With a sparkle in his eyes, he nodded, and motioned for me to follow him. "I've got a pitcher of ice tea, Raymond. By the warmth of the sun, I'd say we could both use a glass"; and he laughed. He spoke to me with gentleness, a man of wisdom. I followed behind him as we made our way through the small church and into his office. Pastor John poured two glasses and handed me one and I thanked him, as he motioned for me to take a chair. "I'm so glad to have your help Raymond, mowing the cemetery lawns just takes my breath away," he said with a smile.

His office was a plain and simple one, with a large painting of Jesus, hanging next to the window looking out at the cemetery. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about Pastor, there's a problem." He looked at me with concern, then curiousity, but remained silent. “While I was working next door yesterday, well…" then he watched my eyes begin to water. His eyes grew wide with concern, and he began to speak. "You must have seen her too, the little girl, you saw my Martha?" Tears of relief flowed down my cheeks and his, as I nodded unable to speak.

Pastor John pulled a red checkered handkerchief from his back pocket and wipes his eyes. "Martha was six years old when she died of small pox, Raymond. Her mom and dad, and many neighbors left this area to escape the disease. I've got relatives buried in this cemetery Raymond. Martha isn't kin to me, but she is a lost soul! I have tried to speak to her, I have prayed for her. Still she lingers in our cemetery, and my spirit has suffered."

"I haven't told my wife about Martha, nor anyone else. I was beginning to think that I was the only one who could see her." When Pastor John was finished, he took a deep sigh. He looked like a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders. I told him of my encounter with Martha and of the doll that I had brought to her. In a moment, he spoke. "God bless you Raymond!" We both were silent for a moment, perhaps lost in thought. Then, I asked him a question. "How can we guide Martha home to Jesus?"

As Pastor John walked over to the window, facing the cemetery, he paused. He looked deep in thought, searching for an answer. Then, he turned to me, his eyes a bit teary and spoke. "Martha, bless her spirit, has made you her friend. Something I have tried to do for a long time, and failed. Could you visit her now and then Raymond, maybe she will speak to you?" I nodded to him as I stood looking out the same window. "Children have always found a soft spot in my heart, Pastor John."

I looked into Pastor John's smile with a look of confusion. Pastor, I don't know what to say to Martha, or what passages to quote? He just smiled widely at me, placing his hand on my shoulder, as he spoke. "God's blessed you with a gift Raymond, with work left undone. Go to Martha, my friend, for God will show you he needs you to do." As I took in his words, I heard the distinctive sound. It was a VW bug, and his wife was pulling into the drive way. Pastor John beamed a smile, "my wife Amy is home, mum's the word!"

I looked at him, nodded, and laughed as we walked outside to meet her. When she saw him step out onto the church porch, I heard her say to Pastor John, "I thought you'd be finished painting"; as she laughed with playful eyes. "Hi Raymond. My you have made the Cemetery so nice, it's been needing care for a long time, and well; there's just so much to do for John. I hope John hasn't been preaching too much today, he loves the lord," she said with a warm smile.

"No mam, I answered, we've only been talking a short time, but I do need to go and get to my afternoon landscaping job," I told her. "But I'll be back tomorrow to do a little extra work." Pastor John's smile grew wide, as wide as mine, as I headed for my truck. His wife, looked first at her husband, then to me, wondering with that deer in the head lights look, what we might be up too.

I didn't sleep well that night, no, I tossed and turned. I kept thinking of that sad little girl. I was growing attached to her. What hope did I have of becoming close to her? Of talking to her? More important, would she or could she talk to me? What could I say to Martha that would ease her pain? Why hadn't she found the path, leading her back to Jesus' arms? So many questions came to mind, I just couldn't fall asleep. Pastor John left it up to me to guide her on her way. So I got out of bed, turned the light on, and wrote down my thoughts.

Like a candle's light glowing in the darkness of the night, suddenly I had an idea on how I might be able to help Martha. The morning's sunrise came all too soon for me. But I had an idea, a plan and hoped to see Martha again. Perhaps, she would allow me to see her, perhaps not. As I pulled out of my driveway, I stopped at the only jewelry shop in town. I browsed through gold chains of every size and price range which had a cross on them. I finally did settle on one I felt would fit her, one I hoped she'd like. I asked the jeweler if he did engraving, and he said yes.

I asked him what it would cost to engrave the name Martha on the back of the cross and when it might be ready? He told me, engraving with the purchase was free, and that it would be just a few minutes. When finished, I looked it over, and I smiled, it looked beautiful. On my way out of town, I stopped at McDonald's and had 2 sausage egg McMuffins without cheese, and a medium coke. I glanced down at the gold cross necklace, boxed, and wrapped in brightly colored balloon wrapping paper, and I felt so good. Fall was here, and the leaves on the road were gold, reddish brown and yellow.

When I arrived at the Longbranch cemetery, the sun shone brightly. As the leafs fell slowly to the ground, they were caught in the glint of sunlight, looking like angels descending from heaven. I sat next to Martha's headstone for hours, and I felt that she wasn't going to appear. Then, I heard the distinctive giggle of a small child, and I felt my own smile grow. The sound came from behind me and I turned my head around and saw Martha, smiling so bright a small, as she was waving her tiny hand hi!

My eyes shined and my smile grew wide when I saw Martha. She was hugging her doll tight and waving excitedly. It was if I were her dad, who she hadn't seen in a long time. She almost ran into my arms, but she stopped, and sat down near me. She was so close to me, I could have reached out and touched her. In every way, she looked just as if she were alive, an ordinary little girl. "I'm so glad you came to visit again," she giggled. She said with laughter as she looked down at her doll, "see, I told you he'd come back," and we both laughed. "I named her Becky, do you like her name?"

So, you gave her a name already, Martha, and her face was beaming with delight as she nodded her head! "Well, I think that's a fine name for a pretty doll," and she looked like the happiest girl I'd ever seen before! It was then, that her eyes spotted the small box, wrapped in pretty balloon wrapping, and then, she looked at me with curiousity. "Tell me, tell me, you brought me another present Raymond," and she could barely sit still when I said, "I sure did Martha." I couldn't hold back my tears of joy, as they rolled down my cheeks one after another. She looked at me with sad eyes, then to the present, and asked me, "why are you crying?"

As I wiped my eyes, and blinked, I told her; "it's hard to explain. But before we talk, little one, here, this is for you," and I placed the box on her lap. She eagerly pulled at the wrapping with small hands, and I laughed as colored paper was flying every where. Then she paused, as she held the long narrow box in her hands, hesitating. Then I said, "well, go ahead, open it up, peek inside," and she giggled as she pulled the top off. As the lid came off, tears filled her eyes as she whispered, "oh my, it's so pretty!" She held the necklace in her tiny hands and rubbed the cross, as I said, "go ahead, turn it over and see what is written?" With the curious innocence that makes kids a delight, she turned over the gold cross and held it close to her eyes as she spoke her name out loud!

In broken words, between tears, she tried to smile as she told me that she had been so lonely, for so long, and then, I brought her Becky, and now, this pretty necklace! Then suddenly, she climbed up into my my lap, so unexpectedly and hugged my neck tight, and said "thank you so much," and I cried too, telling her it was alright. And for that brief moment, I forgot that Martha was a spirit of a little girl.

It was the perfect time to say the perfect words, but I was an imperfect man, and I had no words to say to her. Instead of talking, I waited till Martha finished sharing a long missed hug. When she let go, I expected her to go back where she had sat, but she didn't. She stayed there in my lap, looking into my eyes, with such a warm innocent smile, that reminded me of Shirley Temple. Then, impatiently, she said, "well, aren't you gonna help me put it on?" I felt embarrassed, having not asked her first, and I said, "of course Martha, turn around for me," and she did. In a moment the clasp was hooked, and I felt her pull gently on the cross as she looked down at it.

She hugged me one more time, then she left my arms and sat down next to Becky and picked her up. Martha was showing Becky her necklace, as I began to speak. But before I began, I looked over at the church, I saw Pastor John looking at me, but he looked very different. Then, Pastor John moved away from the window, and I turned my attention back to Martha. I was tongue tied, searching for the right words, but realized there were no perfect, easy words to say what I wanted to say. “Martha, can I talk to you for a minute, it's real important?" She looked up from Becky, nodded, watching intently. As she fingered the cross, I began to speak.

You know why your momma and dad went away don't you Martha? Gone was the sparkle in Martha's deep blue eyes. All she did was nod at first. "Everyone was getting sick, and I was very sick, I remember." Everyone was leaving town, and I didn't want them to go away. I didn't want my dad and mom to leave me, and her voice, trembled, and she broke into tears. My heart was breaking as she crawled back into my arms, and I rocked her. "I have been waiting for them to come back and take me with them,” she said, and I felt warm tears soak my shirt as her head rest on my shoulder. When she quieted down, it was my turn to speak.

I'm glad you remember when you were very sick Martha, it was a time when many were sick. Many of them didn't get better, they died and were buried here. I waited a moment to let those words sink into Martha's thoughts. "Martha," I said, as my tears fell upon her, "the reason mom and dad haven't come back to take you with them, is because, because you couldn't get better, you died!" Then, I heard her softly say sadly, "I know," was all she said as she hugged me tighter. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes, there were no words she or I could find.

Then she looked up into my eyes and her expression was so heart wrenching, a plea to help her, and I didn't know anything I could do for her. I whispered, "Martha, why have you stayed behind? Didn't you see an angel, a light, a stairway someone to show you the way to heaven?” She just shook her head no. Can you help me Raymond? "Can you help me go to heaven?" All I could say to her was, "I'm so sorry hun, I don't know what to do." It was then, that I heard Pastor John's gentle voice, and we both looked up and saw him. There was a glow all around him, and I knew now what happened at the window. He had a heart attack, and had died.

"It's okay Martha, come take my hand, I know the way to heaven." There were tears in our eyes as she looked at Pastor John, then to me as she spoke. "I will miss you Raymond, very very much." As I cried, I told her I would miss her with all my heart. She climbed down, picked up Becky with one hand and took Pastor John's hand with her other hand. I waved to both of them, as they said good-bye, for the stairway to heaven had opened above them.

© 2002 Raymond Cook (All rights reserved)
 


Analysis of Plot

In Raymond Cook’s short story “Why Have You Stayed Behind?”, the story begins with an exposition. Exposition is the beginning of the story where the characters and the setting are revealed. Paragraph 1 tells about the setting of time which is Sunday morning, and setting of place which is Longbranch Cemetery: Every Sunday morning just past 9am, I'd arrive at the Longbranch Cemetery to mow the grounds. This morning though I would discover would be very different. That sentence also tells the characterization of the main character as someone who is hired to mow the grass in the cemetery. It is also mentioned the characterization of the supporting character, Martha: Her name was Martha, and she died on May 17, 1900 of small pox, a deadly disease back then. (paragraph 1), and She had beautiful long wavy blonde hair, and looked about seven years old. She wore a dress like the ones I saw on Little House On The Prairie TV series. (paragraph 2).

Then, it comes the rising actions. This is where the events in the story become complicated: …she touched her headstone and vanished. (paragraph 3). The raising action is also mentioned in other paragraph: I had almost reached my truck, when suddenly, I heard the sound of a child giggling. I turned quickly around and watched as Martha hugged her doll! (paragraph 7).

The story is interspersed by the foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is the use of clues or hints or warnings to suggest events that will occur later in the plot. The first clue comes up when the main character, Raymond, realizes that Martha is a linger spirit: She must be lost! She doesn't know what to do or where to go since she died. (paragraph 3). The clue is also mentioned on paragraph 4: Maybe she is waiting for her parents to come and take her home with them? The other clue is mention on the dialog between Raymond and Pastor John: “Could you visit her now and then Raymond, maybe she will speak to you?” … "Children have always found a soft spot in my heart, Pastor John." (paragraph 13). Also, there is a clue on paragraph 14: "God's blessed you with a gift Raymond, with work left undone. Go to Martha, my friend, for God will show you he needs you to do."

In this story, there are internal conflicts. The conflicts happen because Raymond has a struggle within himself about Martha. He must make some decision about what he has to do about Martha’s spirit. The first conflict comes up when he sees Martha for the first time. He wants to help but he feels he can not: I was over come with a feeling of helplessness for her. (paragraph 2) and I wish, I wish, I wish, I cried, I wish I could have held her, and tried to comfort her. I wanted to show her she wasn't alone. (paragraph 4). The next conflict is when Raymond feels confuse about telling Pastor John about Martha: I felt very nervous about trying to find a way to explain to the Pastor what I had seen in his cemetery. But I was equally nervous about what his response would be! Would he even believe me? (paragraph 8). Raymond’s question to Pastor John is the key of the conflict: "How can we guide Martha home to Jesus?" (paragraph 12). Raymond is so confuse that he even can only ask question without saying it: Pastor, I don't know what to say to Martha, or what passages to quote? (paragraph 14).

The internal conflict is also happened within Pastor John. He feels powerless of Martha’s lingering: “...I have tried to speak to her, I have prayed for her. Still she lingers in our cemetery, and my spirit has suffered." (paragraph 11). His decision of not telling his wife about Martha also becomes Pastor John’s internal conflict: "I haven't told my wife about Martha, nor anyone else. I was beginning to think that I was the only one who could see her." (paragraph 12).

After coming home, Raymond still thinks about what he has to do about Martha’s spirit, which he still has conflict within himself: I didn't sleep well that night, no, I tossed and turned. I kept thinking of that sad little girl. I was growing attached to her. What hope did I have of becoming close to her? Of talking to her? More important, would she or could she talk to me? What could I say to Martha that would ease her pain? Why hadn't she found the path, leading her back to Jesus' arms? So many questions came to mind, I just couldn't fall asleep. (paragraph 17)

The meeting and whole conversation with Martha is also a struggle for Raymond. He tries to find the perfect way to tell that Martha is actually dead: And for that brief moment, I forgot that Martha was a spirit of a little girl. (paragraph 24). On paragraph 25, there is a conflict between Raymond and the circumstance: It was the perfect time to say the perfect words, but I was an imperfect man, and I had no words to say to her. Instead of talking, I waited till Martha finished sharing a long missed hug. When she let go, I expected her to go back where she had sat, but she didn't. She stayed there in my lap, looking into my eyes, with such a warm innocent smile, that reminded me of Shirley Temple. And the conflict still happens: I was tongue tied, searching for the right words, but realized there were no perfect, easy words to say what I wanted to say. (paragraph 26)

Before the story reaches the climax, there is a foreshadowing that gives a warning about the condition of Pastor John: But before I began, I looked over at the church, I saw Pastor John looking at me, but he looked very different. (paragraph 26)

Climax is the highest point of interest of the story. The climax of this story is when Raymond reveals who Martha really is: "Martha," I said, as my tears fell upon her, "the reason mom and dad haven't come back to take you with them, is because, because you couldn't get better, you died!" (paragraph 28).

The falling action happens when Martha says that she knows she is dead. Falling action comes up when the events or complications begin to resolve themselves: Then, I heard her softly say sadly, "I know," was all she said as she hugged me tighter. (paragraph 28).

However, before the resolution comes up, there is a foreshadowing: There was a glow all around him, and I knew now what happened at the window. (paragraph 29). That sentence becomes a clue that Pastor John dies.

Finally, the story is ended with a resolution or denouement: I waved to both of them, as they said good-bye, for the stairway to heaven had opened above them. (paragraph 30) as the final event of the story.

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Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour: Analysis of Style and Tone

STYLE 

Paragraph

The Story of an Hour has short paragraphs. Each paragraph only contains not more than five sentences. The longest paragraph is paragraph eleven which has five sentences: When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!” The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body.

Dictions

· Chopin chose formal words: It was he who had been in newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed”. (paragraph 2)

· The words mainly denotative or containing exact meanings and concrete (specific): There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. (paragraph 4)

· The words are euphonious (pleasant sounding): The delicious breath of rain was in the air. (paragraph 5)

Sentences Structure

Most of the sentences are complex sentences: When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. (paragraph 3)

However, there are simple and compound sentences as well, but not many: They stayed keen and bright. (simple sentence, paragraph 11); Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body. (compound sentence, paragraph 11)

Symbolisms

· It is said that Mrs. Mallard has a heart trouble: Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death. (paragraph 1). Heart can be the real heart, but heart also symbolizes love. Mrs. Mallard may have no heart disease, but she may have love problem which is problem in her marriage life. On the last paragraph: When the doctor came they said she had died of heart disease­—of joy that kills. It means that she is not killed by heart attack, but her love kills her.

· She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. (paragraph 5) The new spring life does not always mean that the setting of the story is on the spring season. The new spring life may symbolize Mrs. Mallard’s new happier life after her husband’s death.

Treatment of Subject Matter

Chopin has been objective. He makes the main character (Mrs. Mallard) die at the end of the story. His conclusion is based on fact that Mrs. Mallard has trouble with her heart. It is something impersonal: But Richard was too late. (paragraph 22)

Figures of Speech

· Alliteration: repetition of an initial consonant sound.

She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. (paragraph 3)

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. (paragraph 5)

The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. (paragraph 5)

But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air. (paragraph 9)

She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will—as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been. (paragraph 10)

Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts days that would be her own. (paragraph 19)

· Irony: saying the opposite of what is meant, or verbal irony.

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.

· Metaphor: An implied comparison between two unlike things that actually have something important in common.

When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. (paragraph 3)

The delicious breath of rain was in the air. (paragraph 5)

· Oxymoron: Combining contradictory words to reveal a truth.

She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. (paragraph 12)

· Paradox: A statement that appears to contradict itself.
It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. (paragraph 2)

When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of joy that kills. (paragraph 23)

· Personification: Giving humanlike qualities or human form to objects and abstractions.

Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul. (paragraph 4)

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. (paragraph 5)

The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. (paragraph 5)

There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window. (paragraph 6)

She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will—as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been. (paragraph 10)

· Simile: Comparing one thing to an unlike thing by using like, as, or than.

She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams. (paragraph 7)

There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. (paragraph 20)

TONE

The tone of The Story of an Hour is ironic. People around Mrs. Mallard think that she is very sad of her husband’s death. After her sister, Josephine, tells her about her husband’s death, she locks herself alone in her room staring out the window. Josephine thinks that her sister’s crying out because of the deep grief of losing her husband. However, the fact is that she cries out for being relieved. She feels free. She is happy for her freedom. At the end of the story, her husband who supposed to be dead comes home safe, not dead. And the one who is dead is Mrs. Mallard, killed by the joy.

The Story of an hour is also dramatic. The moment when Mrs. Mallard lock herself alone in her room is described dramatically. The situation when she is staring out the window, feeling the atmosphere of freedom, and crying for new life are described in brilliant way. Chopin wanted the readers to feel what Mrs. Mallard is experiencing when she is alone in her room. Chopin chose beautiful words to touch the reader to feel the drama of the irony of love. When Mrs. Mallard says, “free, free, free!” (paragraph 11) and “free! Body and soul free!” (paragraph 16), she throws away all of her sadness, burdens, and the tortures of her marriage life. She releases all of her pains.

It is quite hard to understand the story on the first reading. If it is only read once, sadness and shocked are the only things readers can get. Chopin wrote this story with mysteries which are not easy to be analyzed. The first name of the main character, Mrs. Mallard, is not mentioned on early paragraphs but on paragraph 17: Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhole, imploring for admission. “Louise, open the door! I beg, open the door—you will make yourself ill. What are you doing Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door.” So the name of Mrs. Mallard is Louise. Chopin kept the name mystery until paragraph 17 to make readers emphasize her characteristic as a weak housewife and the exciting moment when she is alone in her room. And the biggest mystery of this story is what exactly kills Mrs. Mallard. It is still cannot be solved what kills Mrs. Mallard, whether she gets heart attack after seeing Mr. Mallard alive or her relief of all of her feelings and love.

Chopin had his great job in writing The Story of an Hour. It has a good unexpected plot which needs deep understanding. Chopin has been able to make the readers keep questioning. It means that The Story of an Hour is not only a great short story, but Chopin is also a smart author.

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Flowers for Algernon

Flowers for Algernon is a science fiction novel written by Daniel Keyes. It was published in 1966 and won Nebula Award for Best Novel.

Algernon is a laboratory mouse who had a surgery to increase his intelligence by artificial means. The story is told as a series of progress reports written by Charlie Gordon, the first human test subject for the surgery, and touches upon many different ethical and moral themes such as the treatment of the mentally disabled.

Charlie Gordon is a 32 year old man with an IQ of 68 who works as a janitor and deliveryman for Donner's Bakery. His uncle made him work there for 17 years that Charlie would not have to be sent to an institution, the Warren State Home. Wanting to improve himself, Charlie attends reading and writing classes at the Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults. He has an attractive young teacher there, Alice Kinnian.

Professor Nemur and Doctor Strauss, two Beekman researchers, are looking for a human subject on whom they can test an experimental surgical technique for increasing intelligence. They have already performed the surgery on a mouse named Algernon, leading to a dramatic improvement in his mental performance. Based on Alice's recommendation and his own motivation to learn, Charlie is picked to be their experiment subject and submit him to surgery.

The procedure is a success and three months later, Charlie's IQ has reached to 185. However, as his intelligence, education, and understanding of the world around him increases, his relationships with people decreases. His co-workers at the bakery are scared of his increased intelligence, and finally he’s fired from his job.

Charlie gets smarter and smarter. He reads many books and journals in many languages, even he has never learnt any foreign languages. He’s very genius. Scientists hate him, because he’s smarter than them. Even his beloved teacher, Alice, walks away from him. Although Charlie is a genius man, deep inside he’s still the same innocent Charlie like he was. He knows everything in this world, but he doesn’t even know anything about life, relationship, friendship, love and to be loved, or even how to cry. So, Charlie is a genius lonely man.

Since Charlie is very genius, he discovers a flaw in the theories of intelligence enhancing he has done. Algernon starts behaving irregularly, loses his intelligence, and dies. Charlie does further researches, he determines that he will be in that condition too. So he tries to fix the broken relationships with his parents, his sister, his friends, and Alice. That’s because he knows that his intelligent will decrease, and slowly but sure he will die like what happened to Algernon. He doesn’t want to be alone when he dies.

Time goes by, and Charlie goes back to his former self. Finally, he decides to live at the Warren State Home, because he knows he will be a retarded man as he was. In the end of his reports, he asks someone to put flowers on Algernon's grave.

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Swangoing: Poisonous Method of Studying

poisoning is the most intelligent form of murder

BLIND EYE is a book written by James B. Stewart, the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Blind Eye is a true story about Michael Swango, a serial killer, was suspected of having fatally poisoned more than 60 people between 1984 and 1997 as an intern or resident at a number of hospitals and health-care establishments. He may have poisoned and killed patients under his care over the past 10 years when he worked in Ohio, Quincy, Massachusetts, Virginia, South Dakota, New York, and Zimbabwe. In all those places, this affable doctor had been suspected in a number of deaths and sudden illnesses.

Swango did not often vary his methods of murder. With non-patients, such as his co-workers at the paramedic service, he used poisons, usually arsenic, slipping them into foods and beverages. With patients, he sometimes used poisons as well, but usually he administered an overdose of whichever drug the patient had been prescribed, or wrote false prescriptions for dangerous drugs for his patients.

When he was in medical school, he used to study while racing into the hall. Instead of studying days or weeks before the exams like the other students, he studied between exams. His classmates and lecturers called this method of studying as "swangoing" or "to swango". Now we all know it as "study in the last minutes", or "SKS: Sistem Kebut Semalam".

After finishing my exams, i heard someone said "Goddamn SKS!" Oh.. you really don't know how great swangoing is. I am a BIG fan of swangoing. I always do my assignments and study for exams a night before, and sometimes couple hours before. I always do that because I know something good about swangoing: it is POISONOUS! Swangoing kills. Everytime I do swangoing, I am always scared of failing. But that is what I like most. I love that poison. That sensation, you know.. makes me live, energizes me.

Michael Swango was a murderer, and I know that I could be murdered, not by him but by his swangoing. And everytime I saved, I felt EXTREMELY satisfied.

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