Friday, February 10, 2012

Hamlet Emulation

To curl or not to curl-that is the dilemma:
Whether it’s the hair’s own mind to decide
The heat and damage of outrageous twists,
Or to go natural against a plastic society
And, by opposing, look bad. To curl, to straighten-
No more-and by straightening we end 
The ugliness and the thousand nasty looks
That hair is crucial to-be a finalized 
Project to be desired. To curl, to straighten-
To straighten, for pin straight hair. Ay, there’s the curler,
For in that curling of hair is what makes beauty come,
When we have washed off this hair spray,
We give our hair rest. There’s the serum
That makes our hair have so long length. 
For who would touch the splits and damages of hair, 
The hairdresser’s hands, the proud hair’s softness, 
The layers of gorgeous hair, the time delay,
The uncooperation of hair, and the undone
Parts that look unworthy of looks,
When she might just fake
With a bare wig? Who would believe that,
To tug and touch under an itchy wig,
But that the real hair is something feared,
The undiscovered horrid of natural waves
No girl appreciates, puzzles the boys
And makes us rather appealing of what we have
Than to resort to other products that we know not of?
Thus gorgeousness does make girls insane, 
And thus the natural hair of girls
Is frizzy over with humidity cast of weather,
With this regard their powers turn waves
And lose the name of Chi. 

Future Self

2/9/12
Dear Zahra,
OH MY GOD! How are you doing?! Are you enjoying your first year of high school? I hope so, because it only gets worse. Seriously, be prepared for chemistry next year, STUDY EVERY SINGLE DAY. Oh, and don’t even get me started on your upcoming math classes. Not as easy as you think, Zar. Pre-calc was awful. Make sure you do well your junior year. Junior year proved to be the toughest. Take as many SATs and ACTs as possible! Take those Sylvan classes that Mommy is going to tell you to take. They honestly, will probably end up being worth it. Now, I know you’re not a slacker, so I don’t have to tell you not to get senioritis. I can assure you that you will get into most of the universities that you apply to, because you’re a great girl, Zahra! Remember to always be respectful to your teachers, because it will pay off in the end. One thing I would reassure you is to take more SAT classes. Though you aren’t a bad student, your SAT score could have been MUCH higher. I believe, all you need is some more studying. BY THE WAY, please do not concentrate on the immature boys in your grade. They are just jealous of you, Zahra. Don’t associate yourself with boys, you associate yourself with men. Boys don’t become real men until they’re AT LEAST 25 years old. Please do not waste your time. Focus on your education, as you have been doing, and graduate with flying colors! Mom and Dad will be asking you constantly on your future plans. Try not to get an attitude with them (though, it’ll be hard). All you have to do is, keep reassuring them that you plan to go to law school to study international law. Keep your head up, and show everyone, just how great you are! 
Lots of love,
FUTURE Zahra 
Xoxoxo 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

ACT II, SCENE I

Act II, Scene I
by
Justin Stimac
Zahra Syed
Mike “Webby” Clark 
Int. scene - description
Enter old Polonius with his man (Reynaldo) 
Polonius
Give him some money and notes Reynaldo
Reynaldo 
OK
Polonius
You’ll do pretty good Reynaldo. Ask him about his behavior.
Reynaldo
I was thinking about doing that.
Polonius
Good, ask about the Danes that are in Paris and how they are doing, who is hanging with him and how they know my son. 
Reynaldo
OK 
Polonius
Ask about his drinking, fighting, cursing, more fighting, and his getting around.
Reynaldo 
That would be pretty bad for him.
Polonius
You can’t make him look bad so just keep everything a secret. 
Reynaldo
But-
Reynaldo 
Yeah I got this. 
Polonius
Go to and you should be able to see everything he is doing. By lying, the truth shall prevail. So listen to what I just said. Capeche 
Reynaldo
Capeche
Polonius 
Good luck
Reynaldo
Thank you. See you later.
Exit Reynaldo and enter Ophelia 
Ophelia 
OMG the craziest thing just happened!
Polonius
What!? What just happened?
Ophelia
I was facebooking in my room ad Hamlet came in with the deepest v-neck ever! He wasn’t even wearing pants! But he was as pale as Edward Cullen. He started mad crazy.
Polonius
Like crazy for you?
Ophelia
I think so.
Polonius
What did he say?
Ophelia
He grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me. He almost fainted!After holding onto my wrist and looking at my eyes for a good five minutes. Then, he just walked away... 
Polonius 
Let’s go, we need to go see the king. He is most certainly in love. Have you talked to him lately?
Ophelia
I haven't talked to him in awhile. I've been taking your advice and ignoring him. 
Polonius
Well that’s why he’s so mad. I did not think that my advice would actually hurt the situation. We must go see the king and make it known to him about Hamlet’s love. 
Exit

Friday, February 3, 2012

200 year old house

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT KALEY JUST GOT A 200 YEAR OLD HOUSE FROM HER UNCLE. This is amazing. She just showed me a picture of it! It’s weirdly colored though...it’s an old, moldy type of orange. The windows have rims of dark, seaweed green! Kaley’s dad said he’ll fix it up for her, however she wants. HE IS SO COOL. Apparently her really old grand uncle died and didn’t want to give it to Kaley’s dad because of a fight they had ten years ago. Now, the house belongs to Kaley! I’m going to go over to her new, HAUNTED house tomorrow night. I hope her parents don’t find out. She told her parents that she’s sleeping over at my place, and I told my parents that I’m sleeping over at Kaley’s. Hehe. Anyways, we’re throwing a big party. There’s some lake by there so it’ll be perfect for a bonfire! I’m going to Target today to buy some s’mores. I’ve never actually held my own bonfire today. I looked up some cute but hilarious bonfire activities we could do. OMG!! What am I going to wear? I’m going to need multiple outfits since we might go in the boat that she has on the lake. I swear, this girl is SO lucky to basically have her own house! Kaley said I can hold my 21st birthday party there! FUN FUN FUN ;) So we’re planning on inviting all the seniors and most of the COOL juniors. We don’t want any weird freshman or sophomores though. This house is going to make Kaley and I...SO POPULAR. Everyone is going to want to come to our haunted house’s parties! THIS IS THE BEST SENIOR YEAR EVER! 

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

ACT I ESSAY

Family was extremely important in the time of Shakespeare. In Hamlet, Gertrude marries her husband’s brother, Claudius, within weeks of his death. Hamlet is obviously enraged with such behavior, however, keeps to himself. 
Because the kingdom of Denmark was at a very vulnerable time, due to King Hamlet’s death, any uproar within the kingdom itself would allow neighboring enemies to plan attack on the kingdom. King hamlet had worked far too hard to let enemies repossess his land. Hamlet and his father had a deep connection. Hamlet probably knows that causing a fight between him and his new stepfather would ruin the reputation of the kingdom. 
A bad reputation on the kingdom would cause citizens to fee insecure. If there is no order within the kingdom, how should Denmark rule effectively? 
Going back to the relationship with hamlet and his father, when Hamlet was talking to the ghost of King hamlet, he gave him advice. The ghost said, “...nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother...” (Act I. Scene II). The ghost did not want Hamlet to disrespect his mother in any way. 
Though Hamlet was eligible for the throne, he didn’t fight his uncle. Either it was to maintain order in the kingdom or may be to plot revenge. Hamlet is enraged by the information he has learned regarding the murder by Claudius. Hamlet may be trying to keep on the down low so that no suspicion arises. 

Monday, January 23, 2012

BATHROOM FACE

BATHROOM FACE 
By: Zahra Syed
I thought it would be just a regular morning. Same routine, every single day. Wake up at 6:30, brush my teeth, wash my face, straighten my hair...but not this morning. As I walked to the bathroom and turned on the light, I turn to look at myself in the mirror. What do I find? BRITNEY SPEARS! What, I was SO confused. It was REALLY her. The blond hair (that I guess grew back after she shaved it all off!), and the skimpy tight shirt. The funny thing was that whatever facial expressions I would make, she would make. I opened my mouth and stuck my tongue out, so did Britney! 
This was astonishing. I started freaking out. I ran to my room. Looking at my dresser, I walk to it’s mirror. I’m myself in my room mirror! There’s no Britney! I run downstairs to my mom’s mirror...again, no Britney. I drink a glass of cold T.G Lee chocolate milk, I calm down. Walking slowly upstairs, I go to my bathroom. The lights are off because Aeliya was in there after I left. I ask her, “hey, anything interesting happen so far?” and all Ael does is look at me so weirdly. Confidently, I go back inside. After turning on the light, I look up and into the mirror. “AHHHHHHHHH”, I scream! She’s back. She’s looking at me right in the eye. I left my right hand up, so does she. I continuously blink, so does she. I try talking to it. “Hey there, Britney”, I say nervously. But all that happens is she makes the same mouth movements but no sound comes out. 
After talking to her about how weird this is, I bring my hair straightener into the bathroom. Thinking that I might outsmart Britney, I start doing my hair. How was she going to straighten her hair if I have the straightener? But I was proved wrong. As I reached down to get my straightener, so did she. I look up and the same exact black Chi hair straightener that I have...is in HER hands too! OH MY GOD, I am so confused but intrigued at the same time! 
I take my bottle of Twilight Woods body spray from Bath and Body Works and spray myself. SO DOES BRITNEY. “How is this possible?!” I think to myself. Like an idiot, I smell the mirror to see if it smells like my scent, but it doesn’t. I heard my mom calling me from downstairs, “ZAHRA, WHAT IS TAKING YOU SO LONG, THE KIDS ARE WAITING FOR YOU TO TAKE THEM TO SCHOOL!!!!”. I slightly ignore her because I obviously have bigger things to worry about. Anyways, I quickly go into my room to change. Looking at my room mirror, I see no one but myself! 
Now, I’m really running out of time. I go downstairs to grab a bagel. I bring it to the bathroom. As I walk in, there Britney is already, with an everything bagel! I take a small nibble and look up. The same size bite I took, Britney took. Now I’m really mad. All this confusion is very aggravating! I start singing her classic song, Oops!..I Did It Again!. “Oops, I...did it again to your heart! Got lost! In this game...” I start singing like a maniac. When I stopped...THE MOST ASTONISHING THING HAPPENED. Britney started to sing! SHE WAS SINGING. She was doing everything based off her control and not mine. “Oops you, think I was sent from above, but I’m not that innocent!” Britney just sang to me, in my mirror. That was the only way I could provoke her to do her own actions, I guess. I am to sing a little of her song and let her finish it. Then I begin singing “ohh baby, baby, how was I suppose to know...” “THAT SOMETHING WASN’T RIGHT HERE!” Britney responded.
The sound of her voice is just like the way her CDs are composed! Voice of an angel! All this singing as just made me realize that I got some of that body spray in my mouth. YUCK. Anyways, I try to touch the mirror and see if I can go into the mirror, but I cant. She’s just trapped inside the mirror. I don’t understand how this is possible. After spending way too much time provoking Britney to talk to me, I go to school. Anxious for school to finish, I finally come home after my Student Government meeting. The first thing I do is that I run to my bathroom! She’s not there. She’s gone. Britney has disappeared. I’m not sure whether to be sad or relived. I suppose I was a little disappointed. I go and eat dinner. I walk into my room and go to my dresser so that I can brush my hair. I look up and..BRITNEY IS THERE!!!
“RING RING RING RING” dumb iPhone alarm comes on and I wake up. IT WAS A DREAM. Oh my god. 

Whoso List to Hunt

WHOSO LIST TO HUNT 
As we all know, must women impossible to pursue. From the very beginning of time, men have been chasing women like crazy. Unfortunately for Sir Thomas Wyatt, this was the case for him as well. Many legends have explained a relationship between Wyatt and Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII of England. The two definitely shared a romantic relationship while Wyatt was married unhappily. He was imprisoned for committing adultery but was released a year later. During that year, Anne Boleyn was executed for committing the same sin. Therefore, in Wyatt’s poem, Whoso list to Hunt, he conceals facts about his relationship with Boleyn which, in the end, left him unsuccessful in marrying her. 
“...I know where is an hind !” (Wyatt lines 1-2). A hind is referred to as a female deer. This is a reference to Anne Boleyn because the poem’s title is translated to, “Whoever Wishes to Hunt”. Boleyn was said to have many suitors besides Wyatt who were chasing her. Therefore, Boleyn is described as a deer who men wish to hunt. 
Thomas Wyatt states, “Since in a net I seek to hold the wind.” (Wyatt 9). Not only does this mean the he is trying to pursue a woman, but it also means that running after a woman is similar unsuccessfully catching wind, both actions, according to Wyatt, are completely impossible. The deer was  “...graven with diamonds in letters plain, There is written, her fair neck round about...” (Wyatt lines 12-13). The engraved necklace has a warning, “Noli me tangere”. Though in Latin, when translated to English, clearly states, “touch me not”. The poem goes on to say, “...for Caesar’s I am...” (Wyatt line 14). Caesar is referred to King Henry VIII, the husband of Anne Boleyn. 
Though Whoso list to Hunt is a short poem, it shares a great deal about the endearment Wyatt had towards Boleyn. The entire poem is dedicated to the estranged relationship the two had for each other. There is no doubt that Anne Boleyn is the “hind” (Wyatt line 2) that Wyatt refers to in the beginning of this poem and that the inscription on the necklace the hind was wearing was a warning. However, most importantly, Anne Boleyn is the sole reason and central metaphor for this love poem of Wyatt’s. 
WORKS CITED
May, John W. Whoso List to Hunt: A Wyatt Sonnet. N.p., 16 June 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. <http://myopicpoets.blogspot.com/2009/06/whoso-list-to-hunt-sonnet-to-queen-anne.html>.
Wyatt, Thomas. Whoso list to Hunt. N.p.: Richard Harrier, 1815. Print.

Varium Et Mutabile

VARIUM ET MUTABILE 
The story of Sir Thomas Wyatt and Anne Boleyn is indeed an incredible one. She was married to the King of England, Henry VII while he was also unhappily married. The two were caught up in an estranged affair which lead to the imprisonment of Wyatt and the execution of Boleyn. It is said that Wyatt then wrote many poems on this event of his life. Though Varium et Mutabile does not directly refer to Boleyn, there are many references to Wyatt’s thoughts on women. When a reader who knows about Wyatt and Boleyn’s affair reads this poem, he or she may sympathize with the hatred that Wyatt has portrayed against women. Otherwise, without any prior knowledge on the history of Wyatt, it is most difficult to sympathize with him. 
The first section of this poem describes “a debate” as being “So sharp, so sore, and of such rate...” (Wyatt lines 2-3). An intense analysis of the meaning of such a statement will bring one to the conclusion that what Wyatt is explaining is the most obvious, women win every argument. Though this is a very modern ideal, Wyatt, in the 1500s is stating this! Usually, a man who has been in love or is currently in love will make such a statement. Knowing Wyatt’s love history would allow readers to refer back to his affair with Boleyn. 
“From love to hate, and thence for to relent?” (Wyatt 9). The second section of Varium et Mutabile explains to us how Wyatt feels about women’s emotions. He describes them as being “cruel”. Only a man suffering from heartbreak would describe women with such a word. The would cruel refers to Wyatt’s heartbreak over Boleyn. Knowing Boleyn’s background, she was executed due to committing the sin of adultery with five men. Kanye West couldn’t have said it better, “..how could you be so heartless?”.  Readers who do not know the story of this couple would come across the line “...one heart so diverse a mind...” (Wyatt line 13) and be confused as to what Wyatt means. Since I am aware of the history, we realize that Wyatt is speaking of Boleyn’s affair with five other men and how she was able to switch her feelings on and off for men as quickly as how weather changes. 
Most women can be described as being manipulative. Manipulation brings with it, much deceit. A man who has been manipulated will often take his anger out on all other women and feel a form of hatred for such behavior. Wyatt describes such manipulation “..as chance on die?” (Wyatt line 18). The “die” refers to a pair of dice. As we know, a pair of dice often has to do with a game of chance. A game of chance is manipulative because you may think you will receive the number of dots that you want, however, you usually don’t, hence, manipulation. The poem goes on to say “Trust therefore first, and after preve...” (Wyatt line 28). Women manipulate their men into thinking that they are able to trust them and in return, are tricked into the exact opposite. Just as Anne Boleyn played with Wyatt’s emotions, making him feel like he was so special to her, she still affairs with a numerous amount of men. Wyatt clearly states why he believes women are so deceiving. 
The heartbreak that Wyatt suffered due to the actions of Anne Boleyn clearly impacts the tone and meaning of Varium et Mutabile. Wyatt states very hateful aspects of the nature of women. Clearly, he was acting based off of the woman he fell in love with and was hurt by. One needs to have knowledge about the tragedy Wyatt went through because of Boleyn to understand the true impact this poem has. This poem is a direct reflection of how Thomas Wyatt felt about women. 
WORKS CITED 
Wyatt, Thomas. Whoso list to Hunt. N.p.: Richard Harrier, 1815. Print.

ACT 1 SCENE 2 SCRIPT

ACT I SCENE II
by
Zahra Syed, Mike Clarke, Kazu Namiki, Imran Jivraj, Jordan Sihle, Adam Cunningham 
Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, HAMLET, LAERTES, POLONIOUS 
King
Hamlet’s death was pretty sad, but that’s all in the past now, so forget about it. Here in the great state of Alabama, roll tide, I have decided to marry my sister-in-law. We legally deported them illegals, but now they want to come back. We must strike a deal with our brothas in the South. 
Enter LAERTES 
What’s up, Laertes? 
LAERTES
I’ve done my duty and now I want to go back to New York. 
POLONIUS 
He has my permission. 
KING
Fine, you can go. 
Hamlet, my son! 
Hamlet
[Aside] Just because you’re my dad’s brother, doesn’t mean I like you. 
KING
You mad, bro?
QUEEN
Stop your crying and get over it. 
Hamlet 
You’re right. 
king
It’s good that your grieving, but you’re being stubborn. Please don’t go back to college. We need you! 
hamlet
Fine, I’ll stay. 
KING
This calls for a celebration! 
Exeunt all but HAMLET 
Hamlet
God, I wish I could kill myself. I can’t believe my mother can betray my father like this. He was such a good man to her. She is so weak. A dog would mourn longer for it’s owner. 
Enter HORATIO 
HORATIO
Whaddup, bro? 
HAMLET
I’m glad to see you. What brought you back to Denmark?  
horatio
To see your dad’s funeral and your mom’s wedding. 
hamlet
I think I can still my father, bro. 
Horatio 
Yo, you crazy? Where? 
Hamlet
In my mind. 
Horatio
Oh my god. I think I saw him last night. 
hamlet
Are you sure? 
horatio
The last two nights I saw him at midnight. He paces back and forth, slowly. I recognized him and that’s why I’m coming to you. 
hamlet
Where? Did you speak to him!
horatio
He was by the wall. When I went to talk to him, my iPhone’s alarm went off to let me know that it’s sunrise. He disappeared!  
hamlet
What did he look like? 
horatio
He was in military clothes and his face was as pale as snow, man. His beard was highlighted with silver. 

hamlet
DUDE, I’m gonna come look out for him tonight, I gotta talk to him. Keep your mouth shut about this. I’ll see you tonight! 
Exit