I have spent a lot of time focusing on the main character of the story: Hamlet himself. Although there is a lot more I could say about Hamlet, another interesting and insightful view of the play can also come through other side-characters. People like King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Laertes and Horatio can all give a… Continue reading The Play and Secrets Revealed
In 1984, during a protestation against Reagan administrative policies, Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag in front of the Dallas City Hall. He was tried in a Texas court and charged for desecration of the flag. After the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals reversed the conviction, the case was brought before the Supreme Court.… Continue reading Texas v. Johnson
“The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.” Hamlet utters these lines at the end of Act II, when he comes up with a plan to determine the truth of the ghost’s words. Once again, this line possesses a lot of significance and meaning into the inner workings of the prince Hamlet.… Continue reading The Play’s the Thing
The first time the Supreme Court ever exercised its power of judicial review was in the case of Marbury v. Madison. Judicial review is the right of the Supreme Court to declare laws passed by Congress to be null and void; if they contradicted or were in conflict with the Constitution. In 1789, Congress passed… Continue reading Marbury v. Madison
What is the fundamental difference between the UN treaties and the treaties the Founding Fathers would have been familiar with? The Constitution allows us to make international treaties between countries, but there is a difference from the treaties the founding fathers were familiar with and those of today. Today we have things such as the… Continue reading International Treaties and the UN Convention
“Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.” This famous line quoted by the minor character Marcellus in Shakespeare’s Hamlet bears great significance. The scene in which this line is uttered plays a huge role in the rest of the play. To give you a little background and context, I will set the stage: It… Continue reading Something’s Rotten in the State of Denmark
“Judicial Activism: judicial rulings that are suspected of being based on personal opinion, rather than on existing law.” A recent example of judicial activism is the 2010 Federal Sentencing Act: Before 2010, drug dealers would get different lengths of prison time for the amount/type of drugs in their possession. For instance, someone who had 5… Continue reading Judicial Activism
