Performing Low to High

Around the world Hamlet has been interpreted in different ways depending on its location, cast and director. After listening to the podcast "218: Act V" of The American Life, I realized the importance of the interpretation. The podcast talks about the production of The Missouri State Penitentiary who, based on the intimacy the actors (inmates) have on the material, produced one of the best interpretations ever. The actors, are really criminals who have committed violent crimes and play the roles of men who execute crimes as well. It is this situation that makes the production sincere because its actors identify with their roles while meditating on society and morality.

Performing is an art of expression. The  Missouri State Penitentiary production is a literal representation of this statement. Character in the play are more realistic because of their similarity to the actor. Johnson, one of the Hamlet's interpreters claims to relate with the character's "Idea of wanting to hurt someone." Others like Word who plays Laertes are naturals at playing the bad guy because it is what they have been doing throughout their life in order to impress people. However, perhaps the most striking moment of the play was Evan's confession of Claudius' murder since it was an actual apologetic "speech to g-d." Relating to their characters' situations gave the actors an advantage over any professional in the world. They had, like no other, experience to guide them when performing. This type of advantage is rare, but it is what makes true artists legitimate. 

The process of the play as a whole worked as a therapeutic session for the inmates. It showed "Big Hutch" that he didn't have to always be the "Big Whale." He got the role of Horatio who is ironically a "guppy" who assists and follows others. Even though he got a small part, his performance of a single line was the highlight of the night. Likewise, he learned that small parts in life (like Horatio)  can have a monumental impact. The prisoners ego and power ambition was immediately lowered by the relative humiliation they experience in acting. Edgar stated that participating in the play made him "makes us feel human." Jones' life conception was also altered by "taking him to be insane for a day." This type of insanity can be related to Hamlet's where its sole purpose is self protection from society. Changing perspectives opens the inmates' minds to other alternatives in life. It shows them another way to live and think where manipulation and aggression for power are not included. 

Despite having to deal with different crisis, following the prison's procedures, and  horrible steamy weather, the production was a great success. Not only as an entertainment but as a positive influence to the group members. Its prosperity is displayed in the example of Manuel, an inmate who had been released 2 weeks before the presentation but decided to stay until the end. As tempting as freedom is, the production's influence was more impacting. It proved to the inmates that there is a possibility of moving from the "lowest point in life" to the "highest" with a simple change of perspective. 

Intertextuality among Hamlet and The Love Song of Alfred Prufrock

The Hollowest In the End

Characters tend to add literary value through their personalities. Eliot manages to specifically describe his character J. Alfred Prufrock through an intertextual comparison to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. By calling out on a popular tragic hero, Eliot makes Prufrock easy for the readers to judge and understand him. Both Hamlet and Prufrock share parallel characteristics revolving around incompetence, fear of standing against society, and most importantly indecisiveness.

Both of these tormented characters evaluate themselves as incompetent beings. Prufrock claims to have measured his “life in coffee spoons” (51) hinting his pessimistic thought of a meaningless existence.  In Act IV Hamlet demands more of himself by wanting his thoughts to be bloody. However, he is aware that violent thoughts go against his nature.  Their low self-esteem encourages them to think that they are not capable of fulfilling their desire; this is why they keep on procrastinating. Hamlet accomplishes his murdering deed until the last minute. Nevertheless, worrying on what others think of him stops Prufrock from achieving his goal.

Society’s cynical judgment has made it hard for people to express themselves as individuals.  Prufrock is threatened the most by society’s judgment. Scared of acting out of his regular routine, he questions himself by saying “Do I dare disturb the universe?” (46).  Hamlet has suicidal thoughts by thinking that “to die, -to sleep-no more- and by a sleep” (68) he will end all troubles. This directly implies society’s judgment by labeling him with madness. Although he fears the consequences that murdering Claudius would bring, Hamlet expresses his madness openly with the soul purpose of relieving his grief. Prufrock is more aware of the labels and intends on pushing them away by hiding his personality. 

Indecision is a predominating trait in both Hamlet and Prufrock. It plagues Hamlet from the first ghost apparition. He questions whether it is better “To be, or not to be”(64), dead, or killing Claudius. In Act III, scene 3 he has the chance to kill Claudius but his indecision on whether or not it would send the king to heaven stops him.  Prufrock wonders “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?” to act upon his will and assume the consequences. He also inquires “And should I then presume? And how should I begin?” (68-69) being unsure on how to act.  All of this questioning slowly leads them to a worst ending than the consequences by themselves would create.  Hamlet faces a disastrous finale where more lives than intended are avenged. Prufrock’s indecision leads him to regret and eventually an empty death.

In the end, Prufrock proves to be hollower than Hamlet. The man claims that he is “not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be” but “an attendant lord.”(111-112) Hamlet at least died as a tragic hero and had people`s attention. Prufrock demonstrates that he underestimates himself more than Hamlet by neglecting an important role in life. He hides his individuality  by ranking himself under others and reassuring his incompetence. Finally, unlike Hamlet who at least killed Claudius, Prufrock does not complete his goal of taking risks and opportunities. This degrades him to a more pathetic level because despite of his weaknesses, he does not attempt to give his life significance at all .