The time, location, and description of the surroundings is a key aspect of a play. Different backdrops creates either dark and gloomy or light and happy moods. The setting of Hamlet - medieval Denmark, gloomy, and mysterious - adds to the dark mood of the play. In Pride and Prejudice, the setting of countryside England with elegant estates in the 19th century is very simple and helps portray the important elements of each character.

#2

The characters in Hamlet are developed through Internal thoughts. Hamlet suffers thoughts of suicide but is also too worried about what happens after death. His contradictory attitude as well as his unnatural actions reveal the damaging effects of the events in his life. Claudius is effected by his own action: his character seems authoritative and strong externally; however, because of his actions, he feels guilty and torn about his the immoral way of obtaining his position. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth's thoughts and actions reveal her grounded attitude. She is a non-conformist because she finds the gossip of the town to be childish and an unjust way of approaching love.

#1

Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice share the common aspects of plot to develop conflict in family and between families. The characters in each piece of writing are developed in a different way. Shakespeare's characters are more "real" in a sense because their personalities are revealed through monologues. Contrary to the way Shakespeare develops his characters, Austen creates a dramatic climax through developing her characters through gossip. Hamlet, unlike most literature, has multiple climaxes. By following Hamlet's contradictory personality and "madness," the plot becomes more dramatic with more rising action. Claudius is honest in his monologue; however, externally, he lives a life of lies. Elizabeth, being a non conformist, rejects the social norms and trust her own choices. The most honest that Pride and prejudice gets is when Elizabeth ponders about who she loves. The plot of both literary pieces are developed through the interactions with others and internal thoughts. 

Compare & Contrast 2 Poems Intro

            Time is a tormenting aspect in life. Depending on the situation there is either too much time or too little. Both “To an Athlete Dying Young” and “Ulysses” illustrate how glory wilts as time moves on. In “To an Athlete Dying Young,” Housman in third-person expresses how in people’s minds the athlete’s glory is timeless. The sense of everlasting glory in which everything runs smoothly for a person is accentuated by Housman’s use of alliteration. Lord Tennyson’s elegy “Ulysses” is a first person monologue of a dying soldier reflecting on his days of fame. Contrary to the flow of “To an Athlete Dying Young,” Tennyson uses blank verse and enjambment to reflect the expiring voice of the soldier. Thus, The literary devices used help deepen the reader’s understanding that glory fades with time and thus every moment should be relished. 

Ozymandias

Time is referred to frequently in poetry. Ozymandias expresses how it is important to seize the moment. This notion is often referred to as "carpe diem." The image of the shattered statue is a symbol of how the passage of time is insignificant to humans and that we must make the most of the "moment." In Ponder, time technically is what decays the kingdom because the King was not aware of the importance of seizing the moment.

Performance Choices

I performed with first scene in Act 3 when Ophelia and Hamlet are talking..
Hamlet condescends Ophelia by trying to mess with her head. I really tried to
emphasize the sense of superiority that Hamlet feels he has over Ophelia.