Annotated Bibliography

Best, Micheal. Hamlet and the Women in his Life. Shakespeare`s Life and Times. 09 February 2002 < http://web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Library/SLTnoframes/plays/women.html > If this site were summarized into one simple phrase it would say, lots of text, little information. The picture of the goat man and the lady is somehow supposed to connect Hamlet to the women in his life. Although first impressions were disappointing, after searching through other articles containing similar information on Hamlet I found important notes to include in the paper. This particular page was about Hamlet and the women in his life, but another page entitled, Ophelia: Madness, contained information that will be extremely helpful in the paper. After the brief description on the topic of Hamlet and the women in his life, a scene relating to the topic was provided underneath to enhance the quality of the site. This can be of assistance when proving a point made previously in the paper. The bibliography information was difficult to find, but from my discovery search to find it I was introduced to other information I might not have been if I didn’t have to investigate all over the site.

Carbone, Jennie. Interpreting Ophelia. Digital Elsinor. 06 March 2002. <http://parallel.park.uga.edu/Courses/F98/4320-1/opheliahamletgrp1.html> Titling an article with “Interpreting Ophelia” can boggle anyone’s mind. It was intriguing because it was going to explain how and why the maddest character in all of literature was truly mad. The wonderful picture displayed at the top right corner of the page gives one a feel of the innocence of this young woman. However, reading down the page, one can obviously see that she becomes a mad person. Overflowing with quotes from the play and opinions of the author, the basis for Ophelia’s madness is revealed clearly. Although, the information about Ophelia is wonderful in this source, the eye focal point when entering the site is a blinding flash of light zooming across the screen. This site uses good use of its space and there are no annoying advertisements in the margins. Also, the bibliography is hidden behind a link to another page, which is highly frustrating to the average researcher.

Delaney, Ian. “Hamlet and Oedipus.” Shakespearean Education. 16 March 1999. 06 March 2002 <http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~iandel/oedipus.html > Ever heard of Smart Tech Toys, well, when visiting the site about Hamlet and Oedipus, one might think that is the title of the article, considering its great size and attractive pictures. Being an educational site one could expect and little more dignity in the presentation of the site. However, the content provided proves the quality of a research journal. Although this site focuses more on Hamlet than the sane and quite respected Ophelia, there is information that fits perfectly into the section of my paper entitled Hamlet and Ophelia, more specifically the part where the fact that Hamlet loves Ophelia is described. Nearing the end of this source, when the tears begin to fall as one must part with Hamlet and Oedipus, there sits a rather organized bibliography provided for your viewing pleasure, not to mention site purposes. Information in this source is evidently reliable due to the fact that is a research journal and it was published in the United Kingdom.

Garner, Shirley.,ed. Shakespearean Tragedy and Gender. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996. When using one of those old-fashion textbooks, it is hard to know exactly how to get the best information without having to read its three hundred pages. Luckily, this wonderfully informative book had an extraordinary index that I believe knew exactly what I was thinking. I was able to look up my exact topic using the play Hamlet, or simply looking up madness, father-daughter relationship, or Ophelia. This source was reliable in any aspect because it contained a collaboration of a plethora of other references on Shakespearean tragedy and gender. The information needed to complete the bibliography was found in the beginning of the book on the title page and publishing page. This source will be used in every subtopic of my paper because it deals with the relationship between men and women, hence the title, and it also touches on many themes Shakespeare uses in all his plays, including Hamlet.

Gist, Richard. Rev. of Hamlet, dir. Matthew Warchus. Aisle Say 10 June 1998. 26 February 2002 < http://www.towson.edu/~gist/hamlet.htm > The Royal Shakespeare Company presents Hamlet at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The odd looking older man in the picture with the younger somewhat attractive woman are pictured to entice the person visiting this site to come and see the show. Oh wait, in order to learn anything about the actual play, scroll down a couple times before the text can be revealed. The top of the page consists solely of where and when the play will be performed. This site is truly a disgrace to anyone interested in obtaining research on the play. After going through a play review which tells the reader how Hamlet has been altered to an abstract version of this classics Shakespearean literature. The bottom of the site displays a clear information and reservation box, but the bibliography for the site is not listed, so one must climb through the abundance of the information to obtain the information for the bibliography.

Johnson, Charles. “Ophelia.” New Englander and Yale Review Volume 45, Issue 195 (1886). 06 March 2002 < http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ncpsquery.html > It amazes me that the internet of the year 2002 hold articles of the year 1886. The article opens with a court case of young girl who it is said is similar to Ophelia. This is a nice source to be used as a counter point to what most other sources believe. The article was presented well, although, a huge right margin of blank space frustrated me because it turned out much longer than it could have been. The page before the article gives a clear and organized bibliography making the researcher happy. The site not only touches on Ophelia and her madness, but also brings up interesting facts of the roots of Shakespeare’s work. No annoying and unnecessary flying pictures or scrolling messages appeared on the screen to ensure a distraction free source. This site is reliable partially because it is documented in an old periodical and is up kept through the government and Cornell University.

Starks, Lisa. “Making Mother Matter: Repression, Revision, and the Stakes of ‘Reading Psychoanalysis Into’ Kenneth Branagh`s Hamlet.” Early Modern Literary Studies 6.1 (2000): 2.1-24. 10 February 2002 < http://www.shu.ac.uk/emls/06-1/lehmhaml.htm > As the page opened on the screen, the only thing I could think about is how there was no music similar to Masterpiece Theatre in the background. From the italicized title in front of the pretty little crescent, I knew this site meant business. When reading through its massive twenty-one pages of cold-hearted textual facts, I gained knowledge that will be able to assist my brilliant paper. With the mature look of the scholarly journal, which of course makes it extremely reliable, came difficult words to read. Each sentence that seemed relevant to my paper had to be examined carefully and then analyzed. The bibliography was placed strategically in the center of the top of the page to alleviate the stress of hunting for it. The article is broken up into twenty-four sections, which make the information organized and easy to get to. The source brings in expert opinions to ensure that the information provided is correct.

Hamlet. Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Warner Home Video Ltd. 1990. As the hansom blue-eyes of Mel Gibson are revealed on the screen, any normal woman couldn’t help but agree with anything he says or believes. Back to reality, the 1990 version of Hamlet is an entertaining display of Shakespeare’s classic play. Although a few parts are left out, the main elements needed to grab a solid concept of what is going on is attainable. The gradual ascending to Ophelia’s madness is extremely useful when bringing up points of how she was influenced and by whom. Also, Claudius guilt is more apparent when seen on screen the necessarily reading because the reactions and facial expressions are displayed. Hamlets love for both is mother and the sweet Ophelia are portrayed beautifully and can be an excellent reference for describing the characters emotions. The last scene with the blood battle is nice blueprint of how Shakespeare wanted to bring out the theme of revenge and death.

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