E-paper- 1st Draft- Thoughts?

Here is the first draft of my interactive e-paper idea.  Let me know what you think.  What would you like to see there?  How can I improve the flow and interactivity of the paper?  Constructive criticism will be much appreciated.

Ophelia Drowning: Cleansing Herself of Social Roles on Prezi

Marionette and Hand Puppet...Complete!!!

Here is Ophelia, fully constructed.  Oliver decided to hang her up on the cupboard knob.

It was a lot harder to make her than we thought it would be.

Here is Hamlet, who Oliver thought was a king when he was forming the frame for him.  Who does not  love a fat future king for an antagonist?  :)

Hamlet in his black outfit (kind of looks like a black straight jacket, coincidence...maybe)

Ophelia with a fancy red dress

Close up

My awesome fiance- he worked hard

I think the paint fumes started to get to him.

Ophelia completed- Oliver was pretty happy about it.

Here she is!

Hamlet now has a face.

Now, we are about ready to perform and film.  These took a lot of work, but I am excited to perform the show.  I hope you will all enjoy it!

Searching for Celia Shirt

Here is my new Searching for Celia shirt.  :)  The designer, an animation major at BYU, happened to deliver it right when we finished constructing the marionette of Ophelia.  She laughed, said at that point it looked kind of like a voodoo doll, and then said she was impressed.  I am pretty impressed with it myself. My fiance was an amazing help; without him, it probably would not have turned out so well.  Thanks Oliver! :)

Marionette Theater- The Stage

This is kind of what I am thinking for my marionette theater.  What do you think?  Instead of wood, I will probably use a large cardboard box.

Puppets Controlling Other Puppets.....People Controlling Other People....

I have been trying to figure out how to get my idea of control by men over Ophelia's thoughts and actions in the play Hamlet and the idea of the controlled structure of the research paper to connect in some creative way.  My ideas led me to thinking of a way to create a puppet show, where the feeling of control and manipulation could really come through.  To really make my idea work, I was going to need a marionette to illustrate the idea of cutting the strings of control in order to experience freedom of movement and thinking.  However, trying to get a marionette to control another marionette seemed quite difficult.  This led me to the idea of making a hand puppet to control the marionette.  I have almost all of my supplies gathered to get started and will hopefully have the puppets finished tonight.  I have contacted two puppeteers telling them a bit about my idea and asking for any advice they may have for me.  We will see what happens, and I will keep you updated.

I Won a T-Shirt! I Won a T-Shirt! I Won a T-shirt a few days ago! Hey, Hey! :)

Last summer, my roommate and I were planning on going to a local battle of the bands competition at the Velour venue.  The day of the show, I was on campus when a band member from Searching for Celia, one of the bands competing, stopped me and told me about the band.  This sparked my interest.  I looked them up that day on the Internet (including a little Facebook stalking) to find out more about them.  As a result, I discovered that I loved their music.  Next, I looked them up on Reverbnation, a great social networking site for music.  You can read more about it in one of my past blog posts.  We went to the show and had a great time.  I have been to several of their shows since then.

On their Facebook page, they have asked several times for people to help advertise by posting about upcoming shows, which I have done on Facebook and Twitter.  Recently, they asked for help advertising once again, with the incentive of winning a free custom-made t-shirt.  I shared, and they announced me as the winner.  :)  I met with the artist designing my shirt, gave her my input, and will soon have an awesome Searching for Celia shirt that is one of a kind.  I will share a picture once I get the shirt. :)

Now, why would I share this experience?  Because so many useful connections can be made through contacting people through the Internet on social networking sites.  You never know what the outcome could be...a new friend, someone you can discuss your ideas with, a great band, a free custom t-shirt, or maybe even a pickle (for those of you who caught The Little Rascals reference made in the title of this post).  :)

My experience on Facebook has allowed me to keep in touch with friends, share messages about the gospel, and to talk to many prospective freshmen about my experience at BYU.  Twitter has allowed me to have a personal written response from a celebrity, Troy McClain, from the TV show, "The Apprentice," connect with people who are also interested in e-learning, and know what people I am interested in are currently thinking about.  Goodreads and Flixster allow me to see what my friends are reading and viewing.  Goodreads has also helped me find great reads that former classmates, teachers, and librarians have read, rated, or/and reviewed.  Reverbnation has helped me keep in touch with friends who have an interest in local music or are working on their own music.  I have also been able to explore the local music scene of both the Provo area and the music scene back home.

In regards to Ophelia and the issues of control and her suicide, I have found many social connections.  I was able to start a discussion on Goodreads (also here is a link to a discussion on Jane Eyre from last year), and I received comments on status posts on Facebook about Ophelia and the issue at hand.  These helped me to further develop ideas I had already had and to spark new thoughts on the subject of Ophelia.  The Internet is full of ideas, and just like Buckwheat, if you are willing to pay a small price by searching and putting yourself out on a limb by actually contacting others, you will be able to find great gems of knowledge through others online.

Making a Marionette

Trying to create a puppet show, especially one with marionettes, when you have never even participated in one before can be quite overwhelming.  Thankfully, I have a wonderful fiance (see picture on top right of my blog) who has volunteered to help me create them.  To start off, we have to learn how to make a marionette.  So I am watching videos on YouTube and am contacting professional puppeteers in order to gain some insight on how to accomplish this great task.  Here is one video below on how to make a marionette:

I will let you know more about how it is going as I go on the journey of creating a puppet show. :)

The Quiet Rain

Calming the raging water,
trying not to drown,
fighting the inevitable,
will not be dragged down.

Dark skies overhead,
another sleepless night,
when I lay down my head,
eyes, closed-shut tight.

Fighting tears, roaring down,
pouring down my face,
to others they make not one sound,
but leave the slightest trace.

This love that she cannot contain,
overwhelming her pounding heart;
but from revealing it, she must refrain.
She can only do her part.

Silently, she must go on,
hoping for the best,
waiting for the coming dawn,
enduring this trying test.

By Heart: A Lamentation for Lost Lost

Inside, my mind is reeling;
My vision is all bent.
A tidal wave of feeling,
my heart left with a dent;
In need of a strong sealing,
releasing me from this never-ending torment.

My heart he's slyly stealing,
with my heart's complete consent.
Yet his love, he is concealing, 
leaving my soul to lament...
A sad song my heart is singing,
its wonted happy tune, the wounds prevent.

All along, I keep wanting, wishing,
for things to be wholly different...

Ophelia and Laertes (her brother) Scene

Ophelia and Laertes: A Brother's Words for Protection
by: bball10ash

Here is a video I made of Laertes warning his sister Ophelia of the poor intentions of Hamlet.  I love Ophelia's response to this warning.  Below is the original script along with a modern translation.  The video is rough, but I am hoping to make an edited version soon.
[A room in the house of Polonius.]
Enter Laertes, and Ophelia, his sister.	Modern Translation:
LAERTES: My necessaries are embark'd. Farewell. And, sister, as the winds give benefit And convoy is assistant, do not sleep, But let me hear from you.	LAERTES: The things I need are all on the ship. Goodbye. And, sister, as the winds will be favorable And the ships are strong to sail, don’t sleep, Until you let me hear from you.
OPHELIA: Do you doubt that?(5)	OPHELIA: Do you doubt that?
LAERTES: For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favours, Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood; A violet in the youth of primy nature, Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting; The perfume and suppliance of a minute;(10) No more.	LAERTES: As for Hamlet and the foolishness of his attentions, Think that it is only a phase and a toy in blood. A violet in the youth of nature that is in its prime, Bold, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, The burning passion and extreme wanting of a moment, Nothing more.
OPHELIA: No more but so?	OPHELIA: Nothing more than that?
LAERTES: Think it no more. For nature, crescent, does not grow alone In thews and bulk; but as this temple waxes,(15) The inward service of the mind and soul Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now, And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch The virtue of his will; but you must fear, His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own;(20) For he himself is subject to his birth. He may not, as unvalued persons do, Carve for himself; for on his choice depends The safety and health of this whole state, And therefore must his choice be circumscribed(25) Unto the voice and yielding of that body Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he loves you, It fits your wisdom so far to believe it As he in his particular act and place May give his saying deed; which is no further(30) Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal. Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain If with too credent ear you list his songs, Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open To his unmast'red importunity.(35) Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister, And keep you in the rear of your affection, Out of the shot and danger of desire. The chariest maid is prodigal enough If she unmask her beauty to the moon.(40) Virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes. The canker galls the infants of the spring Too oft before their buttons be disclosed, And in the morn and liquid dew of youth Contagious blastments are most imminent.(45) Be wary then; best safety lies in fear. Youth to itself rebels, though none else near.	LAERTES: Stop thinking about it, Because nature, the moon, does not grow alone In strength and size, but as this temple grows, The inward duty of the mind and soul Grows wide along with the rest. Maybe he loves you now, And now no dirt nor trick dims the luster of The purity of his intentions, but you must fear him. His greatness considered, his intentions are not his own, He himself is subject to his birth as a prince. He may not, as lower persons do, Select for himself, for on his choice depends The safety and health of this whole state, And therefore must his choice be subject To the voice and consent of that state That he is the head of. Then if he says he loves you, You would be wise to believe it Because then being in his particular act and place May do what he says, which is what The majority of people in of Denmark go along with. So decide what loss your honor may receive If you listen to his songs with a too believing ear, Or lose your heart, or lose your virginity To his wild sense of bad timing. Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister, And keep your affections deep within you, Out of the range and danger of desire. The most careful maid is wasteful enough If she unmasks her beauty to the moon. Virtue itself doesn’t aim at lying deeds. An ugly disease afflicts the new flowers of the spring Too often before they have bloomed, And in the morning and liquid dew of youth Contagious shriveling is the most imminent. Be careful then. The safest way lies in fear. Youth rebels against itself, even if no one else is near.
OPHELIA: I shall the effect of this good lesson keep As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother, Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,(50) Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, Whilst, like a puff'd and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads And recks not his own rede.	OPHELIA: I shall keep the purpose of this good lesson As watchman to my heart. But, my good brother, Don’t, as some insincere ministers do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, While, like a proud and reckless wild man, Preaches against the primrose path of sin And does not practice what he preaches.
LAERTES: O, fear me not!(55) Enter Polonius. I stay too long. But here my father comes. A double blessing is a double grace; Occasion smiles upon a second leave.	LAERTES: O, don’t be afraid of me. I’ve stayed too long. But here comes my father. A double blessing is a double grace, It’s a better occasion to smile at saying goodbye again.

Thoughts on Ophelia Project

I have been exploring ways to apply my paper on Ophelia to a modern issue.  While talking with Dr. Burton last semester, we had a few thoughts on what I could do.  One idea that has been clicking was actually the issue with my own paper.  All of my blog posts with pictures of Ophelia allowed my blog readers to be able to connect with her character.  Both Dr. Burton and I felt that my paper would be better if I could use different media sources to compliment my ideas.  Media sources are not currently an accepted part of an academic research paper.  My idea is to revamp my research paper with complimentary material, including a puppet show to illustrate the power struggle experience by Ophelia and other characters in Hamlet, along with the student's creativity being challenged by the rigid structure of the classic academic paper.  This idea for a puppet show came from a post on Google+.

Jared Axelrod

Apr 24, 2012  -  Public

Best/Worst Idea: A production of HAMLET, where half the characters are puppets. Ophelia is operated by Polonius. Claudius and Getrude control Rosencratz and Guilderstern. Laretes gets his own puppeteer, until the end, where he slips comfortably on Claudius's hand. Hamlet is both a puppet and and actor, thereby allowing him to talk to himself properly. #HAMLETpuppetshow

I want to also include interactive material such as questionnaires, pictures, mini presentations, quizzes, videos, discussions, etc. to allow readers of my paper to better understand my ideas and though process about Ophelia, control, and social roles.  If anyone has any ideas to make this idea work, I would love your input.

Ophelia's Death

This video, "Ophelia's Death," really allows the viewer to connect with the character of Ophelia.  I liked how the music complimented the mood of this time as Ophelia makes the decision for her death. 

Ophelia Wordle made from words used in research paper

Ophelia Picture Compilation

As Dr. Burton has mentioned about my blog, I have found a lot of inspiration from the pictures of Ophelia I have found online.  While searching YouTube, I found this video of a compilation of pictures set to music.  Many of these I have seen while doing my research.  Enjoy!