This is SO unfair. So I am walking down a bookstore and pick up a pad that has fallen on the floor, and let me just tell you--I about felt my jaw hit the ground when I saw it was a critique of no other than me, myself, and I.
Let me begin. First of all, I do commend this unknown author who has somehow found to interpret almost every song I sing, which in my opinion were very in tune and rhythmic. This author states "Ophelia's song begins with an imaginary wayfarer's echo of her simple query about her missing lover; it ends with the equally simple statement about his burial in a foreign land" (Seng 219). I did intentionally mention "Valentine's Day" in my song, but that does not mean the tune solely revolved around Hamlet himself. As deprived as I truly was, I was also referencing the fact that my love towards my father had been torn and "never departed more" (4.5.60). How this person can make such broad judgements I do not see...I have deeper meaning now more than ever that I do not think any one else can notice. King Claudius simply asked, "How long hath she been thus?" (4.5.72) not even attending to the fact that I know now! I have become aware of how easy it is for greed and revenge to mix, plots to align, and eventually a death in pity. I sang to the tune, "Alack and fie for shame" (4.5.64), and even though I was referencing Hamlet I hoped that the world would feel the shame I felt for my father and for my situation itself. If only I had convinced my father of Hamlet's pure love he would have trusted his means and not gotten himself killed. I can only disagree with this author on his critique--he states, "Ophelia's confused reply [to Claudius]" (Seng 220). Confused? Granted, yes, I did say to my father at the time, "I do not know, my lord, what I should think" (1.3.113), but my mind was swarming with all of Laertes such crude advice. In the back of my mind I simply wanted to tell my father that he was wrong! All wrong! Which is why I replied not with a "yes, I agree" but with a more negative connotation "I don't know"--hopefully leading him to second-guess himself, but NO! All that this author thinks is that I was blatantly confused? What rubbish. And moving on to my third and last piece of say is when this author states, "Ophelia once more alludes in song to the circumstances of her relationship with Hamlet" (Seng 223). And once again, I stand to disagree; how this author finds my once-loving relationship in my song that went, "They bore him barefac'd on the bier; Hey non nonny, nonny, hey nonny; And in his grave rain'd many a tear--" (4.5.188-190). How this author can be so mad as to miss the statement my brother made not even a few seconds before my tune. My brother Laertes clearly understands me in every way possible as her realizes that my wits have been sent after my father, as he states, "It sends some precious instance of itself After the thing it loves" (4.5.186-187). Laertes knows, this uneducated man choosing to judge me from such a Hamlet-based perspective doesn't realize the guilt I face and the love I had for my father.
Let me begin. First of all, I do commend this unknown author who has somehow found to interpret almost every song I sing, which in my opinion were very in tune and rhythmic. This author states "Ophelia's song begins with an imaginary wayfarer's echo of her simple query about her missing lover; it ends with the equally simple statement about his burial in a foreign land" (Seng 219). I did intentionally mention "Valentine's Day" in my song, but that does not mean the tune solely revolved around Hamlet himself. As deprived as I truly was, I was also referencing the fact that my love towards my father had been torn and "never departed more" (4.5.60). How this person can make such broad judgements I do not see...I have deeper meaning now more than ever that I do not think any one else can notice. King Claudius simply asked, "How long hath she been thus?" (4.5.72) not even attending to the fact that I know now! I have become aware of how easy it is for greed and revenge to mix, plots to align, and eventually a death in pity. I sang to the tune, "Alack and fie for shame" (4.5.64), and even though I was referencing Hamlet I hoped that the world would feel the shame I felt for my father and for my situation itself. If only I had convinced my father of Hamlet's pure love he would have trusted his means and not gotten himself killed. I can only disagree with this author on his critique--he states, "Ophelia's confused reply [to Claudius]" (Seng 220). Confused? Granted, yes, I did say to my father at the time, "I do not know, my lord, what I should think" (1.3.113), but my mind was swarming with all of Laertes such crude advice. In the back of my mind I simply wanted to tell my father that he was wrong! All wrong! Which is why I replied not with a "yes, I agree" but with a more negative connotation "I don't know"--hopefully leading him to second-guess himself, but NO! All that this author thinks is that I was blatantly confused? What rubbish. And moving on to my third and last piece of say is when this author states, "Ophelia once more alludes in song to the circumstances of her relationship with Hamlet" (Seng 223). And once again, I stand to disagree; how this author finds my once-loving relationship in my song that went, "They bore him barefac'd on the bier; Hey non nonny, nonny, hey nonny; And in his grave rain'd many a tear--" (4.5.188-190). How this author can be so mad as to miss the statement my brother made not even a few seconds before my tune. My brother Laertes clearly understands me in every way possible as her realizes that my wits have been sent after my father, as he states, "It sends some precious instance of itself After the thing it loves" (4.5.186-187). Laertes knows, this uneducated man choosing to judge me from such a Hamlet-based perspective doesn't realize the guilt I face and the love I had for my father.
Dear friend, I completely understand what you are going through. This critic tries to understand what you and I are going through, when he has no idea what is truly going on in our lives. He tries to say that we are deranged and crazy, but truthfully, we are upset. “How this person can make such broad judgments I do not see...I have deeper meaning now more than ever that I do not think any one else can notice.” I understand what you are talking about here completely. He’s trying to pass judgment on us when we don’t deserve it. I think someone needs to analyze this person because what he saying is full of lies and does not contain one piece of truth in this so-called “scholarly piece of writing.”
ReplyDelete—Ophelia
Ophelia,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that Mr. Seng's analysis of your sanity has upset you so much. I am even sorrier that part of your sadness is caused by, as you put it, Mr. Seng's "Hamlet-based perspective". I am many things, "...I am very proud,/ revengeful, ambitious...(3.1.125-126)" but egotistical is not one of them. I do not believe that your world and your fall from sanity (as true as your words and short songs may be I do believe that you are no longer entirely sane, though who am I to judge?) is not solely my fault. I do take some of the blame, especially since I have been scaring you with my behavior, "At last, a little shaking of mine arm/ And thrice his head thus waving up and down, (2.1.94-95)", as well as my words, "...Get thee to a nunnery (3.1.138)", but you are correct that the catalyst in your fall from sanity was the death of your father. Although upon further thought if you were to go back to the root of your problems, it was against my affections that Polonius and Laertes gave you their advice. Then it was my actions that made you feel more insecure. Then I killed your father. So I guess Mr. Seng's Hamlet-based perspective was the best way to interpret your behavior. I do, however, agree that Mr.Seng doesn't seem to understand the love you have for your father and the role that love played in your ultimate demise.
With much sorrow,
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark