First Post

This is kind of exciting as it seems blogging will become much of my life in the future. From now on I can tell my kids my first blog was about Shakespeare. They will think I'm an English nerd. No problem. Taking this class I hope to become more well rounded by diving into a world of unknown. Word use, critical thinking and analyzing other's writings are among skills I hope to develop over the semester.
Right now I am enjoying different themes our teacher has pulled out of Hamlet. The unknown world is emerging before my eyes. Like JJ, I believe there are many things in Shakespeare's writing that apply to our day. Hamlet seems to show there are less and less sources to trust these days. There seems to be a theme of "is this the real life, or is this fantasy?" Yes Hamlet saw a ghost, but was it real? Yes Claudius heard Voltemand deliver a message of peace about Norway, but was it true? Even though Claudius is at the top of the kingdom, is he really fooling himself? To me, and this is personal opinion and experience, the only real life, the only sustainable lasting happiness, comes from doing what us right. When we are doing our best the Lord will sustain us. These characters, and many in Shakespeare's plays, seem to live upon wickedness, and their miserable ends undoubtedly follow.