In elementary school, I remember some art project wherein we traced our shadows. Well – we couldn’t trace our own shadows – every move would change them – but we traced one another’s shadows. It’s kind of a beautiful project. You get an artistic representation of yourself that is also not your self – a self/not-self at several layers of remove.
Author: erainbowd
And his infusion of such dearth and Rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his Semblance is his mirror.
What does Hamlet mean by infusion here?
It would seem that it meant then more or less what it means now.
Is he pointing to a kind of essence of Laertes’ soul?
Is the infusion, like, concentrated extract of Laertes?
I mean, I know a lot of this is purposefully obscure language but in other instances, it is also accurate. Has he veered away from meaningful parody and just begun to get a little silly? Just seeing what he can get away with with Osric?
His semblance is his mirror? Is he trying to say he is what he seems? This sentence is not only what it seems.
But, in the Verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of Great article.
Ah, the verity of extolment!
I’m writing this on the day of Dr. Ford’s testimony about Brett Kavanagh. And thinking about how high the praise has been of him by those who would like to see him seated on the Supreme Court.
I can see the verity of their claims. Oh, he is a great dad! Oh, he is a dedicated church goer! What a good guy! But you know what, fuckers?
Bill Cosby was also a great dad. He was America’s Dad when I was a kid. We all wanted Bill Cosby to be our father, too. But turns out – you can be a great dad and ALSO a rapist. You can go to church every Sunday and still commit sexual assault. The verity of your extolment doesn’t make the other things NOT true. It’s like none of these people ever read a book, watched a play or saw a movie. Bad guys don’t always look like bad guys, you knuckle heads.
Even Richard the murderous fucking Third knew how to appear pious.
Though, I know, to divide him inventorially would Dizzy the arithmetic of memory, and yet but yaw Neither, in respect of his quick sail.
This section makes me think about the idea of homo ludens – that is – that one of the principle characteristics that defines us as human is our ability, desire and need to play. Hamlet is a great player. He knows how to play in multiple ways. He knows how to make a game of many things. This game is the game of using as many silly honorific words as possible to describe Laertes – to sound as pompous as possible, without giving away the game. And the game grows as he plays it. He starts playing and the game opens out until it is a whole speech.
Also I’m curious about what “sail” is doing here.
Though, I know, to divide him inventorially would Dizzy the arithmetic of memory, and yet but yaw Neither, in respect of his quick sail.
This section makes me think about the idea of homo ludens – that is – that one of the principle characteristics that defines us as human is our ability, desire and need to play. Hamlet is a great player. He knows how to play in multiple ways. He knows how to make a game of many things. This game is the game of using as many silly honorific words as possible to describe Laertes – to sound as pompous as possible, without giving away the game. And the game grows as he plays it. He starts playing and the game opens out until it is a whole speech.
Also I’m curious about what “sail” is doing here.
Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you.
This is a special skill – to be able to parody another’s language so swiftly, with accuracy of both meaning and style. Hamlet has actually said something while also saying a lot of words that are not necessary.
I used to enjoy making up faux course titles at my college using uber academic speech – but while it MAY have been funny, it was not actually meaningful nor did it make much sense.
I was able to either be funny or accurate but doing both was beyond me.
Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or Calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the Continent of what part of gentleman would see.
What is this repetition of Cs all about?
The placement of Calendar and Continent at the start of their lines – both words that begin with a stressed syllable, thereby drawing attention to themselves in that position. I mean, the text is simply demanding that those two words be the centerpoint of this sentence. Card, too, supports them there.
Is Osric meant to be crow-like? Cawing?
Calendar, Continent, Card – they don’t necessarily go together conceptually.
But the sound…the sound.
Believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent Differences, of very soft society and great showing.
I find it hard to believe that Osric doesn’t know that Hamlet already knows Laertes. I mean – first of all – Laertes may have newly returned to court but he’s been around. And Hamlet dated his sister. Which may have been meant to be a secret but really wasn’t.
But here’s Osric describing Laertes as if he’s a total stranger to the court. Is it possible that Osric is so rarely at court himself that Laertes is actually news to him? Or has he been instructed to praise Laertes by Claudius? Or can he just not help talking once he’s got started? I have met people like that – who would describe your own mother to you just because they got started on a descript-o-thon.
Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes.
Really? Is Laertes here? The one I just wrestled in his sister’s grave? The one I just got REAL mad at for no reason? You’re saying he’s newly come to court? I hadn’t noticed.
And also – I’m amazed that you had not heard that I have already tangled with him, Osric. News does not travel quite as fast as I would have thought.
But of course Osric knows. He must know.
For mine ease, in good faith.
I’d love to plead for my ease. This world we live in is so concerned with that that is hard. We praise hard work, hard workers, those who have had a hard life. We’ll forgive a fault if we saw that the person tried hard.
But to plead for ease? That pleases me.
I learned to value ease from training in Feldenkrais, to move toward that which is easy instead of that which is hard. I have accomplished worlds more from going toward the easeful path rather than the hard one. Which doesn’t mean that I’ve chosen a life of sloth, indolence and ready comforts.
For me, ease is something much more valuable than comfort. Ease creates possibility. It offers movement and choice.
For my ease. I’d risk a great deal.
For my ease, I’d sacrifice, too.
The Hamlet Project 