Journal Act 1.3 and 1.4

     In Act 1, Scene 3 a conversation takes place between Ophelia, Laertes, and Polonius. The majority of the conversation is about Ophelia and her interest toward Hamlet. However, Ophelia's brother Laertes and her father, Polonius are not too thrilled about it and advise her against growing stronger feelings for Hamlet. Laertes warns her first by saying, "For he himself is subject to his birth. He may not, as unvalued persons do, Carve for himself; for on his choice depends the safety and health oh this whole state.." (I.3.18-21). Here, Laertes is explaining that Hamlet can not make decisions the way others usually do: based on his own wants and desires. Hamlet has to consider what is best for the whole country. Then Laertes also says, "Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open to his unmastered importunity. Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister, and keep you in the rear of your affection, out of the shot and danger of desire" (I.3.31-35). In saying this, Laertes is implying that Hamlet is greedy and deceitful. He is warning his Ophelia to guard her heart and not to become a target for Hamlet to shoot his lust at. 

       Concerning Ophelia's father, Polonius, he strongly disagrees in her interest in Hamlet. His advice is short and simple, compared to Laertes. On the other hand, it is more a command than advice that Polonius gives. He says, "Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers, not of that dye which their investments show, but mere implorators of unholy suits, breathing like sanctified and pious bonds, the better to beguile. This is for all: I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet" (1.3. 127-134). Polonius is telling his daughter that Hamlet's interest in her is not true and that she should not believe his vows of love toward her. He ends the conversation with a strict command to not associate with Hamlet any longer. 

      In Act 1 Scene 4, Hamlet goes with Horatio and Marcellus to their guard duty to see if the ghost appears. When the ghost does happen to appear, the ghost signals Hamlet to follow it. Hamlet is very willing to do so but Horatio strongly advises him not to go. I think this is mostly because he cares about Hamlet and he is worried that the ghost will "tempt [Hamlet] toward the flood...or to the dreadful summit of the cliff that beetles o'er his base into the sea, and there assume some other horrible form, which might deprive your sovereignty of reason and draw you into madness?" (1.4. 69-74). Horatio does not want Hamlet to follow the ghost because he is afraid something bad will happen to him. 

Journal Act 1.1 and 1.2

      Shakespeare's Hamlet is widely known as being a "ghost story."  In Act 1, Scene 1, Shakespeare first introduces the ghost into his story when the character Marcellus says, "What, has this thing appeared again tonight?" (Line 21).  The "thing" Marcellus is speaking of is the ghost of King Hamlet. It is made very clear that the characters are talking about seeing a ghost when Macellus says, "Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy, And will not let belief take hold of him touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us; Therefore I have entreated him along with us to watch the minutes of this night, that, if again this apparition come, he may approve our eyes and speak to it" (Lines 24-29). Marcellus is explaining to Barnardo that he wants Horatio to to be on guard with them because he is in disbelief that they saw a ghost twice. Horatio thinks Marcellus and Barnardo are just imagining things. Then in the middle of Scene 1, Barnardo's sentence gets interrupted by the ghost who enters their presence. It is at this moment that Shakespeare's Hamlet officially becomes a ghost story.  

        In Hamlet's soliloquy in lines 129-159, he is simply letting out his feelings out loud with no one around to hear him. Young Hamlet is distressed and baffled that his mother could marry his uncle in less than a month after her husband, Hamlet, died. However, Young Hamlet feels as though he must "hold his tongue" because he does not want to displease his mother and his new father. Hamlet exclaims how much his mother and father loved each other, which is why it is so hard for him to understand how she could possibly get married so quickly after her husband's death. He says, "...'tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely" (Lines 135-137). Hamlet is comparing his life to a wild garden where only weeds grow because no one is taking care of it. Hamlet closes his thoughts by saying that no good will come with any of this, but he must keep silent.