Polonius and Laertes are walking briskly in King Hamlet's glorious castle, the two are in the middle of a debate about the Roman Empire when the scene starts. Ophelia is following behind them quiet and respectful.
Laertes: My lord, I mean no disrespect to your opinion but this is fact. I have learned this through years of schooling, the empire fell in 457 A.D. - I am sure of it!
Polonius: Ah, my son. you are as obstinate as your mother. You simply do not remember the date correctly. The Roman Empire fell in 500 A.D. and this is the truth.
Laertes: My memory is as clear as this summer's day!
Polonius: Tis a shame, for you are still mistaken.
Ophelia: My lord, you are both mistaken, the Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D.
Polonius abruptly stops and looks at Ophelia with intense anger.
Polonius: Did I ask you to speak? Ah, Laertes as if a woman would know of such thing!
The two continue down the hallway laughing loudly as Ophelia sneaks off to a nearby open window. Her absence goes without any notice. She takes a risk and sits on the ledge with her feet dangling. Feeling hurt and insignificant she loses herself in a daydream when suddenly two hands grab her waist and push her but pull her back on the ledge. Ophelia screams.
Ophelia: My God! Is it my life you seek?!
Hamlet: No, just a laugh.
Ophelia turns to see Hamlet smiling widely over her shoulder, she can not help but laugh and turns to face him.
Ophelia: You almost scared me to death!
Hamlet: It was only for fun dear Ophelia, and to remind you how precious life is.
Ophelia: Well you have certainly succeeded.
Hamlet: I do not remember the last time we were alone together, has it been a year or more?
Ophelia: Nonsense, I see you almost every week!
Hamlet: But when is the last time we have talked about our innermost thoughts? What happened to our friendship, Ophelia? I only see you now fleetingly and only hear you when you are saying hello. I almost did not even recognize this beautiful girl sitting on the window.
Ophelia: I have been warned of you, Hamlet.
Hamlet: Do I mean to harm your life?
Ophelia: No, my lord.
Hamlet: Do I mean to hurt your family?
Ophelia: No, my lord.
Hamlet: Then where is the danger?
Ophelia: I do not know, my lord.
Hamlet: Look! Ophelia, look out at those daisies just beyond this window, do they not remind you of me?
Ophelia: Hamlet, that was years ago. We were not yet 7 years of age!
Hamlet: But you remember! That was where my lips first kissed any other, where they met yours. Ah, what an innocent age. I had not yet known what love is, but was already beginning to feel it.
Ophelia: Yes, but it we were just foolish children.
Hamlet: Foolish? Children are pure and true. Foolish, Ophelia? No, we were in love. And you cannot deny that we still are.
Ophelia: How could it be the same after all these years?
Hamlet: Just as I have grown, so has my love.
Hamlet leans closer to Ophelia.
Ophelia: My father would not approve of this.
Hamlet: But what does your father approve of? He is too concerned with Laertes to even care. Why listen to Polonius and not your own heart?
Ophelia: You are very convincing my lord.
Hamlet: Ha! Does that mean you agree?
Ophelia: I agree that we were in love, and that I should listen to my own heart. I can make my own choices and will start this very minute!
Hamlet:: Come Ophelia, let us relive the past.
Hamlet kisses Ophelia passionately.
5 comments:
This was amazing Krista. I thought it could definitely fit somewhere into the original story line, like beforehand actually. I could picture the whole scene in my head, you wrote it very well. I'm actually quite curious as to what happens next. You left the readers wanting more.
I thought you really got their characters too. Polonius and Laertes were dead on. His arrogance and oversight of Ophelia's knowledge being reminiscent of what we read already in the play. I thought Hamlet was well written too. Just the way you wrote him, there was pride and surety (is that a word?) in his voice.
Way to go. I though it was funny that you incorporated stuff from Mr. Ates's class. It was a great representation of the treatment of women at this time. Also, I caught the same thing with Ophelia's repeated line "my lord." She referred to him that way many times however, not once did Hamlet give any formal title. I know that he is the price and all but, I thought a madam or something along that lines would have been appropriate. Overall, I thought it showed the place of women in that society well.
Krista, I think Misha and Kelli had great comments on your piece. I love how effectivel you portrayed Polonius and what a great picture you paint for the role of women in this society. I believe in Hamlet and Ophelia and I would love to see how you envision their relationshiop unfolding.
That was so good! I really liked how you opened it; Laertes and Polonius brought humor but it also showed how Ophelia and the women of her time received little respect. They were always looked down upon, which made it impossible for them to make their own decisions. I also liked that Hamlet and Ophelia had even more of a backstory, when they were little kids in love. Froom what we know from the book, it would make sense that they have so much history.
Great, Krista! I love how you stayed very true to the feel of the language of Shakespeare's work, however, keeping it modern enough to understand and read easily. Also, you had a great story line! I agree with Kelli too regarding how true you stayed to the characters, especially Polonius and Laertes! Write more of this! (P.S. Mr. Ates would be proud!)
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