Podcast

Hamlet Act 2 Scene 1:
Nattagan: Reynaldo
Thitaphat: Ophelia
Yume: Lord Polonius

Hamlet Act 2 Scene 2:
Nattagan: King Claudius
Thitaphat: Rosencrantz
Yume: Queen Gertrude

Figurative Language in RFK's Speech

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'm only going to talk to you just for a minute or so this evening, because I have some -- some very sad news for all of you -- Could you lower those signs, please? -- I have some very sad news for all of you, and, I think, sad news for all of our fellow citizens, and people who love peace all over the world; and that is that Martin Luther King was shot and was killed tonight in Memphis, Tennessee.

Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings. He died in the cause of that effort. In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it's perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. For those of you who are black -- considering the evidence evidently is that there were white people who were responsible -- you can be filled with bitterness, and with hatred, and a desire for revenge.

We can move in that direction as a country, in greater polarization -- black people amongst blacks, and white amongst whites, filled with hatred toward one another. Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand, and to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion, and love.

For those of you who are black and are tempted to fill with -- be filled with hatred and mistrust of the injustice of such an act, against all white people, I would only say that I can also feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man.

But we have to make an effort in the United States. We have to make an effort to understand, to get beyond, or go beyond these rather difficult times.

My favorite poem, my -- my favorite poet was Aeschylus. And he once wrote:

Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget
falls drop by drop upon the heart,
until, in our own despair,
against our will,
comes wisdom
through the awful grace of God.

What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.

So I ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King -- yeah, it's true -- but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love -- a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke.

We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times. We've had difficult times in the past, but we -- and we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; and it's not the end of disorder.

But the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings that abide in our land.

And let's dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people.

Thank you very much.

Hamlet: Response Journal

Response Journal for Act 1, scene 1 to Act 1, scene 5

1. -   I felt that the words that each character used make the play mysterious. And because of that, it made me feel curious about what is going to happen next. I felt that the play will become more intense and exciting since Hamlet already knew about the truth of this father’s death and the things that King Claudius did. I really wanted to know what Hamlet will do next.

2.

• The part where Laertes gave advice to his sister, Ophelia reminded me of the times when my sister gave me advice. My sister often gives me advice about school, studies, and things that she has passed through in her life, and I think that it is very useful.
•   When the soldiers warned Hamlet about the ghost, he did not listen. Instead, he followed his own decision and took the risk. There are many times in my life where people around me warned me not to do this and that. Sometimes I listen to them and sometimes I don’t. In some situation, I think we just need to do what we think it is the thing to do.
• I think I know how Hamlet felt when he knows that his uncle, King Claudius, is the one who killed his father. It reminds me of the time when one of my friend talked at the back of me. I never think that that friend of mine is going to do that since I never do anything bad to her. I think I felt the same way as Hamlet did when I found out about it.

3. -   In act 5, when the ghost said, “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.” I think the meaning of this is that the person who killed his father is as dangerous and sly as a snake and that person is the one who is now wearing the crown (referring to King Claudius). I think this sentence is very cool because the way Shakespeare used the words told us that he was talking about King Claudius without mentioning his name.

4. -   I think the biggest problem I have is the language. Shakespeare uses Old English words and sometimes I just can’t figure out what he is trying to say.  

Spectator Sport: Worst Fever Ever

            Walking into an automatic glass door, I saw people all around. Most of them are sick-looking. Others are uniformly dressed officers. Most of them are face-masked. As I walked in, one officer in black suit came to me. He led me to a registration table where I wrote my name and wait for my turn. I felt really confused and heavy on my head at that time. As I looked around, I realize that this place is divided into categories. Then, I was sent to a diminutive table where they check my blood pressure and other stuffs. I had high fever of 39.2 Celsius, which is considered precarious. And again, I was sent to the waiting area where I wait for my turn.

I got it from here.

 

            After a while, a female nurse called my name. I walked inside the small room with my sister. A middle-aged male doctor is sitting behind the glass table. He stood up and came to me. He checked my throat and my heart beat. My throat is red. Then, he began to ask questions. We had a ten-minute talk. Then the doctor wrote down the medicines and gave it to the nurse. And again, I have to wait for one of the three cashiers to call my name.

I got it from here.

 

As I wait, I can feel that my super high fever is getting even higher. I feel like I’m going to vomit. I went to a blue comfortable-looking sofa and lay down. I tried to mellow but I can't. People around me are coughing, too. I feel like the air inside not clean but seems like everyone is uninterested about it. Half an hour passed by, my name was not called yet. I feel even worse. My throat is dry and my head is so hot. I tried to sleep but my head is burning. Why does it take so long? I feel like fainting now. I need some long-deep rest. I wish that I can just teleport back to my small comfortable bed in my house.

It has been 45 minutes since I went out of the doctor’s room. Finally, the cashier called my name. Then, my sister went to take the medicine, leaving me on the sofa. We walk to our small car. Suddenly, bits of water fall to our head. It’s raining. I got home in two hours and I feel like dying.