Blog Seven "Fences"

The title of the play Fences by August Wilson has several meanings. It has a literal meaning because throughout the play Troy and Cory spend a majority of their time together building a fence. The fence can have a symbolic meaning because Troy struggles to keep himself away from everyone else; he wants to separate himself from things. This is evident in the text that follows:

Cory: “Tell mama I’ll be back fir my tings.”

Troy: They’ll be on the other side of that fence.” (2.4.110-2.4.111)

In this texts Troy uses the fence as an actual physical barrier between him and his son.

Troy also uses the fence as a way to guard himself from death. When troy learns that Alberta has died in childbirth, he cries out:

“All right…Mr. Death…see now…I’m gonna tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna take and build me a fence around this yard see? I’m gonna build me a fence around what belongs to me. And then I want you to stay on the other side.” (2.2.55)

The fence symbolizes that Troy will fight and resist death.

Throughout the play Troy uses the fence to keep people out, but his wife Rose uses the fence to keep things in. This is evident in the text that follows:

Cory: “I don’t see why Mama want a fence around the yard nowadays.”

Troy: “Damn if I knew wither. What the hell she keeping out with it. She ain’t got nothing nobody want.”

Bono: “Some people build fences to keep people out…and other people build fences to keep people in. Rose wants to hold on to you all. She loves you.” (2.1.30-2.1.32)

Bono helps Troy to see that the fence can also be used to keep people in. Rose sees that Troy and Cory are growing apart, and she uses the fence as a way for them to bond. She is afraid of losing her family. It is evident to her that Troy has different motives for building the fence. In the end the fence that Troy builds does him more ham than good.

Blog Six A Man of Pure Evil

Claudius comes off as an evil person in the story. He has an inner struggle between good and evil, and it seems that evil always wins. Claudius is in constant need to gain more power and doesn’t care about what morals he loses along the way. Claudius attempts to portray himself as a good man, yet he constantly contradicts himself. When his brother The King dies, Claudius delivers a speech in which he describes the pain and sadness he feels over the death of his brother. His need for power overrides any loyalty to his brother. Not even a month has passed since his brother’s death, and he has already remarried his wife. He attempts to portray himself as a man who fears confrontation, but in fact his actions are one of a coward. In the beginning of the story Claudius has such a great fear about going to battle with his brother The King, and instead takes action by poisoning him in his sleep. He attempts to show empathy towards Hamlet by comforting him, but instead his actions come off as ignorant and controlling. Hamlet is distraught by the death of his father and by his mother’s incestuous marriage to his uncle. Claudius shows no restraint when showing affection towards Gertrude. He rubs it in Hamlet’s face and doesn’t care about the negative feelings Hamlet has towards their marriage. He speaks to Hamlet as though he were a child. He tells Hamlet that he needs to get over his father’s death, that it is a part of life. In short, Claudius tells Hamlet to stop being a child and grow up. Claudius lacks the capability to show any empathy for Hamlet and the tragedy that he feels over losing his father. Claudius also used the people around him to get what he wants. He will stop at nothing and will sacrifice everything to gain more power. Claudius uses Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet.  He once again uses Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to accompany Hamlet to England, where he has already planned to have him murdered. Lastly Claudius is also at fault for the death of his wife Gertrude. In Act 5Scene II Line 273 “The Queen carouses to thy fortune.”  The Queen accidentally drinks the poison that was actually intended for Hamlet. Not even at this moment does Claudius make any effort to save the life of his wife. Throughout the story Claudius shows his true colors, he is a conniving and deceitful man who will stop at nothing to be powerful.

Blog Five For the Love of a Father

Hamlet is very disturbed and upset when he came to know about the death of his father. He is filled with grief and is overwhelmed with feelings of anger for his mother and his uncle. His anger is felt even more when his mother remarries only a short time after the King’s death. It seems to Hamlet that his mother never mourned her late husband’s death and didn’t care about him. Hamlet’s mother remarries Claudius, and Hamlet feels that this is a sign of disrespect to his father and fills him with rage. His mother’s statement greatly troubles Hamlet, “Good Hamlet cast thy knighted colour off” (1.2.68). His mother is trying to urge Hamlet to move on from the tragic events and no longer mourn the death of his father. When Hamlet speaks with the ghost it further fuels his desire for revenge. The ghost explains to him “I am thy father’s spirit doomed for certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires” (1.5.10). The ghost of Hamlet’s father is destined to suffer, and this fills Hamlet with rage and sadness. The ghost also urges Hamlet to “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.25) It is at this moment that it is revealed to Hamlet that his father was murdered. The ghost also reveals to Hamlet who his killer is “Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole with juice of cursed hebona in a vial, and in the porches of my ears did pour.” The ghost has revealed to Hamlet that it is his uncle Claudius who is responsible for the death of his father. Hamlet already disapproves of his mother and uncle’s incestuous marriage, and now that he realizes that his uncle is at fault for the death of his father he is determined to seek revenge.