Summaries/analysis of literature

The American Dream

·         Edward Albee

o   Albee was born in Washington DC and adopted by a millionaire at a young age. He hated school and the rich society he lived in, so he quit and moved to New York to pursue his writing career

o   In the interview, Albee stated that he hoped that The American Dream would show people how not to live their lives, and help them to reexamine their own values

·         Setting

o   The play takes place in the living room of the home of Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma

o   Other places are mentioned (like the hat store and the adoption agency), but all present action takes place inside the home

o   The living room is decidedly plain and balanced

o   The play was written and published in the early 1960’s

·         Plot

o   The beginning of the play consists of a significant amount of conversation about how Mommy cannot get satisfaction and through this conversation we can see that she is the dominant member in her relationship with Daddy. Mommy is extremely condescending and is constantly demeaning Daddy’s manhood

o   Mommy and Daddy are waiting for someone or something to arrive, referred to constantly as a “they”, but it is unclear what they are waiting for

o   Mommy discusses her conflict at the hat store. She throws a fit because the color of the hat is not correct, when in reality the colors are the exact same and there is no significant difference. This encounter exemplifies how Mommy attempts to get satisfaction through material possessions and being able to be superior (to the employee at the hat store)

o   Grandma displays several neatly wrapped boxes, and everyone is confused about what they are and what their purpose is. Later, we find out that Grandma has put all of her “life” in the boxes (memories, possessions, her room)

o   Mrs. Barker, the “they” Mommy and Daddy have been waiting for arrives and Daddy expresses some concern and apprehension

o   Mrs. Barker has no idea why she is there, and asks Grandma for some answers. Grandma explains a situation in which Mommy and Daddy, in the past, adopted a baby from her adoption agency. The baby did not meet all of its parents’ expectations (didn’t give them “satisfaction”), so they mutilated it until it died. At which point, Mommy and Daddy demanded their money back (again, looking for satisfaction)

o   The Young Man enters the house and in a conversation with Grandma reveals that he will do anything for money. She declares he is the “American Dream.” He is attractive on the outside, but empty on the inside (like the American Dream). The Young Man reveals that he once had a twin, which was the baby that Mommy and Daddy mutilated. The Young Man has a constant feeling of emptiness and a lack of self-worth

o   The Young Man helps Grandma take her boxes out of the house, and Mommy gets upset upon learning Grandma has left

o   Grandma breaks the “fourth wall” and communicates directly with the audience, together watching the end of the play

o   Mommy and Daddy think they have finally reached satisfaction with the Young Man, which Grandma implies won’t last

·         Significant Characters

o   Mommy and Daddy: these characters represent an exaggerated form of Americans trying to obtain the American dream. The two are in constant search of satisfaction, especially through material possessions. Their terrible act of child mutilation shocks the audience and portrays the meaning that Americans will go to great lengths to successfully get the dream- which is really unobtainable

o   Grandma: This is the only sane character in the play. Grandma represents the values of the old America-hard work and dignity. Details like her winning a large sum of money by entering a store-bought cake in a baking competition show how Grandma is smart and crafty-things valued in the old America. Grandma seems to be omniscient when she breaks the fourth wall and appears to know what will happen in the future

o   Young Man: Represents the shallowness of the American Dream. Although he is attractive on the outside, he explains he is empty on the inside. This is like the American dream-obsession with material possessions that look nice but really mean nothing

o   Mrs. Barker: Represents the “they” in the society, basically everyone else in this corporate, corrupt America

·         Narrative Voice

o   This work is a play, so there is no defined “narrator”

o   The play is one of the “Theater of the Absurd,” meaning most of the dialogue doesn’t make sense and seems random, but portrays a message through shocking comedy

·         Tone

o   Since the play is of the Theater of the Absurd, it has a comic tone as well as a sarcastic, critical tone

o   Through the comedy and randomness of the play, Albee is making it extremely clear how he feels about America and the “dream”

o   The audience can detect elements of criticism and sarcasm throughout the play

·         Imagery

o   Imagery of the conflict over the hat- audience can imagine how similar the colors in conflict are and understand the message about consumerism-how caught up Americans are in material possessions that are really unimportant

o   Mutilation of the child- the details about the mutilation make this a vivid image that shocks the audience and helps them understand how out of control the pursuit of the dream has become

o   The Young Man- described as very attractive by Grandma. This image in comparison to how he describes his emptiness portrays the message about the American dream

·         Symbolism

o   Mommy and Daddy represent Americans in crazy pursuit of the American Dream

o   Grandma represents the old values of the former America

o   Young Man represents the shallow, superficial current America

o   The conflict over the hat colors represents how unimportant the material possessions Americans are so obsessed with are

• Motifs
• Satisfaction, Grandma's boxes, materialism

·         Quotes

o   “While everybody’s got what he wants…or everybody’s got what he thinks he wants”- Grandma

§  This is how Grandma ends the play. It’s important because this is when Grandma has broken the fourth wall and is speaking like the director directly to the audience. Also, this hints at the fact that although Mommy and Daddy think they’ve obtained satisfaction, they will be looking for something else soon enough

o   “It isn’t so much for my sake either; I can always go shopping” –Mommy

§  This quote is an example of how obsessed Mommy is with material possessions and regards it as a way to get her satisfaction

·         Theme

o   In Edward Albee’s The American Dream, he uses symbolic characters and imagery in order to create the meaning that the American Dream is superficial and shallow in comparison to the values of the old America

o   Explanation

§  The characters in the play clearly represent different elements of current and past America. By using these exaggerated characters, Albee causes the reader to think about the values of this society and reflect on their own values

§  The imagery is also symbolic. The hat conflict shows how meaningless material possessions are. The mutilation of the child demonstrates the lengths people will go to in order to obtain the dream. The Young Man is clearly meant to represent the new America and its values

Death of a Salesman

·         Arthur Miller

o   Born in New York City

o   Through this work, defined his own form of tragedy in which there is no “noble hero” but instead a common man who refuses to give up his dignity/place in society even though it’s hopeless (represented by Willy)

·         Setting

o   Willy’s home in New York, as well as various places around the city and business trips in Boston

o   Late 1940’s

·         Plot

o   Willy Loman has a wife, Linda, and two sons: Biff and Happy

o   Biff was destined for success; always a favorite of his father and capable of a football scholarship in college. That is, until he failed math class and refused summer school after catching his father cheating on his mother

o   Happy, although he tries desperately for his father’s attention, does not receive much attention from his father. Although he sees himself as successful, he cannot find a good woman to marry, but instead sleeps with other men’s wives

o   Linda is well aware of Willy’s failures, but loves him and is extremely devoted. Linda is constantly defending and attempting to protect Willy from the pain of Biff’s failures

o   Although Biff tries to fit in with corporate America, he is unhappy and longs to move out West and do the work of a man (this represents the values of the old America)

o   Willy, although once successful at his job as a salesman, has his salary taken away and fails to bring home enough money to support his family. He pretends it’s not happening, but the whole family is aware. Willy begs for his job to his boss, Howard, who demonstrates that he has no regard for Willy’s loyalty, but instead is looking for a younger, more attractive work force (values of the new America)

o   Willy has several flashbacks throughout the play to happier times when his sons lived at home and he was able to support his family. These flashbacks show how unable Willy is to let go of the past and accept the present

o   Willy often “sees” his brother Ben, who was much more successful. Ben gained his success by venturing into Africa and Alaska and taking the land of others

o   Ultimately, Willy leaves his family and kills himself. Willy has truly failed and no one attends his funeral like he had thought. Willy imagined the “death of a salesman” in which all of his loyal companions would be in attendance. This did not happen for Willy, demonstrating that the dream has changed and no longer exists

·         Significant Characters

o   Willy Loman: represents how the values of America have changed. His hard work and dedication to his job no longer matter to the new corporate America that values attractive, young employees. His inability to accept this change leads to his failure and suicide

o   Biff Loman: represents the values of the old America- hard, physical work in the west. His failure to work successfully in corporate America hurts his father, Willy, who had hoped for success in his son because he himself had not achieved success in his lifetime

o   Linda Loman: extremely faithful and dedicated to her husband, Willy. Acknowledges Willy’s many flaws, but is still extremely devoted to him and the rest of the family. Linda may not want to give up her vision of the perfect family and the American dream

o   Charley: The Loman’s neighbor. An extremely successful businessman, whom Willy is extremely jealous of. Charley gives Willy money when he cannot support his family. Charley has a son, Bernard, who is also extremely successful and always helped Biff in high school

o   Ben: Willy’s extremely rich and successful brother. Willy sees Ben as a symbol of success that he wants so badly for himself and his family

·         Narrative voice

o   The play does not have a narrator and therefore no point of view. Miller includes a large amount of stage direction, however, meaning he did not leave much room for interpretation by different directors

·         Tone

o   The play is extremely realistic and shows all of the raw emotions of the characters, therefore creating a sympathetic, pitying tone

o   Readers/audience cannot help but feel bad for Willy and his failures, while at the same time feeling critical because his failures are no one’s fault but his own

o   There is also a mocking tone. While readers feel sorry for Willy, it is obvious that if he simply adapted to the new values he may have been more successful, so there is some mockery of his naivety

·         Imagery

o   Much of the imagery comes from Willy’s flashbacks to the past. The images are nostalgic and much more pleasant in comparison to the harsh reality that faces the Lomans presently. The images in these flashbacks demonstrate how much Willy values the past and cannot seem to let go of it

·         Symbolism

o   Seeds- Willy is constantly planting seeds and trying to create something that will grow and thrive. He is doing this because his attempt to raise successful, thriving sons failed. The planting of the seeds symbolizes Willy’s desperation to be successful. The fact that Willy is planting (using his hands) is symbolic of old, western values

o   Howard/ Howard’s recorder- Howard is representative of the new, corporate America. Despite the fact that Willy knew his father and has worked tirelessly for years, Howard has no trouble firing Willy because he is old and no longer as attractive and likable. Howard’s recorder is new technology. Willy struggles with the recorder, showing how he violently clashes with the new America

o   Stockings- Stockings are representative of Willy’s failures throughout the play. Linda mending her own stockings because they cannot afford to buy new ones angers Willy because it is a reminder of how he has failed to provide adequately. Willy also gives stockings to the woman he is having an affair with- symbolic of his failure to be a good, faithful husband and father

• Motifs
• Stockings, flashbacks, seeds/planting

·         Quotes

o   “Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground” –Willy Loman

§  Willy, in a way, admitting to his failure. Literally, he means he has no seeds planted in the ground. Symbolically, he means that he has not created anything successful or of worth. He himself is a failure and his sons have also failed to live up to his expectations

o   “Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people”- Willy Loman

§  Demonstrates Willy’s expectations as a salesman, and we see in the play how this does not happen for him. The violent contrast between what he expected and what actually happens shows how much Willy has failed and how much society’s values have changed

o   Theme

§  In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, he compares symbols of the new America with the old America and its values as well as imagery in order to demonstrate how society has changed and how old values will fail in this new society

o   Explanation

§  Miller uses symbols like Howard and his recorder to represent the new America and symbols like the seeds and stockings to represent Willy’s failures. Willy’s hard work and perseverance is symbolic of the old America, which clashes with and fails in the new America

§  Imagery demonstrates Willy’s inability to let go of the past, which leads to his failure

Ceremony

·         Leslie Marmon-Silko

o   Grew up on the Native American Laguna reservation

o   In her community, story-telling is not idle gossip, but instead a way to bring the community together and allow people to learn from the mistakes of others

o   Stories keep individuals in touch with the past- essential for the circular nature of time

o   Circular, not linear, sense of time

·         Setting

o   In and around the Laguna Reservation in the American southwest (mostly)

o   Flashbacks to Tayo’s time in the war (Philippines)

o   Set just after World War II

·         Plot

o   The story is not set in a linear timeline, but a circular one in which flashbacks occur frequently, creating an understanding of the non-linear quality of life

o   Tayo has just returned from the war, in which he lost his brother. His uncle, Josiah also died while they were gone

o   Tayo is sick with grief and the memories from the death and violence in the war. He cannot help but feel like the deaths in his family were his fault

o   Tayo sets out on a journey with the help of the medicine man, Betonie, in order to create a new ceremony because the old one would not help him

o   The conflict between whites and the Native Americans is discussed. Much of the conflict comes from the fact that Native Americans spend so much time blaming the whites for their misfortune. This is exemplified by Tayo’s friends, who spend most nights drinking and reminiscing about the war and how much respect they got in uniform

o   Throughout his journeys, Tayo flashes back to his past and we learn about Josiah and his relationship with Night Swan as well as Tayo’s relationship with his brother Rocky and how they became so close

o   Tayo meets a woman, named Ts’eh, who has a profound effect on Tayo’s life. Through Ts’eh, he reconciles his relationship with the land, which is essential to his healing

o   In the end, Tayo has the chance to kill Emo (a symbol of evil), but doesn’t, which is an important part of the completion of the new ceremony. Emo is still punished by the rest of his miserable life and Tayo regains his sanity and is able to live again

·         Significant Characters

o   Tayo: scarred and disturbed by the war, must complete a new ceremony in order to regain his health as well as rain to his home

o   Betonie: the medicine man that guides Tayo through the ceremony

o   Auntie: Tayo’s aunt and caretaker, who has always resented Tayo and the death of her son Rocky. Auntie acts like a devout Christian, but enjoys more than anything to appear a martyr

o   Josiah: Tayo’s uncle and the only one who makes him feel welcome in the family. Josiah teaches Tayo about traditions and they are very close. Josiah herds Mexican cattle , taking the advice from Night Swan, the woman he has an affair with

o   Rocky: Technically Tayo’s cousin, but becomes like a brother when Tayo is adopted into his family

o   Harley: Tayo’s long-time friend, who also served in the war and suffers from alcoholism. Despite his good intentions, Harley betrays Tayo and aids Emo

o   Emo: Another acquaintance of Tayo from before the war. The two have never gotten along because Emo has always harassed Tayo for his Mexican heritage. Emo also succumbs to alcoholism after the war and tries to get Tayo sent back to the VA hospital

·         Narrative Voice

o   The novel is a combination of third person narration, which is interrupted by poetry that tells another traditional Native American story

o   Point of view is third person, limited to Tayo’s knowledge and actions

o   The non-linear timeline is an extremely important part of the author’s style because it is an element of the Native American culture that is very different than western literature’s linear time

·         Tone

o   The novel has a somewhat defeated tone in the beginning, but an element of hope that persists throughout, resulting in Tayo’s successful recovery

·         Imagery

o   Images of the war appear frequently throughout the novel. The violence Tayo has watched has a significant impact on him for the rest of his journey and is a major reason for his mental damage when he first returns. The vivid images help the reader understand what Tayo went through

o   Flashbacks (in general) illustrate the circular time structure. Flashbacks to the war evoke a feeling of sympathy and horror among readers. Flashbacks to time before the war help readers understand Tayo’s earlier life and the things he must cope with (his Mexican heritage, feeling of rejection from his mother and aunt)

·         Symbolism

o   Tayo’s relationship with Ts’eh: While we see Ts’eh as a human character in the novel, with whom Tayo has a loving as well as sexual relationship, Ts’eh is actually symbolic for the earth. Through his relationship with Ts’eh, Tayo restores his relationship with the land and the earth and restores fertility

o   Tayo’s constant release of liquids (urinating, vomiting): Tayo blames himself for the lack of rain at home because he wished for the rain to stop during the war. Tayo’s vomiting and urinating is symbolic of his attempt to restore the rain

o   Mexican cattle: The Mexican cattle that Josiah buys to herd are symbolic of the Mexican people and Tayo’s Mexican heritage. Despite people’s misconception, the cows are actually more efficient survivors and much stronger than American cows. This is symbolic for the unfair stereotypes the people and Tayo face for being Mexican and how untrue they are

o   Circles: Circles and circular motion in the novel symbolize that time is not linear, but instead everything has happened before, just at a different time and place

·         Quotes

o   “Here they were, trying to bring back that old feeling, that feeling they belonged to America the way they felt during the war”

§  This quote is significant because it explains how the Native American men on the reservation who have returned from the war feel inferior to the whites once again. During the war, they got respect from women and white people for serving the country. As soon as the war ended, they were treated unfairly and stereotypically again. This feeling makes men like Emo and Harley turn to bars every night to drink and reminisce on the good times during the war

o   "It seems like I already heard these stories before—only thing is, the names sound different." –Old Grandma

§  Grandma ends the novel with this quote, which successfully wraps up the message of the entire book. Everything that happens in the present has happened before in the past, just differently. Grandma has lived long enough to notice this pattern and has lost interest because she has heard all the stories before

·         Theme

o   In Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony, she demonstrates the importance of storytelling and tradition in order to keep the community united and connected to the past in order to better understand the present

o   Explanation:

§  The imagery in the novel focuses mainly on flashbacks to the war and Tayo’s life before the war, which contribute to the idea of the circular time line and the importance of storytelling. Through storytelling, people can learn from the experiences of others in the past. The harsh images from the war contribute to the understanding of Tayo’s battle and how storytelling helps him through his struggle. The setting on the Laguna reservation is essential because the circular time structure is essential to Native American culture. The symbolism of circles contributes to the theme and maintains emphasis on the integration of the past and present

Pride and Prejudice

·         Jane Austen

o   Born in England

o   Grew up with brothers and an extremely supportive father

o   Never necessary to get married because her father supported her and she did not need a husband for monetary security

o   Feminist- profound effect on her writing

·         Setting

o   Longbourn, England

o   Early 1800’s

·         Plot

o   Elizabeth Bennet lives comfortably in England with her mother, father, and sisters Jane, Lydia, Catherine, and Mary

o   Elizabeth’s mother is obsessed with marrying off her daughters for security when their father dies (this was the norm in England at the time-marriage was not necessarily for love)

o   Bingley, an extremely wealthy single man, moves in near the Bennets and attends a ball. At the ball, he shows interest in the eldest and most beautiful Bennet sister, Jane

o   Darcy, one of Bingley’s friends, is also at the ball. Although originally sought after by the women at the ball, Darcy quickly makes enemies when he hardly dances and shows no interest in any of the women

o   Elizabeth gets to know Bingley, his sisters, and Darcy better when she must stay at Bingley’s with Jane while she is recovering from illness. Elizabeth strongly dislikes Darcy and the two are originally very incompatible

o   Mr. Collins, the one in line to inherit the Bennet estate, comes to visit the family and find a wife. Mr. Collins is extremely unlikable and when he proposes marriage to Elizabeth, she declines. Her mother is extremely upset by this, but her father supports her actions. The Bennets’ friend, Charlotte, ends up marrying Collins and moving away with him

o   Elizabeth meets a militia man, Wickham, whom she has interest in. Wickham makes up a false story about how Darcy cheated him out of inheritance and treated him extremely cruelly. This deepens her hatred for Darcy

o   Elizabeth visits Charlotte and meets Lady Catherine de Bourgh- consequently Darcy’s aunt. Darcy encounters Elizabeth several times and begins to desire her. Out of the blue, Darcy proposes to Elizabeth. Elizabeth is shocked and offended, and yells at Darcy for ruining the marriage of Bingley and Jane and they way he treated Wickham. In a note, Darcy explains that his intentions were good in ruining the potential marriage, and that the true about Wickham is that he tried to elope with Darcy’s sister-causing the conflict. Elizabeth questions her original impression of Darcy

o   Elizabeth takes a trip north with her aunt and uncle, and ends up in the neighborhood of Pemberly-Darcy’s estate. Elizabeth hears nothing but wonderful things about Darcy from the servants and admires his home. When they are visiting the estate, Darcy unexpectedly arrives and invites them to dinner. Before they can attend, Elizabeth hears that her younger sister, Lydia, has run off to elope with Wickham

o   Elizabeth returns home. Eventually they hear from Wickham and Lydia. Wickham has agreed to marry Lydia for an annual income. Secretly, Darcy had been the source of money to find Lydia

o   Bingley returns to Longbourn and reinstates his relationship with Jane, whom he eventually marries

o   After all the events, Elizabeth realizes she loves Darcy. Lady de Bourgh visits Elizabeth and tells her she is not good enough for Darcy and that she must refuse a marriage proposal. Elizabeth refuses

o   Darcy proposes to Elizabeth and the two are also married

·         Significant Characters

o   Elizabeth Bennet: Although not the prettiest sister, she is regarded as the smartest and wisest. She does not want to marry simply for money, but for love. She is very intelligent and likes to read

o   Jane Bennet: The eldest and prettiest sister. Is unable to feel any bad will against anyone, tries to see the best in every situation, and is extremely kind

o   Lydia Bennet: Not especially attractive, but is obsessed with meeting men. Spends much of her time with her sister Kitty in town trying to meet men from the militia

o   Mary Bennet: The most ordinary sister, not attractive and has no special qualities to gain her significant attention. Prides herself for being studious and musical

o   Mrs. Bennet: Extremely selfish and obsessed with marrying off her daughters for money. Has no regard for her daughters’ personal desires. Embarrasses the daughters with her talk of marriage during public affairs

o   Mr. Bennet: Seems resigned and disengaged from the family. He loves his daughters, especially Elizabeth, but has fallen out of love with his wife. Spends most of his time reading alone in his library

o   Mr. Bingley: Very rich and a kind man, loved by all the women in Longbourn for his kindly character. A bit of a coward, exampled by his abandonment of Jane just because Darcy told him to. Very dedicated and loving

o   Darcy: A friend of Bingley, but completely different than his friend. Does not enjoy dancing or socializing with people that are not in his close friend circle. Was raised with a feeling of pride, which he must overcome to be with Elizabeth

o   Wickham: Very good looking and charming, causing many women to desire him. Is actually very deceiving and has a shameful past that includes a scandal with Darcy’s sister-causing the conflict between the two men. Runs off with Lydia, causing shame upon her family

o   Mr. Collins: A very obnoxious clergy man who is in line to inherit the Bennet estate. Brags about his friendship with Lady Catherine de Bourgh and is excessively proud of his situation. Marries the Bennet’s friend Charlotte

·         Narrative Voice

o   The narration is from a third person perspective. The narration is omniscient, not limited to the knowledge of any one character

o   Told from Elizabeth Bennet’s point of view. We see her ideas and feelings about the action in the novel

·         Tone

o   The tone is very light and romantic. The story is about love and how it conquers all. No problem in the novel cannot be solved by love or money, resulting in a care-free, happy tone

·         Imagery

o   Imagery comes into play mostly when describing setting and portraying different feelings among the classes. Imagery of the Netherfield and Pemberly estates are elaborate and gaudy, which makes a comment about the upper classes. When describing the Bennet home, the image is much less extravagant because they are of a lower class

·         Symbolism

o   Homes are very symbolic of class in this novel. Homes like Netherfield, Pemberly, and Rosings (homes of extremely wealthy people) are extravagant and admirable to members of the lower classes. The Bennet home is much more humble, symbolizing their place in society. The novel spends a lot of time describing the homes in detail in order to make this symbol clear. Readers can evaluate a character’s social standing with knowledge about their home

·         Quotes

o   “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife”

§  This is the way the novel is begun and is a microcosm of the rest of the novel. The action that ensues in the rest of the novel centers around wealthy, single men looking for good wives. This sentence comments on the class system- how wealthy men are much more desired and how marriage is not about love but instead money and security

o   “They were all of them warm in her admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something”

§  This quote describes Elizabeth’s admiration of Darcy’s Pemberly estate. This is a turning point in the novel, at which Elizabeth rethinks her feelings for Darcy and his true character. This makes readers question Elizabeth, the most grounded character’s, priorities. It is when she sees the extravagance of his home that Elizabeth begins to envision herself as Darcy’s wife

·         Theme

o   Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice criticizes marriage in society, making it clear that it does not take place for love, but for money. Through her emphasis on marriage for money, Austen creates the meaning that the inequality of the classes eliminates the love and romance in marriage

o   Explanation:

§  The imagery and symbolism in the novel focuses on homes in order to make clear the inequality of the classes. The actions of Mrs. Bennet and Charlotte are examples of how unimportant love is for marriage because money and security are much more important. Austen portrays these actions negatively and creates brilliant love stories of Jane and Elizabeth, who do marry for love. Austen idealizes marriage for love and criticizes the inequality of classes and the subsequent shallow marriages

Hamlet

·         William Shakespeare

o   Lived in England (Stratford)

o   Regarded as the greatest writer in the English language

o   Famous for his poetry and plays

·         Setting

o   Denmark

o   Late medieval period

·         Plot

o   The play opens with two watchmen witnessing the ghost of Hamlet’s dead father, the former king of Denmark. The two fetch Horatio, who sees the ghost but cannot get it to speak. The men go off to find Hamlet and tell him what they have seen

o   Hamlet speaks to his father’s ghost, who tells him that he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, the new king of Denmark. The ghost orders Hamlet to seek revenge, which Hamlet promises

o   Hamlet’s mother has quickly gotten remarried to Claudius, which disgusts Hamlet. He promises to stay in Denmark instead of going back to school in Wittenberg. Hamlet plots to act crazy to distract from his plan of revenge against Claudius

o   Ophelia is Hamlet’s lover, but is warned against it by her brother Laertes, who is leaving for school. Ophelia’s father, Polonius (Claudius’s right-hand man), demands her to never speak to Hamlet again. Ophelia agrees but her intentions are questionable

o   Gertrude and Claudius call on Hamlet’s old friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find out why Hamlet is acting so odd

o   Claudius and Polonius set up a conversation between Ophelia and Hamlet and spy on it to find out why Hamlet is acting crazy. Hamlet is enraged at Ophelia and yells at her things such as “get thee to a nunnery.” We don’t know if Hamlet is aware of Claudius and Polonius, and must assume his words all have double meanings

o   Hamlet devises a plan to have the actors put on a play very similar to Claudius’ murder of old Hamlet. He figures if Claudius reacts, it will prove his guilt. Claudius does react, and Hamlet takes this as proof. When Hamlet is about to kill his uncle, he ceases because he sees that he is in the middle of prayer. Killing him at this point would send him straight to heaven, which Hamlet does not want. We must wonder if Hamlet is just stalling the murder

o   Hamlet goes to speak to his mother and kills Polonius, who is hiding behind a curtain

o   Claudius fears Hamlet and orders he be sent to England, and in a secret note orders him to be killed. Hamlet finds the note and changes it so that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are instead killed. Hamlet is kidnapped by pirates on the ship to England

o   Ophelia, meanwhile, is mad with grief after losing both Hamlet and her father. She drowns herself in the river. Laertes returns, enraged, and is convinced by Claudius to seek revenge on Hamlet, to which he agrees

o   Hamlet is returned to Denmark and battles Laertes

o   Claudius has devised a plan to dip swords in poison to ensure Hamlet’s death. The plan backfires and Gertrude drinks the goblet of poison and dies. Laertes and the king die from the poisoned swords, as does Hamlet

o   Fortinbras, in the end, arrives to find the bloody scene. He is now the king of Denmark

·         Significant Characters

o   Hamlet: Troubled upon the death of his father, spends the entirety of the play planning and debating murdering his uncle, Claudius. The fact that he is unable to do this until the very end makes the audience question Hamlet’s desire to actually seek revenge. It’s unclear how Hamlet actually feels about Ophelia because of his constant use of double meanings

o   Ophelia: While Hamlet pretends to be insane, Ophelia actually loses her mind. It is clear that she truly loves Hamlet and is upset to lose him. After the death of her father, Ophelia is in such a terrible state that she commits suicide. It is questioned why she receives a Christian burial when she committed a sin

o   Claudius: The King of Denmark, murdered his own brother. It is never made clear if Claudius killed his brother for the throne or for his wife, Gertrude. Gertrude and Claudius were most likely involved before the murder of old Hamlet. Claudius is not a very strong ruler and doesn’t do much as king

o   Laertes: Ophelia’s brother. The two are very close and seem to share everything, as evidenced by their conversation about Hamlet at the beginning of the play. Laertes is enraged over the death of his father and sister and seeks revenge after being manipulated by Claudius

o   Polonius: The father of Laertes and Ophelia, and also Claudius’s adviser. Polonius’s loyalties are firmly with the king and power seems to be the most important thing to him

o   Horatio: Hamlet’s best friend and a scholar. Horatio is very loyal to Hamlet

o   Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: Hamlet’s long-time friends that are called on by the king and queen to investigate Hamlet’s strange actions

·         Narrative Voice

o   This work is a play and therefore does not have a narrator

o   Shakespeare uses more informal prose when characters like Osiric and the clowns (lower, insignificant classes) are speaking

·         Tone

o   The tone of the play is pretty dark and hopeless. Between Hamlet’s constant contemplating that leads to no concrete answers and the frequent murders, it is hard to feel happy at any point in the play

·         Symbolism

o   Yorick’s skull: While in the graveyard, Hamlet discovers the skull of Yorick, a court jester from his childhood that he remembers and loved. At this point, Hamlet really thinks about death and the finality of it, mentioning the death of Alexander the Great

o   Ophelia’s flowers: Before Ophelia drowns herself; she hands out different flowers to the different characters of Hamlet. Each flower represents something difference, like remembrance and regret

·         Quotes

o   “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”

§  This famous quote from Hamlet embodies the meaning of the play- a criticism of the corruptness of the crow. In the play the “state” is not just Denmark, but the king himself. This quote demonstrates how Denmark is not only corrupt, but the king is as well. This foreshadows Claudius’s later actions

o   “How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable/ Seem to me all the uses of this world!” –Hamlet

§  This quote shows how disillusioned Hamlet is with the world as well as the state of Denmark. Hamlet associates Denmark with its king, and therefore with his murderous uncle. Hamlet is extremely critical in Denmark, which we see in other places like in his conversation with Horatio

·         Theme

o   In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, he uses symbolism, dialogue, and character action in order to create the meaning that the royal house is corrupt to the point that death and murder have lost all meaning among the lies and deceit

§  Throughout the play, we understand Hamlet’s dislike and criticism of Denmark because of the actions he has watched. His uncle killed his brother and usurped the throne, causing Hamlet to become extremely disillusioned with the royal house. Hamlet’s double meanings in his dialogue critique the traditions of Denmark and the actions of the king. The amount of murder and death in the play and Hamlet’s constant contemplation of murder makes it sort of meaningless and confusing. Hamlet’s internal conflict over murder poses questions to the reader about the standards of the society that created such confusion about death

Fifth Business

·         Robertson Davies

o   Born in Canada (the setting of his novel)

o   Helped found a college (university teacher in the novel)

·         Setting

o   Deptford, Canada (a small rural town), as well as other locations in Canada

o   WWI battle grounds

o   Various places in Europe and Latin America

o   1900’s around WWI

·         Plot

o   Dunstan Ramsay is writing a letter to the headmaster of the college he has worked at for 41 years. He is upset because the farewell written about him in the school newspaper did not do his life justice. Dunstan details the events of his life to the headmaster to prove his life has been much more than his work at the school. The story becomes not so much about Dunstan, but about Paul Dempster and Mary Dempster

o   Dunstan spends his early years in Deptford, Canada- a very small, rural town. He blames himself for years for the untimely birth of Paul Dempster because he dodged the snowball that hit Mary Dempster and caused her to give birth early. The thrower of the snowball, Boy Staunton, never accepts blame for this incident

o   Despite the troublesome birth, Paul survives. He burdens his family, however, and we see the life sucked slowly out of his father Amasa. Dunstan spends much of his early life helping out the Dempster family, during which time he claims to have fallen in love with Mary

o   Because he spends so much time with the Dempsters, Dunstan has a hard time with kids his age. He works instead at a library, where his interest in magic began. He devoted much time to performing tricks, which he taught Paul. Paul ends up being much better than Dunstan, which will be very important in later life

o   Amasa, the Baptist pastor, finds out Dunstan is teaching his son magic and banishes him from the home

o   Mary goes missing one night, and the townsmen find her in the “pit” having sex with a tramp. Surprisingly, she was not being raped, but consented to having sex with this man. Amasa must resign from his job as pastor and moves to a more secluded home with his family. It is rumored that Mary is tied up inside to keep her from wandering about. Dunstan sneaks in to visit Mary frequently and brings her newspapers to connect her to the outside world

o   Dunstan signs up for the war before he is of age. He goes to war and ends up being deemed a hero and wins a VC for his courageous actions in war. He is injured badly by a flare and just before blacking out, sees a statue of Mary that begins his obsession with saints

o   When Dunstan awakens, he is in a hospital being cared for. His body is in terrible condition and he must relearn how to walk with his injured leg. While recovering, a nurse, Diana, cares for Dunstan. The two become a couple and he has sex for the first time with her. They teach each other much about love and being with another person. When the issue of marriage comes up, Dunstan realizes this is not what he wants, and they end up being friends

o   When Dunstan returns to Deptford, there is a huge celebration for the returning heroes. Here, he finds out his family has all died (Willie in the war, his parents from influenza), but is not extremely upset. He sees Boy Staunton and Leola are engaged, but is not upset, just disappointed she did not tell him. (Leola and Dunstan had exchanged love letters during his time away). Boy loves to show off his wife, the most beautiful woman in the town

o   Boy is extremely ambitious and successful throughout his life. He also helps Dunstan by giving him investment tips, gaining him a small fortune. Boy likes to have Dunstan around because he is someone that will listen to him talk

o   Dunstan has a job as a professor at a university, and briefly a headmaster. He also does much traveling abroad and is extremely interested in saints. He writes for the Analecta Bollandiana and is the only Protestant to do so. During his travels, he happens upon a circus where he finds Paul under a new name. Paul ran away from home because he was so tormented for being the son of Mary Dempster (Amasa had died from influenza). Mary was taken away to live with her wealthy aunt

o   Leola turns out to be disappointing for Boy. She did not excel especially at anything as he did, and he was less than impressed with her. Leola knew of her failure and one night found a note from one of Boy’s sexual partners. This sent her over the edge. When Dunstan refused to kiss her, she tried to commit suicide. Although unsuccessful, she is in a fragile state until her eventual death

o   Dunstan meets Padre Blazon during his travels and learns much from him about saints and that Mary is his “fool saint”

o   Dunstan goes to visit Mary at her aunt’s house. He rekindles a friendship with her, although she cannot remember him and they do not talk about the past. When her aunt dies, Dunstan must put Mary in a home to be cared for. She is very unhappy in the home and looks forward to Dunstan’s visits. When Dunstan tells Mary he found her son, she gets very upset that she cannot see him. After this, her health declines significantly until her death. Dunstan believes Mary has performed 3 miracles and is a true saint

o   Dunstan finds Paul once again, this time in an elaborate magic show in Latin America. Paul now goes by the name Magnus Eisengrim. Dunstan talks to him after his show and is invited to lunch the next day. Here, Dunstan meets Liesl- an extremely ugly woman who is important in the production of the show. She handles much of the technical workings. The two ask Dunstan to write a fictional biography for Eisengrim, which Dunstan accepts. He spends much time with the show and finds the devil in Liesl. She tries to seduce him and the two get in a physical fight, at which point Dunstand twists and breaks her nose. She comes back not long after and the two engage in sexual acts

o   Dunstan returns to Canada and to his school. Eisengrim comes to the school to talk to the students, which leaves Boy, Dunstan, and Eisengrim together. Boy claims to not remember Paul from Deptford, because he is ashamed of the small town he comes from. The snowball incident is brought up, which Boy still denies. Eisengrim and Boy leave together, and Boy is found dead the next day-his car driven off a bridge. He has the rock in his mouth that was in the snowball he threw at Mary Dempster

·         Significant Characters:

o   Dunstan Ramsay: The writer of the biography, seems arrogant and with much to prove. Recognizes himself as “fifth business”, which is defined as a role that is not the hero or villain, but extremely important in bringing about the events in the story

o   Mrs. Ramsay: Dunstan’s mother, a true Scot. Very harsh with Dunstan and never had a very close relationship. Dunstan seems bitter whenever discussing his mother

o   Mary Dempster: Described by the people of Deptford as “simple” and even more so after having Paul. She is harassed after being caught with the tramp and goes somewhat insane after this. The biography ends up being much about Mary, whom Dunstan regards as a saint

o   Paul Dempster: Seems to be a parallel to Jesus (untimely birth, born to Mary, performs magic). The story also seems to be more about Paul than about Dunstan. Runs away from home and severs connections with his mother. Becomes a successful magician abroad under the name Magnus Eisengrim

o   Boy Staunton: Dunstan’s friend from childhood, not particularly liked, but have a close relationship. Extremely wealthy and successful in his lifetime. Unhappy with his wife Leola, who eventually dies. Boy remarries to a very powerful woman

o   Liesl: Dunstan finds the “devil” in Liesl’s character. She is the watchmaker in the story (does the technical work in the magic show, comes from a family of watchmakers)

·         Narrative Voice

o   The story is written as a letter from Dunstan to the headmaster as a biography of his life. Therefore it is from Dunstan’s point of view and we are limited to his knowledge and feelings about the topics discussed. Because of this, we must question the reliability and how well he knows himself and others

·         Tone

o   The tone of the biography is one of arrogance and has a feeling of needing to prove something. Dunstan makes sure to note all of his accomplishments and admirable things he has done. This is almost ironic because while Dunstan is very self-centered, his biography seems to be more about Mary and Paul than himself

·         Imagery

o   Imagery about saints is prevalent throughout the book. Dunstan is in constant search of saints and delights immensely in learning about them. Especially the statue he saw during the war. The description of the saints emphasizes this as a hagiography

o   The magic shows Eisengrim performs are very vivid images. The details of the tricks are elaborately described. This increases readers’ wonder about Paul and his life and his meaning

·         Symbolism

o   Changing names: Paul, Boy, and Dunstan have all gone through name changes in the novel. Name change is symbolic of changing identity and growing

o   Language: There is an emphasis on different languages throughout the novel. Different languages are also associated with identity and mystery

o   Magic: There is a significant mythical element of the novel, between the literal magic and the miracles of saints. Magic is symbolic of wonders performed by saints and Jesus in the Bible

• Motifs
• Languages, religion (conflict of), magic, saints, changing identities

·         Quotes

o   “Had you thought that we are all three of the company of the twice born? We have all rejected our beginnings and become something our own parents could not have foreseen.” –Dunstan Ramsay

§  In this quote, Dunstan is recognizing how all three of them had gone through changes in identity. He acknowledges the mythical element that their parents could not have possibly foreseen their futures that left the three of them together again in a room. “Twice born” has a religious element to it

o   “Who could not, indeed, comprehend what Fifth Business is, even if he should meet the player of that part in his own trivial life-drama!” – Dunstan Ramsay

§  In this quote, Dunstan first off portrays his arrogant tone, demonstrating how important he holds his role as Fifth Business to be. He even capitalizes this title. It also points out his belief that every person’s life is like a drama, with each person in it playing a different and important role

• Theme
• One must reconcile with his or her own life and find his or her own role in order to be happy
• Liesl explains to Dunny that he must stop feeling guilty for everyone and everything in his past in order for him to be happy. His relationship with Liesl is Dunny's way of "making friends with his devil." This is symbolic of Dunny realizing the bad in himself and his life and being okay with it in order to move on and be happy. Once Dunny realizes his role as "fifth business" he feels that he found his purpose in life and, although it is not the main heroic role, it is very significant.