Marlea Pavlick

Miss Skirtich
26 October 2016
English 10: World Literature

Dont Lie - Vampire Weekend

Dont Lie by Vampire Weekend has two separate meanings; one meaning is about
lying, and the other meaning is about about getting older quickly and life suddenly becoming
more serious. This song ties into the theme of Hamlet in both interpretations. The first meaning
is about lying. In the play, Hamlet is lied to by many people and believes that everybody is lying
to him. Of these people are Rosencratz, Guildenstern, Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia. To
Hamlet, he believes that Ophelia lying to him was the last straw. I think that this song ties into
the theme of lying and it makes me think of when Ophelia lied to Hamlet about her knowledge of
who was spying on them. The other interpretation was about becoming older quickly and life
suddenly becoming more serious than it once was. For Hamlet, he never had to worry about
ghosts, murder, and lying nearly as much as he does now. Its a twisted sign of growing into an
adult for him, as he is faced with larger responsibilities now.

High and Dry - Radiohead

High and Dry by Radiohead makes me think of multiple themes in Hamlet. On one
hand, I think of Ophelia being left high and dry by Hamlet when he supposedly takes her
virginity and her love, then tells her that he never loved her. Another theme that this song ties
into is about Claudius killing late King Hamlet for his throne, and the ghost of late King Hamlets
thoughts on his brothers actions. For example, Youd kill yourself for recognition, Two jumps
in a week I bet you think thats pretty clever, dont you boy, and Youre turning into something
you are not makes me think of late King Hamlet reflecting on his brother Claudiuss actions.

Shake Me Down - Cage the Elephant

Shake Me Down by Cage the Elephant is a song about someone being all alone and
thinking about their past. The connection to Hamlet that this song makes is about Prince
Hamlet. In the play, Hamlet believes that he is alone because of everybody lying to him. The
part of the song that makes me think of this is, Not a lot of people left around. The song also
says, Theres no love between the sheets, which makes me think of Hamlets thoughts on
Gertrude and Claudiuss incestuous behavior.

Here Today - The Beach Boys

Here Today by the Beach Boys is about somebody falling fast in love, but then the love
being gone the next. The song talks about how badly they feel when the love is gone the next
day. I think of two parts of Hamlet in this song: Laertes and Polonius talking to Ophelia about
Hamlet, and Ophelia after Hamlet tells her he doesnt love her anymore. The first way the song
ties into Hamlet is with Laertes and Polonius talking to Ophelia. Youve got to keep in mind love
is here today and its gone tomorrow, reminds me of when Laertes talks Ophelia in act 1 scene
3 about how Hamlet wont continue to love Ophelia after he gets what he wants. This is how
Here Today by The Beach Boys can be seen through Hamlet.

I Think Ur A Contra - Vampire Weekend

I Think Ur A Contra by Vampire Weekend is about two people who were in a
relationship but one person betrays the other by lying or cheating. Then, the person who is
singing about the other member of the relationship being a contra or liar realizes that they are
the contra themselves. This fits Hamlet and Ophelias relationship. One way it fits Hamlet and
Ophelias relationship is because Hamlet calls Ophelia a liar because she lied to Hamlet about
people spying on their conversation. A quote that especially makes me think of this is, But even
with an oath with truth on our side when you turn away from me its not right, because Hamlet
trusted Ophelia with an oath and she was complete truthful to Hamlet until she said one lie.

Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley is about somebody who is acting crazy and is questioning if
theyre just acting crazy or if theyre really crazy. There are many ways this relates to Hamlet.
For example, in Hamlet, Hamlet is acting crazy as a part of a grand plan to seek revenge on
Claudius. In the song, the singer says, And I hope that you are having the time of your life. But
think twice, thats my only advice. This is related to Hamlet because Hamlet is going to seek
revenge on Claudius, and this would convey how he feels about Claudiuss situation and
impending death. Another way that Hamlet relates to this song is because while acting crazy so
that people believe that Hamlet is crazy, he seems to truly go off of the deep end. There are a
few scenes that Hamlet may or may not really be crazy. This is how Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
relates to Hamlet.

Feels Like We Only Go Backwards - Tame Impala

Feels Like We Only Go Backwards by Tame Impala is a song about somebody who
feels like they are going further in their relationship with somebody, but then the other person
lets them down, making the singer feel like they are going backwards in their relationship. In
Hamlet this song would not only relate to Ophelia and Hamlet, but Gertrude and Claudius and
Ophelia and Polonius. This relates to Hamlet and Ophelia because Ophelia feels like Hamlet
truly loves her and Ophelia feels like they are going to marry since they supposedly had sex, but
then Hamlet tells Ophelia that he doesnt love her. This makes her feel like she is going
backwards in her relationship with Hamlet. This relates to Gertrude and Claudius because she
remarries and feels like her relationship with her new husband is good, but then Hamlet tells
Gertrude in her chambers that Claudius killed her ex husband late king Hamlet and that
Gertrude can not trust Claudius. This makes her feel like she is going backwards in her
relationship with Claudius. Lastly, this song resonates with Ophelia and Polonius because
Ophelia finally makes Polonius believe that Hamlet truly loves her, but then Polonius gets killed
by the one that she believed loved her. She thought that her relationship with her father was
finally going well and forwards, but then she gets let down. These three reasons are how this
song can be related to the play Hamlet.

Honesty - Billy Joel

Honesty by Billy Joel is a classic that explains how rare it is for the singer to find
honesty, and how they are begging the last truthful person they know to be honest with the
singer and not to lie to them. In Hamlet, I believe that this song resonates with Prince Hamlet. In
the play Hamlet, Hamlet feels like nobody is being truthful to him. At one point, he wants the last
person that hasnt lied to him to be honest. This song would probably be similar to what is going
through Hamlets head. But when I want sincerity tell me where else can I turn, reminds me of
how Hamlet is sort of begging Ophelia for her honesty because she is his last resort. This is
how the song Honesty by Billy Joel could be used in and related to Hamlet.

Surfs Up - The Beach Boys

Surfs Up by the Beach Boys is a song about somebody becoming enlightened and
having to fulfill their fate. In the play Hamlet, Prince Hamlet becomes enlightened to news that
his father died, his uncle Claudius is marrying his mother Gertrude, and that Claudius killed late
King Hamlet. And by learning and becoming aware of the fact that Claudius killed late King
Hamlet, Prince Hamlet then has to fulfill a duty given by the ghost of his father, late King Hamlet.

Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones

Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones is a song, very plainly, about the devil. In
the play Hamlet, Claudius is very much like the singer in the song. First, the song says, Stole
many a mans soul and faith, which parallels Hamlet because Claudius kills late King Hamlet,
which could be seen as stealing a soul and faith. Another way that this song makes me think of
Claudius is the line, Pleased to meet you hope you guessed my name, but what's puzzling you
is the nature of my game, which is like when late King Hamlet is confused as to why Claudius
killed him, and tells Prince Hamlet about who killed late King Hamlet, which is why the, hope
you guessed my name, part is relevant. This is how Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling
Stone could be used in a modern adaptation of Hamlet.