Omega - Stone Sour.

When it comes to comparing two different types of art (in this case music and literature) one can observe obvious similarities that illustrate the emotions that serve as the creative basis of the artistic works that are being compared. Hamlet, by William Shakespeare is a very universal play because of its topics and emotional themes. These characteristics give the play the ability of never becoming anachronistic, and therefore, more recent works that describe the same affective traits that Hamlet describes can be connected to it. This is the case of the Stone Sour's Omega, a song that explains the effect of anguish and revulsion that life creates in some individuals. The song uses extreme metaphors to compare the physical existence of humans (What a skeletal wreck of man this is, translucent flesh and feeble bones...) to banality and ephemeral experiences, just as Shakespeare does in the second scene of the first act in Hamlet (O, that this too too solid flesh would melt Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!). The general idea of both the song and the play is the fact that human life is just a wreck, an accident. Life is depicted as one of the most horrible punishments. Humans are controlled by factors they think they can control, and when individuals discover this, life becomes a constant fight between anguish and fear. The sadness and profound melancholy that Hamlet feels after the death of his father can be compared to the impotence that the author of the song describes when he talks about life as a constant chaos. In conclusion, fatalism and the fear of being controlled by the most obscure emotions are the factors that connect these two art works. 

Sonnet.

From the solitude, the fear, the angst,

The dark coat like an obscure shadow comes 

And the menacing, daunting, silent glimpse

Of th'ghoul, I scream but extort no response.

Specter of the Hades, what is thy aim?

Is it to take my soul, to take my breath?

I beg thee, restless soul, pronounce thy name,

And at last, bring me peace or bring me death.

I hear thy poignant dirge, thy pleased chant,

Tell me, oh ghost, is it joy? Is it grieve?

But in this life, each smile, each tear is scant,

On lord! Oh existence! How short, how brief!

But such a deceit, a broken mirror,

My flesh, no reflection, God! The horror! 

Task 2: Personal Reflection.

What a piece of work a man is! (II,ii) The renaissance brought a new way of thinking, not only in Europe but in the rest of the world. Sciences, Art, and Philosophy changed their focus, and they started to demonstrate all the excellent characteristics that human beings had. Sciences showed all the physical and biological advantages that humans had; humans were described as the most developed animal in the planet. Artistic expression (Painting, Sculpture, Literature) illustrated the complicated ideas and the abilities that humans carried. All of these aspects lead the society to think that they were the center of the universe, God's greatest creation. 

However, we are not living in the renaissance anymore. Humans have shown that they are nothing more than depravity made flesh. For me, humans are the worst plague in the universe. Humans destroy everything around them. They even destroy themselves. Hate is their law, and murder is their job. Just as Hamlet said, Humans are nothing more than dust. I can not understand how humans are able to rejoice in their banality. 

Task 1: Context and Analysis.

In Act 2 Scene 2, Hamlet is visited by his his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are send by the King and the Queen to figure out what is affecting Hamlet so much. Hamlet, knowing why they were there, understands that everything he says to them is going to be communicated to both Claudius and Geltrude. But he figures out a way to convince them that his sadness is nothing more than how his metaphysical doubts are expressed. Hamlet, using rhetoric and poetry explains to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern how futile and banal are all the things around him for him. However, even though his "delusional" state dominates his emotions, he recognizes "What a piece of work is a man" (II,ii,303). Hamlet compares the human race not only to angels but to God itself. He illustrates a general perception of the time: humans are the greatest creation of nature. No animal, or other being can be compared with humans. However, because of what happened with King Hamlet, Hamlet is able to see the sickness, the depravity and the banality of humans. For him, humans are nothing but dust.